Historic Preservation Books

Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles

Christian Duvernois

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Subjects -> History -> Europe -> France -> General
Subjects -> History -> Europe -> France -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

VERSAILLES THROUGH MARIE-ANTIONETTE 4 out of 5 stars.
12 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Marie-Antoinette is something of an enigma, some feel she is the misunderstood tragic heroine of the Ancient Regime and some feel she is that Austria wh*re, who may or my not have said, let them eat cake, and spent France into Revolution, I feel she is probably all of this and more. One thing is for certain, she held herself and her family in honor as she took the guillotine, she died with grace befiting her stature, even if those around her threw things at her and called her unspeakable things. As for this book, it is very good, the images are well presented, some in black and white, others in color, and the text is informative without being too dry or scholarly. I appreciated the attention to such buildings as the glorious Belvedere and the gorgeous Pavillion, these two esquisite small buildings often get lost in the spendor that is Versailles, but they are actually two of the most beautiful stuctures on the Palace grounds. A few buildings such as the Petit Palais get sort of short shrift, but they have been covered extensively in other books and really are more thought of in the context of Louis XV and Pompadour. Overall, a good book that covers some new ground, fine images and interesting text make it a fitting homage to Antoinette and her small sanctuary at Versailles.

Editorial Review:

Marie-Antoinette has been idolized as the height of eighteenth-century French style and vilified as the spark that ignited the French Revolution. This book departs from such traditional interpretations of the infamous queen’s reign and chooses to reflect on the humanistic aspects of her private realm. To escape the formalities and royal obligations of Louis XVI’s court, Marie-Antoinette created a private realm of pleasure for herself at the Petit Trianon and Hameau, where she planted the first Anglo-Chinese garden; created a trysting grotto; a working farm; and revolutionized architecture and gardening trends for the century to come. Marie-Antoinette’s entire private domain and its story are told in beautiful photographic detail by François Halard for the first time since its recent restoration and accompanied by well-researched texts by garden expert Christian Duvernois.

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon

Howard E., Jr. Covington, The Biltmore Company

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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> 20th Century -> General
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> State & Local -> North Carolina
Subjects -> History -> Americas -> United States -> State & Local -> South Carolina

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 10 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"What William Cecil has accomplished at Biltmore Estate is one of the great preservation success stories of all time. He has set a high standard for what all historic house museums strive for: magnificently preserved buildings and grounds, engaging interpretation, and--perhaps most challenging of all--economic self-sufficiency. It is no surprise that Biltmore Estate is widely recognized as one of America's finest places to visit."
--Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

"Biltmore is a glorious national historic landmark that, through creative vision and entrepreneurial management, preserves and provides insight into a way of life in the early 1900s. Bill is the imaginative and multifaceted leader who has built this great monument to enrich his community. George and I admire his dedication and success."
--George and Abby Rockefeller O'Neill

"Bill Cecil and his team at Biltmore Estate have sure proved that they know how to build a successful business. They did it the old-fashioned way: embrace a bold idea that others said could not be done and--through commitment, determination, and hard work--bring it to life. Their achievement against the odds is inspiring, and their vision and perseverance are valuable lessons to us all."
--Don Logan, Chairman, Media & Communications Group, Time Warner

"If George Vanderbilt did nothing more than engage the two most prominent and storied designers of their time, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to carry out his vision of a European estate in the southern Appalachians, he would have created an American icon. The beauty of the method by which the estate was executed and, even today, the meticulous attention to detail, in the presentation and care of the estate by William Cecil, have brought history to life."
--Gary J. Walters, Chief Usher, The White House

Art of The Stonemason

Ian Cramb

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> How-to & Home Improvements -> Masonry
Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Architecture -> Historic Preservation

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Drawing on five generations of family tradition as stonemasons in his native Scotland, Ian Cramb created this masterful work to pass on his knowledge and experience to craftsmen who wish to learn the ancient, but still necessary, principles of the stonemason's art. Since original publication by Betterway Books in 1992, this book has established itself as an essential learning tool for masons doing new construction and also those engaged in restoration of historic stone structures.
Beginning with a detailed discussion of building with "random rubble", which is the name for the early Celtic art of building with irregular stones bedded on mortar, the author proceeds to more complex projects such as fireplaces, stairs, arches, bridges and more. There is extensive treatment of various restoration techniques involved with historic structures both in the US and Britain, some as old as 1000 years. In additon the author covers various types of stone, stone-cutting, etc. as well as using tradional mortar mixes, which have demonstrated their utility in stone walls and buildings which have lasted for many centuries.
The Art of the Stonemason is profusely illustrated with the author's meticulous line drawings and photographs.
Ian Cramb began his apprenticeship at the age of 14 in Dunblane, Scotland. Surrounded by large estates, farm buildings, a ruined 13th century bishop's palace, two large fifteenth century castles, a Gothic cathedral, and numerous other stone buildings, Dunblane was an apprentice stonemason's paradise. In 1957 Mr. Cramb took over as master stonemason on the restoration of the monastic buildings around the abbey on Iona. He rebuilt the cloisters, restored St. Michael's Chapel, and also restored St. Oran's Chapel in the Cemetary of Kings, built in 1075. In 1959 Mr. Cramb moved to the US where he set stone and marble on the Capitol building, and then he acted as stone and marble mason for the Raeburn Building and World Bank Building in Washington, DC. He now lives in Bangor, Pennsylvania.

