Book Description
The first book to document the unique art form of intricately carved, inlaid, and painted modern custom folding knives, this handsome volume features the work of 31 of the finest artists in the world. Hundreds of specially commissioned photographs demonstrate the intricacy of the designs on both handle and blade. Carved, painted, and inlaid, each design is unique. Designs range from elegant, sweeping contemporary lines that demonstrate the simple beauty of deeply cut file work on stainless steel to intricately inlaid pieces using 24-karat gold, diamonds, Mother-of-pearl, horn, ivory, coral, shells, wood, and silver. This handsome volume spotlights the work of renowned veterans of the art as well as up-and-coming artists. Each artist has created a special knife design especially for this book, their techniques documented by hundreds of full-color photographs. Accompanying the pictures are essays written by each of the artists that describe the process and the significance of this unique art form. The artists in this book range from Massachusetts to Texas and from Japan to Australia, representing the wide array of cultures that are reflected in their work. Collectors, art lovers, and outdoors enthusiasts will cherish this unique book for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
KNIFE BOOK.......2006-11-10
TOP QUALITY BOOK WITH EXCELLENT PHOTOS AND ARTICLES. A MUST FOR ALL REAL ENTHUSIASTIC KNIVE MAKERS AND COLLECTORS.
Art and Design In Modern Custom Folding Knives.......2006-03-28
As a custom knifemaker I'm always excited to see new publications related to the collected works of knifemaking. Of very special interest to me are those books which focus on the art and ingenuity of custom art knives; books which explore the art not only with good photography of quality knives but also with accompanying text providing insight into the methods and intent of the maker. Truly this area of artistic endeavor has been but scarcely examined and over the years I've found only a few books which approach these criteria and which, for the most part, now sit on my bookshelves. There have, however, been two books I've come to treasure above the others; Art and Design in Modern Custom Fixed-Blade Knives and Art and Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives, both by Dr. David Darom.
In these books can be found not only the exquisite photography which occurs occasionally in other collective works but also a depth of writing exploring the knifemaker and his focus on the knives being regarded. With his writing Dr. Darom provides rare and wonderful insight into the world of knives which transports the reader, both those experienced as well as novice, to a higher level of understanding the unique experience of knifemaking. His critical selection of art knives and insistence on only the highest quality of photographs reproduced using top quality printing methods and materials have created the finest art knife books I have ever owned. Coupled with Darom's focus on quality is Amazon.com's ability to bring this treasure to the public for an amazingly low price. I applaud Dr. Darom's efforts and welcome the long awaited USA release of Art and Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives. It is my hope Dr. Darom continues to explore the rich and diverse field of custom knifemaking and finds it worthy of producing future volumes not unlike this one.
In short; Art and Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives is without a doubt indispensable to both professional and the enthusiast alike. This book is of such fine quality I truly must wonder at the ability to offer it for so low a price and advance the suggestion this serves to make it the perfect unique table book or addition to any fine art book collection.
-Charles Kain
I know I'm prejudiced but..........2006-03-27
I want to say right up front that I am David Darom's partner in his third knife book, "The Art of Modern Custom Knifemaking, 100 Custom Knife Related Projects in the Making" (soon to be released). I very much wanted to write this review, but because of my current relationship with David I was concerned that some might question my motives. But I can tell you that I would not have even met David had it not been for this incredible book.
I first heard about "Art & Design in Modern Custom Folders" a couple of months prior to its release. I am a part-time knifemaker, and a member of a group of online forums that are devoted to custom knifemaking. David had "teased" us with sample photos from his soon-to-be-released book. And the preliminary taste worked...Like most of our 7000+ members, I was more than a little bit intrigued.
Hard bound, printed in Italy, 260 full-color pages filled with breathtaking photos of the some of the most exquisite knives in the world... The book sounded incredible and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a copy. And so with the single-minded goal of acquiring my own copy, when the book had its world premier at New York's annual East Coast Custom Knife Show, I drove up with a few friends.
When we arrived I made a beeline for David's table...I was fortunate enough to meet him, if only for a few minutes (he was swamped with fellow enthusiasts trying to get their own copies). The meeting was brief but enjoyable...and I got what I came for...my own signed copy of the exciting new book.
As soon as I got home I dove in...Every page was a delight and I spent hours and hours fully immersed. David's love for his subject matter was apparent...Never before had we seen such a collection of photos...no props, no distracting backgrounds, just page after page of beautifully-done, world class photography, that showed off the knives in all of their glorious detail.
