Houses from Books: The Influence of Treatises, Pattern Books, and Catalogs in American Architecture, 1738-1950

Book Description

The first complete account of the role of published plans in the building of American homes.

Many homes across America have designs based on plans taken from pattern books or mail-order catalogs. In Houses from Books, Daniel D. Reiff traces the history of published plans and offers the first comprehensive survey of their influence on the structure and the style of American houses from 1738 to 1950. Houses from Books shows that architectural publications, from Palladio's I Quattro Libri to Aladdin's Readi-Cut Homes, played a decisive role in every aspect of American domestic building. Reiff discusses the people and the firms who produced the books as well as the ways in which builders and architects adapted the designs in communities throughout the country. His book also offers a wide-ranging analysis of the economic and social conditions shaping American building practices.

As architectural publication developed and grew more sophisticated, it played an increasingly prominent part in the design and the construction of domestic buildings. In villages and small towns, which often did not have professional architects, the publications became basic resources for carpenters and builders at all levels of expertise. Through the use of published designs, they were able to choose among a variety of plans, styles, and individual motifs and engage in a fruitful dialogue with past and present architects. Houses from Books reconstructs this dialogue by examining the links between the published designs and the houses themselves.

Reiff's book will be indispensable to architectural historians, architects, preservationists, and regional historians. Realtors and homeowners will also find it of great interest. A catalog at the end of the book can function as a guide for those attempting to locate a model and a date for a particular design. Houses from Books contains a wealth of photographs, many by the author, that enhance its importance as a history and guide.

Customer Reviews:

An Exhaustive Source.......2001-07-22

This is the most exhaustive source I have come accross in regards to the study of pattern books and catologue books. Reiff traces the devlopment of pattern books first coming from Europe (Palladio, Serlio) and then evolving into Armerican Pattern Books (Asher Benjamin, A. J. Downing) and finally the history of plan catalogues by architects, lumber yards and majot retailors, such as Sears Reobuck. The book shows how houses built from these sources sometimes deviated from their plans. Also, many times the plan books merely influenced builders who drew their own plans more or less pirated from these sources. Reiff traces many built examples of houses that have their roots in these sources - sometimes litterally and other times suggestively.

Houses from books also contains an interesting chapter on the development and influence of architectural journals. There is also a chapter of the influence of pattern books and catologue houses in an actual town using the authors home town of Fredonia, New York.

In many ways this is a wonderful book, and if there is one source book I would recommend for the study of these topics, this would be it. My only critisism is that the reading can at time be laborious. The author has a tendancy to describe subtle nuances of houses in great detail. Sometimes an illustration accompanies the text, other times there is none. Because of this I often found myself a bit frustrated trying to figure out just what the author is trying to get accross. That set asside, it is still an excellent, scholarly work. The bonus feature of this book is its eight Appendices that contain listings of pattern and catologue books by companies, individuals, construction details, etc. This is an invaluable source for the student of vernacular architecture.

Average customer rating:
Houses from Books: The Influence of Treatises, Pattern Books, and Catalogs in American Architecture, 1738-1950
Daniel D. Reiff
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR0MS4

Book Description

Acrylic is a popular medium, and it's not hard to see why—it is both versatile and user-friendly, and its vibrant colors have long-lasting intensity. Mix Your Own Acrylics provides a basic introduction to getting the most out of your acrylic colors, starting with explanations of color theory and topics including hue, value, and saturation. You will learn the exact ratios for mixing dozens of blues, greens, yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. You will also learn about color complements and how to use them to mix a range of neutral browns and grays. Experimenting with acrylic can be a lot of fun, and this valuable resource is your definitive guide for mixing your own brilliant colors!

Mix Your Own Watercolors: An Artist's Guide to Successful Color Mixing (Mix Your Own)

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Mix Your Own Watercolors: An Artist's Guide to Successful Color Mixing (Mix Your Own)
John Lidzey
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Watercolor Painting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown1 | Specialty Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0785802657

Book Description

Mix Your Own Watercolors is the complete artist's guide to successfully mixing watercolor paint colors. As you explore color theory, you will learn all about the basics—from color relationships evident on the color wheel to the meaning of hue, tone, and intensity, as well as all about translucent colors, granulations, and backruns. You'll also discover how to mix specific watercolor pigments, following precise rations for mixing yellows, oranges, reds, violets, blues, greens, browns, and other neutrals—all with the help of full-color photographs and color-group illustrations. Anyone serious about the art of watercolor should not be without this book!

