John Murray Materials and Techniques in the Decorative Arts: An Illustrated Dictionary

This dictionary is devoted to the materials and techniques used in the decorative arts. Ranging from the exotic to the most basic, it includes coverage of secretions of South American insects and rare stones found only in the mountains of Badakshan, but also sand, clay, lime and unsavoury animal products. The dictionary has been compiled by a team of experts, each with knowledge of their subject from daily contact with the materials. The ten contributors cover glass, ceramics, textiles, paper, plastics, leather, metal, stone, wood and paint, with core entries on each of these subjects and many more that describe terms associated with them. The materials and techniques are accompanied by photographs and drawings that illustrate both the artefacts and the processes that made them.