Arts and Crafts Architecture
The Art of Parchment Craft -
Arts and Crafts Architecture Customer Review: Craftsmanlike publication
This is simply the best book written on Arts & Crafts architecture. In structure it is broadly chronological, but essentially each chapter is devoted to either a single architect (e.g. Voysey) or region outside Britain (USA, northern Europe, and Germany) or, in the instances of cities and gardens, to a theme. Peter Davey is intelligent, witty, writes well (increasingly a rarity these days), giving an analytical coherence to the study that I thought was impossible, and is a good man (in the postscript Davey’s own socialist sentiments become fully apparent).
If it is pictures you’re after, this is a Phaidon publication, so there are plenty. While the famous buildings get the full colour treatment, and often images we’ve seen before (especially in other Phaidon publications), there are many small black and white snaps (most by the author) that offer the well-read enthusiast numerous new pictures of unknown houses.
I must have fifty or more books on Arts and Crafts architecture, design and furniture and not one comes close to this in value for money (it is ridiculously cheap).
