Please click your browser's REFRESH button!

Art Deco Books Reviews
Art Deco Books Logo
Louisville Art Deco Menu:

Home

Feature Articles

What is Art Deco?

Louisville's Art Deco Buildings

Other Cities' Art Deco Buildings

Books & Reviews

Links

Contacts

Site Map

NOTE: Any books purchased through the Amazon links on this page help to support the operation of this web site. Thanks!

The following reviews are more like summaries. I haven't supplied an exhaustive review, but instead just wanted to give you an idea of what to expect in each book. Such as... which books cover architecture... which ones cover furniture and home interiors... which ones cover the visual arts... which ones have lots of color photos and which don't... which ones cover the whole Deco movement and show something about everything. If there's one thing I don't like, it's buying a book sight unseen and finding out it doesn't have the content I desire. I hope to help future buyers in this regard by informing them before they buy.

Art Deco 1910-1939

Authors: Charlotte Benton, Tim Benton and Ghislaine Wood
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10" x 11.5";    464 pages
Publisher: Bulfinch Press/AOL Time Warner;    ©  2003   Victoria and Albert Museum
ISBN: 0-8212-2834-4 (check this)
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Sources and Iconography / The Paris 1925 Exhibition / The Spread of Deco / The Deco World

Summary:  This book is huge and gorgeous! A coffee-table type book. Lots and lots of photos (most in color) and informative writing. Book is published in conjunction with the Victoria and Albert Museum who held a travelling exhibition called Art Deco 1910-1939. Here is a link to their site http://edward.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1157_art_deco/. I saw this exhibition while vacationing in San Francisco at the Palace of the Legion of Honor museum in April 2004. (This was actually the start of my obsession with Art Deco). If you didn't see the exhibition (as it only exhibited in Toronto, San Fransisco and Boston - 2003 into 2005), you should pretty much see most of the items used in the exhibition in this book. It has some architecture, but is primarily focused on the Deco movement as a whole.

American Art Deco

Author: Carla Breeze
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10" x 11";    288 pages
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company;    ©  2003  
ISBN: 0-393-01970-5
Table of Contents:
Introduction / The Northeast / The South / The Midwest and Prairies / The Southwest / California and the Pacific Northwest

Summary:  This book is large and beautiful! A coffee-table type book. It has lots and lots of color photos and informative writing about Art Deco architecture throught the United States.

Art Deco

Author: Victor Arwas
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10.25" x 12.25";    316 pages
Publisher: Abradale Press / Henry N. Abrams, Inc.;    ©  1992  
ISBN: 0-8109-1926-5 2000 edition (Abradale 1992 edition: 0-8109-8199-8)
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Exposition des Arts Decdoratifs et Industriels, Paris 1925 / Furniture / Metal / Silver / Diananderie, Enamel and Lacquer / Jewellery / Tablettere / Chryselephantine Statuettes and Salon Bronzes / Avante Garde Sculpture / Paintings, Posters, Graphics and Book Illustration / Bookbinding / Glass / Ceramics / Biographies of Artists

Summary:  This is another large and beautiful item! A coffee-table type book. There's no architecture included at all, but it does a great job of covering everything else related to the Art Deco movement .

Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration and Detail from the Twenties and Thirties

Author: Patricia Bayer
Format: Softcover;   9.5" x 11.5";    224 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd., London.;    ©  1992  
ISBN: 0-500-28149-1
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Influences, Precursors and Parallels / International Expositions / Residences and Hotels / Public Buildings / Revivals and Replicas

Summary:  This is all about Art Deco architecture! It's a large format book, but because of the softcover it isn't quite the "display quality" of other coffee-table-type books. 376 illustrations (146 in color). A wonderful book.

American Art Deco

Author: Alastair Duncan
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10" x 12.25";    288 pages
Publisher: Henry N. Abrams, Inc.;    ©  1986  
ISBN: 0-8109-1850-1 (softcover: 0-8109-2349-1)
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Exhibitions / Furniture / Lighting and Clocks / Silver / Metalware / Ceramics / Glass / Textiles / Architecture / Sculpture / Painting and Graphics / Jewelry / World Fairs / Industrial Design

Summary:  Another very good book about the Art Deco movement as a whole. A coffee-table type book. Over 500 photographs, both color and black and white.

Art Deco

Author: Alastair Duncan
Format: Softcover;   6" x 8.25";    216 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, London.;    ©  1988 (reprinted 1997)  
ISBN: 0-500-20230-3
Table of Contents:
Furniture / Textiles / Ironwork and Lighting / Silver, Lacquer and Metalwork / Glass / Ceramics / Sculpture / Paintings, Graphics, Posters and Bookbinding / Jewelry / Architecture

Summary:  A smaller format book with fewer color photos than I'd like to see, but still contains good information and visuals. 194 illustrations (44 in color).

American Art Deco

Author: Eva Weber
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10.5" x 14.5";    112 pages
Publisher: JG Press / World Publications Group, Inc.    ©  2004  
ISBN: 1-57215-369-5
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Architecture / Furniture and Design / The Visual Arts / The Useful Arts

Summary:  A large format coffee-table type book. Besides the introduction, there is essentially no other text except the captions for the photos. So, even for a large footprint, thinner book, it packs a nice amount of large photos without encumbering it with writing. Which could be both good and bad, depending on your outlook. I have two copies of this, both with different dustcovers, but identical content. One dust cover has a laminated wood elevator door from the Chrysler Building. The other has a decorative Frank Lloyd Wright window design. They are the same book.

