{"product_id":"2940157793005","title":"Illustrated History of Furniture: From the Earliest to the Present Time","description":"In the following pages the Author has placed before the reader an account\u003cbr\u003eof the changes in the design of Decorative Furniture and Woodwork, from\u003cbr\u003ethe earliest period of which we have any reliable or certain record until\u003cbr\u003ethe present time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA careful selection of illustrations has been made from examples of\u003cbr\u003eestablished authenticity, the majority of which are to be seen, either in\u003cbr\u003ethe Museums to which reference is made, or by permission of the owners;\u003cbr\u003eand the representations of the different \"interiors\" will convey an idea\u003cbr\u003eof the character and disposition of the furniture of the periods to which\u003cbr\u003ethey refer. These illustrations are arranged, so far as is possible, in\u003cbr\u003echronological order, and the descriptions which accompany them are\u003cbr\u003eexplanatory of the historical and social changes which have influenced the\u003cbr\u003emanners and customs, and directly or indirectly affected the Furniture of\u003cbr\u003edifferent nations. An endeavour is made to produce a \"panorama\" which may\u003cbr\u003eprove acceptable to many, who, without wishing to study the subject\u003cbr\u003edeeply, may desire to gain some information with reference to it\u003cbr\u003egenerally, or with regard to some part of it, in which they may feel a\u003cbr\u003eparticular interest.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt will be obvious that within the limits of a single volume of moderate\u003cbr\u003edimensions it is impossible to give more than an outline sketch of many\u003cbr\u003eperiods of design and taste which deserve far more consideration than is\u003cbr\u003ehere bestowed upon them; the reader is, therefore, asked to accept the\u003cbr\u003efirst chapter, which refers to \"Ancient Furniture\" and covers a period of\u003cbr\u003eseveral centuries, as introductory to that which follows, rather than as a\u003cbr\u003eserious attempt to examine the history of the furniture during that space\u003cbr\u003eof time. The fourth chapter, which deals with a period of some hundred and\u003cbr\u003efifty years, from the time of King James the First until that of\u003cbr\u003eChippendale and his contemporaries, and the last three chapters, are more\u003cbr\u003efully descriptive than some others, partly because trustworthy information\u003cbr\u003eas to these times is more accessible, and partly because it is probable\u003cbr\u003ethat English readers will feel greater interest in the furniture of which\u003cbr\u003ethey are the subject. The French _meubles de luxe_, from the latter half\u003cbr\u003eof the seventeenth century until the Revolution, are also treated more\u003cbr\u003efully than the furniture of other periods and countries, on account of the\u003cbr\u003einterest which has been manifested in this description of the cabinet\u003cbr\u003emaker's and metal mounter's work during the past ten or fifteen years.\u003cbr\u003eThere is evidence of this appreciation in the enormous prices realised at\u003cbr\u003enotable auction sales, when such furniture has been offered for\u003cbr\u003ecompetition to wealthy connoisseurs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn order to gain a more correct idea of the design of Furniture of\u003cbr\u003edifferent periods, it has been necessary to notice the alterations in\u003cbr\u003earchitectural styles which influenced, and were accompanied by,\u003cbr\u003ecorresponding changes in the fashion of interior woodwork. Such comments\u003cbr\u003eare made with some diffidence, as it is felt that this branch of the\u003cbr\u003esubject would have received more fitting treatment by an architect, who\u003cbr\u003ewas also an antiquarian, than by an antiquarian with only a limited\u003cbr\u003eknowledge of architecture.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome works on \"Furniture\" have taken the word in its French\u003cbr\u003einterpretation, to include everything that is \"movable\" in a house; other\u003cbr\u003ewriters have combined with historical notes, critical remarks and\u003cbr\u003esuggestions as to the selection of Furniture. The author has not presumed\u003cbr\u003eto offer any such advice, and has confined his attention to a description\u003cbr\u003eof that which, in its more restricted sense, is understood as \"Decorative\u003cbr\u003eFurniture and Woodwork.\" For his own information, and in the pursuit of\u003cbr\u003ehis business, he has been led to investigate the causes and the\u003cbr\u003eapproximate dates of the several changes in taste which have taken place,\u003cbr\u003eand has recorded them in as simple and readable a story as the\u003cbr\u003edifficulties of the subject permit.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNumerous acts of kindness and co-operation, received while preparing the\u003cbr\u003ework for the press, have rendered the task very pleasant; and while the\u003cbr\u003eauthor has endeavoured to acknowledge, in a great many instances, the\u003cbr\u003ecourtesies received, when noticing the particular occasion on which such\u003cbr\u003eassistance was rendered, he would desire generally to record his thanks to\u003cbr\u003ethe owners of historic mansions, the officials of our Museums, the Clerks\u003cbr\u003eof City Companies, Librarians, and others, to whom he is indebted. The\u003cbr\u003eviews of many able writers who have trodden the same field of enquiry have\u003cbr\u003ebeen adopted where they have been confirmed by the writer's experience or\u003cbr\u003eresearch, and in these cases he hopes he has not omitted to express his\u003cbr\u003eacknowledgments for the use he has made of them.","brand":"Readings LLC","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47175345799408,"sku":"2940157793005","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940157793005_p0.jpg?v=1764103194","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940157793005","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}