Victorian Domestic Architectural Plans and Details: 734 Scale Drawings of Doorways, Windows, Staircases, Moldings, Cornices, and Other Elements (v. 1) (Paperback)

~ William T. Comstock (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Rare treasury of floor plans, elevations, perspective drawings for houses and cottages in Queen Anne, Eastlake, Elizabethan, Colonial, other styles. Large engraved plates also contain scaled drawings of nearly 700 architectural details. Invaluable resource for restorers, preservationists, students, etc. 734 black-and-white illustrations. Preface.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (September 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486254429
• ISBN-13: 978-0486254425
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #224,090 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

47 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Scale Victorian house plans and detail drawings., November 28, 1995

By A Customer

This book, originally published in 1881, contains floorplans and elevations of several dozen Victorian houses. Some plans are possibly suitable for actual construction. As the accurate title implies there are many drawings of architectural details. All plans are drawn to scale, but have been reduced by 12%. This book is a must-have for fans of Victorian architecture or home builders that are looking for Victorian-style ideas

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Details for DIYers or Modern Carpenters, July 24, 2008

By	Timothy J. Mccarthy "Mongo" (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book offers plans for several gorgeous Victorian houses, and as such, is an excellent companion book to some of Dover's other architectural offerings. But as the author notes, the ". . . intention primarily was to make it a work of Architectural details . . ." House framing is laid out here, from sill plate to rafters. Back then they used balloon framing, so it's interesting to compare that to modern practices. But the best part of this book is the wealth of detail on a building's, well, details. You get a drawing showing how virtually every feature of a Victorian house if built, inside and out. You'll see how to frame out porches, doors, windows, cornices, and gables. There are examples of turned work - posts, finials, drops, and balusters - lattice work, roof ventilators, and chimney tops.

My favorite part is the treatment of interiors. Staircases are shown in elevation and in details. There are examples of all types of trim work, from wainscoting to fireplace mantels. Best of all, several rooms are shown in perspective or elevation, and then in cutaway detail. There's another book that provides a better set of plans and details (I'll update this when I find the title) for every room in the house, but this provides a great introduction.

If you own a Victorian house, you should have this book before you even think of tearing into any walls. You'll gain an understanding of what's behind the lathe before you cut out something you shouldn't have. If you're building or renovating and like Victorian details, this will give you a lot of ideas that you can incorporate into your house. Today's houses are better built - stronger, well insulated, with all the modern conveniences - but what they lack is detail. This book shows you why our houses now are so hopelessly plain-Jane compared to the houses build a century ago.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Period architectural details, October 27, 2007

By	A. Wood (East Coast) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Good book for excellent drawings with measurements for victorian and related house interior and exterior architectural details. Good for actual homes and dollhouses. recommend