Art Deco

Author: Eva Weber
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    10.5" x 14.5";    112 pages
Publisher: JG Press / World Publications Group, Inc.    ©  1989
ISBN: 1-57215-351-2
Table of Contents:
Art Deco Style on Show / Exuberant Architecture / Furniture and Interior Design / Sculpture, Painting and Photography / Index / Acknowledgements

Summary:  Large format coffee-table book, in a similar vein to her later book (summarized just above, American Art Deco). Whereas in American Art Deco she obviously focuses on the contributions of North America, she covers a more international flavor in this volume. While there are a few photos that are common to both books, most of this book is different and fresh with lots of great visuals.

Rediscovering Art Deco USA - A Nationwide Tour of Architectural Delights

Authors: Barbara Capitman, Michael D. Kinerk, Dennis W. Wilhelm, Photos by Randy Juster
Format: Softcover;   8.5" x 11";    224 pages
Publisher: Viking Studio Books/Penguin Group;    ©  1994  
ISBN: 0-525-48604-6 (hardcover: 0-525-93442-1)
Table of Contents:
Introduction / The United States of America / Boston / Chicago / Cincinnati / Dallas and Fort Worth / Detroit / Hoover Dam / Indianapolis / Kansas City / Los Angeles / Miami Beach / Milwaukee / Minneapolis and Saint Paul / New York / Philadelphia / San Fransisco / Seattle / Tulsa / Washington DC

Summary:  281 photos (236 in color). This book is about Barbara Capitman's trip around the US with colleagues to visit, record information, and photograph Art Deco architecture in all the recognized cities of the time (early 1990s). She was the main driving force of Art Deco preservation, working originally in the Miami area and helping other Art Deco societies around the country to fight for historic building preservation. The research for this book seems to be quite exhaustive! It breaks buildings down by type, then indicates how many of them were surveyed (visited), etc. There aren't as many photos as there could be, considering all the authors saw. However, I assume since they include a wealth of written information about the various locations in each city, it was just space- or cost-prohibitive to show one or more photos of each and every building. Still, this is an incredible resource if you ever plan to visit a city and want to hit the Deco highlights!

Essential Art Deco

Author: Ghislaine Wood
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   7.75" x 8.5;    96 pages
Publisher: Bulfinch Press/AOL Time Warner ;    ©  2003   Victoria & Albert Museum
ISBN: 0-8212-2833-1
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Iconography of Art Deco / Traditional Motifs / Stylized Nature / The Exotic / Geometry and Abstraction / The City and the Machine / Streamlining / Conclusion / Timeline / Further Reading

Summary:  This small format book is authored by one of the people involved in the Victoria and Albert Museum travelling exhibition called Art Deco 1910-1939. (http://edward.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1157_art_deco/). You'll see many of the same items that are in the Art Deco 1910-1939 book, above. This one has less text to it and will fit on your bookshelf easier.

Discovering South Beach Deco: Walking Tours in the Miami Beach Art Deco District

Author: Richard & Valerie Beaubien
Format: Softcover;   ?" x ?;    300 pages
Publisher: Domini Press    ©  2004
ISBN: 0-976-0238-0-6
Table of Contents:
Introduction / South Miami Beach History / Architectural Style Guide / Walk 1: A Stroll Along the Ocean / Walk 2: Collins Avenue Jaunt / Walk 3: The Northern Fringe / Walk 4: Lincoln Road, "Fifth Avenue" of the South" / Walk 5: A Spanish Village and Beyond / Walk 6: Washington and Collins Loop / Walk 7: Central South Beach and Flamingo Park / Walk 8: South of Flamingo Road / Of Special Merit / Glossary

Summary:  I bought this book at the South Beach Art Deco Museum & Visitor's building (museum was closed or defunct, I couldn't tell). The bookstore was open though, and my wife and I picked this up to get a more informed tour of the tropical deco South Beach area. There are seven different walks covered in this book. Each has an easy to read map, with numbered locations. Each location gives you a description and history of the building. Many of the buildings have small black and white photos too (but not all). If you plan on doing the walks, they get pretty long - particularly when you stop at each site and read about it. We ended up growing weary in the heat, and so we walked the rest of the way not bothering to read all the details. I would allow one tour per day unless you are very fit and resilient to the heat.

The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America

Author: David Gebhard
Format: Softcover;   6" x 9.25";    278 pages
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons    ©  1996
ISBN: 0-976-0238-0-6
Table of Contents:
Art Deco and Streamline Moderne Architecture in the United States, 1920 - 1949 / Art Deco and Streamline Moderne: Preserving the Best / Guide to the Guide / New England / Mid-Atlantic / South / Midwest / Southwest / West / Information Sources / Further Reading

Summary:  This book about Art Deco architecture goes state by state within the chapter regions and discusses Art Deco and Streamline Moderne buildings in each. There are scattered quarter- to half-page photos in black and white throughout.

The Metropolis of Tomorrow

Author: Hugh Ferris
Format: Softcover;   8.25" x 11";    144 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications    ©  2005 (original edition: 1929 by Ives Washburn)
ISBN: 0-486-43727-2
Table of Contents:
Part One: Cities of Today / Part Two: Projected Trends / Part Three: An Imaginery Metropolis

Summary:  I was so very happy to find and purchase this architecture book! I had seen various sketches of Art Deco designed buildings by Hugh Ferris and was impressed with their artistic, engineered appearance. They are all architectural sketches, of both buildings that were built, and ones that were only dreamt. I love this book!


