Chinese Domestic Furniture in Photographs and Measured Drawings

By Gustav Ecke

Book Overview

Westerners have long admired Chinese furniture for its durability, inner strength, quiet restraint, and simple dignity. Especially attractive to the educated eye are its purity of line, devotion to detail, and flawless construction. This unabridged reprint of a rare classic provides lovers of Chinese furniture with an enlightened discussion of the accomplishments achieved by fine craftsmen over the centuries, including the aesthetic levels attained during the early Shang period (1766-1123 B. C.), the transitional phase of cabinetmaking during the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368 A.D.), and the perfection in craftsmanship reached during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 A.D.). The text also reviews the origins and development of basic forms and methods of construction -- from the selection of wood to its processing, cutting, joining, ornamentation, and final polishing.
Long considered the definitive work on Chinese hardwood furniture in a Western language, this indispensable guide contains 161 superb plates that include photographs and drawings of tables, chairs, couches, cabinets, cupboards, and wardrobes. There are also measured drawings for 21 exquisitely crafted pieces for woodworkers interested in creating authentic Chinese furniture.
When the first edition of this volume was published more than 40 years ago in Peking, only 200 copies were printed. Today, each of the few remaining originals is worth several thousands of dollars. Now available in a handsome and affordable reprint edition, this volume is a unique addition to the libraries of woodworkers, art lovers, and anyone interested in Chinese culture and d cor.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486251713
• ISBN13: 9780486251714
• Release Date: October 1986
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.4" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

wonderful book.

It is a great book. I like it very much ,because I am from China! Good service!

Chinese furniture must have!

This book by Gustav Ecke is the only book that I know of that surveys Chinese period furniture and inlcudes drafted scale drawings. Although first published in 1944 this fantastic book is a valuable resource for the furniture maker or historian with a keen interest in period Chinese furniture. There are better books on chinese furniture but none with scale drawings,it's a one of a kind.

Amazing joinery!

I was amazed by the furniture in this book. The drawings illustrate a level of craftsmanship that is stunning and humbling to a western wood-worker. The joinery is something to be aspired to and was inspiring to me.

A classic in the specialty and still a must.

Very few books on furniture - Chinese or otherwise - do as successful a job. Not only is the history discussed and the pages well illustrated (in black and white), but timeless scholarly discourse is offered and revealing disective drawings provided. This is a must and you will see how the author has laid the foundation for more recent works on the subject since it has become vogue.

Good basic text showing a good collection of furniture.

This book is worth the money. I was looking for book on Chinese furniture as a resource for woodworking. This book is a Dover reprint of a limited edition by Gustav Ecke in 1944. Inside are about 160 plates most of which are black and white pictures, though some are drawings. I believe one will get a good overview from the plates. I found the text a little less informative than the plates but pictures are what I was looking for.