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The Cleaning Encyclopedia: America’s # Cleaning Expert
by Don AslettThe ultimate guide to the art of cleaning, this reference is packed with professional secrets for getting maximum results through minimum results through minimum effort. Discover how to save time, money, and elbow grease on every cleaning problem, as well as how to prevent housework with surprising tricks of the trade. From aluminum siding to zoom lenses, this alphabetical index covers every job, big and small.
The Ornamented Chair
by Zilla Rider LeaDiscriminating decorators and collectors, no less than dealers and researchers in antiques, have long felt the need of a comprehensive study of the ornamented chair and its development in America. This book is the product of an effort to satisfy that need and at the same time to bring new pleasures to lovers of beautiful furniture.The book is based on photographic and research material collected by the late Esther Stevens Brazer, who spent a lifetime in the study and revival of early American decoration.The authors are all qualified researchers, teachers, and decorators. In their text they present a general history of chair types, facts regarding ornamentation, and informative accounts of some of the leading craftsmen and decorators of the various periods. The final chapter of the book briefly relates the history of the Society and describes how its members carry forward the efforts of Esther Stevens Brazer, maintaining in their research, their teaching, and their restorations the standards of an old craft and the traditions of its finest workmen.
The Ornamented Chair
by Zilla Rider LeaDiscriminating decorators and collectors, no less than dealers and researchers in antiques, have long felt the need of a comprehensive study of the ornamented chair and its development in America. This book is the product of an effort to satisfy that need and at the same time to bring new pleasures to lovers of beautiful furniture.The book is based on photographic and research material collected by the late Esther Stevens Brazer, who spent a lifetime in the study and revival of early American decoration.The authors are all qualified researchers, teachers, and decorators. In their text they present a general history of chair types, facts regarding ornamentation, and informative accounts of some of the leading craftsmen and decorators of the various periods. The final chapter of the book briefly relates the history of the Society and describes how its members carry forward the efforts of Esther Stevens Brazer, maintaining in their research, their teaching, and their restorations the standards of an old craft and the traditions of its finest workmen.
The Art Nouveau Style: A Comprehensive Guide with 264 Illustrations
by Stephan Tschudi MadsenA revolutionary reaction to traditional nineteenth-century art, the turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau movement drew much of its inspiration from nature. Applying its sinuous, curvilinear motifs to the decorative arts, graphics, architecture, sculpture, and painting, artists and craftspeople attempted to create a style suitable for a "modern" age. In this absorbing, exceptionally detailed, and well-researched book (one of the first scholarly works to revive interest in the style after World War II), a noted Norwegian authority on the subject examines the movement in depth. Stephan Madsen offers a wealth of facts and insights about the origins and development of the style; trends leading up to Art Nouveau, including the influence of Blake and the Pre-Raphaelites; early Art Nouveau posters and book illustrations; and its use in architectural ornamentation, furniture, jewelry, wrought-iron, glass, and other applied arts. A magnificent selection of 264 photographs and line drawings accompanies the text, which gives broad coverage to the movement, as well as insightful discussions of such important artists as Emile Gallé, Alphonse Mucha, Walter Crane, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Aubrey Beardsley, Henry Van de Velde, Victor Horta, William Morris, and Eugène Grasset.Artists and students, admirers of Art Nouveau, and anyone interested in this enduring and influential style will welcome Professor Madsen's expert, fully documented study.
Japanese Flower Arrangement: A Primer
by Ellen Gordon AllenThis Japanese gardening book is a practical, concise guide to flower arranging or Ikebana.Illustrated with dozens of helpful photographs and diagrams, this flower arranging handbook provides full and comprehensive treatment of the various forms of Moribana and Heiki style arrangements. <P><P>Each lesson is given in detail step by step with accompanying sketches, showing clearly what should be done as the arrangement progresses towards completion. The photographs of actual completed flower arrangements sum up beautifully the principles underlying each particular style.The purpose of this text is to acquaint the reader with elementary knowledge in a special school of flower arranging-the Japanese school-selected because it is the oldest and its teachings are perhaps the simplest, yet most effective. The text is intended for amateurs, but professional arrangers might find it useful as a refresher.
