A hand reflects books that provide a good overview for the general reader and are complimented with comprehensive illustrations.
A pencil means you can order the book via email. Click on the pencil to place your order.
An asterisk denotes publications prepared in conjunction with a gallery or museum exhibition.

 

 

 
 

Abendroth, Uta, et al. World Design. The Best in Classic and Contemporary Furniture, Fashion, Graphics and More. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1999.
.

      Arwas, Victor. Glass: Art Nouveau to Art Deco. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1987.
.
     

Banham, Reyner.. Theory and Design in the First Machine Age. Architectural Press, London, 1960.
.

     

Bayley, Stephen, et al.. Twentieth-Century Style & Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1986.
.

     

Benton, Tim and Charlotte. . Form Follows Function, A Source Book for the History of Architecture and Design: 1890-1939. The Open University Press, London, 1975.
.

     

Brandt, Frederick R. . Late l9th and Early 20th Century Decorative Arts. The Sydney and Frances Lewis Collection in the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond. Distributed by the University of Washington Press, Seattle, 1985.
.

     

Bröhan, Torsten and Thomas Berg.. Avantgarde Design: 1880-1930. Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Cologne, 1994.
.

     

Bröhan, Torsten, ed. . Glas Kunst der Moderne: Von Josef Hoffmann bis Wilhelm Wagenfeld. Klinkhardt & Biermann, Munich, 1992.
.

     

Brunhammer, Yvonne and Suzanne Tise. . The Decorative Arts in France / La Société Des Artistes Décorateurs / 1900-1942. Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 1990.
.

     

Byars, Mel. . The Design Encyclopedia. Calmann & King, London, 1994.
.

     

Cameron, Ian et al. . The Random House Collector's Encyclopedia: Victoriana to Art Deco. Random House, New York, 1974.
.

   

Clark, Paul and Julian Freeman.. Design: A Crash Course. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 2000.
.

     

The Collector's Encyclopedia: Victoriana to Art Deco. With an introduction by Roy Strong. Studio Editions, London, 1974.
.

