Book Description
An exceptionally practical book on collecting prints. Features straight-forward, basic information that is usefule to the beginner and also to the experienced collector interested in buying for pleasure and as an investor.
Book Description
Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright was an avid and important collector and dealer of Asian art. His personal collection included thousands of Japanese color woodblock prints, and it was his discerning eye that helped build the foremost private holdings in the United States, which in turn became the cornerstones of the important collections at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This lavish bookówhich accompanies an exhibition at Japan Society Gallery in New Yorkóexamines Wright's passion for Japanese art and illuminates the profound impact it had on his personal and professional life.
Author Julia Meech has devoted years to researching this aspect of Wright's life and work. Her fascinating studyówhich spans Wright's entire career and is lavishly illustrated with color reproductions of works of art and scores of archival photographsóadds a rich new chapter to the body of scholarship on the great American architect.
Customer Reviews:
Another passion..........2003-05-18
To anyone familiar with Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural designs, the fact that love of Japanese art, design and print work should come as no surprise. The book 'Frank Lloyd Wright and the Art of Japan: The Artist's Other Passion' by Julia Melch gives clear details of the influence of the Japanese on his thinking and creativity, both in narrative and in glorious photography and print.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Wright was born in Wisconsin shortly after the American Civil War. He studied in the late nineteenth century with noted architect Louis Sullivan, with whom he had continuing and occasionally strained relationship. Wright is probably best known in America for the design of the Guggenheim Museum of Art In New York City; more generally, though, he is known for a particular style of low-built prairie-style houses and institutional buildings, that utilised open-space planning, and often had an element of interaction with elements such as water (in fact, a perennial complaint of Wright buildings is that they leak!). Wright was an innovator in incorporating engineering principles into the design of his buildings to provide sturdiness and creative forms of support and room design. In Japan, Wright was well-known for his design of the Imperial Hotel in Japan, as well as other buildings, including private residences of many prominent Japanese citizens. His work in Japan did not extend much beyond the early 1920s, however, and even the Imperial Hotel was demolished in 1968. Wright himself passed away in 1959 at the age of 91.
Wright and the Art of Japan
This book was produced for the Japan Society Gallery of New York by Julia Melch. It traces early affinities and influences of Japanese art on Wright and his work, continuing interest including Wright's almost voracious collecting habits, and the final selling and distribution of his collection late in Wright's life.
'When Wright died at the age of almost ninety-two, he owed money to several Asian art dealers in New York, and there were six thousand Japanese colour woodblock prints in his personal collection, not to mention some three hundred Chinese and Japanese ceramics, bronzes, sculptures, textiles, stencils, and carpets, and about twenty Japanese and Chinese folding screens.'
Some of this collection remains as part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, but much had to be sold to pay debts, including tax bills.
Japanese art probably first came into Wright's sphere of creative influences with the World's Fair of 1893 in Chicago. Louis Sullivan had many books of Japanese design and art in his offices when Wright first joined the firm of Adler and Sullivan. This probably represents the earliest introduction. However, Japanese art was becoming widely available in American and Europe by this time, and Japanese principles were beginning to be introduced in novel ways to various buildings. Wright's first trip to Japan came in 1905, the first of many.
Wright became well-known in Japan, and entered a period he sometimes referred to as his 'Oriental Symphony'. During the time of his work on the Imperial Hotel, he gave an interview which showed his standing and mis-understanding in the Japanese architectural community:
Wright was not only a collector, but was himself a dealer of some standing. Particularly in Oak Park and the Chicago area, his designs for buildings would often include artistic recommendations that he would provide as dealer.
This lead to a major scandal, which Melch recounts in some (sometimes juicy) detail, including Wright's egocentric way of viewing the world and attempt to 'get away' with various controversial practices of manufacture and transfer of art work.
'Wright was an immodest foreigner operating outside the guidelines of the closed community of Tokyo print dealers. He flaunted his money and exuded the thinly veiled bravado of the ace dealer. Prices were escalating, the stakes were high, and h is jealous rivals were no doubt pleased to take him out of the game. Revamping was a new technique, totally unexpected. Greed and anticipation of huge profits had made him careless.'
Wright left Japan in 1922, before completion of the Imperial Hotel. He never returned. In fact, he had few international dealings in art or architecture after this period. He longed for greater international acclaim and exposure, but save a few unfinished projects in Hungary and Baghdad, he had few foreign assignments, and none of note.
