Saturday 25 October 2008

Modern Americana

My copy of the new release "Modern Americana" arrived just in time for the weekend! Co-authored by respected NY dealer Todd Merrill, this is a fantastic, and surely long awaited book on an amazing era of design. Including biographies on designers that I myself only discovered in the past year (partly thanks to the blogging community, and the educational benefits of 1st Dibs), the likes of Karl Springer, Tommi Parzinger, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, James Mont, Samuel Marx, William (Billy) Haines, Vladimir Kagan, Edward Wormley and Paul Laszlo - as well as a few that I had not heard of and others whose work I was only vaguely familiar with: Charles Hollis Jones, John Dickinson and Arthur Elrod to name just a few. This book is a great read, and I'm guessing a book that will be one that I will refer to time and time again. I think one of it's greatest strengths is highlighting the need for further investigation into the lives and work of some of these artists/designers. I for one would love to see a monograph on Tommi Parzinger, so publishers out there, take note!

4 comments:

Ivy Lane said...

It's on my Christmas wish list! Can't wait to get my hands on this book. LOVE modernism and the iconic designers and their works behind that era. Enjoy!

Paul Pincus said...

I think one of it's greatest strengths is highlighting the need for further investigation into the lives and work of some of these artists/designers.

that's brilliant! i could not agree!!!

i can't wait for my copy to arrive : ) this book is an instant classic.

ps i'm going to add frederic weinberg to that list of designers / artists we need more info about...

Habitually Chic said...

I thought of you the moment I saw this book! I'm o glad you bought yourself a copy! And maybe you should be the one to write the Tommi Parzinger monograph! I have a literary agent all lined up for you if you do!

Suzy said...

Thanks Heather! I'd love to, but I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who know more about the subject than I do!