Customer Reviews

Measured Drawings of 18th Century American Furniture

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This book offers drawings of some beautifully proportioned furniture pieces, including chests of drawers, highboys, lowboys, desks, a clock, tilt-top tables and windsor chairs. The author/editor give no guidance for cutting, joining or assembling the pieces. Judging from this and the lack of detailed templates for scroll work, and from the sometimes incomplete measurements, it was not compiled with the beginning woodworker in mind.

The title "Measured Drawings of 18th Century American Furniture" is a little misleading. While the book does include some very nice examples of American Furniture, I would take issue with the "Measured Drawings" part of the title. The drawings provide enough measurements to give the proportions of the furniture pieces, but do not provide enough detail to accurately recreate the furniture. Many times, even the details of the construction/assembly are lacking. Therefore, this book will provide ideas and proportions for an advanced woodworker to create furniture without a plan, but is probably not for a persons starting in woodworking.

I think this book is excellent for ideas, but don't buy it expecting it to layout how to make the furniture, or provide detailed measurements of each piece. I would rate the usefulness of this book for providing ideas, about the same as the trips I make to different museums to view their furniture collection, get ideas for creating new furniture pieces, and get an idea of the right proportions/measurements.

This is a fine book for the more advanced furniture builder.
If you no longer have to ask yourself "how" then you are ready for this series of books.
If you know the how then all you need are the measurements and diagrams in the book.
If you are at or close to that point in your furniture building endeavors and wish to build elegant period pieces then by all means get this book.
If you are not at that stage yet buy it anyway and put it in your reference library. Because if you stick with it you will get there.