Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America's Furniture City (Shopping and Antiques)

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 244 pages
• Published by: Public Museum of Grand Rapids October 1, 1998
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0966652401
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0966652406
• Book Dimensions: 11.6 x 9.1 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 3.4 pounds

Book Description
Grand Rapids Furniture: The Story of America's Furniture City is the first major history to be published about the place that once crowned itself "The Paris of Furniture Design." Over 200 photographs illustrate the lively text by Christian G. Carron, curator of one of the nation's largest furniture collections. The story begins in the 1830's with the region's first cabinetmakers, and covers designs from Victorian and Modern through Reform and Revival to the high-tech office furniture of the late twentieth century.

Delving deeper than forms and ornamentation, this volume includes anecdotes and insights from four of the most knowledgeable experts on the Grand Rapids furniture industry.

The detailed manufactures directory lists more than 800 West Michigan furniture makers past and present, including company names, locations, designers, and product descriptions. Never-before-published hints for identifying Grand Rapids furniture complement more than 400 maker's marks and labels, to make this an important resource for every reference shelf.

About The Author
Christian G. Carron is head of the curatorial department of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, and has cultivated the furniture collections there for over ten years. Each year he answers hundreds of requests from around the world for information on Grand Rapids furniture. After studying in the Historical Administration Program at Eastern Illinois University, Carron curated similar collections in Louisiana and Kentucky. An active lecturer and author, Carron conducted much of the research for this publication during the development of The Furniture City, a permanent exhibition that opened in 1994.

Reader Reviews
This was not what we thought it would be, but it had other attributes that make it a good book. I was looking for more photos, more splash -- and was inititally disappointed. Then as I explored it (there are great photos) and realized the last half of the book gives the maker's marks and a history, even if brief, of SO MANY small and large companies -- we realized it is a find we will use again and again. A good reference book for dealers and designers; not a coffee table book Comment | | (Report this)