Japanese Flower Arrangement: A Complete Primer
by Ellen G. AllenThere is something of the artist in each of us. Some of us find expression in painting, poetry, or sculpture, some in landscape gardening. With talent and facility, expression in these art forms is Satisfying. <P><P>And this is true also of flower arranging, an ancient art that can express a thought or mood and in a sense combine the expression of severnl other media. Yet special talent for flower arranging is not essential. The 'feeling' for it is engendered by the practice of it!' With these words Ellen Gordon Allen begins the introduction to her eminently practical primer of Japanese flower arrangement, which is here being offered in a new revised edition. As a certified teacher (Oharn school)and a very successful one, Mrs. Allen is well qualified to present her subject.The purpose of her book is fourfold: to increase the skill of all who love to arrange flowers to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the Japanese art of flower arrangement; to help students when no teacher is available; andto provide a medium of instruction among the many, often confusing, schools of Japoncse flower arrangement. It is Mrs. Allen's hope that the primer will serve as a practical handbook for beginners and that it will dispel the aura ofmystery that seems to surround the subject. To this end, she has made her instructions as elementary as possible. The few fundamental rules of Japanese flower arrangement and the various techniques are presented in a simple manner.Wherever possible, English equivalents have been substituted for Japanese terms. Each lesson sketches, photographs, and diagrams which clearly show the student what to do in working toward completion of the arrangement. Although Mrs. Allen teaches principally the methods of the Ohara school for the moribana and heika styles and the methods of the Saga school for the seika style, her book is also a compilation of information from the Sogetsu, the Ikenobo, the Sho-fu·ryu, and other famous schools in Japan. She has selected what she considers most practical for use in the American or other foreign setting. By using the slep-by-step methods outlined in the 14 well-organized lessons, the Rowerarrangementstudent will not only be able to learn rapidly but will also experience the pleasure of making genuine progress in an art that provides an endless source of enjoyment. And, as Mrs. A1len expresses it, "it is the enjoyment of making flower arrangements that I want particularly to stress. Learn the fundamentalsand you will enjoy their application, sharing your pleasure with others who will marvel at your skill in arranging flowers."
Charleston Interiors
by Samuel Chamberlain Narcissa ChamberlainThis splendid pictorial survey depicts 51 historic homes of Charleston, South Carolina. Over 300 photographs, accompanied by descriptive text, depict exquisite 18th- and 19th-century houses and their interiors. Includes illustrations of Ashley Hall, Crayton Hall, the Joseph Manigault house, as well as the homes of Colonel William Rhett, John Edwards, Charles Pinckney, and others.
The Japanese Art of Minature Trees and Landscapes
by Giovanna M. Halford Yuji YoshimuraNOW AT LAST an eminently practical book about one of Japan's most fascinating arts. Japanese miniature landscapes and, particularly, dwarf trees-"bonsai," as they are frequently called even in the West-have long been admired throughout the world, and large sums have been spent importing them into other countries, often only to have them die. There is something so magical, unearthly even, about their gemlike beauty that their creation has generally been thought an occult science, and for the layman even their care and preservation have seemed to be shrouded in mystery. As this book proves, however, the creation and care of bonsai is a comparatively simple art which can actually be systematically taught rather than, as in earlier books on the subject, just talked about vaguely. Now, given a reasonably green thumb and a modicum of patience, anyonein any country can create his own bonsai; and still easier is it to apply the few matter-of-fact rules necessary to keep a finished bonsai in healthy and vigorous condition for generations. Here are detailed instructions, together with many helpful diagrams and charts and a treasury of photographs, on every phase of the art: propagation and training, with hints for those in a hurry and for small-apartment dwellers; daily and seasonal care, and treatment of pests; how to judge, select, and exhibit bonsai, with emphasis always upon the untold enjoyment they can provide. Included also, for those who want still more detailed information, are invaluable appendices concerning tools and equipment, soil analyses, and precise data on the more than three hundred species of plants used in making bonsai. This, then, is a definitive work, one which has long beenneeded and which will remain the bonsai book for years to come. It is a book for those who want to try their hand at a fascinating hobby; for those who, preferring to buy their bonsai ready-made, want to fulfill their responsibility of preserving such miniature loveliness; and for those who want simply to understand more about one of Japan's most treasured traditions, "sculpturing beauty in living wood."