Disposing of the collection, both before his death and by his widow after his death, is a tale in-and-of itself recounted in the book. Trading with friends and other art dealers, auctioning off pieces individually and as collections, and giving gifts away reduced the collection somewhat, but Wright continued to add pieces throughout his life.
Julia Melch
The author, Julia Melch, has had a career devoted to Asian art. Educated at Smith College and Harvard University, she has worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art organising exhibitions of Asian art. She is currently a senior consultant to Christie's, the famous auction house, specialising in Japanese art works.
This book is produced by Harry N. Abrams, Inc., which has a strong reputation, well deserved, for producing outstanding volumes of art. The colours are vibrant and attractive; the pages are firm and well-suited to the art represented. This is a reference volume, a great coffee-table book, and an interesting narrative read. Giving a perspective on both Frank Lloyd Wright and Japanese art of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries through the lens of each other is a unique perspective, well executed.
The Passion of Frank Lloyd Wright.......2001-04-15
It's almost unimaginable that anyone could find something new to say about this protean figure of the 20th Century. And, in fact, another author, Kevin Nute, has also written in recent years about the architect's lifelong fascination with things Japanese. Yet where Nute concentrates on the Orientalist ideas and design concepts that Wright so readily and brilliantly adapted in his own work, Julia Meech turns her attention to a different--and darker--side of the architect's personality: his passion for Japanese prints and art collecting. As she tells it, this obsession (his print purchases often exceeded the money that he took in on architectural commissions) not only drove Wright into bankruptcy, but ensnared him in a debilitating scandal over the resale of "revamped" artworks to several of his wealthy patrons.
Wright, the driven, self-absorbed genius, is everywhere apparent in this fascinating, well-researched saga. But so is the conflicted man behind the famous persona. (This isn't to say that he emerges as a particularly sympathetic figure: Meech relates, for instance, how Wright helped organize a memorial exhibition following the untimely death of his Japanese mentor, the young and talented printmaker Hashiguchi Goyo. She adds, however, that no evidence exists to show that Wright ever owned one of Goyo's prints--a bit ironic given the high regard in which Goyo's work is held today.)
Equal to Meech's riveting account, I would have to say that this is one of the most beautifully-designed catalogs (it accompanies an exhibition of the same name at the Japan Society Gallery in New York City) that I have ever encountered. It is both lavish and tasteful, if that's possible, with gorgeous color plates and scads of rare photographs of the architect and his cronies, his places of refuge (including hotel suites and other temporary dwellings chock-a-block full of art treasures), and persons and places relevant to the story. For Frank Lloyd Wright fans already burdened by a surfeit of wonderful books, make room on your shelf for a fine new acquisition.
Book Description
-Strong presence in online auction market -- majority of auctions feature pre-1950s editions
-Appeals to serious collectors by featuring a list of classic rarities in each collecting category
-Only full color guide to book collecting
Book collecting may have started in the 15th century, but it's definitely a hobby that's alive and well today. Readers will quickly discover this new reference is the most complete resource of its kind. Antique Trader Book Collector's Guide delivers:
-One-of-a-kind pseudonym guide to help collectors unearth books written by famous authors under different names
-Diverse categories of books such as Americana, banned, fantasy, horror and science fiction, childrens, mystery, occult and paranormal, and philosophy and religion.
-More than 6,000 current values to aid collectors with purchases and sales
Whether collector, dealer or basic book enthusiast, Antique Trader Book Collector's Price Guide is a valuable reference and interesting read.
Customer Reviews:
Makes it quick and easy to use this as a take-along tote for flea market ventures........2006-10-15
The expanded new edition of a classic book collector's market guide provides full color and plenty of detail, updating prices for over 5,000 books and using charts to help identify first editions --which can be a tricky process, as publisher's marks vary from publisher to publisher. A new chapter on children's books has been added, while Top Ten lists of rarities and an alpha listing by author makes it quick and easy to use this as a take-along tote for flea market ventures.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Title Misleading.......2006-03-13
I bought, then returned this book. It may be a fine book for some but the word "Antique" in the title is deceptive. I am interested in antique books. Considering the fact that books have been published for centuries, a shotgun listing of books of relatively recent vintage may serve some well but was useless to me. Sorry, Mr. Russell. Better lose the "Antique Trader" title if you have another printing.
