Buckland Books
 
New Books for June 2002
 
We seem to have had an amazing influx of new books this month on mosaics and tiles, so without more ado, here we go:
 
Tiles
 
Without doubt, the major news this month is the release of Kenneth Clark's new book, THE TILE:
 
 
 
2047 THE TILE: Making, Designing and Using         £22.50
Kenneth Clark, MBE, Crowood Press, 2002, 176pp, 322 colour illus + some line drawings, cloth, dustwrapper
 
A superb book covering the art of tile making as it has long deserved, but seldom received. The use of historic images and contemporary tiles alone is worth the asking price, but add to this the insight of Kenneth Clark who has been making tiles for over 50 years, and you have a masterpiece. The book deserves to be in every tile maker’s and collector’s library. There are chapters on the history and design of tiles, making, decorating, glazing and firing tiles and ways of using tiles, plus an informative chapter on tile fixing. For me, however, the highlight of this book is the superb colour photography of tiles from a range of contemporary makers including Kenneth and his wife Ann. Having worked in such a wide range of techniques over the years, their designs are a microcosm of modern UK tile design. RECOMMENDED!
 
 
 
 
2322 WILLIAM AND EVELYN DE MORGAN    £3.95
Anon, The De Morgan Centre, 2002, 32pp, 64 colour illus, booklet
 
A new book (no matter how small!) on William de Morgan, is quite an event and this guide to the recently opened de Morgan Centre in Wandsworth, London, features a wonderful collection of both William’s tiles and pottery and Evelyn’s paintings. This booklet illustrates many of the gems of the collection, including some tiles I’ve not seen before. Excellent colour illustrations also make this very good value for money.
 
And now for a trio of books on Portuguese tiles:
 
         
 
 
 
 
0181 AZULEJARIA DE LUÍS FERREIRA, O "FERREIRA DAS TABULETAS", Decorative Tiles of Luís Ferreira, A Lisbon Painter £47.50
Teresa Saporiti, self published, Portugal, 1993, parallel English and Portuguese texts, 237pp, 198 colour illus, cloth, dustwrapper
 
A wonderful record of the 19th century Portuguese tile painter, Luís Ferreira, known as ‘The Sign Painter’ because of his many tiled shop and house fronts. Sometimes a little naive, his designs are nevertheless exciting and colourful, combining traditional Portuguese subject matter with more contemporary illustration.
 
0182 AZULEJOS PORTUGUESES, PADRÕES DO SÉCULO XX, Portuguese Ceramic Tiles, XX Century Patterns     £47.50
Teresa Saporiti, self published, Portugal, 1998, parallel English and Portuguese texts, 237pp, 206 colour illus, cloth, dustwrapper
 
The use of tiles in Portugal wasn’t just a historic movement, the tradition carries on to the present day and perhaps no other place, certainly in Europe, has such a wealth of modern architecture decorated with tiles. This excellent photographic record of 20th century Portuguese tiles traces the story from Art Nouveau, via Art Deco to Modernism and the abstract art of more recent years. Recommended.
 
0183 AZULEJARIA DE EDUARDO NERY, Decorative Tiles of Eduardo Nery     £49.50
Teresa Saporiti, self published, Portugal, 2000, parallel English and Portuguese texts, 377pp, 211 colour illus, cloth, dustwrapper
 
Monographs on a single tile designer are few and far between, but this superb catalogue raisonné of the tiles of 20th century Portuguese designer Eduardo Nery is an outstanding example. Approaching his work from various directions, the author has managed to capture the spirit of Nery and his sometimes disturbing work. All facets of his designs are represented here, from his bold, colourful geometric patterns, through to the ‘disassembled’ patterns based on conventional Portuguese ‘welcome figures’ and his later work which is very naturalistic, yet transposes items that would not normally occur together. Wonderful!  (For an introductory article on the work of Eduardo Nery, see Glazed Expressions 44,  Summer 2002, the magazine of the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society.  For more details on the Society, see below or visit their website at www.tilesoc.org.uk)
 
 
 
1655 PUGIN-LAND    £14.95
Michael Fisher, M Fisher, 2002, 202pp, 10 colour + 139 b & w illus, paperback
 
A close examination of the influences that drove Pugin to design so many houses and churches in the Staffordshire area and to become involved with Herbert Minton in the design of encaustic tiles. Explores his relationship with John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury.  A fascinating insight into the powerful religious forces that drove him to create such splendid churches as St Giles, Cheadle.
 