    Collins, Michael. . Towards Post-Modernism: Design Since 1851. British Museum Publications, London, 1987.
.
      Cousins, Mark. . 20th Century Glass. Quintet Publishing, London, 1989.
.
      Drexler, Arthur, Intro. . The Design Collection: Selected Objects. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1970.
.
      Duncan, Alastair.. Fin de Siècle Masterpieces from the Silverman Collection. Abbeville Press, New York, 1989.
.
    Durant, Stuart. . Ornament: From the Industrial Revolution to Today. The Overlook Press, Woodstock, N.Y, 1986.
.
      Fiell, Charlotte and Peter.. Design of the 20th Century. Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Cologne, 1999.
.
    Fiell, Charlotte and Peter.. Modern Chairs. Benedikt Taschen Verlag Cologne, 1993.
.
    Fiell, Charlotte and Peter. . 1000 Chairs. Benedikt Taschen Verlag GmbH, Cologne, 1997
.
    Forty, Adrian.. Objects of Desire: Design and Society from Wedgwood to IBM. Pantheon, New York, 1968.
.
      Garner, Philippe, ed.. The Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts: 1890-1940. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1979.
.
      Greenhalgh, Paul, ed.. Modernism in Design. Reakrion Books, London, 1990.
.
      Greenhalgh, Paul.. Quotations and Sources on Design and the Decorative Arts. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1993.
.
      Hardy, William, et al. . Decorative Styles: 1850-1935. Wellfleet Press, Secaucus, NJ, 1988.
.
    Heskett, John.. Industrial Design. World of Art Series, Oxford University Press, New York, 1980.
.
    Hiesinger, Kathryn B. and George H. Marcus. . Landmarks of Twentieth-Century Design: An Illustrated Handbook. Abbeville Press, New York, 1993.
.
      The Illustrated Dictionary of 20th Century Designers. Mallard Press, New York, 1991.
.
      Jervis, Simon.. The Penguin Dictionary of Design and Designers. Penguin Books, Middlesex, England, 1984.
.
    Julier, Guy. . The Thames and Hudson Encyclopaedia of 20th Century Design and Designers. World of Art Series, Thames and Hudson, London, 1993.
.
    Kaplan, Wendy, ed. . Designing Modernity: The Arts of Reform and Persuasion, 1885-1945. Selections from the Wolfsonian collection, Miami Beach, Fla. Thames and Hudson, 1995
.
      Kjellberg, Pierre.. Le Mobilier du XXe Siècle: Dictionnaire des Créateurs. Les Editions de L’Amateur, Paris, 1994.
.
      Klein, Dan and Margaret Bishop, eds.. Decorative Art: 1880-1980. Phaidon / Christie's, London, 1986.
.
    Knowles, Eric. . Victoriana to Art Deco: A Collector's Guide. Miller's, Divison of Reed Consumer Books, London, 1992.
.
      Koch, André.. Struck by Lighting. An Art-Historical Introduction to Electrial Lighting Design for the Domestic Interior. Uitgeverij De Hef, Rotterdam, 1994.
.
    Koloctroni, Vassilidi, ed. et al.. Modernism. An Anthology of Sources and Documents. The University of Chicago Press, 1998.
.
      Lambert, Susan. . Form Follows Function? Design in the 20th Century. Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1993.
.
    McFadden, David R. ed. . Scandinavian Modern Design: 1880-1980. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1982.
.
    Marcus, George H. . Functionalist Design: An Ongoing History. Prestel, Munich, 1995.
.
      Marshall, Jo. . Glass Source Book: A Visual Record of the World's Great Glass Making Traditions. Quarto Publishing, London, 1990.
.
    Massey, Anne. . Interior Design of the 20th Century. World of Art Series, Thames and Hudson, London, 1990.
.
  McDermott, Catherine. . Book of 20th Century Design. Design Museum, London and Overlook Press, Woodstock Press, Woodstock / New York, 1997.
.
    Miller, R. Craig.. Modern Design: 1890-1990: In the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1990.
.
      Moody, Ella.. Modern Furniture. Dutton Pictureback / Studio Vista, London, 1966.
.
      Musée d'Orsay.. Catalogue Sommaire Illustré des Arts Décoratifs. Editions de la Reunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris, 1988.
.
    Museum Boymans van-Beuningen, Rotterdam. . Silver of a New Era. International Highlights of Precious Metalware from 1880 to 1940. Distributed by University of Washington, Seattle, 1992.
.
      Naylor, Colin, ed.. Contemporary Designers. St. James Press, Chicago, 1990.
.
    Neumann, Claudia.. Design Directory Italy. Universe Publishing, New York, 1999.
.
    Noritsugu, Oda. . Danish Chairs. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1996.
.
      O'Neill, Amanda.. Introduction to the Decorative Arts: 1890 to the Present Day. Shooting Star Press, New York, 1990.
.
    Opie, Jennifer H.. Scandinavia Ceramics & Glass in the Twentieth Century. The Collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum (London). Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 1990.
.
    Ostergard, Derek, ed. . Bentwood and Metal Furniture: 1850-1946. The American Federation of Arts, New York, 1987.
.
      Page, Marion.. Furniture Designed by Architects. Whitney Library of Design, New York, 1980.
.
    Parish, Keith, ed. . Design Source Book: A Visual Reference to Design from 1850 to the Present. QED Publishing, Ltd., London / Chartwell Books, Secaucus, NJ, 1986.
.
    Pevsner, Nikolaus. . Pioneers of Modern Design from William Morris to Walter Gropius. Penguin Books, Harmondsworth, Middlesex, 1936 /1987.
.
    Pevsner Nikolaus.. The Sources of Modern Architecture and Design. World of Art Series, Thames and Hudson, London, 1968 /1985.
.
    Pile, John.. Dictionary of 20th-Century Design. Roundtable Press, New York, 1990.
.
    Polster, Bernd.. Design Directory Scandinavia. Universe Publishing, New York, 1999.
.
  Rudoe, Judy.. Decorative Arts: 1850-1950. A Catalogue of the British Museum Collection. British Museum Press, London, 1991 /1994.
.
    Sembach, Klaus-Jürgen et al. . Twentieth-Century Furniture Design. Benedikt Taschen Verlag, Cologne,1995.
.
  Sparke, Penny.. A Century of Design. Design Pioneers of the 20th Century. Barrons Educational Series, Hauppauge, NY, 1998.
.
      Sparke, Penny. . An Introduction to Design and Culture in the Twentieth Century. Unwin Hyman, London, 1986.
.
      Sparke, Penny. . Design in Context. Quarto Publishing, London / Chartwell Books, Secaucus, NJ, 1987.
.
      Sparke, Penny. . Italian Design, 1870 to the Present. Thames and Hudson, London, 1988.
.
    Stedelijk Museum.. Industry & Design in the Netherlands: 1850-1950. Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, l986.
.
      Troy, Nancy. . Modernism and the Decorative Arts in France: Art Nouveau to Le Corbusier. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 1991.
.
  Venable, Charles L.. Silver in America: 184-1940. A Century of Splendor. Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, 1995. Distributed by Harry N Abrams, New York.
.
      Votolato, Gregory.. American Design in the Twentieth Century. Manchester University Press, Manchester/New York, 1998.
.
    Weston, Richard.. Modernism. Phaidon Press, London, 1996.
.
      Woodham, Jonathan M. . Twentieth-Century Ornament. Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 1990.
.
      Zahle, Erik.. A Treasury of Scandinavian Design. Golden Press, New York, 196l.
.
      Zühlsdorff, Dieter. . Keramik-Marken Lexikon: 1885-l935 Europa. Arnoldsche, Stuttgart, l994.
.
     

