The Encyclopedia of Furniture

Title: The Encyclopedia of Furniture
Genre: Antiques/Home & Garden
Author: Joseph Aronson (c.1898-1977)
Publisher: Crown Publishers, Inc., New York, New York
Year: 1965 (18th printing)
Pages: 484
Format: Hardcover, with dust jacket
Provenance: Unknown
From the Introduction: "The French have good, precise terms for many articles of furniture, but liberal usage here would weight the book too heavily with bilingual redundancies. Similarly, the fashionable names beloved of the merchandising world tend to be too ephemeral, and were sacrificed to brevity."
Random Passage: "DUMBWAITER. Generally three or four circular trays graduated in size from the largest at the bottom, revolving about a central shaft; originated in England in the early 18th century; spread to France and Germany. They were generally placed near the hostess' end of the table, and carried additional plates and silver, dessert and cheese and, later, liquor bottles and glasses. An American version for use upon the table developed as the 'lazy Susan,' a revolving tray for condiments, etc."
Goodreads Review: "A must for anyone interested in buying a good reference book on antique furniture." — Alain, July 14, 2008.
Notes: Frequently revised and reprinted, still-in-print reference guide for furniture types, eras and styles. This particular edition gives modern furniture only a cursory mention, despite a prominent placement of Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair on the cover.