The New Fine Points of Furniture : Early American: The Good, Better, Best, Superior, Masterpiece Book

This definitive volume is based on his original ground-breaking premise that the standards used in judging American furniture are directly related to the design, proportion, finish, construction, and craftsmanship of a piece. Sack contends that these aesthetic standards are just as important in evaluating a piece of furniture as is its rarity, history, age, and documentation. With his comparisons, Sack uses terms such as symmetry, rhythmic flow, perfect curve, and dramatic bend to explain why similar pieces of furniture of the same approximate age and availability may vary in worth and desirability. The New Fine Points of Furniture features more than 650 photographs in color and black and white illustrating approximately 200 furniture types. Included are chairs, beds, bureaus, chests-on-chests, clocks, desks, secretaries, highboys, lowboys, mirrors, sideboards, sofas, and tables. The furniture comparisons are generally organized by period and feature five categories - good, better, best, superior, and masterpiece. The latter two classifications illustrate pieces that transcend the bounds of an era to join the "Furniture Hall of Fame."

Featuring all-new photos of more than 200 variations of forms, this indispensable guide for collectors and dealers who want to compare and evaluate early American antiques includes information on chairs, beds, bureaus, sideboards, clocks, secretaries, highboys, and more. 650 photos.