Book Description

Showcasing one of the nation's finest collecitons of American art, this remarkable two-volume set features 267 exceptional paintings reproduced in full color and illuminated with never-before-published research findings. Works span American history from the colonial period through the close of World War II and are by many of the nation's best-known artists, including Mary Cassatt, Thomas Cole, Childe Hassam, Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, and Georgia O'Keeffe. Pre-1900 subject strengths reside in portraiture with canvases by John Singleton Copley, John Singer Sargent, and Henry Ossawa Tanner; still lifes by John Peto and Severin Roesin; and landscapes from the brush of Frederic Edwin Church, Martin Johnson Heade, Fitz Henry Lane, Thomas Moran, and others. Scenes and portraits by artists including John Steuart Curry, Robert Henri, Peter Hurd, Maurice Prendergast, and John Sloan provide honest, enduring assessments of early 20th-century American life. A stunning sample of early Modernism is seen in important canvasses by Albert Bloch, Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, and Marsen Hartley, to name a few. Volume 1 includes 140 extended essays on the most important canvases in the collection, which are represented in full-page color reproductions. Volume 2 reproduces in color all the works in the collection and is accompanied by thorough technical notes based on recent object examination, complete provenance, listings of directly related works, adn exhaustive exhibition and publication histories. American Paintings is an outstanding resource and a beautifully illustrated record of our country's history and culture.

Manet (History & Techniques of the Great Masters)

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Manet (History & Techniques of the Great Masters)
Linda Bolton
Manufacturer: Book Sales
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0785816410

The Graphic works of the Impressionists;: Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne Sisley (Masters of Graphic Art)

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The Graphic works of the Impressionists;: Manet, Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne Sisley (Masters of Graphic Art)

Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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Manet (Masters of Art S.)

Manufacturer: Hazan (Fernand) Editions,France
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:

Only Average

Manet (Masters of Art)
Pierre Courthion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Art | Arts & Photography | Bargain Books | Stores | Books

Art History | Arts & Photography | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
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ASIN: B000HWYSOA

Book Description

Edouard Manet was one of the first artists who can truly be called "modern," combining a highly individual and fresh vision with tremendous technical virtuosity. Together with the sumptuous color plates, the text by Manet specialist Pierre Courthion offers an unforgettable view of the glories of this artist's work.

Customer Reviews:

Only Average.......2004-12-21

This book is only average, at least as far as reproduction of the artist's paintings is concerned. Too many of the paintings are reproduced in black & white, and those in color do not look quite right--the colors (and depth of color) aren't as beautiful as they appear in some other books. If you are looking only for a general sense of Manet's work, this book might be fine for you, but you will not be getting the full sense of his works' beauty.

Average customer rating:

Rave Review

Manet (Masters of Modern Art)
Francoise Cachin
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0805017933

Customer Reviews:

Rave Review.......2004-04-14

I originally borrowed this book from the library, but I liked it so much I bought it. I was very sad to finish it. It is, by far, the best book about art/artists I have ever read. Manet just comes to life in Cachin's pages, and the color photos are phenomenal. You can see the brush strokes in some of them. I find it sad that so much of his work is outside France, as Cachin makes quite clear that his native country neither understood nor appreciated him during his lifetime. A great painter, I have come to love his work much more after reading this book. If you love art, don't pass this book by.

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Manet (Miniature art masters)
Gerhard Gruitrooy
Manufacturer: Magnolia Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0785283048

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Manet, (Masters of modern art)
Jacques-Emile Blanche
Manufacturer: Dodd, Mead
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Manet/Monet/Degas (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich masters of art series)

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Manet/Monet/Degas (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich masters of art series)

Manufacturer: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0151568502

Masters in Art a Series of Illustrated Monographs

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Masters in Art a Series of Illustrated Monographs
Manet/Crivelli/Maes/Leighton/Duccio/Inness/El Grec
Manufacturer: Bates and Guild Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
ASIN: B000MKIFKA

Book Description

Malaysia interests development practitioners for many reasons, not least because of its remarkably rich natural environment. Environment and Development in a Resource-Rich Economy provides an invaluable analysis of major natural resource and environmental policy issues in the country during the 1970s and 1980s--a period of profound socioeconomic changes, rapid depletion of natural resources, and the emergence of serious air and water pollution problems.

What is path-breaking about this book is its emphasis on economics as a source of concepts and methods for analyzing natural resource and environmental issues and policy responses. The authors' access to unpublished data and key decision makers makes this account of extensive, field-based research an essential reference for policy makers and researchers concerned about environmental and natural resource management--both in Malaysia and throughout the globe. The book should be of particular interest for students who hope to understand more thoroughly the economic underpinnings of natural resource and environmental management policy.