 

GRAPHIC DESIGN
.

   

Ades, Dawn. . The 20th-Century Poster: Design of the Avant-Garde. Walker Art Center, Minneapolis / Abbeville Press, New York, 1984.
.

   

Anikst, Mikhail and Elena Chernevich, eds.. Russian Graphic Design: 1880-1917. Abbeville Press, New York, 1990.
.

     

Barnicoat, John.. A Concise History of Posters. Oxford University Press, New York, 1979.
.

     

Blackwell, Lewis.. 20th Century Type. Rizzoli International Publications, 1922.
.

     

Booth-Clibborn, Edward and Daniele Baroni. . Graphics: The Language of Graphics. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1979.
.

  Brandt, Frederick R., ed. . Designed to Sell: Turn-of-the-Century American Posters. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, 1995.
.
    Broos, Kees and Paul Hefting.. Dutch Graphic Design: A Century. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1993.
.
      Craig, James and Bruce Barton. . Thirty Centuries of Graphic Design: An Illustrated Survey. Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1987.
.
      Gallo, Max.. The Poster in History. Wellfleet Press, Secaucus, NJ, 1989.
.
      Heller, Steven and Louise Fili.. Italian Art Deco: Graphic Design Between the Wars. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1993.
.
      Hillier, Bevis. . Posters. Spring Books, London, 1969.
.
  Hollis, Richard.. Graphic Design: A Concise History. World of Art Series, Thames and Hudson, London, 1994.
.
    Kiehl, David W, ed.. American Art Posters of the 1890s. The Metropolitan Museum of Art / Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1987.
.
      King, Julia. . The Flowering of Art Nouveau Graphics. Peregrine Smith Books, Salt Lake City, 1990.
.
    Livingston, Alan and Isabella.. Graphic Design & Designers. World of Art Series, Thames and Hudson, London, 1992.
.
      Lupton, Ellen and Elaine Lustig Cohen.. Letters from the Avant Garde: Modern Graphic Design. Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 1996.
.
    Meggs, Philip B.. A History of Graphic Design. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1983.
.
      Margolin, Victor.. American Poster Renaissance: The Great Age of Poster Design, 1890-1900. Castle Books, Secaucus, NJ, 1975.
.
      Pack, Susan.. Film Posters of the Russian Avant-garde. Benedikt Taschen Verlag Cologne, 1995.
.
      Prokopoff, Stephen S., ed.. The Modern Dutch Poster: The First Fifty Years. Krannert Art Museum, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaigne, IL / The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1987.
.
      Spencer, Herbert. . Pioneers of Modern Typography. Revised Edition. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1985.
.
      Spencer, Herbert, ed. . The Liberated Page: An Anthology of Major Typographic Experiments of This Century as Recorded in Typographica Magazine. Bedford Press, San Francisco, 1987.
.
    Tambini, Michael. . The Look of the Century. Design Icons of the 20th Century. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. (DK), 1996. Paperback edition, 1999.
.
  Walker Art Center. . Graphic Design in America: A Visual Language/History. Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1989.
.
      Wember, P. . Die Jugend der Plakate: 1887-1917. Scherpe Verlag, Krefeld, Germany, 1961.
.
      Weill, Alain.. The Poster: A Worldwide Survey and History. G.K. Hall & Co., Boston, 1984.
.
    Wrede, Stuart. . The Modern Poster. The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1988.
.


 

Modernism Overview - Arts and Crafts - Art Nouveau -
Wiener Werkstte - de Stijl - Bauhaus - Art Deco - List All