Reader’s Digest – 10 Personal Book Recommendations for Inspiration
How many times have you seen the same old books recommended on jewellery making blogs or websites?
There’s nothing wrong with them, but I expect you’ve already heard about Tim McCreight, Jinks McGrath, Sylvia Wicks et al. Great books full of useful – nay, downright essential – information for the practising silver worker.
However, sometimes what we need is inspiration, not practical techniques. And it doesn’t always come from nature, or mathematics.
Here’s ten of my personal library of inspirational books – in no particular order.
This is a long post, but it has pictures (!) and oodles of links. If you are from the US, click the pictures to take you to Amazon. If you are in the UK, click the text.
1. Bugatti: Carlo, Rembrandt, Ettore, Jean
This is a new book, to me, but already I’ve devoured it.
I’ve been aware of Carlo Bugatti’s furniture for longer than I guessed (viz. the Frank Lloyd Wright book below), but I have my brother to thank for my accidental rediscovery of it. After seeing a photo in one of my brother’s car magazines showing the interior of the Bugatti found in storage recently, I went searching for “Bugatti” on AltaVista image search.
What I found was the furniture of Carlo Bugatti.
Breathtaking in its striking beauty, while I can see the influences (Renaissance Italy, Arabesque, the Arts & Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau, Jugendstil) I am stunned by the way in which Carlo Bugatti has combined these to create his own style. The balance of the pieces, the detail, craftsmanship and feast of textures – all inspire me.
With the exhibition-standard photos in this book, I can see, close up, how the furniture pieces are embellished. For example, the detail (on the cover): this is the first picture I’ve seen of this in closeup. I couldn’t tell if the pattern was made with tiny mirrors, or studs, or mother-of-pearl buttons.
It’s brass, punched and pierced, on a background of vellum.
Brief on biography, because little is known about Carlo Bugatti, but good for photos showing the development of his style from original architectural studies to silverware and jewellery.
As a bonus, there’s the work of his sons: a nice enough car (Jean Bugatti), a very nice Bugatti racer (Ettore Bugatti), and the muscular animal sculptures of Rembrandt Bugatti, which are exquisitely powerful.
2. Frank Lloyd Wright: Master Builder
I have my father to thank for introducing me to the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, although, given my interest in architectural design and the period during which he was active, I suspect I would have found him sooner or later…
Twenty-five of FLW’s buildings are in this book, spanning his career from the 1890s to the 1950s. That’s longer than I’ve been on the planet. Not just buildings, but furniture and textiles and some of the architectural drawings made prior to building work began, with detailed information on each house and a little bit of his life story included in each chapter. There’s more than a hint of BladeRunner about some of his ’20s & ’30s houses.
This book is a nice size paperback with lots of photos and a good enough biography. (Plus, there’s a Carlo Bugatti occasional table on page 101 
).
3. Glasgow Girls: Women in Art and Design 1880-1920
I went to the Exhibition of which this book is an accompaniment, way back in 1990, when Glasgow was European City of Culture. This was before Charles Rennie Mackintosh had become a heritage industry, and the city was undertaking a revue of its position as second city of the Empire.
I won’t delve into the politics of then (or even waaayyyyy back then) because the book is about art. (BTW, I was christened in Queens Cross Church, so there.)
More specifically, the art of Margaret MacDonald (Mackintosh), with its repeating lines and forms and what my father used to call “them floating faces”. Also includes, amongst others, Frances MacDonald (McNair), Margaret’s sister; the flamboyant Jessie M King; and sisters Dorothy and Olive Carleton Smyth (worth Googling).
I was already studying archaeology when I saw the exhibition, and had the book bought for me for Christmas. Anyway, the book is chock-full of pictures and biographies of some very inspirational women, both in terms of their art, and in their lives and lifestyles.
4. Masters: Gemstones: Major Works by Leading Jewelers
Ah, just fab. Shows what can be done with cabochons and facets and carved stones, set into metals, on top of each other, side by side, into each other, sparkly bling or the weird sea-creature-type work of Susan & Jeff Wise, the gold-on-iron of Pat Flynn, or the intricate compositions of Michael Boyd.
I’d like to see a book like this showcasing UK artisans (because I know they are out there); but for the moment, this will do nicely.
Fascinating to look at and very inspiring.
Brief explanations of what each style is, what its typical materials are, and the thinking (if any) behind it.
Good photographs of a multitude of iconic items with strong design aesthetics, from a Wedgwood vase of 1786 to a Toshiba CT scanner from 1997. Includes packaging, brands, ergonomics and more.
6. Ethnic Jewellery: From Africa, Asia and Pacific Islands
Like big chunky jewellery? It’s in here.
Like delicate enamelwork, or filigree? In here.
Jewelled daggers, defensive bracelets, belts, earspools, pipes, coral, gold, silver, tiger’s claws? Yup, in here.
This is a massive (12″ square) treasure-trove of a paperback book full of pictures: colour plates of museum pieces, with detailed descriptions; photos of people wearing items so you can get an good idea of scale and how they were worn; cultural backgrounds of the jewellery and its use, purpose, meaning (guess what – people everywhere put their special jewellery in a safe place… anthropology amazes me sometimes…).
There’s bling, and then there’s ethnographic bling. I know which kind I prefer.
7. Celtic Knotwork by George Bain
One of the first books I bought about art, in the mid-80s, when it was produced as a series of mini-handbooks covering what you would see in one chapter here. Construction techniques are detailed, with corresponding sketches of Scottish and Pictish artefacts which show the technique.
Heritage, draftsmanship, useful.
Knotwork appeals to my technical drafting side, as it’s nicely repetitive, it’s fun to work out your own patterns, and then you can colour it in! Wahey!
However, I realise that I will never be Jim Fitzpatrick (he has a better moustache – and a LOT more skill).
Fantastic book which manages to fulfil my archaeologist self and my beadaholic self. Thoroughly recommended, great photos and text, a monumental book which deserves a place on your coffee-table and not on the shelf.
9. Collectible Beads by Robert Liu
Go on, feed your obsession… This one appeals to my bead-hungry part, as I know I can’t have lots of beads about the place. Can’t afford them, can’t afford the storage they deserve.
This is the next best thing, chock-full of beautiful photographs, heavy, huge, and written by the editor of Ornament magazine.
10. The Jeweller’s Directory of Shape and Form
Good pictures throughout, “Shape & Form” is eye candy for serious design.
Variety of illustrated things including sketches of construction, includes considerations of wearability and permanence as well as ratio and balance. From sparkly diamond-y things to paper-and-perspex concoctions.
Craft & Design Magazine
Rings & Things
