The Furniture Doctor

by George Grotz

Book Overview

The best-selling guide to keeping furniture in the finest and most beautiful condition, with complete information on proper repair and refinishing techniques from the legendary expert on antiques and their restoration. B & W photographs throughout From the Trade Paperback edition.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385179715
• ISBN13: 9780385179713
• Release Date: August 1983
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 366 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Much needed reference!

A dear friend recommended this title as I am repairing a table,and this turned out to be a lot more useful for future projects. Great to have on hand.

yahoo!

Im so glad to have a copy of this book again-I used to borrow it from the library-havent seen it in years, and have missed it BADLY! It is just a fun read, besides having alot of great information presented in a really delightful manner. Mr Grotz has a very low-to-the-ground type of style that is refreshing-he demistifies the entire subject of antique furniture and its care. If you are dealing with MAJOR museum quality antiques-this aint the book for you, but if, like most of us, you are just collecting a houseful of affordable, cool 'old stuff'-this is THE book to have!

Great for do-it-yourselfers

This is a 'bible' for the average amateur and full of good tips for both the experienced and fussy wood worker. I've used it for more than 30 years. Whenever I have a problem I start my research with this book, and I usually come back to it again after looking at a number of other sources. There are suggestions that you'll not find anywhere else. The humor is a delight. However Grotz wrote most of this before the development of many current ideas about how to preserve antiques. I imagine that employing some of his suggestions might lead to a reduction in the market value of an item. However, I don't think it will ever lead to a reduction in your personal enjoyment of the piece.

Absolutely Useful

I've used this book for 30 years - to learn about furniture, to learn about tools and, most of all, to learn how to finish, re-finish and repair furniture. It's an invaluable reference and guide with no pretentions. The drawings are excellent - you're not buying a lot of glossy photos of unaffordable furniture. Grotz's style is folks-y and sometimes coy, but it doesn't get in the way of the wealth of information he shares.

A manual for buying and restoring antiques. Wonderful find!

This book is *very* practical for anyone interested in refinishing their own furniture or just shopping for antiques. It covers everything from acquisition to restoration to how to recognize fakes to identifying period styles. It is full of practical advice and technical "how-tos" , recommended waxes, where to find suppliers for special tools, and so on. I flipped through several books at the bookstore before buying this one. It stands out as an encyclopedia of information on refinishing antiques and it is very readable. I was glad to have it to refer to when I redid some of my family heirlooms. It is well organized and *full* of good information.