This book is not available through Amazon. Click this image or the link in the review.
A Romance With the City

Author: Irwin S. Chanin (edited by: Diane Agrest)
Format: Softcover;   9.75" x 13.5";    112 pages
Publisher: The Cooper Union Press    ©  1982
ISBN: Unknown at this time.
Table of Contents:
A Romance With the City; The Work of Irwin S. Chanin / The New Yorker, Profiles, "Skybinders" - from the January 26, 1929 Issue / Introduction to Works in the Catalogue and Exhibition / 46th Street Theatre, 1925 / Leow's Coney Island Theatre, 1925 / Biltmore Theatre, 1925 / Mansfield Theatre, 1926 / Theatre Masque, 1927 / Royale Theatre, 1927 / Majestic Theatre, 1927 / Roxy Theatre, 1926 / Lincoln Hotel, 1927 / Chanin Building, 1928 / Majestic Apartment Building, 1930 / Century Apartment Building, 1931 / Green Acres Phase 1, 1936-1939 / Coney Island Pumping Station, 1938 / Cosmetic Factory, 1939 / M,M&M Factory, Stratford, Connecticut / Naval Ordinance Lab and Hanger, 1946-1949 / Karp Metal Products Factory, Brooklyn, 1949 / Green Acres Phase 2, 1951-1959 / The Presence of Irwin S. Chanin / Chanin Building, 1982 / Majestic Apartement Building, 1982 / Century Apartment Building, 1982 / Afterward.

Summary:  Another book that I was thrilled to find! It met my expectations too. One of my fixations in Art Deco architecture is the art used in the building. The marriage of art and engineering fascinates me in all its varied artistic expressions. The sculptures (usually in limestone) and the decorative metalwork (grill covers, relief sculptures, gates, etc.) are a major focus for me. At a later date I will be adding a feature page on this focus. One of my favorite artists from the period is Rene Paul Chambellan. He did a lot of relief sculptures and decorative grills for the Chanin Building in New York City. I wanted to see more pictures of his work, and this book gave it to me! The book was apparently something printed for a 1982 exhibition. The book shows period photos of each of the buildings that Irwin S. Chanin built (lots of the Chanin Building, thankfully!). The last few chapters show what some of those buildings look like in 1982. These later photos are the only ones in color. The photos from the period of construction completion are all in black and white (which I would expect). Being a Rene Chambellan and Irwin S. Chanin fan, this is a treasured prize for me!! Here's a link to a place to purchase this:
http://archweb.cooper.edu/publications/orderform.pdf (check with them for availability before ordering!) or here: http://www.stoutbooks.com/cgi-bin/stoutbooks.cgi/66588

Art Deco Ornamental Ironwork

Author: Henri Martinie
Format: Softcover;   8.25" x 11.25";    112 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications    ©  1995
ISBN: 0-486-285-35-9
Table of Contents:
La Ferronnerie 1926/ La Ferronnerie: Deuxieme Serie 1929

Summary:  This book contains 197 black and white photos of French onramental ironwork from the 1920s. It actually is a collection of photo plates from two sources:

  • La Ferronnerie (photo plate numbers 1-58) ©1926
  • La Ferronnerie: Deuxieme Serie (photo plate numbers 59-106) ©1929
I had hoped that this would feature color photos of currently known pieces. Instead, it was a reprint of 1920-era photos. This is in itself good, since it is a recording of works probably long since gone. However, they are all works from France during that same 1920s era. There is no reference as to whether these pieces of art work are still known to exist.
Art Deco Decorative Ironwork

Author: Henri Clouzot
Format: Softcover;   9.25" x 12.25";    112 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications    ©  1997
ISBN: 0-486-29812-4
Table of Contents:
La Ferronnerie: Deuxieme Moderne

Summary:  This book is very similar to Art Deco Ornamental Ironwork. It contains 320 black and white photos of French onramental ironwork from the 1920s. It actually is a collection of photo plates from La Ferronnerie: Deuxieme Moderne (three series). I ordered this at the same time as the other. Again, I had hoped that this book would feature color photos of currently known pieces. Instead, it was a reprint of 1920-era photos of French works. It seems to have a more varied collection of decorative ironwork (fire screens, etc. instead of primarily gates and larger architectural pieces). Again, no references to whether any still exist.

Art Deco: Flights of Artistic Fantasy

Author: Susan A. Sternau
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   9" x 12.5";    128 pages
Publisher: New Line Books    ©  2006
ISBN: 1-59764-075-1
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Toward a Modern Style / The Triumph of the Decorative Arts / An Age of Fashion / Building the Future

Summary:  This book covers the whole Art Deco movement. It covers paintings, furniture, fashion, accessories, fabrics, sculpture, prints, jewelry, bookbinding, architecture - most all of the major elements. Because it's only 128 pages, it doesn't get into too much detail on any one area. It does have quite a few color photos throughout.

Brightwork: Classic American Car Ornamentation

Author: Ken Steacy
Format: Softcover;    8" x 8.75";    120 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books    ©  2000
ISBN: 0-8118-2663-5
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Hood Ornaments / Horn Buttons / Emblems / Script / Collecting

Summary:  While not technically billed as an Art Deco book, it does have some gorgeous photos of incredible streamlined hood ornaments from the 1920s through the 1950s. There are 48 pages of hood ornaments, which was the main focus on my purchasing this book. But it also features of a bunch of color photos of horn buttons, name script emblems and other emblems. Very well done book with a good layout. If you're into Streamline, you'll absolutely love the photos in this book!

Christie's Art Deco

Author: Edited by Fiona Gallagher; Contributors: Micahel Jeffrey, Simon Andrews, Nicolette White.
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10.5" x 10.25";    192 pages
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications    ©  2000
ISBN: 0-8230-0643-3
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Architectural Detailing / Furniture / Glass / Ceramics / Silver and Metalwork / Jewelry / Sculpture / Graphics and Posters / Collector's Tips / Glossary

Summary:  Lots of beautiful color photos and descriptions of Art Deco collectible art objects from Christie's auction house archives. Book includes short biographies of the era's artists throughout its text. No architectural buildings featured (since that's not something you would see at an art auction anyway!). The Architectural Detailing chapter is for items you might find adorning a building's interior (lamps, fire screen, clock, bookends, etc.). Recommended for the collector of Art Deco items.

