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• Bird Decoys of North America: Nature, History, and Art-NS

  $40.00 $24.00 0 review(s)

  
  

  Bird decoys, which were first fashioned by Native American hunter-artists at least 1,500 years ago, are the only major folk art form to originate in North America. Today, decoys made during the heyday of decoy carving--roughly from 1840 to 1950--rank among the most avidly sought of all folk art collectibles, with some rare and outstanding examples fetching upwards of $8000,000 apiece at auction. These humble hunting tools, intended to deceive wildfowl by luring them into shooters' range, are now appreciated on many levels: as compelling works of sculpture, as exacting portraits of living and extinct species, and as irreplaceable historical objects. Successful decoy carvers of the past knew their prey intimately--spending countless hours observing game birds in the wild and then bringing their accumulated knowledge of different species' appearance and behavior to the carving bench. Because the works these artisans created were meant to attract avian eyes--conveying the essence of a bird's plumage, form, and attitude at a glance--older handmade decoys are deeply observed symbols of living birds that no merely decorative object, no matter how photographically accurate, can match. In this definitive, lavishly illustrated work, folk-art expert Robert Shaw chronicles the now-vanished era in which the great decoy makers pursued their craft. Shaw traces the natural history of North American bird species--more than sixty of which are represented in antique decoys. He relates the history of wildfowl hunting on this continent, detailing the excesses of nineteenth-century commercial hunting and the rise of a conservation movement aimed at ensuring bird species' long-term survival. He examines the distinctive forms produced in each major hunting area, from the Maritime Provinces of Canada to the Chesapeake Bay to the bayous of Louisiana and beyond. And, with a storyteller's gift for the entertaining anecdote, Shaw puts us in touch with the lives and circumstances of the decoy makers themselves.

• TREATISE ON STAIRBUILDING AND HANDRAILING- [POD]^

  $28.95 $17.37 0 review(s)

  
  

  Paper. Index and bibliography. Completely illustrated. One of the premier books on the subject. Originally published in 1900 this gives extensive coverage of various classes of wood stairs and wreathed handrailings. Includes a short course on the geometric principles bearing on the subject. Intended for joiners, architects, builders and students in the technical schools. The most complete book on the subject currently available.

• BUILD LIKE A PRO: PAINTING AND FINISHING

  $19.95 $11.97 0 review(s)

  
  

  This is a practical approach for the homeowner. Dresdner covers choosing paints and finishes, surface preparation, and application methods. Both interior and exterior painting and finishing are covered. Dresdner offers many tips and shortcuts gleaned from years on the job. This is a step-by-step guide to accomplishing the major finishing tasks around the home. Kitchens, baths, built-ins and paneling, doors, moulding and trim, furniture, siding, decks, porches, fences and patios.

• TURNING CUSTOM DUCK CALLS

  $19.95 $11.97 0 review(s)

  
  

  A comprehensive guide and woodturning project book to all aspects of this American folk art including the history of duck calls and the methods for successfully making your own duck call.

• FOR PROS BY PROS: TRIM CARPENTRY TECHNIQUES

  $19.95 $11.97 0 review(s)

  
  

  Using modern methods, materials and tools, Savage shows how to do everything from making moldings to painting and finishing trim. The author gives good coverage to the practical problems in trim work such as walls that are not plumb, floors that are not level and openings that are out of square. Savage also covers tools, selection of trim, and joinery. See Installing Trim (22-43) and Installing Doors and Windows (22-44) in Video section. Part of the For Pros by Pros series.

• HAND APPLIED FINISHES

  $19.95 0 review(s)

  
  

  The ins and outs of applying 6 classic finishes by hand: shellac, oil, varnish lacquer, milk paint, and water-based finishes. Jewitt also covers French polishing. Each of the considered finishes are either brushed or wiped on. Included are the basic steps for finishing such as surface prep, filling, coloring, etc. Jewitt is a professional finisher. .