A selection of books received by New York History covering some aspect of art, architecture, engineering, manufacturing, or transportation in New York State.
Byrdcliffe: An American Arts and Crafts Colony.
By Nancy E. Green, et al. (Ithaca, N.Y.: Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University Press, 2004. Pp. 256. $29.95 paperback.)
This exhibition catalogue features the works of some of the artists and craftspeople who lived and worked at Byrdcliffe, as well as essays on its history, founders, and the artists themselves. The exhibition was organized by the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University to showcase the special talents that made Byrdcliffe an interesting and vital Catskill Mountain artistic community.
Chronicles of the Hudson: Three Centuries of Travel and Adventure.
By Roland Van Zandt. (Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press Corp., 1998. Pp. ix, 369. $25.95 paperback.) Reissue of 1972 Edition.
A "classic" work on Hudson River history, from the seventeenth century through the era of the railroad, this book connects the natural world of the river with the effects of civilization upon it. The tale is told through the writings of some of the important historic figures who journeyed along the river or helped to colonize the area.
The Complete Cut & Engraved Glass of Corning.
By Estelle F. Sinclaire and Jane Shadel Spillman. (Syracuse, N.Y.: The Corning Museum of Glass and Syracuse University Press, 1997. Pp. xi, 350. $75.00 hardcover; $29.95 paperback.)
Originally published in 1979, this expanded reissue (which includes over 750 illustrations) is a valuable reference work for anyone interested in the history of the glass industry in Corning, New York—"The Crystal City." It is also an identification guide to the works of countless Corning area manufacturers of cut or engraved glass.
Covered Bridges of New York State: A Guide.
By Rick L. Berfield. Photographs by Richard R. Wilson. (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 2003. Pp. xxvii, 66. $39.95 paperback.)
This guide to the twenty-four remaining historic covered bridges in New York State includes a myriad of design details, historical highlights, preservation information, beautiful colored photographs, and driving directions.
Different Views in Hudson River School Painting.
By Judith Hanson O'Toole. (New York: Columbia University Press, 2005. Pp. 160. $35.00.)
The artists of the Hudson River School, which is often called America's first native style of art, pioneered the practice of painting "pairs" and/or series of works that show different views of the same place. The different views, in turn, reflect different moods, feelings, reflections, and cultural contexts. All of the Hudson River School artists are included in this book, and the author pairs some of their works in order to demonstrate how they also influenced one another.
Drawing on the Land: The New World Travel Diaries and Watercolours of Millicent Mary Chaplin, 1838–1842.
Edited by Jim Burant. (Canada: Penumbra Press, 2004. Pp. 167. $39.95.)
Forty years ago, some of the travel diaries and sketch albums of Millicent Mary Chaplin were published in Canada and hailed as interesting snapshots of life in Colonial North America—glimpses seen through the eyes of an officer's wife as she traveled from one army post to another. Now, after researching her life, sorting through her sketches, and editing the diaries, Jim Burant presents an expanded compendium of Mary Chaplin's art.
Exposing the Wilderness: Early-Twentieth-Century Adirondack Postcard Photographers.
By Robert Bogdan. (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1999. Pp. xix, 252. $39.95)
"Some photo postcards capture the nostalgia of the North Country, but others confront us with a working-class, materialistic, or populist picture of the North Woods," writes the author. He chose to present the latter "views" in this book that examines the lives and the work of six early twentieth-century photographers who were active in the postcard genre during the time when automobiles first brought many visitors to the Adirondack Mountains.
Frederic Church's Olana: Architecture and Landscape as Art.
By James Anthony Ryan. (Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press, 2001. Pp. 103. $21.95 paperback.)
Written by the man who was the site manager of Olana for twenty years and a person who obviously values the historic property, this illustrated history answers the kinds of questions that visitors ask when visiting the Hudson River home of Frederic E. Church. Hailed as "one of the most notable houses in the U.S, situated in a vast park beautified by the taste of the artist," Olana and its story come alive in this volume.
The Glove Cities: How a people and their craft built two cities.
By Barbara McMartin with W. Alec Reid. (Caroga, N.Y.: Lake View Press, 1999. Pp. 294. $45.00.)
A sociological and economic history of the glove and glove-leather industries in Johnstown and Gloversville, Fulton County, New York.
Gracie Mansion: A Celebration of New York City's Mayoral Residence.
By Ellen Stern. (New York.: Rizzoli International Publications, 2005. Pp. 206. $60.00.)