The Chrysler Building: Creating a New York Icon, Day by Day

Author: David Stravitz
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   10" x 12.25";    164 pages
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press    ©  2002
ISBN: 0-8230-0643-3
Table of Contents:
Introduction (15 pages) / Plates (151 pages, some foldouts) / Catalog (caption for each plate presented)

Summary:  WOW! If you have any interest what-so-ever in the Chrysler Building, this book is definitely for you!! Lots and lots of black and white photo plates taken of the construction site before and during the building's construction. Incredible shots! Highly recommended.

Art Deco New York

Author: David Garrard Lowe
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   9.75" x 11.25";    214 pages
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications    ©  2004
ISBN: 0-8230-0284-5
Table of Contents:
Preface / Introduction: In The Time of Art Deco / Arriving in Style / The New Hotels / Shops and Shopping A La Mode / On the Town: Drinking, Dining and Dancing / Skyscrapers / Modern Living: Residences and Institutions / The Rockefellers' Center / The 1939 Fair: Fairwell to an Era / Bibliography / Index

Summary:  This is a very nice book with lots of good reading material and a healthy amount of great deco images (both black & white and color) running the gamut from transportation, hotels, fashion, dining & entertainment, skyscrapers, living spaces, the Rockefeller Center and the '39 World's Fair.

The Art of the Rockefeller Center

Author: Christine Roussel
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;   9.5" x 12";    320 pages
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company    ©  2006
ISBN: 0-393-06082-9
Table of Contents:
Foreward / Introduction - The Art Program / 1270 Avenue of the Americas / Radio City Music Hall / 30 Rockefeller Plaza / 1250 Avenue of the Americas / British Empire Building / La Maison Francaise / The Channel Gardens and Promenade / The Lower Plaza / Palazzo d'Italia / The International Building / The International Building North / One Rockefeller Plaza / The Associated Press Building / 10 Rockefeller Plaza / Map of Rockefeller Center / Acknowledgments / Endnotes / Artists and Specifications of Their Works / Index

Summary:  Fantastic book that shows the architectural art associated with all the buildings of the Rockefeller Center. Each artist's contribution is noted and shown, general information about the artist, and some very intriguing photos are included showing them actively working in progress on their commissions. Highly recommended if your a fan of the Rockefeller Center and enjoy learning about the artists involved. Nice mixture of color and black & white photos.

The Guide to the Art of Rockefeller Center

Author: Christine Roussel
Format: Softcover;    4.75" x 7.25";    160 pages
Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company    ©  2006
ISBN: 0-393-32865-1
Table of Contents:
Preface by Thomas Hoving / Using This Guide / Introduction / Acknowledgements / 1270 Avenue of the Americas / Radio City Music Hall / 30 Rockefeller Plaza / 1250 Avenue of the Americas / British Empire Building / La Maison Francaise / Channel Gardens and Promenade / Skating Rink and Lower Plaza / Palazzo d'Italia / International Building / Interntaional Building North / One Rockefeller Plaza / Associated Press Building / 10 Rockefeller Plaza / Artists' Biographical Notes and Location of Art by Artist / Index of Art and Artists

Summary:  This is a small, carry-it-around-with-you companion guidebook to the much larger (already reviewed The Art of the Rockefeller Center above). It is organized into chapters by each building of the Rockefeller Center complex. A small map is included in the front so you can get your bearings as to the actual locations of each building in the six-block complex. Lots and lots of color photographs of the works with background information on each one and its artist. Invaluable book if you will be visiting Rockefeller Center and want to make sure you don't miss any of the art work!

Deco Landmarks: Art Deco Gems of Los Angeles

Author: Arnold Schwartzman
Format: Softcover;   8.75" x 8";    155 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books    ©  2005
ISBN: 0-8118-4601-6
Table of Contents:
Foreward (by Bevis Hillier) / Introduction / Tile & Terrazzo / Glass & Neon / Stone & Plaster / Metal & Wood

Summary:  Lots of color photos showing the Art Deco architectural details of buildings around Los Angeles, California. As the table of contents indicate, each section focuses on the type of material of which the features are constructed. The photos are very rich in color and detail, however, in most instances you don't get to see the whole building to which they belong. If this fact doesn't bother you, or you don't mind looking in another book (or the internet) for a glimpse of the entire structure, then you'll savor the uniqueness of that era's architectural ornamentation.

The Machine Age in America 1918 - 1941

Author: Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne H. Pilgrim, Disckran Tashjian
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9" x 11.25";    376 pages
Publisher: Brooklyn Museum of Art / Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers    ©  1986 (reprint 2001)
ISBN: 0-8109-1421-2
Table of Contents:
Foreward / Acknowledgments / America and the Machine Age / Machine Aesthetics / Selling the Machine Age / The Machine in the Landscape / Transportation Machine Design / Architecture in the Machine Age / Engineering a New Art / Design for the Machine / The Machine Age and Beyond / Notes / Selected Bibliography / Index / Photograph Credits

Summary:  Huge book produced to accompany an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum of Art in 1986. Many photos, mostly black & white accompanied by supporting text. Painting, photography, architecture, interior design, industrial design, transportation...this book has it all. This is a great study of the influence of the machine age between the World Wars.

