Furniture

November 1, 2005
Antiques and collectibles expert Miller ("Judith Miller: A Closer Look at Antiques") is a prolific producer of price and style guides to furniture. Beautifully produced and lavishly illustrated with 3000-plus color images, her new work examines the evolution of furniture styles up through the 20th century. The sheer size of the volume and the lush presentation on glossy paper stock might lead readers to consider this volume one to be reckoned with. Sadly, that is not the case; it can really serve only as an introduction. To Miller's credit, she provides a strong guide to further reading. Ranging between 30 and 60 pages, each of the chapters examines a significant time period; more recent periods receive longer treatments. The brevity of the individual presentations significantly undercuts their utility, but what is there is well captioned, and the text delineates (to the extent possible) the history and major trends of the style being presented. This is typical DK fare, strong as a beginning point but weak as a comprehensive source. "Furniture "serves better as an -in-and-out - reference than as a volume to be savored." -Alex Hartmann, INFOPHILE, Williamsport, PA"

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2005
Marry a well-established subject-matter expert to a publisher recognized for its lavish four-color and educational tomes, and the honeymoon will last forever. Antiques maven and collector Miller talks all about furniture in what could easily be dubbed the best reference book of 2005. Twelve information-packed chapters divide and conquer, starting with 4000 B.C.E. to 1600 C.E and ending with postcontemporary and modern in 1970 to the present. There is nary a second to pause and linger: page after page describes the period, its defining elements of style, and its famous artisans and books and offers historical time lines and a collection of sample chairs, tables, case pieces, desks, and the like. The 3,000 photographs are superb, each with brief description, date of manufacture, dimensions, provenance (when known), occasional price (from $200 to more than $450,000), and sometimes the dealer code. More than enough education to prompt an even larger stampede of collectors. Useful addresses, further reading, dealer codes, and glossary are appended.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)