Antique American Wicker Furniture - Types Makers Repair Restore / Scarce Book

Description

COLLECTOR’S GUIDE TO AMERICAN WICKER FURNITURE
by  Richard Saunders, Crown Publishers, NY, 1976.
The profuse black-and-white photographs, the identifying captions, and rich narrative on the history and production of American wicker furniture, combine to make this early out-of-print book an invaluable resource reference work.
This comprehensive text reviews the history of wicker furniture from the ancient Egyptian civilization, its introduction to the United States on the
Mayflower
through a nineteenth century popularity, a decline and a resurgence in the 1980’s.  “Saunders chronicles the rise, merger, and decline of the great American wicker manufacturers—Wakefield Rattan and Heywood Brothers—and discusses styles as diverse as the Philippine “peacock” chairs, Victorian and Art Nouveau designs, and the Gustav Stickley-designed Mission wicker.  He also devotes extensive discussion to the collecting of wicker furniture, giving tips on how to identify and date valuable period pieces, what types of weave are most prized, how to spot evidence of restoration, and whether or not gilding and other techniques of coloring or dyeing rattan enhance its value.”  As all admirers of wicker furniture know, the medium allows for intricate and vastly imaginative and appealing designs.  "
One of the most valuable features of this book is its detailed instruction for repairing damaged wickerwork.  Careful step-by-step directions and close-up photographs make the process clear enough for any amateur to follow.
An appendix lists major supply firms in various parts of the country that carry the necessary materials." Here, then, is a book that is a valuable reference guide for the collector, dealer, or historian of antique American furniture.
7.2” x 10.2” hardback with dust cover in very good condition.  118 pages.
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