Mosaics:
 
 
 
13127 MOSAIC: MATERIALS, TECHNIQUES & HISTORY    £15.00
Isotta Fiorentini Roncuzzi & Elisabetta Fiorentini, MWeV Editions, Italy, 2002, English text, 262pp, 141 colour + 73 b & w illus, paperback
 
At last, the English edition of this first class book - and well worth the wait. The text is excellent and the illustrations adequate. An in depth study of the history, manufacture and techniques of mosaic art - a must-have for all mosaicists.
 
 
 
1658 PEBBLE MOSAICS     £16.99
Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell & Gloria Nicol, Cico Books, 2002, 128pp, fully illus throughout in colour, boards, dustwrapper
 
Subtitled ’25 original step-by-step projects for the home and garden’ - to paraphrase a current UK TV advert, ‘it does what it says on the cover’! The projects are the usual mix of simple and more advanced designs, some of which incorporate other materials too. Nicely illustrated and don't be put off by the cover project - the ones inside are much more exciting!
 
Due soon:
 
            LE DÉCOR GÉOMÉTRIQUE DE LA MOSAÏQUE ROMAINE:
 
0450    Vol I: Répertoire graphique et descriptif des compositions linéaires et isotropes     £67.50
Richard Prudhomme et al, Picard, France, 1985 (reprinted 2002), English/French/
German/Italian/Spanish complete texts, 432pp, over 1600 mosaic drawings, cloth
 
0451    Vol II: Répertoire graphique et descriptif des décors centrés                                   £49.00
Marie-Pat Raynaud et al, Picard, France, 2002, English/French/German/Italian/
Spanish complete texts, 264pp, over 1000 mosaic drawings, cloth
 
0452    Combined set, Vols I & II                                                                                          £105.00
 
This ambitious work, now completed by the publication of Vol II, covers all the ornamental works by the mosaic craftsmen of Roman antiquity created in the regions surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. All the designs are based on actual mosaics and are identified by a bibliographical reference. The descriptions are produced in a ‘standardized’ format in all five languages, thus eliminating any possible confusion of description. Each design is drawn, rather than photographed to ensure that it can be ‘read’ with ease and certainty.
 
2051 TRAMES GÉOMÉTRIQUES VÉGÉTALISÉES    £28.50
Various authors, de Boccard, France, 2002, French text, x + 152pp, 146 figures + 21 colour plates, paperback
 
One of the main characteristics of Roman mosaics in Africa is the use of geometric borders featuring stylized vegetation. The quality and beauty of such borders has been unparalleled elsewhere and this book details the surviving mosaics and shows how they influenced mosaics further afield.
 
AVAILABLE TO ORDER (4-5 weeks delivery):
 
13131 MOSAÏQUE ET CULTURE DANS L’OCCIDENT ROMAIN, Ier - IVe siècles     £255.00
Janine Lancha, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1997, French text, 427pp, 126 b & w plates, 12 colour illus, cloth
 
This book includes a catalogue of 129 mosaics depicting muses, poets, philosophers and various scenes from literature found in the Western Roman Empire and dating from the 1st to the 4th centuries AD. The mosaics are studied iconographically and in relation to their literary and geographical contexts, and illustrate the process of Romanization of the various provinces.
 
13132 MOSAÏQUES GÉOMÉTRIQUE, Les Ateliers de Vienne - Isère     £136.00
Janine Lancha, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1977, 240pp, 101 b & w plates, cloth
 
A systematic study of the geometric patterns in the Roman mosaics from the Vienne and Isère schools, divided up into the various shapes commonly found in such mosaics.
 
