SOME BOOKS OF THE. WEEK.
[Notice in this Mame dm not neraswirit9. preclude subeseitent review.] Furniture Making. By R. S. Bowers, John. Bovingdon, and other Designer-Craftsmen. "'Ouselrs Handicraft Library." (Cassell and Co. 5s. net.)—Here the carpenter, or rather cabinetmaker, who is already expert with his tools can learn the construction of various, pieces of furniture.. Winking drawings and descriptions of parts as well as the completer thing are given, so that he who wants- to make a chair, a table, or a cabinet will' find here ample instructions. Elementary knowledge, such as the use of toola mod methods of making the various kinds of joints,, is assumed. As some hundred. and seventy different designs are given in the book, the- plans areal necessity on a small scale, and the worker is advised,, before beginning,. to make, a, full-sized drawing; especially when valuable woods are being used, so as to, prevent costly mistakes, A plan is given for an extension diningatable which "can be simply and rapidly extended without having separate leaves for insertion, or the use of long screws and pegs," This is, of course, an old design, and it is curious that it should. not be more often -used, as it- is exceedingly practical. The technical' side of this: book is:clear, and obviously written, by competent people. We wish we could say as much for the designs. They too often remind us of arts and crafts exhibi- tions, and of art furniture. shops. The simple, designs are bald and the ornamented ones undistinguished. This is enforced strongly by the reproductions of old works. which are given, and is emphasized in the case of an early nineteenth- century carved seat, a very beautiful wm:lt, out of which, all the charm has evaporated when shown inn "'simplified modern reproductions!'
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