The Japanese Art of Minature Trees and Landscapes
by Giovanna M. Halford Yuji YoshimuraNOW AT LAST an eminently practical book about one of Japan's most fascinating arts. Japanese miniature landscapes and, particularly, dwarf trees-"bonsai," as they are frequently called even in the West-have long been admired throughout the world, and large sums have been spent importing them into other countries, often only to have them die. There is something so magical, unearthly even, about their gemlike beauty that their creation has generally been thought an occult science, and for the layman even their care and preservation have seemed to be shrouded in mystery. As this book proves, however, the creation and care of bonsai is a comparatively simple art which can actually be systematically taught rather than, as in earlier books on the subject, just talked about vaguely. Now, given a reasonably green thumb and a modicum of patience, anyonein any country can create his own bonsai; and still easier is it to apply the few matter-of-fact rules necessary to keep a finished bonsai in healthy and vigorous condition for generations. Here are detailed instructions, together with many helpful diagrams and charts and a treasury of photographs, on every phase of the art: propagation and training, with hints for those in a hurry and for small-apartment dwellers; daily and seasonal care, and treatment of pests; how to judge, select, and exhibit bonsai, with emphasis always upon the untold enjoyment they can provide. Included also, for those who want still more detailed information, are invaluable appendices concerning tools and equipment, soil analyses, and precise data on the more than three hundred species of plants used in making bonsai. This, then, is a definitive work, one which has long beenneeded and which will remain the bonsai book for years to come. It is a book for those who want to try their hand at a fascinating hobby; for those who, preferring to buy their bonsai ready-made, want to fulfill their responsibility of preserving such miniature loveliness; and for those who want simply to understand more about one of Japan's most treasured traditions, "sculpturing beauty in living wood."
The Tree Identification Book
by George W. D. SymondsA new method for the practical identification and recognition of trees -- and an important supplement to existing botanical methods. The book is in two parts: Pictorial Keys and Master Pages. The Keys are designed for easy visual comparison of details which look alike, narrowing the identification of a tree to one of a small group -- the family or genus. Then, in the Master Pages, the species of the tree is determined, with similar details placed together to highlight differences within the family group, thus eliminating all other possibilities. The details of the Oak trees on this plate are an example of the system. All of the more than 1500 photographs were made specifically for use in this book and were taken either in the field or of carefully collected specimens. Where possible, details such as leaves, fruit, etc. , appear in actual size, or in the same scale.
Easy Carpentry Projects for Children (Dover Children's Activity Books)
by Jerome E. Leavitt"All projects have been pretested for school use and are suitable for youngsters." — Bulletin of National Association of Secondary School Principals.What better way to learn than by doing? This thoughtfully conceived woodworking primer by educator Jerome E. Leavitt makes learning basic carpentry skills enjoyable and rewarding for boys and girls ages 8 and up. With special sections on basic hand tools, squaring a block of wood, and wood finishing, this unique how-to book presents step-by-step instructions for making 15 popular wooden items — all scaled to the beginner's capabilities: Sailboat, Clock Shelf, Bird Feeder, Candlesticks, Hot Dish Coaster, Towel Holder, Steamboat, Cart, Toy Sled , Birdhouse for a Wren, Book Rack, Shoeshine Kit, Table Lamp, Flower Box, and Tie Rack. Carefully planned to appeal to young woodworkers, each project includes clear, simple directions, enhanced by clean, accurate diagrams and attractive line drawings. New carpenters will beam with pride and accomplishment at having constructed useful, tangible objects to keep or to give as presents to parents or friends.
Japanese Gardens for Today
by David EngelWith extensive photographs and diagrams, this book explains the philosophy and practice of Japanese gardening.<P><P>An important classic of gardening instruction, Japanese Gardens for Today is a practical down-to-earth explanation of the basic rules of Japanese garden design and care. It is sure to prove of great value to both the professional landscape architect and to the green-thumbed home owner, whether he is designing an entirely new garden or only seeking an illusion of spaciousness and rightness in a tiny courtyard or corner.Photographs of historic Japanese gardens and the private, modern gardens of Japanese homes are given alongside useful rule-of-thumb practices and techniques. The books wealth of drawings are fully integrated with clear, succinct text to present the first full and practical treatment of the subject ever published in English.
Chinese Snuff Bottles
by Lilla S. PerryThis title was originally published in print form by Tuttle Publishing in 1960This book is not only an invaluable document for all interested in the history of Chinese art, but also a lucid and fascinating guidebook for the collector or would be collector, both of snuff bottles and other products of Chinese craftsmanship.
The Small Private Forest in the United States (Routledge Revivals)
by Charles H. StoddardThroughout the past few decades, the standard answer to the problem of low productivity in small private forests has been education. It has been assumed that the chief obstacle to "good" forestry has been lack of knowledge. But the stubborn persistence of the problem raises some doubts as to the efficacy of the remedy. In this book, first published in 1961, the author takes a sharper look at this problem. He tries to find out what has worked reasonably well, and what has not, and makes some suggestions as to what seems to offer the best prospects for the future. The Small Private Forest in the United States will be of interest to students of environmental studies, as well as to private landowners.
Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages
by Stanley Charles NottFirst published in 1936 and since then a collector's item of increasing rarity, Chinese Jade Throughout the Ages comprises a review of the characteristics, decorations, folklore, and symbolism of this esteemed mineral that has always held a proud place among gems of the world. The book presents a full descriptive account of the significance and meaning of the carvings produced in this prize stone by Chinese craftsmen from the earliest times, through the Chou and succeeding dynasties, down to the twentieth century.
Oriental Rugs a Complete Guide
by Charles W. JacobsenThis authoritative reference contains a vast amount of information about Oriental rugs.<P><P>Oriental Rugs: A Complete Guide is the first large volume on the subject to be printed in the past forty-five years is meant for the individual who is interested in purchasing his first Oriental Rug, as well as the collector, museum, and rug importer.The volume is divided into three main parts. Part I, entitled "General Discussion devotes one chapter to each of the large rug weaving countries and includes helpful hints as to what the rug buyer should look for in an particular rug.Part II, "Description of Types," is an alphabetical list of all the names that have been used to identify rugs in the past, as well as the names that are being used at present. Each entry is followed by a full discussion and description of the rug.Part III, "Plates," contains 194 pictures of different types of rugs, complete with descriptive captions for each. Thirty-nine of the plates are in full color. All of the plates are large, allowing the reader to see the design, and in some cases, the colors used in the particular rug.
Persian Gardens & Garden Pavilions
by Donald N. WilberThis Persian gardening book showcases classic gardens and pavilions and presents gardening advice for the aspiring amateur landscaper looking to add an Eastern flair to his or her yard.The garden has always had a special meaning for Persian (Iran). <P><P>The Persian garden, with its flowing pools, fountains, waterways, rows of tall trees, rich arrays of fruit trees and flowers, and cool pavilions, has represented an image of paradise.Persian Gardens & Garden Pavilions is both a comprehensive survey and an appreciation of this Persian tradition of gardens and garden pavilions. The text traces the historical development of Persian gardens, describes their basic features, presents existing examples, and discusses the literature and tradition behind them. The 119 illustrations include detailed plans and photographs of surviving gardens and their pavilions made on the spot, as well as a comprehensive collection of paintings, lithographs, and drawings of the nineteenth century executed both by Persian artists and by European travelers and emissaries of the period.The author points out, the gardeners who read this book should come across many details and ideas that can be incorporated into their own kinds of gardens.
Teach Yourself Bird Watching: The classic guide to ornithology (Teach Yourself)
by George E. HydeWith a few sorry exceptions, it's heartening to think that the gardener or bird-spotter of the 1950s or 60s would immediately recognise most of the songs that sing out over English gardens today. For the amateur ornithologist of the twenty first century, Teach Yourself Bird Watching will be as much of a delight now as it ever was - a beautifully written, precise guide to identifying, protecting and encouraging birdlife in your garden and beyond.Since 1938, millions of people have learned to do the things they love with Teach Yourself. Welcome to the how-to guides that changed the modern world.
Narcotics: Nature's Dangerous Gifts
by Norman TaylorInformation on marijuana, opium, morphine, heroin, coca, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, ololiuqui, peyotl (mescaline), pituri, fly agaric, caapi, kava, betel, coffee, chocolate and tea.
The Big House: A Century in the Life of an American Summer Home
by George Howe ColtIn this intimate and poignant history of a sprawling century-old summer house on Cape Cod, George Howe Colt reveals not just one family's fascinating story but a vanishing way of life. Faced with the sale of the treasured house where he had spent forty-two summers, Colt returned for one last August with his wife and young children. The Big House, the author's loving tribute to his one-of-a-kind family home, interweaves glimpses of that elegiac final visit with memories of earlier summers spent at the house and of the equally idiosyncratic people who lived there over the course of five generations. Built by Colt's great-grandfather one hundred years ago on a deserted Cape Cod peninsula, the house is a local landmark (neighboring children know it as the Ghost House): a four-story, eleven-bedroom jumble of gables, bays, sloped roofs, and dormers. The emotional home of the Colt family, the Big House has watched over five weddings, four divorces, and three deaths, along with countless anniversaries, birthday parties, nervous breakdowns, and love affairs. Beaten by wind and rain, insulated by seaweed, it is both romantic and run-down, a symbol of the faded glory of the Boston Brahmin aristocracy. With a mixture of amusement and affection, Colt traces the rise and fall of this tragicomic social class while memorably capturing the essence of summer's ephemeral pleasures: sailing, tennis, fishing, rainy-day reading. Time seems to stand still in a summer house, and for the Colts the Big House always seemed an unchanging place in a changing world. But summer draws to a close, and the family must eventually say good-bye. Elegant and evocative, The Big House is both magical and sad, a gift to anyone who holds cherished memories of summer.