Needless-to-say, I couldn't wait to tell all of my online friends about this wonderful new book and I posted my own review, followed by much discussion. This ultimately led to an ongoing, long-distance correspondence with David. We became good friends. Several months later he asked me to write an article for his second knife book,"Art and Design in Modern Custom Fixed-Blade knives"...and that experience eventually led to our partnership in the 3rd book.
Not a week goes by when I don't refer to my copy of "Art & Design in Modern Custom Folding Knives"...The pages are now quite dog-eared. I have a sizeable collection of knife-related books and magazines, but this is easily my single, most often used resource for inspiration and ideas.
Am I prejudiced? Absolutely! But I can say without reservation that for overall production value and presentation, David has set the bar high with this book. Nothing else out there comes close. The skill and love that went into the making of this magnificent "coffee table" book of museum quality, folding art knives is unequaled. This masterpiece led me to David...And I am honored to have become his friend and associate.
It is impossible to glance at even one page of this book without being completely drawn in. If you are a knife enthusiast, or if you simply appreciate any form of extraordinary art and craftsmanship, this book is a joy to own.
Dennis Greenbaum
Customer Reviews:
Awesome display of the finest in knife-making artistry.......2007-03-08
This is a stellar book, awesome in every way. There is absolutely no doubt it will delight handmade knife afficionados. From photos, to design, to the writing, this book is superb. The selection of beautiful and intricately designed knives is absolutely impressive, as is the scope and variety of styles on display. I would challenge anyone to look through these pages and not be awestruck by the talent, craftsmanship and artistry that is evident in these examples of the very highest degree of handmade folding knife artistry. Words cannot hope to convey what you will find here. Truly, these crystal clear, color photos are worth thousands of words. It is safe to say that relatively few people know or appreciate the astounding level of intricate, detailed, and simply beautiful work being accomplished by handmade knife makers from around the world. This book, both in words and photos, is solid evidence of an amazing, world-wide culture of artists and craftspeople who are working at a level that defies easy description but is truly amazing. Great essays from experts detailing various aspects and applications of the craft will be of interest to both knife makers and collectors. If you think you know what a cool folding knife is because you own a Swiss army knife, get ready for a big, delightful surprise.
Customer Reviews:
The best ideas for happy holidays.......2002-10-30
I have recently started to collect Christmas decorating/gift making books and this series is by far the best I've come across! The instructions in these books are clear and easy and they show a picture so you can see how it will look. They include many gift mixes and food gifts, which I love and friends and family have always appreciated. Most of the ideas in this book can be accomplished in an afternoon, except for some of the cross stitch and crochet patterns. I am not a huge fan of country decorating; in fact my house is very contemporary. But most of the decorating tips in this book can easily be worked into any décor. If you want to find easy, fun, quick and wonderful ideas for the holidays buy these books, you won't be disappointed. Books 1, 2 and 3 are my personal favorite. The fourth book is great to have, but I found that the recipes in that book were better than the decorating, it was a little more country and old fashioned than the other books!
Beginner to seasoned crafters.......2001-09-24
This was my first purchase of Goose Berry Patch books ,there are so many ideas from the begginer to the experienced crafter . Craft ideas you can personalize to your own taste, these craft projects are easy to follow and most could be family holiday projects or charity fundraisers .For the frugal crafter , projects are not expensive to create , many ingredients you may already have in supply , as an added bonus great holiday recipe book .This book would be perfect as a gift!
Love this book!.......2001-04-29
I enjoy crafting as well as cooking and this book has both. I have made 5 or 6 of the recipes in the book and have alwasy gotten raves! I use this book for making many of my handmade holiday gifts and I think their instructions could not be more simple. If you love handmade items and good food idea, this is the book for you.
GOOSEBERRY is the BEST!.......2000-03-23
I own several Gooseberry craft/cookbooks, and do the majority of my cooking from them. I have NEVER been disappointed with any recipe I have made. They are simply the best!
gooseberry patch Christmas.......1999-12-26
I found this book to be just wonderful. I wasent abel to use all the info before our family get together, but I plan to use it for next year.
Thank You for a wonderful book.