Art Deco Interiors: Decoration and Design Classics of the 1920s and 1930s

Author: Patricia Bayer
Format: Softcover;    9.5" x 11.5";    224 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson    ©  1990
ISBN: 0-500-28020-7
Table of Contents:
Introduduction / The Art Deco Interior - Origins and Influences / Showcase Interiors - The Great Exhibitions / French Interiors - The Parisian Ensemblers / Streamline Moderne - The Art Deco Interior Worldwide / Art Deco in Public Places - Transport, Theatres and Cinemas, Stores, Hotels, Bars and Offices / The Art Deco Interior Revived - Renewal and Restoration in the 1970s and 1980s / Acknowledgments / Galleries and Museums / Bibliography / Index

Summary:  Mixture of photos and artist sketches of 20s and 30s interiors. Some great images and a lot of so-so images. I personally don't get much out of looking at artist sketches of interiors - even though most are in color. I find more pleasure in looking over photos of room arrangements and actual furniture pieces that were designed and built in that time period. I would presume that photos of actual deco era home interiors might be hard to come by. Still, there are a lot of great examples if you're interested in looking for interior design ideas.

The Art Deco House: Avant-Garde Houses of the 1920s and 1930s

Author: Adrian Tinniswood
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9.25" x 11";    176 pages
Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications    ©  1990
ISBN: 0-8230-0315-9
Table of Contents:
BRAVE NEW WORLDS / THE MODERNE MOVEMENT / Villa Schminke / Burnham Beeches / Manik Bagh / Saarinen House / The Atkins House / The Butler House / Geragh / Pavilioned in Splendor / MACHINES FOR LIVING IN / Villa Henny / The Schröder House / New Ways / The Lovell House / E.1207 / Villa Savoye / Furniture Design and High Deco / METROPOLIS / Kiefhoek Housing Estate / Rue Mallet-Stevens Housing / Silver End Garden Village / Miami Beach / Napier / Lawn Road Flats / Highpoint I and II / Loas Angeles Apartment Buildings / Fair Play / UN-ENGLISH AND UNMANLY / High and Over / Alding / Joldwynds / High Cross House / Bentley Wood / Charters / Ensembliers / CITY SLICKERS / The Schindler House / The Ernest Cormier House / The Del Rio House / Maison de Verre / Eltham Palace / 2 Willow Road / Transports of Delight / Bibliography / Index / Acknowledgments

Summary:  Great book with about two to four pages on each house listed in the table of contents, including both vintage and contemporary photos. There are examples from all over the globe, including both individual family dwellings and apartment buildings. Thankfully, it also has four pages on my favorite Art Deco era home, the Butler House in Des Moines, Iowa!

Art Deco House Style: An Architectural and Interior Design Source Book

Author: Ingrid Cranfield
Format: Softcover;    9" x 10";    160 pages
Publisher: David & Charles    ©  2001 (reprint 2004)
ISBN: 0-7153-1744-X
Table of Contents:
Introduction / The Architects, their Ideas & Works / The Plan & Facade / Interiors / Furnishings m& Interior Decoration / Stockists / Index / Bibliography

Summary:  This book is a hodge-podge of sometimes seemingly disparate content. While much of it indeed shows what one would expect to see in Art Deco house style, there is also a mixture of design elements throughout parts of it that quite frankly belong in a book on Tudor house style. Broad mixture of photos and design sketches, mostly black and white.

Art Deco Furniture: The French Designers

Author: Alastair Duncan
Format: Softcover;    9" x 10.5";    192 pages
Publisher: Thames & Hudson    ©  1984
ISBN: N/A
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Art Deco and Modernism / The U.A.M. / The Scope of This Book / The 1920s/30s Furniture Designers / Furniture Materials / The Paris Department Stores / The 1925 Exposition / Contemporary Collectors / Ocean Liners / Biographies of Designers / Appendix / Bibliography / Index

Summary:  Based on the cover title of the book, I was a bit disappointed to find the subtitle on the frontispiece which indicated that it would only be covering the French Deco era furniture designers. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's only that I didn't realize it when purchasing the book strictly by its advertised titled (which does not indicate the subtitle). Lots of photo plates showing all types of furniture with write-ups on each item, as well as a very full section on the biographies of the designers. (312 photographs, 69 in color)

The Streamline Era Greyhound Terminals: The Architecture of W.S. Arrasmith

Author: Frank E. Wrenick
Format: Hardcover (no Dustjacket);    7" x 10.25";    194 pages
Publisher: McFarland & Company    ©  2007
ISBN: 0-7864-2550-4
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements / Foreward / Preface / Introduction / Part I: W.S. Arrasmith, 1898-1965 / Part II: The Streamline Era of Greyhound Bus Terminal Design / Part III: The Greyhound Terminals of W.S. Arrasmith (chronology) / Chronology of W.S. Arrasmith Architectural Firms and Commissions / Chapter Notes / Sources / Photograph and Image Credits / Index

Summary:  If you're interested in the streamline designed Greyhound bus terminals of the 30s through the 50s, then you must get this book! Frank Wrenick took a topic never before covered, dug and researched, and has produced a thorough treatise on not only the man who designed them, but also tons of information and vintage photos of the terminals Arrasmith designed. You'll find material in this book that you'll never find anywhere else! You can see my interview with the author here:
http://www.louisvilleartdeco.com/feature/FrankWrenick/FrankWrenick-feature-index.html

Art Deco (DK Collector's Guides)

Author: Judith Miller
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9" x 11";    240 pages
Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.    ©  2005
ISBN: 0-7566-1337-X
Table of Contents:
How To Use This Book / Foreword / Introduction / Furniture / Textiles / Glass / Ceramics / Jewelry / Silver and Metalware / Sculpture / Posters and Graphics / Appendices

Summary:  This book is intended as a general pricing guideline for items in a variety of art deco categories (see the Table of Contents). Each section has an overview of the category with some history of the medium, its place in Art Deco, key design points, and certain designers are profiled. There are plenty of color photos of items with details about each, their estimated year of origin and a price range - with a reference for each as to its price source (auction house or dealer). Whether you're in the hobby of collecting Art Deco or just a fan of the designs, this book is a beautiful one to have on your shelf.

