Art industry: furniture, upholstery, and house-decoration, illustrative of the arts of the carpenter, joiner, cabinet-maker, painter, decorator, and upholsterer

Abstract

An excellent copy of a highly valuable work given a good note by Edward Joy: “His Art Industry has some 1200 illustrations. An important introductory section on woodworking has sketches of joints and of machinery, with technical descriptions. There are also descriptions of papier maché, carton pierre, and ther materials connected with furniture making. For illustrations of furniture Yapp selects some of the more elaborate exhibits from the International Exhibitions of 1851, 1855, and 1862 as well as examples from a collection of antiques shown at Gore House, London, in 1853. He expresses approval of the Gothic designs of Pugin, “a learned and skilful revivalist”, but is strongly critical of the “modern mediaeval” of contemporary designers. Art Industry is backward looking; it ignores the changes of the 1870s and stamps its approval of mid-Victorian taste.” - Pict dict of British 19th cent furnit design, p. xxxviii. Illustrations are as follows: furniture (151 plates); textile fabrics (84 plates); house decoration (47 plates) and carpets and floor cloths (38 plates). One of the essential works for the study of Victorian furniture and decoration. (Charles Wood, cat. 167, # 66)