10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Victorian possessions and their owners, September 4, 2007
This review is from: Household Gods: The British and their Possessions (Hardcover)
Deborah Cohen's book is a fascinating study on a number of levels. From its starting point as a history of the domestic interior of middle class homes from the Victorian era into the early twentieth century, it serves as a lens for examining the history of the period on a number of different levels. What emerges is an entertaining account of the democratization of taste that accompanied the growth of consumerism in the nineteenth century, one that reflected and presaged broader changes taking place in British society.
Cohen starts with a quote from a modern-day reverend bemoaning Britain's current obsession with home improvement stores which she sets up as an ironic counterpoint to the past, as in many ways the modern obsession with home decoration can be traced to the Evangelical movement of the nineteenth century. Prior to then, taste was the domain of the upper classes, inherent and exclusive to them. As the middle class prospered, however, its Evangelical members wrestled with the impact of the growing consumerism upon their souls. Their ingenious solution was not to reject materialism but to embrace it by stressing the moral impact goods made, and to channel consumption towards embodying godly virtues.
Though the impact of Evangelism faded as the century wore on, the passion for decoration only grew. The middle class increasingly sought to define themselves by their household possessions, taking advantage of both their increasing wealth and the diminishing cost of household goods. Cohen charts the many trends that emerged from this, such as the development of home-furnishing stores (many of which gradually divested themselves from their additional earlier role as undertakers), the growing embrace of the "artistic" as an ability for self-expression, and the gradual shift in the responsibility for decorating the home from men to women. She also describes the reaction from the traditional class of wealthier consumers, who began collecting older furniture, creating a market for "antiques" that allowed them to maintain class distinctions and distinguish themselves from the broader consuming public.
Engagingly written and supported by numerous illustrations, Cohen's book is an excellent study of its subject. From her analysis of household goods and interior decoration, Cohen provides insight into the cultural, social, and economic developments of the era, making this a must read study for anyone interested in the Victorian era and the modern world that emerged from it.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant and Insightful, July 20, 2009
This review is from: Household Gods: The British and their Possessions (Hardcover)
"A man's home is his castle" and no more so than in England, asserts Cohen in this excellent survey of consumerism in Great Britain from 1830 - 1930. Her survey touches on the ideas that began in the Georgian period, matured during the Victorian era and reached the fullness of their fruition during the inter-war period in the United Kingdom. The text is engaging enough to hold the casual reader of history, and yet well researched and documented enough to be useful to the dedicated historian. If you have ever yearned to walk down the street of Victorian London and see what was in the shops, this book is your window on that world.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The English as Collectors, July 13, 2007
This review is from: Household Gods: The British and their Possessions (Hardcover)
As a antiquarian book and manuscript dealer for almost forty years I am always interested in why and how collectors collect. This book is a delight. Well researched, very readable, and the selection of illustration is wonderful. I bought another copy to send as a gift.
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