Screen Deco: A Celebration of High Style in Hollywood

Author: Howard Mandelbaum & Eric Myers
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    8.5" x 11";    210 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press    ©  1985
ISBN: 0-312-70590-5
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements / This Modern Age: Introduction / The Rich Are Always With Us: Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath / Success at Any Price: Places of Business / New York Nights: Nightclubs / Transatlantic Merry-Go-Round: Ocean Liners / zgo Into Your Dance: Musicals and Extravaganzas / Just Imagine: Fantasy and Futurism / Pick a Star: Portraits / Index

Summary:  This out-of-print book is loaded with information and lots of black-and-white photographs about the Art Deco themed movies of the 1920s and 30s. Each chapter is set-up to show scenes that reflect various set groups such as Parlor-Bedroom, Business Office, Nightclubs, Ocean Liners, Musicals, and Futurism. There's also a short chapter at the end with photos of the silver screen stars of the era. The sets and costumes shown really reflect the over-the-top exuberance of Hollywood in depicting a style. If you're into the rich, lush look of the Art Deco era films, this is a good book to locate and purchase!

In The Deco Style

Author: Dan Klein, Nancy A. McClelland, & Malcolm Haslam
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    10" x 10";    288 pages
Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.    ©  1986
ISBN: 0-8478-0633-2
Table of Contents:
Introduction / The Origins of Deco / A Deco World / Deco And The Modern Vision / American Deco / Mass Production / Deco Revival / Bibliography / Index / Acknowledgements

Summary:  Each chapter has eight to ten pages of text giving historical information, then a large number of pages of photographs (a mixture of color & black-and-white). Unfortunately the quality of the color photos isn't very good (at least in my copy). The colors are rather muted. It's a decent book, but not one of the more visually stimulating.

Tamara de Lempicka: Art Deco Icon

Author: Ingried Brugger, Phillip King, Alain Blondel & Tag Gronberg
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9" x 11.75";    142 pages
Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications, Inc.    ©  2004
ISBN: 1-903973-42-2
Table of Contents:
Foreword / Acknowledgements / Tamara de Lempicka: An Introduction / Sang-froid and Frenzy / 'Le Peintre installé par la femme': Femininity and the Woman Painter / Catalogue plates / Chronology / Select Bibliography / List of Works / List of Lenders / Photographic Acknowledgements / Index

Summary:  This book was first published on the occasion of the exhibition Tamara de Lempicki: Art Deco Icon at the Royal Academy of Arts in London (May - August 2004) & the Kuntsforum Wien in Vienna (Sept, 2004 - Jan. 2005). What a supurb volume! A wealth of historical information on Tamara de Lempicki with photos of her and her studio. The vast majority of the book are rich color plates of her paintings. Highly recommended if you are a fan of her work.

New York, Empire City 1920-1945

Author: David Stravitz
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9.75" x 12";    160 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.    ©  2004
ISBN: 0-8109-5011-1
Table of Contents:
Foreword / Focus / The City / Additional Information / Index / Acknowledgements

Summary:  This book is essentially a photo compilation of New York City between the World Wars. Outside of a short essay by Christopher gray, the rest of the book is loaded with full-page black-and-white photographs of many buildings and city-scapes, not all of them Art Deco. Perhaps only 15% of the photos show Art Deco buildings, so while the book is very well-done, it would be more appealing to someone interested in vintage New York in general, rather than if you're looking strictly for Art Deco.

Thirteen Months to Go: The Creation of the Empire State Building

Author: Geraldine B. Wagner
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9.5" x 13";    160 pages
Publisher: Thunder Bay Press    ©  2003
ISBN: 1-59223-105-5
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Chapter 1: A Simple Pencil Design / Chapter 2: The Workers: Classical Heroes in the Flesh / Chapter 3: The Construction Schedule / Chapter 4: Seven Million Man-Hours / Chapter 5: Amazing Statistics and Empire State Building Trivia / Notes / Bibliography / Index

Summary:  A very nice all-around book about the history and building of the Empire State Building, with many vintage photos taken during construction - including photos of the deconstruction of the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel which was on the original site.

Fortune: The Art of Covering Business

Author: John Huey & Daniel Okrent
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9.25" x 12.25";    142 pages
Publisher: Gibbs Smith, Publisher    ©  1999
ISBN: 0-87905-932-X
Table of Contents:
Foreword / "Every Page Will Be A Work Of Art" / The Covers

Summary:  While visiting the Art Deco 1910-1939 exhibition in San Francisco at the Palace of the Legion of Honor museum in April 2004, there was a sidebar exhibit of Fortune Magazines from the Art Deco era as well. I remember being very impressed with their rich graphic covers. It stuck with me such that I decided to see if there were possibly some way to find and purchase some of these vintage magazines. While researching it, I discovered this book had been published, so I purchased it instead of individual issues The book has an eight page history of how the magazine and its rich artwork came into being. The rest of the book shows color plates of each month's cover - from February 1930 through December 1950. Each cover is shown in color with its artist noted. Most of the covers shown are about 3.5" x 4", and others featured in larger display of about 6" x 7".

Art Deco (Architecture & Design Library)

Author: Young Mi Kim
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    9.75" x 9.75";    96 pages
Publisher: Friedman / Fairfax Publishers    ©  1997
ISBN: 1-56799-431-8
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Chapter One: Architecture / Chapter Two: Furnishings and Interiors / Chapter Three: Details and Motifs / Chapter Four: Accessories / Index

Summary:  A general overview of Art Deco with an emphasis on home interior design. Very nice color photographs throughout. At 96 pages, it's not real 'meaty', but it does cover its subject in a basic way with great photos and concise descriptions.