The recently restored Gracie Mansion (one of only three remaining Federal-style houses in the city) is lovingly portrayed in this illustrated book. The author recounts some anecdotes about the house's noted inhabitants and guests, as well as details about its architecture, decorative styles, and history.
Hard Coal and Coal Cars: Hauling Anthracite on the New York, Ontario & Western Railway.
By Martin Robert Karig III. (Scranton, Pa..: University Of Scranton Press, 2006. Pp. xii, 210. $55.00.)
Other books have been written about the NYO&W Railway, but none have focused on the coal-hauling aspect of the industry. The author presents an in-depth analysis of not only the economic impact of the venture, but also the history of the rail line, and technical details of the cars themselves.
Historic Hudson: An Architectural Portrait.
By Byrne Fone. (Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press, 2005. Pp. 208. $24.95 paperback.)
The author traces the history of the city of Hudson, New York, by examining its architectural legacy. Over two hundred photographs, illustrations, and maps from 1774 to 2005 help to trace the fascinating tale of Hudson—the first city chartered under the U.S. flag and the first American planned community.
Hudson River School: Masterworks from the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art.
Introduction by Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser. Catalogue by Elizabeth Mankin Kornhauser and Amy Ellis with Maureen Miesmer. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press with Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, 2003. Pp. x, 169. $45.00.)
The volume features fifty-seven major Hudson River School paintings from the museum's collection of some of the most admired Hudson River artists. Also included are artist biographies and an introduction to American nineteenth-century landscape painting.
Hudson River School Visions: The Landscapes of Sanford R. Gifford.
Edited by Kevin J. Avery and Franklin Kelly. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2003. Pp. xiv, 273. $60.00.)
This Metropolitan Museum of Art Exhibition catalogue features essayists who cover different aspects of the life and career of the artist, as well as photographs of the works that were in the 2003 exhibit.
Hudson's Merchants and Whalers: The Rise and Fall of a River Port, 1783–1850.
By Margaret B. Schram. (Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press, 2004. Pp. iii, 209. $24.95 paperback.)
This is the history of a city, as seen through the perspective of one of its vital industries. The author has discovered new documentation about some of the voyages that provides a richer picture of the social, cultural, and economic history of the town and its people.
The Lives, Loves, and Art of Arthur B. Davies.
By Bennard B. Perlman. (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1998. Pp. xxi, 469. $35.50.)
According to the author, Davies played a major role in the early twentieth-century art world in New York City. This is the first full-length biography of the man who masterminded the Armory Show in 1913. Included are 101 illustrations of Davies's art in the over twenty media in which he worked.
Masonic Temples: Freemasonry, Ritual Architecture, and Masculine Archetypes.
By William D. Moore. (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 2006. Pp. xii, 216. $34.95.)
Using buildings within New York State as his focal point, the author presents an analysis of their design and construction, as well as providing insights into the historic and economic impact of the American Freemason movement from 1870 to 1930.
The Maverick: Hervey White's Colony of the Arts.
Co-curators: Josephine Bloodgood and Tom Wolf. (Woodstock, N.Y.: Woodstock Artists Association and Museum, 2006. Pp. 112. $30.00 paperback.)
The companion exhibition catalog to two different shows at the museum in Woodstock, New York. The first exhibit featured the works of artists who were associated with the early years of Maverick, and the second one featured those who have lived and/or worked there since the 1941 death of its founder, Hervey White. The accompanying essays provide insights into the history and significance of this vital Catskill area art colony.
Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building and American Dreams.
By Mark Kingwell. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 2006. Pp. xii, 235. $26.00.)
After a detailed look at the history of the construction of the building itself, the author discusses the role that the Empire State Building plays as an iconic landmark—one that has always captured the imaginative spirit of New Yorkers and visitors alike. Also included is a look at the building's many connections to popular culture.
New England Steamship Company: Long Island Sound Night Boats in the Twentieth Century.
By Edwin L. Dunbaugh. (Gainesville.: University Press of Florida, 2005. Pp. xiii, 406. $59.95.)
From 1907 to 1942 large numbers of steamboats transported cargo and travelers from the piers of Manhattan, through Long Island Sound, to the ports of New England. Using journals, contemporary newspaper accounts, and period photographs, the author details the history of the industry from its beginnings, to its heyday, and its decline.
The New World Dutch Barn: The Evolution, Forms, and Structure of a Disappearing Icon.
