GRAND RAPIDS FURNITURE, The Story of America's Furniture City.

With contributions from three scholars, Carron (head of the curatorial department of The Public Museum of Grand Rapids) chronicles the city that once crowned itself "The Paris of Furniture Design." Coverage begins in the 1830s with the first cabinetmakers, and continues to the high-tech office furniture of the late 20th century. A detailed directory of manufacturers lists more than 800 West Michigan furniture makers past and present including company names, locations, designers, and product descriptions. In addition, hints for identifying Grand Rapids furniture complement some 400 maker's marks and labels. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Christian G. Carron is head of the curatorial department of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, and has cultivated the furniture collections there for over ten years. Each year he answers hundreds of requests from around the world for information on Grand Rapids furniture. After studying in the Historical Administration Program at Eastern Illinois University, Carron curated similar collections in Louisiana and Kentucky. An active lecturer and author, Carron conducted much of the research for this publication during the development of The Furniture City, a permanent exhibition that opened in 1994.