Arts and Culture

This new work explores in detailed color the complex subject of Allgemeine and Waffen-SS uniforms, insignia, and accoutrements. Hundreds of authentic items are extensively photographed in close-up to enable the reader to examine and study.

A comprehensive and abundantly illustrated collection of the most outstanding modern furniture around the world. Now with a guide to current values, this is an indispensible book for collectors, architects, designers, and furniture historians. Over 1000 of the most innovative designs are shown, many of which have become classics of the late-twentieth century.

The most ingenious and ephemeral of textiles, lace ispresented as the poetry of fashion. Here is a fascinating glimpse into this extraordinary art form and its role in our culture presented with over 225 pictures, including dramatic original photographs as well as historical illustrations, to portray various types of lace and lace garments from different periods.

During the middle of the 20th century, neon signs turned North America's roadside into a luminous wonderland. The most compelling signs were figural: imaginative, cartoon drawings in light. These unforgettable depictions of exploding bowling pins, crashing cars, baton twirling majorettes, and lassoing cowboys were the fodder for legend and lore.

Hundreds of beautiful color pictures and recently-discovered, important information give this new study of 19th and 20th century Japanese porcelain a most refreshing approach. Visual comparisons of the major styles can be made even by the beginning student because there are so many fine color pictures of the examples.

This is a book that explores into two worlds, the appreciation of wood as medium for sculpture and a practical look of technique. The history of sculpting directly into wood is explored, illustrated with many classic examples of the art, from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century. But this book is also a vital resource for those seeking to create sculpture in wood.

In the world of costume jewelry, the name Lea Stein Paris® is recognized as the most notable and innovative designer of plastic jewelry of the 20th century. Her use of sculptured laminated celluloid in many novel combinations of textures, colors, and designs resulted in her whimsical and colorful world of original animals, people, and geometric delights.

Chinese pottery and porcelain has been admired, sought after, fought over, and emulated throughout the history of the civilized world. In form, color, and technique, China led the world in the ceramic arts. Its perfection of hard paste porcelain in the Ming Dynasty followed a fascinating record of ceramic production that is traceable back to 5,000 B.C.

The islands of Murano, in the lagoon of Venice, have been a sheltered community of glass artists for at least 700 years, leading the world in blown techniques and design of beautiful and functional objects. This new study captures the artistry of Murano glass as well as the multi-generational world of discovery, innovation, alliances, and realliances that have fostered that artistry.

This long-awaited book will be a valuable tool for collectors, dealers, and researchers of modern Italian glass. Most comprehensive volumes are written in Italian, and none includes a value guide. This one, in English, includes information and photographs that will make this book a standard reference on the subject.

This retrospective of Jims skateboard art bombards the reader with colorful decks, logos, ad art, ad layouts, photos, and stickers to illustrate the history of skateboarding, from the urethane revolution to the present. Take a ride with an inside view of Phillips Studios, to observe the wacky world of his crazed studio artists and examine their graphic assignments.

Traditional American tattooing has a rich, extensive heritage. Often underappreciated, it represents a true folk art, encompassing design motifs and themes that are expressions of the heart, the desires, loves, and ambitions of the artists and those who wear their artworks. After carefully studying work by renowned American tattoo artists (including Paul Rogers, Leonard "Stoney" St.

Follow the saga of this remarkable fiber from seed to woven fabric. Learn about flax cultivation, processing and spinning, natural and synthetic dyeing, and weaving and finishing linen cloth. 233 color photos and 156 black and white photos and drawings reveal the characteristics of linen and emphasize its practical use.

Over 200 stunning color photos provide a unique perspective on life in and around Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The author/photographer presents vistas and places beyond well-known tourist attractions, boats, and lobster buoys to provide a more expansive look of Cape Cod.

Visit 12 Florida cities and tour over 40 stunning historic Mediterranean revival homes, captured inside and out in over 350 images. Spanish and Mediterranean revival architecture was all the rage in the 1920s and '30s, when stars of the silver screen were fashioning their celebrated personal estates, which were copied by those wanting to share in the glamour and sophistication.

The iconic American guitar is the Gretsch model 6120, that Chet Atkins has endorsed and George Harrison, Pete Townshend, Brian Setzer, and other well known musicians used. 334 bold color images reveal its evolution into a highly collectible instrument produced in limited numbers. Fresh insights, compelling images, and significant new information explain what contributed to its development.

Tattooing is a very old and spiritually respected art form that has existed in many different cultures around the world. After many centuries of not being practiced in Europe, tattooing was re-introduced to the Western world through the inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean.

A rare opportunity to appreciate the incomparable beauty of Brazil’s women in the equally striking environs of this tropical paradise. Photographer Joaquim Nabuco’s collection of nude art photos creates a lush, whimsical, and sensual landscape that revolves around the feminine, exotic, and vibrant character of these women.

Instructive text and 275 color photos guide readers through all the necessary steps to create natural looking garden pools and swimming ponds. Imagine paradise in your own garden–a combination of bathing pleasure with the possibility of observing nature and recreation. A comprehensive guide to get to what you have dreamed about and how you can contribute directly to the project.

Images of the classical female figure are more prevalent in the contemporary figurative art world, as the nude male has been shunned as too potent or treated as a sex symbol. This book bravely showcases works by male and female artists from around the world that focus on this classic subject.