A Good Addition...........2006-01-30
Lighten up a little, guys. The book is THREE years old, fer chrissakes! NO book, even Ahreans, is going to cover everything AND continually be up-to-date on the fluctuations of the market (and market values), but each reference book you purchase adds a little something to your knowledge based, and this one does as well. The chapter on pseud.s adds yet another dimension to the book seller's (and/or collector's) knowledge.
Antique Trader Book Collector's Price Guide.......2005-09-17
This book is very helpful to me as I buy and sell used books.
A Guide That's Worth the Money.......2003-09-22
So many times I have purchased books that promise the information I will need to be knowledgable about a subject. And so many times it is an empty promise.
Antique Trader Book Collector's Price Guide makes no empty promises. It's filled with accessible information that informs the reader on this complex subject. I've not found one easier to use.
If you are interested in collecting or selling books, this guide belongs in your library.
Book Description
Maine. Antiques. August.
Maggie Summer, owner of the antique print business Shadows, is thrilled when her old college roommate, Amy Douglas, invites -- almost begs -- her to come to the coast of Maine to see her new house. August is the perfect time for antiquing and, as it turns out, for murder.
Amy and Drew Douglas have just bought a creaky but gorgeous eighteenth-century house in the little town of Madoc. Built in 1774, the house sits high on a hill overlooking the river. The house is great, but not the neighbors, who seem to think that the property should never have been put up for sale. Until now, it's always belonged to one formidable Maine family. Amy and Drew are New Yorkers. What are they doing here, where they don't belong?
Hostile neighbors are just the start of their problems. Who is behind a series of strange fires and bizarre accidents? Where is the baby that Amy hears crying in the night, and why do she and Drew want so obsessively to have a child of their own? And what is the relationship between Drew and an attractive teenager named Crystal?
As Maggie searches for answers, she runs into fellow antiques dealer Will Brewer, a man with whom she once hoped for a romantic future. But can she trust him now? He, too, is part of the family that always owned Amy and Drew's house. Is his loyalty to Maggie or to his family?
When a body turns up in the backyard, Maggie's Maine holiday suddenly turns into a hunt for a killer. Who will tell Maggie the truth? Is there a clue in her antique prints? Everything comes back to the house on the hill. What tragedies has it seen? What sorrows are soon to come? If only walls could talk, then Maggie would know whom to fear.
Inspired to use her own Colonial house as a provocative fictional setting, author Lea Wait combines history and mystery in this richly nuanced and immensely entertaining new Shadows mystery.
Customer Reviews:
Lobstah!.......2006-06-01
In the sequel to Shadows at the Fair, Lea Wait has picked up where she left off in her first novel. Maggie Summer, part-time antique print dealer and college professor is on vacation and heading up to see her college roommate, who has just moved to Maine. Maggie is worried because Amy - her have it all-together roommate - has asked her to come early, stating that there are problems. Once there, Maggie finds that the Douglas' house seems to be haunted, and it is driving Amy over the edge. With the help of her fellow antique dealer friend Will Brewer, who is from the area and familiar with the house, Maggie is able to crawl her way through the cobwebs, dust, and falling shingles to get to the bottom of the mysteries of the house, and then some. Great series, makes me seriously miss Maine.
The Money Pit.......2005-11-07
This would probably make a good movie but it was slow, slow reading. Didn't need all those facts about prints, hard to get excited about any of it. What a twisted tale of who's sleeping with who and who's the father? My first and last by this author. How one could consider this an excellent story of the Maine coast is beyond me, just another two-timing someone did me wrong story.
shadowy.......2005-06-18
The title of this book was well-chosen. Qualifying as a "cozy" mystery, Shadows provides a slow-moving tale of ghosts, accidents, and murder with the potential to become more intriguing than it actually is. The residents of this small town in Maine are depicted as dour and unwelcoming, resentful of outlanders and bound by centuries of inbreeding and tradition. The unwitting city folk who have the audacity to buy a 250-year-old, dilapidated house are almost immediately subjected to anonymous intimidation. Nearly everyone, however, comes across as somewhat wooden, hard for the reader to care much about. And mystery becomes solvable only halfway through the book. Shadows on the Coast of Maine is a quick, effortless read that provides entertainment but not much more.
An absorbing traditional cozy mystery........2005-06-02
I recently finished this book and want to recommend it to all who enjoy traditional cozy mysteries.
