Wednesday 1 June 2005

Favourite Books

Gina over at Patra's Place has been naming some of her favourite books she uses with her vintage linen collection, so I thought I would throw in my five cents' worth.

This is one very lovely book:

BookCover
It is a hardcover, large-format book of 224 pages (with a good index), first published in 1987, mine is the 1992 reprint. I'm not sure that it is available new any more, but is easy to find on the second-hand book market. For example, the Books and Collectables Search Engine has at least twenty copies form $20 to $60 - I paid $40 for mine.

Speaking of book search engines - if you are really searching for a book, I work my way through the Time Booksellers Links to Search Engines. Sooner or later I find what I want.

The book is crammed with coloured pictures (there is a crazy-patch apron, and Calidore, your jug cover with cup is here) of everyday decorative items. And stories. I really felt for the lady on the remote lighthouse (who hated it) and spent all her time inside tatting.

It is a book I take out and look at time and time again - and always find something new. From a bibliographic point of view, it drives me crazy (no pun intended) as the sub-title is before the title. Technically, it is:

200 years of Australian Women's Domestic & Decorative Arts: The Gentle Arts
, by Jennifer Isaacs. Sydney: Ure Smith, 1987. ISBN 0 7254 0839 1

In Australia, if you check out your local library - it is a fair bet that many will have a copy you can borrow and enjoy.

And no - there is no Chicken Scratch in there.

6 Comments:

Blogger Gina E. said...

After you and Sharon went off, I had a look at Biblioz and Ebay, and lo! there are plenty of copies of this book around, so I plan on acquiring it very shortly!

10:30 pm  
Blogger Calidore said...

You mean my cup and saucer doiley isn't a one off? hehehehe So pleased to hear there may be others lurking around out there. It has pride of place draped over the speaker on top of the TV. That way I can't loose it.

8:32 pm  
Blogger Calidore said...

Please, please dear Linda would you mind scanning in a picture of my cup and saucer doiley that is in your wonderful book. Would love to see how close it is to mine. Thank you on bended knees...lol.

8:41 pm  
Blogger Gina E. said...

I would like to see that too, Calidore - teapots and cups are one of my favourite stitching themes, although most of them seem to be in cross stitch. I have a current blackwork project going which is the teapots etc. theme and I wish I could spend more time on it as it will be just beautiful when finished. I have quite a number of traycloths with cups and saucers embroidered on, and I saw a gorgeous suppercloth on eBay last week with them on, and was going to bid for it....I changed my mind when the bidding got to A$50!! There are a few things I will pay that much for, but this was not one of them!

9:58 pm  
Blogger Linda said...

Oh Dear - I am wary of posting sections from books on the net - even though the actual item is not copyright, the photo of it is - if you follow.

But I know, Gina, that you will have the book PDQ (private joke!), so can you bear to wait????

And, speaking of cups/saucers/teapots - there is a nice quilter's cotton around at the minute with good pictures of same - and they cut out and applique beautifully.

1:25 am  
Blogger Gina E. said...

Surprise, surprise, our library does have a copy of The Gentle Arts, but it is out on loan. The librarian told me it is due back early next week, so they will have it put aside for me. But on the strength of what I have been hearing about it, I am going to go after the copy on eBay...and don't anybody reading this DARE try to outbid me!!!!! :)

6:51 pm  

Post a Comment

<< Home