Original by John Fitchen. Edited by Gregory D. Huber. (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 2001. Pp. lxiii, 224. $29.95 paperback.)
According to the editor of this second edition, John Fitchen's discourse on the Dutch American barn still ranks highest in terms of elucidating the actual structure of the various framing components that constitute a particular early (pre-1830) barn style.
His stated purpose for editing, adding extensive new research, and reissuing the book is to render a more comprehensive look at a broad array of influences that determined the appearances of the Dutch barn as a complex component in an early cultural milieu.
The New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad.
By Robert E. Mohowski. (Baltimore, Md.: John Hopkins Press, 2003. Pp. xix, 205. $34.95.)
The first in-depth history of the regional railway company, this lavishly illustrated book tells the story of the thirty-six years during which changes in technology, management, and society affected the railroad industry in this area and the country.
New York's Historic Armories: An Illustrated History.
By Nancy L. Todd. (Albany.: State University of New York Press, 2006. Pp. xi, 322. $50.00.)
Written by an architectural historian after a ten-year collaboration with the state agencies connected with armories, this book presents a detailed history of the role of local National Guard Units and the monumental buildings that housed them. It is the story of the "citizen soldier in American military history," with an emphasis on specific New York State communities and their armories.
Perspectives on the Collections of the New-York Historical Society.
Introduction by Kenneth T. Jackson. (New York: New-York Historical Society, 2000. Pp. iii, 151. $29.99.)
This is a guide to the collection of artifacts that is housed at the Henry Luce III Center. It not only describes some of the art, decorative objects, tools, furniture, and memorabilia but also provides information about the people who "made, used and donated" the objects, and places them in the social and cultural milieu in which they lived.
Picturing the City: Urban Vision and the Ashcan School.
By Rebecca Zurier. (Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2006. Pp. x, 407. $49.95.)
The author presents her ideas about the Ashcan School and its use of "realism" by examining the works and lives of six artists: George Bellows, William Glackens, Robert Henri, George Luks, Everett Shinn, and John Sloan. By so doing, she examines the school within a context—the urban cultural history of early twentieth-century New York City.
Pottery Works: Potteries of New York State's Capital District and Upper Hudson Region.
By Warren F. Broderick and William Bouck. (Madison and Teaneck, N.J.: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1995. Pp. 285. $59.50.)
The authors have focused their research on a single region in order to present an in-depth history of the ceramic arts industry from the seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries. Their work provides details about the personal lives of the earthenware and stoneware craftsmen who ran the kilns, as well as business transactions of this important local industry.
Rip Van Winkle Railroads: 30th Anniversary Edition.
By William F. Helmer. (Hensonville, N.Y.: Black Dome Press, 1999. Pp. 146. $21.95 paperback.)
Narrow-gauge railroad enthusiasts and Catskill Mountain history buffs alike will welcome the first paperback edition of this richly illustrated story of transportation in New York during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries—the romantic era of the grand Catskill resort hotels and the rail lines that connected them to the world beyond the mountains. The original hardcover edition was published in 1970.
Syracuse China.
By Cleota Reed and Stan Skoczen. (Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press, 1997. Pp. xxii, 256. $60.00.)
In addition to chronicling the history of the company from its founding in 1871, when it was called Onondaga Pottery, to its 125th anniversary in 1996, the authors have also included a chapter that details the manufacturing process, one that identifies and dates some of the patterns and "backstamps," and another that "personalizes" the story of the industry by recapping the history of the Pass family, which had ties to the company for generations.
Treasures from Olana: Landscapes by Frederic Edwin Church.
Essay by Kevin J. Avery. Introduction by John Wilmerding. (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2005. Pp. 71. $26.00.)
This volume features seventy-seven color plates of Frederic Church's most cherished paintings—the ones he kept for his private collection at Olana. The introduction and essay help to place the works in their biographic, historic, artistic and cultural context.
Woodstock: History and Hearsay.
By Anita M. Smith. (Woodstock, N.Y.: WoodstockArts, 2006. Pp. xx, 315. $37.50.)
Originally published and reviewed in 1959, this second edition was hailed by Paul Smart in the Woodstock Times as a sumptuous production [with its] elegant inclusion of copious illustrations ... à la the great art books we recall from our youths.
The book tells the story of Woodstock, New York, through the eyes and the pen of a local artist who wrote the town's first official history, using a blend of research, anecdotes, and legends. This new edition adds "nearly 200 photos that highlight works of art, local personalities and landmarks."
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