Recent content by toolemera

Yet another new title to add to the mix. Charles Godfrey Leland's book on Wood Carving from 1891. Leland hung out with the likes of William Morris and others of the Arts & Craft crowd, which is to say you'll find a lot of naturalistic, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon designs in this book. He discusses...

The third and final installment in this series of reprints, at least for the moment while I pack moving boxes. Stokes first edition, 1829, of The Complete Cabinet Maker And Upholsterer's Guide with all eleven plates of which 11 are in color. To top that off, the entire book has been reproduced...

I'm in search of anyone who might have a copy of the 1841 edition of J. Stokes The Complete Cabinet Maker And Upholsterer's Guide. The 1829 first edition is within spitting distance of publication but first I would like to check a few facts against the 1841 edition which was also published by...

Does anyone have a copy of Eleanor Rowe's folio book of photographs of carvings from the Kensington Museum? If so, are any of the images of Grinling Gibbons work? Digging up 19th C books on wood carving has led to a shelf full of so-so books and a handful of good books. Not that I mind buying...

Next up is Wood Carving by Joseph Phillips from 1896. This is a graduated exercise in relief carving by a British carver of the late 19th Century, &c. &c. &c. Of all forums, you know what I mean. I've included samples of one of the exercises in the shop item display at...

I recently picked a particularly nice c1870 four drawer ladies dresser, with mirror. Pine with excellent grain painting all over, ivy decoration in green on the drawer fronts and decades worth of what looks like nicotine, hands and the general accumulation of everything that falls on wooden...

I can finally get my head out of the woods. Thomas Martin's Opus, The Circle Of The Mechanical Arts, 1813, has gone to press and is now available for sale. The specs are as follows: 8.5x11; hard cover/ case wrap laminate; facsimile black & white text; 39 plates in color facsimile; introduction...

It's been nearly a year in production (most of which time I got to sit back and watch other people do the hard work. It was only at the end that I had to get up off my butt and actually do anything concrete) but now it's Alive...

I'm working on a reprint of Thomas Martin's opus: The Circle Of The Mechanical Arts, 1813. There is some information on Martin, but not as much as I'ld like to have. If anyone has any knowledge of Martin's history, I would really appreciate your contacting me. Thanks Gary

It's only taken a decade or two, but I finally found an affordable copy of I. Page's Guide To Drawing The Acanthus, c1840. While I'm not a carver, I've seen this title referred to enough times that I wanted to read one, if not hold the real thing, if not actually own it. Sorry Kessinger...

Kerry Pierce has published a new book: Hand Planes In The Modern Shop. I like this book a lot. So much so that I reviewed it on my blog http://toolemerablog.typepad.com/toolemera/2011/05/review-hand-planes-in-the-modern-shop.html Having read many modern books on the use of hand planes, I...

I've finally put the reprint of Nicholson's Mechanic's Companion (1850) up for sale. What with one medical thing and another, there have been many delays in getting new titles published. We're back in the swing again and planning on a bunch of new-old titles for 2011. Suggestions or requests are...

A Society Of Upholsterers, Cabinet-Makers, &c. &c. Does anyone have any information or references for this 18th C London society? Other than what is available on the net and in google books? In particular, I'm looking for any book references to this society. I've a copy of Capital New Designs...

At the last LFOD auction I ran into the dealer from whom I bought a case of WPINCA (Ken Roberts; Wooden Planes In Nineteenth Century America, Vol., 2, The Chapins) a few years ago. This is the dealer who bought up  the remaining stock of the Roberts' books when he passed away. He thought he had...

I've been working through my Stuff to determine what to keep, what to sell and so on. Too much accumulation and I'ld really like to see the back of a bookcase or two as well as what the basement floor looks like. I've had a copy of Master Craftsmen of Newport for many years, most of which time...