The World of Art Deco (An Exhibition organized by The Minneapolis Institute of Arts)

Author: Bevis Hillier
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    8.5" x 9.75";    224 pages
Publisher: E.P. Dutton Publishing Co.    ©  1971
ISBN: 0-525-47680-6
Table of Contents:
Foreword / Introduction / Furniture / Silver / Stone-Wood-Metal-Enamels / Ceramics / Glass / Paintings-Drawings / Books-Bindings / Posters / Costumes / Textiles / Jewelry / Architecture-Interior Design / Plastics / Art Deco Revival / Bibliography

Summary:  A numbered listing of the 1,441 items in The World of Art Deco exhibition at The Minneapolis Institute of Arts July - September 1971. The book also has photo plates of many of the items - but not all. Most of the photos are black-and-white with very few in color. As a record of one of the first (if not the first) Art Deco exhibitions, this book is of historical value - but doesn't score points for attractiveness.

Streamlined: A Metaphor for Progress - The Esthetics of Minimized Drag

Author: Edited by Claude Lichtenstein & Franz Engler
Format: Softcover;    9.5" x 11.75";    272 pages
Publisher: Lars Müller Publishers    ©  1994 (?)
ISBN: 3-906700-71-2
Table of Contents:
Introduction / Paul Jaray / William B. Stout / Normal Bel Geddes / Wind Tunnels amd Science / Airship Hangars with Wind-Control Doors / German Test Drives / Lightweight Construction / Colour Plates / Flying Trains - The development of streamlining on the railways / Aerodynamics the Italian Way / Streamlining of the World's Fair: Chicago 1933-34 & New York 1939-40 / Pictorial Section / Early Forms / Airships / Railcars / Locomotives / Motor Cars / Motor Cycles / Aeroplanes / Ships / Household / Teardrops, Aerodynamics and Motor Cars / The New 'Terranautics' / Streamlined Trains / Selected Bibliography / Short Biographies of Authors

Summary:  A huge compendium of streamlined design in all facets of its implementation. An incredibly unique book! It was produced by Swiss architects and is extremely thorough. It states that this publication was based on the catalogue for the 'Stromlinienform' exhibition in the Museum fur Gestaltung (Design Museum) Zurich, Switzerland. The exhibition was also shown in the Bauhaus Dessau and the Karl Ernst Osthaus Museum Hagen, both in Germany. Highly recommended for the Streamline addict.

The Essential Rene Lalique

Author: William Warmus
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    6" x 6";    112 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers    ©  2003
ISBN: 0-8109-5836-8
Table of Contents:
An artistic marvel / Getting started / Drawing his way to the top / Golden treasures / Art Nouveau / For the birds / Seduced by glass / Snakes and women / His star rises / 1900 is a big year / Keeping it in the family / Success / Studios and factories / Lost wax / Shrewd businessman / Architectural glass / Car mascots / Art Deco / Final things

Summary:  This sure is a beautiful little book (6 inches square)! Although small, it packs a lot of interesting information about Rene Lalique, his beginnings and his rise to be a glass-making legend. Lots of color photographs of all types of his jewelry and glasswork from the Art Nouveau through to the Art Deco period.

The WPA Guide to New York City: The Federal Writer's Project Guide to 1930s New York

Author: Editors: Lou Gody, Chester D. Harvey, James Reed
Format: Softcover;    5.5" x 8.25";    702 pages
Publisher: Pantheon Books    ©  1982
ISBN: 0-394-71215-3 / 0-394-52792-5
Table of Contents:
Illustrations and Maps / Plan of the Guide / Introduction by William H. Whyte / General Information / Annual Events / Manhattan - Lower Manhattan / Manhattan - Middle West Side / Manhattan - Middle and Upper East Side / Manhattan - The Harlems / Manhattan - Upper West Side and Northern Manhattan / Major Points of Interest / The Harbor and its Islands / The River and the River Islands / Brooklyn / The Bronx / Queens / Richmond

Summary:  To quote its preface: "This volume is a detailed description of the communities and points of interest in all five buroughs of New York City. It attempts, also, to indicate the human character of the city, to point out the evidence of achievements and shortcomings, urban glamor as well as urban sordidness. It is intended to give both the permanent resident and the visitor an intimate, accurate knowledge of the metropolis." It's a voluminous reference book originally compiled and written in 1939 by the Federal Writers Project. Mostly a reference text of history, facts and points of interest accompanied with some vintage maps and black-and-white photographs.

Tennessee's New Deal Landscape: A Guidebook

Author: Carroll Van West
Format: Softcover;    6" x 9";    282 pages
Publisher: The University of Tennessee Press    ©  2001
ISBN: 1-57233-108-9 / 1-57233-107-0
Table of Contents:
Preface: Using This Book / Acknowledgements / Introduction: The New Deal Landscape of Tennessee / State Offices and County Courthouses / Federal Courthouses and Post Offices / Community Buildings and Institutions / Schools / Housing / Parks, Memorials, and Museums / Dams to Privies: A New Deal Foundation for Modern Tennessee / Notes / A Note on Sources / Index

Summary:  Organized by building category, this book goes couny-by-county identifying over 250 representative historic Tennessee properties and places from the New Deal era of 1933 to 1942. While not all the buildings produced during that time frame and under the Works Progress Administration (WPA - and its various other names, PWA, etc.) were Art Deco in design - many were. Each building noted gives some historical information about its design and construction, and perhaps one-third of the entries are accompanied by a single black-and-white photo of the building.

