The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary) [Hardcover]

Romeyn B Hough (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2007 | Series: Taschen 25th Anniversary

TASCHEN's 25th anniversary - Special edition! Revised edition at a new low price Culled and assembled by Romeyn Beck Hough between 1888 and 1913 in what still remains a stunning and unparalleled achievement, American Woods ?originally published in 14 volumes, with actual specimens mounted on card stock?is a work of breathtaking beauty that has set the standard for the study of trees and wood. TASCHEN's Wood Book reproduces, in painstaking facsimile, all of the specimen pages from the original volumes; for this purpose we have obtained the use of an extremely rare original set of volumes in very good condition, with minimal damage to the wood cuts. For all trees, now arranged in alphabetical order, three different cross-section cuts of wood are represented (radial, horizontal, and vertical), demonstrating the particular characteristics of the grain and the wealth of colors and textures to be found among the many different wood types. Also included in this special edition are lithographs by Charles Sprague Sargent of the leaves and nuts of most trees, as well as texts describing the trees? geographical origins and physical characteristics. Interior designers, craftsmen, nature enthusiasts, and artists alike will enjoy this beautiful collection of wood samples which includes many trees that are now very rare or completely extinct.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The specimens, as things of beauty, are greatly to be prized?. The work is valuable and unique." ?

Product Details

• Hardcover: 799 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; 25th edition (July 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822838187
• ISBN-13: 978-3822838181
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.3 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #44,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #27 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Plants > Trees
  • #41 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Language Nonfiction > German
  • #57 in Books > History > Europe > France

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous and encyclopedic, October 15, 2007

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (Hardcover)

This spectacular edition reprints and extends a book first published in 15 volumes, staged across the end of the 19th and start of the 20th centuries. 354 North American tree species appear, including "trees" like palms and suguaro. A few paragraphs describe each species briefly, including habit of growth, characterization of the lumber, and uses of the tree. Uses include edible nuts, tannins for processing leather, and traditional applications of bark or roots. Descriptions appear in English, German and French. The photos across the fold of each two-page spread really make this book, though.

Each wood, with very few exceptions, show the wood as it appears in transverse (end grain), radial (quartersawn), and tangential (plainsawn) sections. These specimens were provided by Kew Gardens in the UK, and add a little information of their own: the UK-English name of each tree (in addition to the US-English), German and French again, and in Spanish - often different the different names used in different Spanish-speaking regions. In many cases, the tree's leaves, flowers, and fruit or seed are also illustrated in line drawings taken from Sargent's magnum opus from the same era, "Silva of North America."

Since the descriptions are now over 100 years old, usages may look odd. Acorns, for example, no longer find wide use as human food, and only sugar-maple's sap still has much use in cooking. A few notes are painfully up to date, though. Many species were described as diminishing because of over-harvest even then, and the loss of old-growth forests was already a concern.

Other books give better descriptions of how the wood accepts machining, glue, or fasteners, and potential health risks in handling the wood and its sawdust. No matter, this is an outstanding resource and a visual delight. I recommend it to anyone passionate about wood and its beauty.

-- wiredweird

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Woodbook, March 2, 2008

By 

Robert W. Haines (NAPERVILLE, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (Hardcover)

Excellent Value. I am an advanced hobbist woodworker and this book is an a great reference for a multitude of common & somewhat rare or unusal North American wood. If you buy your wood from one-man or small sawmills, this is very good reference for identification. Additionaly, shrinkage data, 3 view pictures of grain & surface, and application data make this book very important reference work for your personal library.

I could also see where environmentalists and outdoorsmen would find valuble.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars second edition, January 20, 2009

By 

P. van Rijckevorsel (The Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Woodbook: The Complete Plates (Taschen 25th Anniversary) (Hardcover)

This is essentially the same as the 2002 book (The Woodbook: same title, same publisher, different subtitle), with two major differences: 1) it costs a lot less and 2) it is less artsy (no gold text on black pages!), resulting in a lot more readability. For the rest see the earlier review.