Bonsai: The Art of Dwarfing Trees
by Ann Kimball PipeThis book offers to the beginner the basic foundations for Bonsai, and for growing plants in pots. The book covers topics such as finding suitable trees, potting, watering, trimming, plant health, and much more. There is a separate section for discussing the shaping of different bonsais into the beautiful shapes. The book also offers a fairly good list of plants to try for planting as bonsai.
The Joy of Handweaving
by Osma TodThis is the first paperback edition of a manual well known to weavers for its great thoroughness, clarity, and value to beginning and professional weavers alike. The author has drawn upon many years of experience as a teacher and writer in preparing this practical text of basic weaving techniques and projects from the simplest to the extremely complex.Each topic of weaving theory and technique is presented with its practical applications in mind. Within the first thirty pages, readers learn enough to complete their first weaving project, a bookmark, and this leads directly to the weaving of rugs on a loom, the process of weaving on a two-harness loom, threading plain weave from a draft, making a two-harness table loom (readers following the clear diagram and instructions will have no trouble building the loom), preparing the weft, handling of threads, two-harness design methods, the weaving of rag rugs in plain weave, useful articles woven with striped warps and wefts, tapestry techniques, and design weaves.For advanced weavers, the second major section of the book covers a great variety of weaves for the four-harness loom and related information: how to warp and thread a four-harness loom, weaving both plain and pattern weave, the twill family of weaves and herringbone variations, the principles of overshot pattern weaving, the diamond or cross family, the monk's belt pattern and its uses, practical overshot patterns, designing drafts and special techniques, ways of weaving overshot, special four-harness techniques (summer and winter weave, the Bronson weave, the M's and O's weave, the crackle weave, the waffle weave, matta technique, syncopation, double weaving on a four-harness loom).The author then details multi-harness weaves such as multi-harness twill, eight-harness damask design, and several others. Then follow discussions of the uses of color in weaving designs, planning borders, the various draft notations (European and American), weaving with synthetic fibers, thread sizes, counts and yardage, and costs of handwoven fabrics. There is a thread chart of warp settings and suitable wefts. A final chapter gives instructions for making several projects from hand-woven fabrics (a folder for linens, a small ornamental box, jackets and suits, and others). The text is fully illustrated throughout with photographs and labelled diagrams.
Shaker Furniture
by Edward D. Andrews48 sharp photos show side chairs, long benches, rocking chairs, chests, cupboards, much more. Exact measurements given for each piece to aid in identification, reconstruction, restoration. Also--highly readable commentary on sect's cultural background.
Consider the Lilies
by Alfreda Oko Martin Edward MartinJapanese flower arranging has attracted a world wide following, and this book is a simple and clear introduction to the art.The first section illustrates thirty-six suggested flower arrangements with diagrams and full how-to-do-it instructions. The second part of the book explains the theory and technique of Japanese flower arrangement. The result is a book which gives an astonishing range of flower arrangements, clear explanations of how to make them at home, and an inspiring selection of devotional passages.
Sundials: History, Theory, and Practice
by René R.J. Rohr"His lively pen, his direct and simple style, his expressive vocabulary, his avoidance of pedantry, his conciseness in the exposition of his thoughts make his book a pleasure to read." -- Henri Michel, International Academy of the History of ScienceThe story of man's efforts to measure time is a long one -- reaching back thousands of years to the dawn of civilization. Among the earliest instruments developed for telling time was the sundial. In this expert study, a noted sundial expert offers a fascinating and informative account of these ancient devices, presented in simple, lively language.Over the centuries, many different varieties of sundials have been constructed, and Mr. Rohr provides detailed, accurate descriptions of them all: classical sundials, inclined dials, solar calendars, analemmatic dials, moon dials, and many more. There is even a chapter devoted to especially remarkable dials past and present, and a listing of the most popular sundial mottoes. In this profusely illustrated volume, you will not only learn about the long and colorful history of the sundial, you will learn a practical method of building one yourself. No special knowledge is required, other than an understanding of the basic principles of cosmography and of the relative movements of the sun and the planets. (These are recalled in an elementary way in a special chapter.) For mathematically inclined readers, more complex formulae and calculations have been included, some of which have never been printed in a book of gnomonics.