Customer Reviews

Spanish Revival Architecture

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I LOVE this book, but it isn't for everyone. It is a fine book to add to your already existing collection on Spanish Revival. This book provides a survey of how Spanish Revival really looked in primarily the1920s and 1930s--not just the landmark buildings. You see high schools, churches, and lots of homes that do not appear in any other book. And how they were decorated during this period. I got a much better sense of the style as it was used by the common (OK, mostly wealthy) person.

Now let's discuss what this book is not: not a coffee table book with all pictures artistically staged and clear, not a written resource describing styles, not the first book for your library on Spanish Revival. I get the idea--purely my inference-- that Mr. Cook had been collecting pictures of Spanish Revival (old advertisements, postcards, etc) in his antique shop for years and one day he got the idea to put them into a book. Hence, the dust jacket write-up boasts over 500 photos and it must have (I haven't counted), but the captions provide only the information on the original source, e.g., ranging from only referencing the add the photo was from to providing the location, owner, and architect.

As for the overall quality, some photos are amazingly sharp, others a bit fuzzy, this is 1920s technology were talking about... Realize also, that a few photos are repeated (I suspect when the authors lacked enough examples to fill out the page) and a few categories, such as "Interior Details: Lighting" have only 4 photos.

I do not consider myself an expert, but have collected some books on this topic. Because I've had disappointments, here is one woman's recommendation for additional books:

Good first book to learn about the style and movement (and has nice photos): "California Colonial: The Spanish and Rancho Revival Styles"

Best overall value (price vs. architectural overview): "Red Tile Style"

If you are interested in the European images that inspired American Spanish Revival: "Architectural Details: Spain and the Mediterranean"

If you're wanting to know more about the Spanish/Mexican roots of Spanish Revival (not many photos): "Spanish-Colonial Architecture in the United States"

Coffee table books: "Casa California", "Casa Florida"

I should have paid attention to the fact that this book is comprised of "period photographs", all of which are sepia tone or black and white. There is little information about each picture beyond the site name and architect.

There is likely a value to this book for an architect or historian, but as my purpose was for inspiration during my remodel, I was disappointed. Many, if not all of the buildings pictured were built at a time when detail and craftsmanship were valued, and while they should be appreciated, it would be far out of my budget to recreate such detail.

If you are looking for inspiration, or current pictures (color) of older estates, I would recommend "California Colonial" as my first choice. Others to read are "Red Tile Style" and "Casa California: Spanish-Style Houses from Santa Barbara to San Clemente".

"Spanish Revival Architecture" is a nicely produced book, just not what I had in mind, and I returned my copy to Amazon.

I was quite disappointed in this book, which as a previous reviewer stated, consists mainly of period photographs with little or no information. I have always admired and purchased Shiffer Press books because they are well-produced and written, and quite useful, so this book came as a surprise. As a fan and owner of this architectural style, I have aquired many original and reprints of source material (e.g., Newcomb, Sexton, Requa, Smith, Neff), as well as some of the excellent recent books like Red Tile Style, Casa California, anything by David Gebhard, and Patricia Gebhard's recent book on G.W. Smith). The old books feature useful information and illustrations that actually inspired other architects and builders of the times, and continue to do so in the present day. The better new books add to the lore and show us how well this quintessentially California style has aged and how it continues to be a relevant and interesting part of the California landscape. Part of the charm of the source books was the artistic b/w photography and the sharp reproduction of those photographs in the printed plates. The reproductions in Spanish Revival Architecture are fuzzy and faded -- totally without the moody charm of the originals and not very useful in their muddiness. In addition, many of the details shown in Spanish Revival Architecure's photographs are not the best examples available. In contrast, the Shiffer Press' California Colonial is a fine and useful book that is worth the investment. If "Spanish Style" is really your thing, you'll also get more bang for you buck buying the available reprints of Rexford Newcomb books (alas, someone needs to reprint The Spanish House for America) and the excellent Smith and Neff books. If you have a sizeable book budget, first editions of source books, including Newcomb's several volumes, the late '20's Requa portfolios Architectural Details: Spain and Mediterranean and Old World Inspiration for American Architecture, and R.W. Sexton's Spanish Influence on American Architecture and Decoration, would all be worthy additions to your library.

This book is one of the finest and most filled with detail on Spanish Revival Architecture that I have ever seen. It is superbly arranged by catagory with pictures of architectural details such as doors, steps, lighting fixtures, etc.. The designs are actual photographs taken of the structures and details when they were originally built. It is also the most comprehensive guide to the proper furnishings for the structures as used in the period. Architects should take note of the scale and ballance of design as opposed to many things built in recent years that have totally out of proportion exagerated features. This book is a must for anyone vaguely interested in Spanish Revival Architecture, whether an architect, historian, owner of a structure of the period or planning a structure of this style.

Lots of photos...problem is that they are all in black & white. And, some of the photos seem to be of poor quality or taken many years ago. The beautiful color jacket cover is misleading.

The previous review of this book expresses my sentiments exactly. I wish I would have read it before purchasing.

This is a book of good Spanish Revival Architecture. I has pictures in black and white (fuzzy many of them) with well proportioned houses, interiors and furniture. The soul of the Spanish house is there, the Spanish interior space is there, ..., the Spanish flavor is there! Who cares about the fuzziness of the pictures, or that they are not in color? This is a book for the talented architect's eye. That the authors do have that eye is clear for they have not included the many dislocated and esthetically horrible examples of Spanish revival so abundant everywhere.