Animals in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City [Hardcover]

Robert Arthur King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 7, 2009

A delightful collection of creatures that adorn New York City buildings.

Companion to Faces in Stone, this is a gift-sized and attractively priced book for architecture buffs. It features more than one hundred imaginative sculptural details, from the domestic to the fantastic, with a brief introduction and contextual photos to show the building on which each ornament appears, the addresses, and transportation information. 250 duotone photographs; 4 maps

Editorial Reviews

Review

[E]xcellent books, giving you another way to enjoy the sights, and great presents for architectural students or lovers of New York City. (Pam Robinson - Examiner.com )

Implicitly, King makes a case against the rigid application of modernist dogma to architecture. That the carvings he photographed added depth, visual interest and beauty to their structures was sufficient justification for their existence. Form doesn’t necessarily have to follow function. (Dave Luhrssen - Milwaukee Express )

About the Author

Robert Arthur King teaches at the New York School of Interior Design and lives in Manhattan.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (December 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039373286X
• ISBN-13: 978-0393732863
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 7.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,121,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An architectural celebration also conducive to travel collections, May 16, 2010

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animals in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City (Hardcover)

ANIMALS IN STONE: ARCHITECTURAL SCULPTURE IN NEW YORK CITY provides a fine survey of creatures that decorate New York City structures, from lions and sheep to eagles and cats and dogs. Balconies, windows, and other facades are surveyed along with addresses of buildings and public transportation information including maps, making this an architectural celebration also conducive to travel collections.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Animals on Parade, December 8, 2009

By 

Pamela Robinson (Long Island) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Animals in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City (Hardcover)

Lions, squirrels, fish, mythical beasts and other creatures are among the delightful discoveries in "Animals in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City."

Architect-author Robert Arthur King has found and identified dozens of animal carvings in the buildings of New York City. This book is the companion work to "Faces in Stone: Architectural Sculpture in New York City."

Each carved creature gets its own page, along with address and public transportation information on how to reach the building. And at the end of the book, we get a map locating each one. There is little or no information about each carving; you'll have to discover that history on your own.

Among the finds:
Fish and an anchor at 74 Wall St., Manhattan; a ram at 200-214 Madison Ave., Manhattan; an owl at 52 Clark Street, Brooklyn, and a squirrel at 251-257 West 90th St., Manhattan.

This is a charming little book, perfect for city residents and visitors alike.