Cincinnati Union Terminal: The Design And Construction Of An Art Deco Masterpiece

Author: Linda C. Rose, Patrick Rose, Gibson Yungblut
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    8.75" x 11.25";    176 pages
Publisher: Cincinnati Railroad Club, Inc.    ©  1999, 2003
ISBN: 0-9676125-3-5
Table of Contents:
Early Leadership / Planning to Build / Construction Begins / Traffic Revisions / Station Exterior / Station Interior / Service Centers & Shops / Dining Facilities / Executive Offices / Artisans & Craftsmen / The Train Concourse / Terminal Infrastructure / Interlocking Facility / Track Work / Post Office & Express Building / Roundhouse / Coaling Station & Water Tower / Coach Yard / Structural Features / Facts & Figures / Officials & Local Leadership / 1933 to 1999 Historical Chronology

Summary:  Beautifully done book about the history, construction and features of the Cincinnati Union Station. Very high-quality printing loaded with tons of informational text and sepia photos! There is also a section of color photos of all the wall mosaics that were produced for the station. See lots of photos here from my visit to the station in November 2006.

From appearances at Amazon, it seems that this book may now be out of print. I purchased it during my visit to the Cincinnati Railroad Club gift shop (at Union Station) in November 2006. If you go to Union Station for a visit, the Cincinnati Railroad Club gift shop is located in the rear of the entire facility in the old control tower. It appears at this time (March 2009) that the book is still available at their store at this link --> here and click the Gift Shop link in the menu.


This book is not available through Amazon. Click this image or the link in the review.
A Century Of Progress, Chicago's 1933 World's Fair: Official Guide and Time Saving Trips Through the Fair

Author: Rufus C. Dawes; Revised format & Index by Lynn Allyn Young
Format: Softcover;   11" x 8.5";    160 pages
Publisher: Artistic License Limited    ©  2004
ISBN: 0-9760356-1-8.
Table of Contents:
Map of Grounds / Introduction to New Guide / Foreward / View of Fair Grounds / Your Book of the Fair / Theme of Fair is Science / A Brief History of A Century of Progress / The Symbol of Arcturus / The Basic Sciences / From Wagons to Wings - Transportation / The Service That has Transformed the World - Electricity / Radio and Communications Building and Garden / The Stirring Story of Mankind's Rise - Social Science / Beautiful Homes / The Drama of Agriculture / A Fairyland of Flowers / Hall of Religion / The US Government and the States / Foreign Participation / Industry in Fascinating Phases / The Fine Arts for the Fair / Special Events / Fun and Special Attractions / Places to Shop / Historical Group / Eating Places on the Grounds / General Visitor Information / Official Data / Time Saving Trips Through the Fair / Index

Summary:  The Chicago Art Deco Society reformatted, indexed and reprinted this version of the original 1933 Offical Guide to A Century of Progress World's Fair. From their introduction: "The original Official Guide from 1933 gave an insider's enthusiastic view of a spectacular event. Now more than 70 years later, this reformatted guide, complete with a comprehensive index, will let you experience the Century of Progress all over again. Follow the maps; absorb the detailed descriptions and photos of exhibits, buildings, and surroundings." This is a thorough guide to the fair that was actually so popular that it was held for two years (1933-1934). Lots of information and a decent amount of vintage photos, and it also has a 9.75" x 16.5" removable map & numbered key of the fair.

Chicago's 1933-34 World's Fair: A Century of Progress in Vintage Postcards

Author: Samantha Gleisten
Format: Softcover;    6.5" x 9";    128 pages
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing    ©  2002
ISBN: 0-7385-1984-7
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements / Foreword by Mike Spiegel / Introduction / A Look at the Times / Chicago: A City on Display / Industry and Innovation / All Things Bazaar / Bibliography

Summary:  This is a compendium of black and white reproductions of approximately 180 vintage postcards of the 1933-34 Century of Progress World's Fair. Each image also has a small description about what it represented.

The Art of the RMS Queen Mary

Author: Douglas M. Hinkey
Format: Softcover;    11" x 8.5";    64 pages
Publisher: Hippodrome Galleries of FHP Healthcare    ©  1994
ISBN: 0-9630584-2-8
Table of Contents:
Preface / Introduction / First Class Dining Room / Private Dining Rooms / 1st Class Main Lounge / 2nd & 3rd Class Lounges / Long Gallery / 1st Class Smoking / 2nd Class Smoking / 2nd Class Vestibule / Starboard Gallery / 1st Class Ballroom / 1st Class Drawing Room / 2nd Class Library and Writing Room / Main Hall and Shopping Centre / Travel Bureau / Observation Lounge and Cocktail Bar / Verandah Grill / Children's Playrooms / Staterooms / Decorative Arts / Annotated Checklist (of Artists) / Bibliography

Summary:  This book shows historical photographs of the art work used throughout the RMS Queen Mary cruise ship. It has plenty of vintage photographs (a mixture of color & black-and-white) which are displayed in book chapters showing the art used in each public area of the ship - area by area. The photos are from the archives of the Queen Mary, which was commisioned in 1936, and was chock-full of Art Deco design and art. Good luck finding a copy of this out-of-print book.

Queen Mary

Author: James Steele
Format: Hardcover with Dustjacket;    10" x 11.5";    240 pages
Publisher: Phaidon Press Limited    ©  1995
ISBN: 0-7148-2891-2
Table of Contents:
Foreword / Preface / The Stateliest Ship / The Glory Years / The 'Grey Ghost' / From Stripes to Stars / Coda: Voyage 1002 / Captains / Chronology / Statistics / Contributing Artists / References / Bibliography / Index / Credits

Summary:  Extremely thorough book on the history of the Queen Mary cruise ship, commissioned in 1936 and greatly influenced by Art Deco design. Tons of historical information and photographs/visuals throughout. Highly recommended if you're a fan of Art Deco cruise ships.


Home Feature Articles What is Art Deco? Louisville's
Art Deco Buildings
Other Cities'
Art Deco Buildings
Books & Reviews Links Contacts Site Map