Art & Architecture Collection > Identifying Objects

Furniture: General

Aronson, Joseph. The Encyclopedia of Furniture. 3rd ed. New York: Crown Publ., 1965. ( MOF Front)
2500 alphabetically arranged short entries on world furniture, from antiquity to the early modernist period. Longer essays on major countries, types of furniture and styles. Many black-and- white illustrations. "Glossary of Designers and Craftsmen" in back of volume.

Boger, Louise Ade. The Complete Guide to Furniture Styles. New York: Charles Scribner's, 1959. (MOF Front)
Broad survey history organized by historical period with subdivisions for geographic coverage and specific styles: e.g. Louis XIV, Empire, French Provincial, Chippendale, American Colonial, and Federal. Text followed by black and white plates of over 500 objects, bibliography on pp. 423-429.

Lockwood, Luke Vincent. The Furniture Collectors' Glossary. New York: Da Capo Press, 1967. (MOF Front)
Alphabetical list of terms for forms, functions, decoration, major figures and styles. Line drawing illustrations.

World Furniture: An Illustrated History. Edited by Helena Hayward. New York: McGraw Hill, 1965. (MOF+ Front)
Profusely illustrated, much of it in color, this historical survey is arranged by time period, then subdivided by country or geographical region. Provides quick visual overview of national styles and their development, broadly treating works in terms of their historical evolution.