Customer Reviews:
A fantastic book for a very much loved park.......2006-07-26
Did you know that the elm lined mall leading to the Bethesda fountain and the view of the ramble are actually based on the layout of a church? Or that all of the lakes in Central Park are manmade. This and many other very interesting facts are interspersed with lovingly taken photographs of the park which were taken by the author of the book as well. Miller starts decribing how the park came to be and the leading ideas and ideals that lead to its creation by Olmsted and Vaux. She proceeds to describe systematically the various sections of the park providing historical information as well. She delves into the some of the controversies and compromises that Olmsted and Vaux encountered in the creation of one of the finest examples of 19th Century art but it is not a comprehensive history of the park. There is a 2 page map of the park at the of the book with a legend identifying each of the features discussed in the book. If you are first time visitor to the city wishing to explore the park in detail or a life long New Yorker this book will delight and surprise you.
Definitive Review of the Finest Work of Art in NYC.......2006-02-20
As an avid fan of Central Park who has been exploring it and studying the books on it for decades, I was amazed at what there was still to learn about it from Miller's book. For example, other historians allude to a connection between Central Park's design and the Hudson River School of landscape art: Miller provides actual sources of the designer's inspiration and shows the results explicitly in the photos. And all in a way that is not at all "bookish" but instead makes you want to go right in and see for yourself the scenes she shows so well in the book's illustrations. The beautiful photos and fascinating stories and the well chosen historical prints all work together in such a compelling and entertaining way that one might never realize one is being educated by a superb textbook in the field of art.
With her emphasis on the past of the park, and its present restored beauty, it is understandable that the author does not use very much of the book's valuable space on the remaining present-day problems, but she might at least have alluded to the incongruity of the city's insistence on using this artistic matepiece as a through route for motor traffic during the majority of daylight weekday hours. In effect, the city's Dept. of Traffic is providing a refuge from the chaos of the surrounding streets during rush hours - but for the cars, not for the people. If you want to appreciate the park shown in this book, go during the times when the traffic noise does not drown out the wind in the trees, the birdsong, and the happy voices of children!
New York's Oasis.......2005-09-21
Central Park is breath taking and this book does a fine job of giving the reader a feel for what makes this 850 acre masterpiece so special. The book is quite thorough and does an commendable job of disecting various sections of the park. The color photos are vivid and well thought out and the text is highly informative. The author has a real love for the park and it comes out in her writing. If you have never visited Central Park or have visited and fell in love with it like so many others, you will love this book. This oasis really is the heart of New York City and to understand New York you have to understand the parks history and its vast importantance to the city. Central Parks importance to New York and New Yorkers cannot be overstated, I can't imagine the city without it.
A Gorgeous Book Commemorating America's 1st Public Park.......2004-03-16
Commemorating the 150th anniversary of Central Park, photographer and historian Sara Cedar Miller celebrates the aesthetic, cultural and historic significance of America's first public park with the book "Central Park, An American Masterpiece." This is the park's definitive illustrated history, and offers some of the most gorgeous photographs I have seen on the subject - a difficult task given the number of pictures that have been drawn, painted and photographed of the Manhattan landmark. The book includes over 200 color illustrations, original plans and drawings alongside modern photos, giving the viewer/reader an historical perspective.
Accompanying Ms. Miller's work, portraying the park throughout the seasons, is a well written text which highlights the conception and creation of the park and its art and architecture. This is a big, beautiful picture book that would make a wonderful addition to any home or library. It's a wonderful gift idea. I know as I have given it numerous times.
Ms. Miller is the parks official historian and photographer and has been since the mid-1980s.
JANA
A book as worthy as the park it celebrates.......2003-11-26
Sara Miller has put together an outstanding book: a book as vast and detailed as the Great Park itself. For those not familiar with the park and its history, this is an invaluable introduction to the political, demographical, economic and, especially, aesthetic thinking that went into the creation of 800 acres of gorgeous park space in the middle of Manhattan. For those seasoned veterans of NYC history, this is a welcome reminder of the enormous vision and efforts of Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmsted, as they conceived the park.
Nota Bene: A lot of books have gorgeous photos but the print job is miserable ... Others have high-qualtity prints but the photos aren't that interesting ... This book has glorious prints and an expert print job. Pick up this book.
Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points and The Five Points Concluded
Average customer rating:
|
Five Star Folk Art: One Hundred American Masterpieces
Jean Lipman ,
Robert Bishop ,
Elizabeth Warren , and
Sharon Eisenstat
Manufacturer: Harry N Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Decorative Arts
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Painting
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Folk Art
| Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Furniture & Carpentry
| Woodworking
| Crafts & Hobbies
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0810933020 |
Customer Reviews:
Paint me a Poem.......2005-11-07
I find this book a wonderful introduction to art for children. It is inspiring, and delightful. I love especially how in some of the works of Art chosen by Mrs. Rowden , she identifies colors with music and instruments. It truly makes the paintings come alive. It is a beautiful book, and one that I would highly recommend to all my students!
Delightful and fun!.......2005-10-31
These simple, energetic poems dance, bounce, and swirl across the pages, drawing even the youngest kids in, making them laugh and use their imaginations. A fun way to expose kids to classic paintings (as well as poetry), letting them find enjoyment in the unfamiliar and surprise in the ordinary. What a pleasure to see children as young as three pointing to the pictures and finding their own "poetic" words. A great circle time book or gift.
Creative Fun with Classical Art.......2005-10-25
I was so enthralled by this book's unusual and dramatically successful approach to great art that I ordered four copies, one each for my four grandchildren. Glad I did, since already each child has strong favorites among original poems and great reproductions contained in this beautiful, technically flawless book. I only regret I haven't yet ordered a copy for myself!
art and poetry for young readers.......2005-10-24
The rythmic simplicity of the poems should reach young readers and help them to appreciate a work of art. The choice and use of colors with the different poems should help the young reader to retain both the images and the vocabulary. In all, I found Paint Me a Poem by Justine Rowden to be a very interesting and enjoyable experience.
Average customer rating:
|
American Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art
John Wilmerding
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
History
| Subjects
| Books
| Africa
| Americas
| Ancient
| Arctic & Antarctica
| Asia
| Australia & Oceania
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Europe
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical Study
| Large Print
| Middle East
| Military
| Military Science
| Russia
| United States
| World
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0517093103
Release Date: 1993-08-22 |
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2001-04-17
This book will numb your mind. It's absolutely incredible, as are all the books in the Princeton Reprint Series.
Average customer rating:
|
American Impressionist Masterpieces
Lisa N. Peters
Manufacturer: Hugh Lauter Levin Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Impressionism
| Schools, Periods & Styles
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0883638002 |
Book Description
From the golden age of American architecture comes this splendid survey, documenting scores of masterpieces built between 1900 and 1930. More than 260 illustrations include plans, sections, exterior and interior details, and photographs. A sampling of featured buildings include Lincoln Memorial, Boston Public Library, Tribune Tower, and Woolworth Building.
Average customer rating:
|
One Hundred Masterpieces of American Painting from Public Collections in Washington D.C.
Milton Brown
Manufacturer: Smithsonian Books,US
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
History
| Subjects
| Books
| Africa
| Americas
| Ancient
| Arctic & Antarctica
| Asia
| Australia & Oceania
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Europe
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical Study
| Large Print
| Middle East
| Military
| Military Science
| Russia
| United States
| World
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
| Criticism
| General
| Regional
| Themes
| Women in Art
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0874742919 |
Books:
- Cooking With Patrick Clark: A Tribute to the Man and His Cuisine
- Crooked Tree
- Cry Dance
- Deadly Nightshade (Gardening Mystery)
- Deadly Valentine
- Death at Devil's Bridge (Robin Paige Victorian Mysteries, No. 4)
- Deep Descent: Adventure and Death Diving the Andrea Doria
- Die Upon a Kiss (Benjamin January, Book 5)
- Down in the Zero
- Dying To Meet You (Samantha Shaw Mysteries)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World
- Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design
- Immune Responses to Viral Vectors used in Gene Therapy: Basic and Clinical Perspectives
- Methods of X-ray and Neutron Scattering in Polymer Science
- How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day
- Organizing Business Knowledge: The MIT Process Handbook
- See's Famous Old Time Candies: A Sweet Story
- Classic Country Estates of Lake Forest: Architecture and Landscape Design 1856-1940
- Houses of Mexico: Origins and Traditions
- A Shilling for Candles
Chinese Cuisine: Beijing Style
Chinese Cuisine: Cantonese Style
Chinese Cuisine: Taiwanese Style
Chinese Cuisine: Szechwan Style
Chinese Rice and Noodles: With Appetizers, Soups and Sweets (Wei-Chuan Cookbook)