It was great. I liked everything about it. I was a bit leery in the first few pages cause I didn't want a ghost story, but that soon faded and I got engrossed in the plot and characters, etc. I like the old houses - live in one built one that was built in 1863 - so that was a great part of the book for me. And as with Shadows at the Fair, I enjoy the little print descriptions at the top of each chapter.
Maggie goes to ME to visit an old college friend who, with her husband, has abandoned life in NYC for a an old house on the coast of ME. Amy is intrigued by the history of the house they've bought and hopes to have a family there. She's already fixed up a room as a nursery.
Soon Will, an antiqueing friend of Maggie's, meets her. All of his ancestors are from ME and he's there visiting an elderly aunt. Maggie tells him about the weird experiences Amy is having in her old house, a baby crying in the night, minor accidents, etc. Then the young girl, who has been working for Amy, is found dead in a field behind the house and Maggie can't help but think about it, maybe ask a few questions, etc.
Altogether, an excellent read.
Maine, Antiques, and murder.......2005-04-18
Maggie Summer gets an invitation from her former college roommate, Amy Douglas. Amy and Drew have just moved into an eighteenth-century house which they are restoring in tiny Madoc, Maine. They invite Maggie to come up for a few days and ask her to bring some of her antique prints. There is an urgency in Amy's invitation that Maggie cannot ignore.
When she arrives, she finds things are not all they seem. Many unexplained things have begun happening. There are phone calls with no one on the other end and sounds of a crying baby disturbing their sleep. Then when the Douglas' neighbor and teenaged helper turns up dead on their land and Drew has a car accident that is suspicious, Maggie decides she needs to do some investigating. She gets her antiques-hunting friend, Will Brewer, to help her. He knows everyone in town and is related to most of them. Many folks in town have not been very friendly with Amy and Drew since they are outsiders. Maggie knows without someone on the inside, she'll never get any information.
As she digs deeper and deeper, Maggie uncovers secrets that have been hidden for years. Can she figure out who is behind everything without anyone else getting hurt?
I love books set in New England, so this is right up my alley. I love Maggie. She is such a great character, and her antiques print business was something that was new to me. I enjoyed learning more about it.
The descriptions of the area were superb. Made me feel like I was there with Maggie. The plot was well constructed with plenty of red herrings, and the peripheral characters aided the story wonderfully.
I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more!
Book Description
A handy guide for anyone interested in collecting antique historical prints. Includes discussions on the nature of antique prints, how to tell originals from reproductions, the history of their production, and issues involved in purchasing and collecting them. Designed for the beginning collector, but useful for anyone with an interest in prints from the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries.
Customer Reviews:
A beautiful book about an undervalued area of collecting........2007-08-01
The Art of the Garden... introduces the beginning enthusiast to the wonderful world of antique flower prints and is an essential addition to the library of the established collector of botanical art.
The gorgeously illustrated book documents the magnificent flower prints produced by notable artists of the 17th through the turn of the 20th centuries. These celebrated artists include Basil Besler, Maria Sybilla Merian, Mark Catesby, Georg Ehert, George Brookshaw, Robert John Thornton, Pierre Joseph Redoutè, and many others.
Illustrated with over 300 full-color images of original and valuable botanical prints, this book fills a void in the literature, as few good botanical references remain in print.
The text recounts the fascinating lives and passions of the artists and their patrons, the technical advances in printmaking, and the discoveries and cultural influences that shaped the depiction of flowers, plants, and trees. Also discussed are many variables affecting the values of original antique botanical prints including condition, rarity, historical significance, and aesthetic appeal. A range of prices is included to guide you in your collecting and a section on framing, displaying, and proper storage makes this an indispensable reference. A fascinating book for collectors of botanical prints, gardeners, and those interested in the history of flowers.
Beautiful Prints.......2007-06-10
Some of the most beautiful AND important antique flower prints are reproduced in full color in this book. I was amazed at the amount of knowledge and history detailed so elegantly. The authors include even more artist information on their site. Fineantiqueprintsdotcom has striking images and examples. This book is an excellent reference.
Fabulous.......2007-01-06
This book is well written. Straight forward, informative and intersting. The reproductions of the botanical prints are stunning. The book is super reference for both the novice as well as the more experienced collector. A joy to read.