Creole Houses: Traditional Homes of Old Louisiana

Steve Gross, Sue Daley

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Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Architecture -> Building Types & Styles -> Residential

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Another great book from Steve Gross & Susan Daley 5 out of 5 stars.
18 of 18 people found this review helpful.

This book brings important attention to the existence of these historic Creole homes in a part of the country that has been shattered by natural events in recent years. Fortunately, these homes are survivors: of their glorious past, of the ravages of weather, economy and time. The photographic vision of Gross and Daley is a brilliant dedication to documenting places as they are and not how we might want them to be. OLD HOUSES, one of their first books, set a precedent for their evocative style of artistry in what they choose to photograph from our architectural and domestic past. They continue to seek the forlorn, the forgotten, the poignant and the unusual. Their latest book, CREOLE HOUSES, is further revelation of their aesthetic message--of how old places and ways can be both beautiful and resonant in our modern, complicated world. CREOLE HOUSES is both record, homage, and a visual and written poem to historic Louisiana architecture.

Editorial Review:

Creole houses, found from New Orleans to northern Louisiana, are one of the nation’s unique architectural treasures. A blend of French and Spanish colonial styles, with West Indian, Canadian, and other influences, these lovely houses were astutely designed to withstand their sultry, subtropical environment. Significantly, most major examples withstood the devastating hurricanes of 2005.

No other book of photography evocatively examines the development of this singular American style, embracing architecture and interior decoration, which thrived from the early eighteenth through the mid-nineteenth century. Creole Houses offers an appreciation of Creole culture as seen through its historic homes and celebrates not only a memorable way of life, but the history, and the unique sensibility, that produced it.

The Elements of Style: An Encyclopedia of Domestic Architectural Detail

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Subjects -> History -> Europe -> England -> General AAS
Subjects -> History -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"An impressive reference work."
- Library Journal (on the 1997 edition)

A richly detailed and easy-to-use reference to 500 years of architectural details and styles.

Owners and potential buyers of period houses, restorers, architects, interior designers and historical preservationists will find this reference invaluable.

The Elements of Style is the most comprehensive visual survey, period-by-period, feature-by-feature, of the styles that have had the greatest impact on interiors of American and British domestic architecture. Compiled by a team of experts, this is the first book on architectural styles that is comprehensive, incredibly thorough, and accessible in its presentation of individual details.

This magnificent volume covers more than 500 years of architectural styles from Tudor to Post-Modern and includes American and British vernacular styles. First published in 1991 (with 150,000 copies sold), this new edition is expanded to include the most contemporary styles.

Detailed illustrations include 3,000 analytical drawings and historic engravings, 400 photographs in color and 1,000 in black and white.

The heart of The Elements of Style is a chronological survey of the primary styles and periods of architectural design. Each chapter begins with an illustrated essay, then covers in detail features such as:

• Doors
• Windows
• Walls, floors and ceilings
• Staircases
• Ironwork and hardware
• Woodwork and built-in furniture
• Kitchen stoves and fireplaces
• Essential period architectural details, and more.

The book also includes:

• A useful system of quick reference, employing color-coded tabs showing how particular features evolved over time, and
• A fully updated resource list with contact information for locating suppliers of those design elements illustrated throughout the book.

The Elements of Style is the essential reference for preservationists, architects, interior designers, owners of period homes, and historians.

(20051204)

A House in Fez: Building a Life in the Ancient Heart of Morocco

Suzanna Clarke

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Editorial Review:

The Medina -- the Old City -- of Fez is the best-preserved, medieval walled city in the world. Inside this vibrant Moroccan community, internet cafes and mobile phones coexist with a maze of donkey-trod alleyways, thousand-year-old sewer systems, and Arab-style houses, gorgeous with intricate, if often shabby, mosaic work.

While vacationing in Morocco, Suzanna Clarke and her husband, Sandy, are inspired to buy a dilapidated, centuries-old riad in Fez with the aim of restoring it to its original splendor, using only traditional craftsmen and handmade materials. So begins a remarkable adventure that is bewildering, at times hilarious, and ultimately immensely rewarding.

A House in Fez chronicles their meticulous restoration, but it is also a journey into Moroccan customs and lore and a window into the lives of its people as friendships blossom. When the riad is finally returned to its former glory, Suzanna finds she has not just restored an old house, but also her soul.