Customer Reviews:

updated edition available.......2005-06-23

A new, updated edition of this book is available from RFF Press / Resources for the Future. Its title is: "Managing Natural Wealth: Environment and Development in Malaysia"

Useful Reference for Research on Malaysia.......2000-09-24

This path-breaking book applies rigorous and invaluable economic analysis to major natural resource and environmental policy issues in Malaysia under the New Economic Policy decades of the 1970s and 1980s-a period of profound socio-economic changes, rapid depletion of natural resources, and the emergence of serious air and water pollution problems.

It examines the interrelationship among natural resources, environmental quality, and economic development. This scholarly work addresses, from an economic perspective, a broad set of natural resource and environmental issues in Malaysia and places it in a historical context.

This book would be of particular interest to resource and environmental economists, and development economists, i.e. anyone seeking a thorough understanding of the economic underpinnings of natural resource and environmental management policy in fast-growing, resource-abundant Malaysia. It represents a reference volume to facilitate further research on Malaysian natural resource and environmental policy issues.

Dr Jeffrey R. Vincent is a Fellow at the Harvard Institute for International Development. Formerly director of the Centre for Environmental Studies at Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and International Studies, Dr Rozali Mohamed Ali is currently executive director of Commerce Asset Holdings Berhad.

The book does a fine job of compiling evidence and results........1999-04-16

The book does a fine job of compiling evidence and results. The book is clearly written and organized. The book is a welcome additon to the study of Malaysia and to study of environment and development in general. The fisheries section, the sector I know from first-hand experience, is well done and includes original material.

Book Description

The book is a collection of nine papers on disparate topics in finance and economics. Topics range from the development of a supply and demand model for common stocks to the centuries old conflict between mercantilism and liberal trade regimes. One essay goes to great length in critiquing the conventional notion that inflation solely derives from monetary policy using the past 30 years as an illustrative example. Throughout the text, the author continually attempts to merge the world of finance with that of economics, while coupling both with historical experience. The author additionally brings his own long-standing practical experience in the financial markets to point out where academic wisdom doesnÃ•t quite mesh with market realities. The collective contents, in conjunction with other work, resulted in the author being elected to Beta Gamma Sigma Ã the business school equivalent of Phi Beta Kappa. Since the author is first and foremost a pragmatic investor, his perspective on financial and economic theory is generally focused on their practical application which was the genesis behind the approach taken in writing this bookÃ•s contents.

Book Description

Modern cities can be designed to constitute a more supportive environment for a great many activities, provide a more livable habitat and reduce the burden imposed on the biosphere. They can be made healthier (in terms of the definition by World Health Organization) and more sustainable by means of new and emerging preventive approaches. "Healthy Cities" focuses on those preventive approaches that can make cities healthier and more sustainable. This book, as well as the two companion volumes, "Sustainable Production" and "Sustainable Energy" is the result of a twelve-year research project carried out at the Centre for Technology and Social Development at the University of Toronto. The research findings led to the development of a new conceptual framework and strategy aimed at converting technological and economic growth into development that would gradually become more sustainable. It was put into practice in a set of courses and a certificate program aimed at educating engineers with a difference. The present bibliography brings together that portion of the literature that can make a significant contribution to preventive approaches in the areas of urban planning, architecture, civil engineering, and others.

Book Description

How to become a more effective leader by applying martial arts techniques to the demands of today's workplace.

• Learn the techniques taught to executives at Boeing, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, GTE, and other major corporations.

• Improve your concentration, self-control, intuitive judgment, and influence over others.

• Shows how to encourage dedication and improve focus in group members.

Self-discipline and leading effectively: these are the simple and practical principles behind many martial arts techniques that have been used for centuries in combat and in personal development. Those who have integrated these same techniques into their style have excelled in the business arena, many with the help of Robert Pater, a consultant to American Express, Boeing, Intel, and many other Fortune 500 companies. In Leading from Within Pater shows how by using martial arts concepts we can maintain inner calm, influence others by controlling ourselves, develop intuitive judgment, sustain concentration on goals, react quickly to change, and turn minimum effort into maximum gains.

Customer Reviews:

I'd highly recommend this book!.......2003-04-26

As a martial artist and consultant, I found this book to be very helpful in conceptualizing the connection between martial arts and leadership. I would recommend it to anyone seeking to become a better leader.

Excellent Book - Must Read.......2000-10-14

Leading From Within is an outstanding book that goes beyond just applying technequies towards business. It steers you towards the path of making leadership a way of life that applies in every part of our life, day in and day out. Everyone that I have passed copies of this book out to is amazed at the insights that make major differences in how we live. It needs to be required reading for anyone who wishes to be a true leader and true to themselves.

a superb book with real life techniques.......1999-08-03

As a Registered Nurse having never practiced martial arts before I was really skeptical. I was proven wrong. This book was full of great techniques and practical ideas.I have already put them to use at home and at work sharing them with my collegues. It is easy to read and understand and promises to successfully improve your lifestyle.

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