0727 GEOMETRICAL FLORAL PATTERNS IN ANCIENT MOSAICS, A Study of the Origin in the Mosaics from the Classical Period to the Age of Augustus         £140.00
Asher Ovadiah, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1980, English text, 205pp, + 44 plates, cloth
 
A study of mosaics according to their provenance, tracing their development from antiquity to the reign of Augustus. Examines the function and role of geometric and floral patterns in decorative pavements and contrasts them with similar patterns in other arts.
 
13133 MOSAIC PAVEMENTS IN ISRAEL, >From the Hellenistic to the early Byzantine Period         £220.00
Ruth and Asher Ovadiah, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1987, English text, 278pp, 192 plates, cloth
 
A complete catalogue of the known mosaics in Israel, with a study of the techniques and materials employed. An attempt is made at dating and interpreting the mosaics.
 
13129 MARMI ANTICHI, Problemi d’Impiego, di Restauro, e d’Identificazione         £125.00
Edited by Patrizio Pensabene, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1993, various languages, 233pp, 59 b & w plates, cloth
 
A detailed study of the quarrying, transport, uses, restoration and identification of marble. A detailed list of the contents is available on request.
 
13130 MARMI ANTICHI II, Cave e Tecnica di Lavorazione, provenienze e distribution         £250.00
Edited by Patrizio Pensabene, L’Erma di Bretschneider, Italy, 1998, Italian text, 486pp, 450 b & w + 200 colour illus, cloth
 
Further studies in the carving, decoration, provenance and distribution of marble in the ancient world, with particular reference to the Podesti Collection of historic marble. A detailed list of the contents is available on request.
 
 
I hope you've managed to stay with us through this mammoth newsletter - there seem to be so many fabulous new books out there!  And it's not over yet:
 
 
'Edinburgh, A Mind's Eye View, 1160 x 850mm, Hand-painted ceramic tile panel by Douglas Dalgleish, Edinburgh Ceramics
 
Susan and Douglas Dalgleish at edinburgh Ceramics are holding an exhibition of their tiles from 3 to 31 August 2002.  Entitled 'Glazed and Impressed', the exhibition is being held at their Studio at 46 Balcarres Street, EDINBURGH, EH10 5JQ, Scotland.  For more details contact them on 0131 452 8145 (tel or fax) or email edceramics@ednet.co.uk
I reckon that makes it a Scottish holiday this year............!
 
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TILE HERITAGE FOUNDATION are holding their annual Symposium this year in the twin cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, Minnesota, featuring four days of lectures, tours, exhibitions, workshops and a public festival and sale of antique and contemporary tile.  To obtain more details and a registration folder, contact them at P O Box 1850, Healdsburg, CA 95448, USA, Tel: +1 (707) 431 8453, Fax: +1 (707) 431 8455 or email: foundation@tileheritage.org
I've had a sneak preview and if I've got enough pennies after the trip to Scotland..............!
 
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Right now, Richard Dennis is having an important selling exhibition of William de Morgan pots and tiles.  The exhibition is open until 15 June, 10am to 5pm each day.  More info from: Tel: +44 (0) 20 7727 2061, Email: info@richarddennispublications.com
 
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The next Karen Michelle Tile Auction starts on 15 June (if you have any money left from the De Morgan sale!).  No details of entries to hand yet, but you can keep in touch on www.antiquetiles.com/cgi-bin/auction/tiles/auction.pl
 
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Buckland Books are now able to offer all the back issues of the Tiles and Architectural Ceramics Society's publications (on a non-profit basis).  This means that overseas (and UK) readers can now use our credit card facilities to purchase back issues of the Journal, Glazed Expressions and Tour Notes.  For more details of what's available and what the Society has to offer, click on www.tilesoc.org.uk and get the lowdown.
 
 
Well, I think that's just about everything, I apologise for this being such a long newsletter, but so much seems to be going on!  Thank you for staying with us.
 
All the very best,
 
Chris
 
Chris Blanchett, Proprietor, Buckland Books
Holly Tree House, 18 Woodlands Road, LITTLEHAMPTON, West Sussex, BN17 5PP
England
Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 1903 717 648
E-mail: cblanchett@lineone.net