Average customer rating:
- Absoulute must have reference for Chinese Art Collectors
|
Collecting Chinese Art
Sam Bernstein
Manufacturer: S. Bernstein & Company, Jade & Oriental Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Asian
| Regional
| History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Collecting
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
China
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0963893262 |
Customer Reviews:
Absoulute must have reference for Chinese Art Collectors.......2001-12-09
I've been collecting Chinese art for thirty five years and have almost everything published about Chinese Jade and related arts. Bernstein's book is concise, to the point and he gives straight talk about collecting Chinese art. Collecting Chinese art is a must have reference tool for all collectors of Oriental art. The author, an internationally famous scholar-dealer really knows his tomatoes. He writes about detecting fakes, scientific testing of Chinese works of art and the current world-wide market for Chinese art. The full color photographs of jades, ancient glass, gold and silver objects and stone scultures are attractive and tastefully done. I recommend it with out reservation.
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive guide to collecting limited edition art prints.......1999-04-09
152 pages with 24 chapters of very useful information about this collectible. Topics range from papers and inks, to printing terminology, to framing and investing. This is a small book, but it's a virtual course and reference on the subject. Everyone interested in the field of art collecting should keep this volume handy on their shelf for continuing reference. Loaded with valuable and interesting information.
Book Description
Charlot Byj created her famous redheaded children and other figures as greeting card illustrations. In the mid 1940s her work caught the attention of the Goebel Company, the makers of Hummel figurines. At Goebel her characters took on three dimensions, and now they are sought by collectors around the world. The Redheads, the blonde series, and other Byj creations for Goebel are presented here, making this a comprehensive volume. Nearly every figure is shown in a beautiful color photograph. Current values are given with each photograph, and there is a history of values on the secondary market, beginning with 1957. A wealth of information is given to make this a truly valuable book for collectors of these delightful figures.
Book Description
An authoritative introduction to the world of map collecting
Customer Reviews:
A must have book for the map collector.......2006-08-14
If I could have just one book on map collecting this would be it. The book is an enjoyable read, and written in a crystal clear fashion. The book contains much essential information for collectors: map terminology, printing methods, translation of common phrases into English, how to judge condition, and blunt advice on the workings of the marketplace. All of this plus great reference material on map makers, styles, and periods. I've had this book for several years now and find myself reachnig for it time and again. Thank you Dr. Manasek!
Outstanding book.......2004-06-24
This is truly an outstanding book. It is exceptionally well-written and the number of illustrations is exceptional. Unlike most map books, this one uses illustrations to make specific points about maps, as well as to show what the map looks like. There is a huge amount of information in here - including such things as illustrated details about pocket map construciton, microscope pictures of paper, information about acids (for the non-chemist!) and a wonderful section of over a hundred maps, one per page, arranged chronologically. I found the CollectingOldMaps website a very valuable collateral since it shows up-to-date prices for all the maps in the book. The readability and info in this book make it a bargain - it is beautiful, also!
A very useful, substantial book.......2002-03-26
A book of substance. "Collecting Old Maps" really deals with the subject and is not a watered-down survey of old maps someone thinks we should collect. This book breaks with the old way map books were written and is a refreshing "out of the box" way to look at old map collecting. There is no other book like it and I don't know where else one can get the information that is in here. Very well written, a delight to read and not dumbed-down. There is even some sly humor in here! I agree with the earlier reviews so there is no point in repeating everything they said.
Great present!.......2002-01-31
Love the book! Well written and very informative. I agree with the previous reviewers. I thank the autor.
Wow!.......2000-12-31
Got this book for Christmas and read the whole thing through. Unlike other map reference books in my collection, I actually read this one cover to cover! It is a remarkable book and the author shares what is a vast knowledge with us in a very unusual and direct way. The illustrations are really great and there are lots of them. Where else, for example, can you learn the names of the different parts of a folding map, with each part illustrated with real examples? Every page seems to have several. It is a big and very beautiful book. I will now go and re-read it.
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- Pediatric Examination and Board Review (Mcgraw-Hill Specialty Board Review Series)
- Prayers That Avail Much: Three Bestselling Works Complete in One Volume, 25th Anniversary Leather Burgundy (Commemorative Leather Edition)
- "Primitivism" in 20th Century Art: Affinity of the Tribal and the Modern
- Professional Dreamer: 6 Simple Steps That Turn Dreams Into Reality
- Red Carpets and Other Banana Skins: The Autobiography
- Schuco Classic Tin Toys
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The Art of Buying Art: An Insider's Guide to Collecting Contemporary Art
Collecting Contemporary
