Every culture, ours included, has been faced with the extinction of its traditional crafts. And even when we can learn how to copy a design or technique, the continuous tradition of how the craft is practiced is often challenged. The first hand apprenticeships are often lost - because of "efficiency"; the disappearance of certain materials; or the death or unavailability of those within the community who could pass on the traditions.
Many countries that were colonized by Europeans have long traditions of fabulous carving and other woodwork. Most of the woodworking historic information I know about is about English or American practice, with some additional information about Japanese woodworking I learned from reading books by and studying with Toshio Odate, so when I encounter a temple in Vietnam or see a picture of a magnificent carved facade of a house in Ahmedabad, I am aware that I know very little about woodworking in these cultures. In general, books about woodworking in non-Western European cultures are fairly rare. But here are three books that I found meaningful and are considered essential for their subject matter. The first two are out of print but available from libraries or on the used market. The third book is actually one we stock (in a wonderful Lost Art Press edition).
As far as I know, in spite of the long history, there isn't any serious history of woodworking in India that tells us about pre-colonial practice. However, if I ask the same question about China, at least some of the answers are known. This is because from 1921-1926, with the support of the Bucks County Historical Society and Dr. Henry C. Mercer (of the famous Mercer Museum), Rudolf Hommel went to China to record and document as much of the crafts and traditional processes that he could with a special emphasis on tools. The book that came out of this research, "China at Work" (1937) is currently out of print - but shouldn't be. It is an incredible record of a world that has vanished. Let's not be nostalgic, life for the people who used these tools and techniques was very hard, and machines and the decline of craft was considered a great leap forward. But the record Hommel left behind of their work and techniques keeps them all from vanishing into history. China at Work China at Work China at Work China at Work
In another part of the globe, the same year "China at Work" was published, Hans E. Wulff, then principal of the Technical College at Shiraz, Iran, was inspired and requested by Reza Shah Pahlavi to not only teach modern technology, but also traditional crafts. To do that, Wulff felt the need to study and document the various crafts of Iran closely, and while his work was interrupted by the Second World War, eventually (in 1966) the book, "The Traditional Crafts of Persia," was published. It's not as comprehensive or as detailed as "China at Work," but nonetheless it is a fascinating read into a world of making things that by and large no longer exists. The Traditional Crafts of Persia The Traditional Crafts of Persia The Traditional Crafts of Persia
The final book in this list is fortunately still readily available.
Starting just after World War II, a young Estonian ethnographer named Ants Viires began a multiyear research project into what we would call greenwoodworking in Estonia. His thesis, which was published in 1960 during the height of the cold war, was translated in 1969 under the auspices of a CIA program and published in English as "Woodworking in Estonia." The original English edition with all of its flaws and poor illustrations became one of the foundation books of the American greenwood revival. I learned about the book from the great greenwoodworking pioneeer Jenny Alexander, who campaigned for a reissue. In 2016 Lost Art Press did just that, with an authorized edition with support of the author and his family. This current edition has corrected and updated text and photos taken from original images. The book itself is limited to green woodworking, but on that subject, it is comprehensive. We stock the book here.
Woodworking in Estonia Woodworking in Estonia Woodworking in Estonia
I hope with this blog post to raise the profile these books, especially the two that are out of print, at least a little bit. For all its utility, the internet can't help you find something that no one has posted about. Hopefully some people will seek out these books and they will not be lost to time. I have other books like that in my library and I am always astounded when I find something new.
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04/12/2023 Josh metcalf
Nice article, Joel!
I started my 49-year (thus far! Still counting) career making Ming-inspired furniture. An amazing resource for me was Robert Ellsworth’s 299 page Chinese Furniture, written I think before China was taken over by Mao, but republished in 1998 and now available again thru Amazon. Is is mostly outstanding examples of a full range of their furniture from chairs to beds to altar tables, complete with occasional detail shots, but also drawings of joinery which are helpful in inspiring similar designs today
04/12/2023 Chris
If you have other books you think people should be aware of, by all means tell us about them!
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I started my 49-year (thus far! Still counting) career making Ming-inspired furniture. An amazing resource for me was Robert Ellsworth’s 299 page Chinese Furniture, written I think before China was taken over by Mao, but republished in 1998 and now available again thru Amazon. Is is mostly outstanding examples of a full range of their furniture from chairs to beds to altar tables, complete with occasional detail shots, but also drawings of joinery which are helpful in inspiring similar designs today