Upholstery in America and Europe from the Seventeenth Century to World War I

Upholstery in America fills a large gap in our knowledge of the decorative arts.

Despite the fact that for centuries a room's uphosltery was its most dominant and expensive feature, uphosltery was formerly one of the most neglected areas of study. This groundbreaking volume presents the latest research and analysis of leading scholars in the field and explores virtually every aspect of upholstery at different periods and in different places for some of three hundred years.

Subjects range from types of fabrics and trimmings used, to the many different styles of hanging draperies, to the shapes of seats and cushions, to the place of the upholsterer in society. Special emphasis is placed on detailed analyses of craft practices such as the methods used to cut draperies and the techniques of building foundations for upholstered furniture.

This book will thus enable today's craftsmen to recreate the styles, shapes and decorative finishes of the past times far more accurately than has been possible before. Copiously illustrated with over 250 photographs and line drawings, Upholstery in American and Europe will correct many commonly held but mistaken ideas about interior decoration in the past. It will be an essential resource for curators, conservators, craftsmen, collectors, decorators, and anyone else interested in antique furnishings.