Buttons have been made from almost every known material. Their study provides insight into fashion trends, the clothing industry and social history in general. This book introduces an array of these treasures from the past, to show the variety of materials and the intricate design and workmanship incorporated in the making of the button.
Buttons have been made from almost every known material. Their study provides insight into fashion trends, the clothing industry and social history in...
More than half the churches in Britain are paved at least in part with nineteenth-century decorative encaustic tiles and there are also churches with striking pictorial tile panels. They are often the most notable features of a church, yet they are rarely mentioned in guidebooks. This book describes how they derived from medieval church tiles, how they were made and who designed and manufactured them. The late Kenneth Beaulah had a life-long interest in decorative tiles, particularly medieval tiles and Victorian encaustic tiles. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and a...
More than half the churches in Britain are paved at least in part with nineteenth-century decorative encaustic tiles and there are also churches wi...
Since the ancient times soldiers have been honoured for gallantry in battle, and since the 1850s specific acts of bravery 'in the face of the enemy' by British and Imperial forces have been recognized by the award of a range of wearable decorations. These provide a visual indication both of the bravery of the recipient of its recognition by the government and nation. Collecting awards for gallantry and researching them and their recipients has become a significant hobby within the world of militaria and numismatics: it provides enthusiasts with a feeling of real contact with those who...
Since the ancient times soldiers have been honoured for gallantry in battle, and since the 1850s specific acts of bravery 'in the face of the enemy' b...
This book charts the history of architectural ceramics, focusing on practical and decorative applications, on architects, designers and manufacturers, and on styles and techniques of production and decoration.
This book charts the history of architectural ceramics, focusing on practical and decorative applications, on architects, designers and manufacturers,...
The artificial grotto has a long and intriguing history in architecture and garden design. The earliest grottoes in ancient Greece were pagan shrines dedicated to water nymphs. During the Roman empire these evolved into formal temples to water gods and in the sixteenth century grottoes were revived by Renaissance architects to lend an authentic air to neo-classical villas. This book describes the origins of the grotto in Renaissance Italy, its heyday in eighteenth-century England, its decline in the nineteenth century and its return to favour in the late twentieth century. Over 250...
The artificial grotto has a long and intriguing history in architecture and garden design. The earliest grottoes in ancient Greece were pagan shrin...
Life at home in Britain during the Second World War changed forever. Aerial bombardment destroyed families and homes in their thousands. Men and women worked harder than ever before in factories, as air-raid wardens, and in simply keeping day-to-day life going. Children found themselves evacuated far away from home. Meanwhile, the government exercised unprecedented control over everyday needs and concerns. In the face of all this adversity the Blitz spirit of defiant resilience was born, and its memory has endured right up to the present time. About the author Guy de la Bedoyere is...
Life at home in Britain during the Second World War changed forever. Aerial bombardment destroyed families and homes in their thousands. Men and wo...
Staffordshire figures provide a wonderful reflection of the Victorian age, as their period of production coincided almost exactly with the reign of the Queen herself. Made in great quantities by the pottery factories expressly for working people and either sold for only a few pennies each or given away as 'fairings' (particularly the tiny figures), they allowed most working-class householders and cottagers to own a cheerful piece of ceramic ware that suited their interests and pockets. By the standards of quality factories such as Chelsea or Derby, Staffordshire figures were crudely modelled...
Staffordshire figures provide a wonderful reflection of the Victorian age, as their period of production coincided almost exactly with the reign of th...
Although they have existed in Britain for over a thousand years, it was not until the nineteenth century that prisons became the cornerstone of the penal system. This was a period when great interest was shown in penal theory, and rival systems fought for supremacy. More than fifteen million receptions into prison were made between 1837 and 1901, the vast majority into small, local gaols. However, a national prison system was established during the Victorian period, starting wtih the introduction of convict prisons for those convicted of felony. This book looks at the development of prison...
Although they have existed in Britain for over a thousand years, it was not until the nineteenth century that prisons became the cornerstone of the pe...
Windmills have been in existence for over eight hundred years and, although only a fraction of those that once ground corn, pumped water and provided power for industry and -agriculture now survive, they are still a distinctive and often -dramatic presence in the British landscape. Among the most -important features of these survivors are the -variations in -design that have come about through their different -origins, the use of local materials in their construction, and the -influence of millwrights and millers - those who built and worked them - in different parts of the country....
Windmills have been in existence for over eight hundred years and, although only a fraction of those that once ground corn, pumped water and provid...