Case Study Houses (Jumbo)

Elizabeth Smith

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Foreign Language Nonfiction -> French
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Foreign Language Nonfiction -> German
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first thing you notice about Case Study Houses: The Complete CSH Program, 1945-1966 is its size: it's big. Contained within its 16-inch frame is the history of Arts & Architecture magazine's famed program created to inspire the building of low-cost modern homes in America. The brainchild of magazine editor John Entenza, the program drew well-known architects including Charles Eames, Eero Saarinen, and Richard Neutra. Throughout the book are spectacular photographs of modernist glass- and patio-filled homes. Most of the homes were built in the Los Angeles area and make wonderful use of the surrounding scenery. A 17-foot-tall front door opens up onto a canal; streamlined Herman Miller furniture fills out a living room that overlooks a breathtaking panorama. While not all the projects were built, each received a detailed spread in the magazine, including drawings and models. Some of the architectural drawings are lovely, drawn with the movement and fluidity of a master. Included are short biographies of each architect, a provocative epilogue by photographer Julius Shulman, and the reprinted original magazine pages that announce the birth of the Case Study idea. This book is a true gem, and considering its size it's the Hope diamond. --J.P. Cohen

The Victorian House Book: A Practical Guide to Home Repair and Decoration

Robin Guild

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Interior Design -> General AAS

Editorial Review:

Historical information plus design ideas and advice for a Victorian vintage home.

[Praise for the UK edition:] Well-researched and documented... Essential for anyone interested in Victorian design and decoration.
- Library Journal

The Victorian House Book is a fascinating and essential guide to a rich and varied design age. The book details numerous interior and exterior styles -- from the High Victorian and Queen Anne Revival to the Classical and Gothic -- and showcases homes from the United States and Great Britain.

Full of inspiring ideas and fascinating information, the book is organized room by room including conservatories, libraries and billiard rooms. More than 500 color photographs and 1,500 line drawings show the beauty and elegance of Victorian homes and reveal details of their architectural features. A wide range of design elements is examined, including:

• House styles and plans
• Traditional colors and finishes
• Construction features
• Furniture styles
• Roofs and gables
• Ceilings and fireplaces
• Wallpapers and upholstery
• Decorative glass and moldings
• Curtains and floor coverings
• Railings and ironwork.

The Victorian House Book also includes a trouble-shooting guide with information and advice on renovation techniques and care and maintenance. A source list provides the names, addresses and websites of manufacturers and suppliers.

New York: 15 Walking Tours

Gerard Wolfe

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Sloppy 3 out of 5 stars.
14 of 18 people found this review helpful.

There is only one word to describe this book: Sloppy. So sloppy that you have to ask yourself if the author has ever taken his own tour.

I don't know if the blame falls to the author, or publisher McGraw Hill, for failing to edit this book.

I pulled a page (142) from a neighborhood I happen to know something about and found these errors on a single page:

# 21 "The former Metropolitan Savings Bank", opened in 1867 not 1868. He uses the apprehensive phrase "attributed to Carl Pfeiffer." A newspaper article about the grand opening day of this building as a bank reports it as May 21, 1867, and declares that the builder is Carl Pfeiffer.

Then he repeats an urban myth from a discredited revisionist "historian" that McSorley's Old Ale House did not open in 1854, but in 1862. He goes on to describe the items "on the grimy sheet-tin walls." The bar has no tinned walls. (With the exception of the lavatories) Step inside if you are going to describe the inside!

Save your money. McGraw Hill did when it came to hiring an editor to check his facts. Buy the AIA guide and make your own tour. Although the old photos are pretty good, they are not quite enough to be the saving grace here. Wolfe gets the addresses right, but if this one page is any indication., no one checked his historical facts, and that makes me even more surprised by the American Heritage review of this work.

Editorial Review:

Covering every area of Manhattan--from Battery Park to Central Park, from Washington Square to Times Square--the fascinating architectural history of New York is illuminated in this comprehensive walking-tour guidebook. Essential reading for both native New Yorkers and tourists alike, New York: A Guide to the Metropolis unveils the boundless diversity of Gotham's architectural wonders. The book is chock-full of facts and detailed descriptions, and illustrated with nearly 300 vintage photographs and engravings that bring old New York back to life. Examples of surviving 17th-century Dutch Colonial architecture, historic neighborhoods, and buildings displaying virtually every architectural style known in the United States are highlighted. Twenty walking tours, ranging from two to five hours in length, explore the most fascinating landmarks, structures, and important sites in the city, all of which are clearly marked on easy-to-follow street maps.

Googie Redux: Ultramodern Roadside Architecture

Alan Hess

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Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

A thoroughly revised and significantly expanded edition of the popular 1980s original, Googie Redux is the authoritative history of the mid-20th century icon that ignited an architectural revolution: the coffee shop. Emblematic of Southern California car culture, stylized eateries and other roadside buildings built from the 1930s to the 1950s were dismissed as lowbrow stylistic folly in their heyday. Yet, as Alan Hess points out, in many ways they were the realization of modern architecture's grand promises. They were populist, employed new materials, and captured their purpose, place, and culture as vividly as any great architectural style. The influential original edition helped to spark a robust preservation movement and kick-started the reappreciation of mid-century architecture and design. This latest edition features extensive up-to-date research and dozens of rarely seen and newly found photographs. Googie Redux is the definitive document of a style born in California that has spread to all corners of the world.