The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture [Hardcover]

Timothy Rieman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1993

This comprehensive reference documents the full scope of furniture from Shaker communities in New England, Ohio, and Kentucky. Furniture produced throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, ranging from free-standing tables, chairs, desks, boxes, and case clocks to built-in cupboards and cases of drawers, is shown in over 1,000 images, 698 in color. An extensive text provides a detailed account of Shaker history, culture, and religion. Further, it examines Shaker design and tools, reporting new research on the Shaker color palette. Using primary source materials, this book examines designs from specific Shaker communities and individual cabinetmakers. Endnotes, bibliography, glossaries, and technical terms make this beautiful reference required reading for everyone with an interest in Shaker design and culture.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Rieman, maker of reproduction Shaker furniture and coauthor of The Shaker Chair (Univ. of Massachusetts Pr., 1992), and Burks, former curator at Canterbury Shaker Village, have created a comprehensive, well-documented guide to Shaker furniture. While most Shaker furniture books illustrate the classic "period of gospel simplicity" from 1820 to 1850, this book illustrates all periods of Shaker furniture, showing that Shaker styles actually reflected the tastes of the time, simple when neoclassical was popular and becoming more ornate as tastes changed to Victorian. Beginning with a broad description of the Shaker religion, lifestyle, and furniture-making, the book progresses to descriptions of each bishopric and its furniture and artisans. Although this book contains more information than most libraries need, it is highly recommended where there is interest.
- Gayle A. Williamson, Fashion Inst. of Design & Merchandising, Los Angeles
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

While many people recognize Shaker furniture by its pure lines, preservation of the natural beauty of wood, and meticulous but understated craftsmanship, few are well-versed in its cultural and spiritual context. By combining in-depth commentary on the Shaker tradition with detailed technical information and superb photographs, Rieman and Burks have created the most authoritative volume to date on the identification and authentication of individual pieces of Shaker furniture. The entire range of Shaker furniture is covered. Most studies concentrate on the favored period between 1820 and 1850, called the "gospel simplicity" era, but this comprehensive survey stretches back to the very beginning of the nineteenth century and forward into our own. The authors examine every aspect of Shaker construction, from wood selection to joinery techniques, moldings, and locking mechanisms. Not only have they examined hundreds of pieces, but they have also scrutinized numerous documents, including diaries, journals, records, and oral histories. Their efforts have yielded the names and life dates of more than 250 craftsmen, while Rieman's flawless photographs document 340 objects, many never photographed before for publication. An outstanding resource. Donna Seaman

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (September 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810938413
• ISBN-13: 978-0810938410
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,489,528 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, beautiful pictures; but see my warning below, January 17, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Bothell, WA; USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture (Hardcover)

Probably because it is one of the newer books on Shaker furniture, this one seems to be the most accurate on the provenance of the many surviving Shaker items. It appears they have done an excellent job of deciphering where a piece was made regardless which village it was found.

THERE IS WARNING HOWEVER! Don't be fooled by what they mean by "The Complete Book." They use the word complete to mean, that in addition to covering the "Shaker Golden Years" of 1830 to around 1850, they have included items from the 18th to the 20th century.

With approximately 400 beautiful illustrations, they can't possibly cover every important piece of Shakerdom. To my disappointment, they did not discuss the particular 12 to 20 foot benches of two slightly differing styles that I have seen pictured in the meeting room at Sabathday Lake. Nor did they show the small wall clock at Sabathday Lake that I wanted to know about.

The authors certainly accomplished their goals of descibing the various, differing forms used by the different locatations over the approximate 150 years covered.

For me the final test is, would I buy it again -- Abosolutely.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, May 18, 2005

By 

David Swanson (Providence, RI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture (Hardcover)

I'm obsessed with Shaker furnitue and architecture. I'll get around to reviewing all of my books in time. I think I have every Shaker book printed!

This one isn't "Complete" but there's an aweful lot in here. I look at "complete" more or less as meaning "most" variety of furniture. I didn't take it literally.

This is one book that gives a lot of weight to Shaker built-ins as well. Of which I'm trying to re-create so I've been referencing this book a lot lately.

I do have other books, some of which focus more on details and drawings with potential variety in drawer configurations for example, others more on color and simple photos etc.

So far it 's been one of my favorites in terms of the wide variety of material it contains. An overall wonderful photo and text reference to existing furniture.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Destined To Become The Standard In Its Field, August 16, 2008

By 

Aung Htun (811 Lavina St. Fort Wayne IN 46802-4030) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Book of Shaker Furniture (Hardcover)

"The Complete Book Of Shaker Furniture is DESTINED TO BECOME THE STANDARD IN ITS FIELD.
A comprehensive survey of the entire 150-year range of Shaker design arranged to show the works of 14 Shaker communities, it combines lavish illustrations, including 117 in full color, informative background essays, updated research largely based on original sources, and detailed construction analyses....."
[from the book of the front flap]