DECORATIVE ARTS

"This fascinating volume celebrates the quality of life in the region through an examination of its historic collections." Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr. Paper, 1987, 289pp.

This book celebrates the preservation of seventeen brightly painted banners that were carried by members of the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association in an 1841 Portland parade. In 2010 these proud emblems of the nineteenth century working class were threatened with dispersal to private collections and out-of-state institutions. Maine's cultural community came to the rescue by purchasing them at auction and placing them at the Maine Historical Society. Each color image of the banner is accompanied with a history of the trade it represents as well as historic photos, prints, or other related documents. Historical background on the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, the Portland banner parade of 1841, Portland's merchantile ecomony in the 1820s, and a history of Mechanic Associations in New England are also included. Paperback. 59 pgs.

A visual tour of 20 Maine artists' work and studios. This book is the brainchild of two women who have been immersed in various phases of fiber art all their lives. All photography by Christine Macchi unless otherwise specified. Full color photography throughout with biographical pieces on each artist. Paperback.

Combining color photographs of more than 125 pieces of schoolgirl needlework, nearly all stitched in Maine, and fascinating biographies of the sampler makers and their teachers, this book is an essential purchase for collectors and admirers of historic needlework. Written to accompany the comprehensive exhibition, "I My Needle Ply with Skill": Maine Schoolgirl Needlework of the Federal Era, at the Saco Museum, January 12 to March 2, 2013, this catalog includes pieces from across the state, documenting for the first time, bodies of work from numerous female academies of the era. While many of these schools were well established in southern New England states by the late 18th century, Maine developed private academies somewhat later. As these local academies grew and flourished new styles of samplers and needlework evolved that were unique to Maine. This catalog explores that evolution and offers a glimpse of a period of blossoming female creativity and accomplishment that transcended the societal limitations on women of the era, as young Maine women created masterpieces of intricate stitchery. Paperback 162 pages

From homespun textiles of wool and flax and custom-made pine and hahogany cabinetry to furnace-fired iron works and redware pottery, author Paul E. Rivard has set out to communicate the great significance of the industrial epoch in forming Maine as we know it today. Rivard, director of the Maine State Museum for fourteen years and of the American Textime History Museum for eight years, has a reverence for history that is evident throughout his work. "Made in Maine" offers readers a glimpse into the state's essential past: the ingenious ways by which products came to fruition as the nature of industry changed. 2007 paperback, 160 pages.

Also by the same author: New Order of Things.

For four decades in the second half of the nineteenth century, Harrison Bird Brown (1831-1915) was the most prolific professional landscape artist in Portland, Maine. In this second volume of "A Painter's Progress," Brown's career is further documented through the many articles about his life, work, and travels which appeared in the Portland Daily Press between 1863 and 1892. The compiler, Earle G. Shettleworth, Jr., has been the dirctor of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission since 1976 and was appointed by Governor Baldacci in 2004 to serve as State Historian. 2006 paperback, 101 pages.

Solid construction and honest functionality make Shaker furniture one of the most popular and timeless design categories. Based on extensive research and personal experience with the last working Shaker community in Maine, this book traces the roots of Shaker design to Shaker belief, which inspired the clean lines, careful craftsmanship, and signature details that define the style. The author also discusses the less known Victorian period of Shaker design and shows how this style has influenced subsequent ones. A bibliography, glossary, and index are included. Color photos throughout. Hardcover. 233 pgs.

A lavishly illustrated biography of itinerant engraver Richard Brunton-sometime soldier, artist, forger-that provides a unique window into the life of an artisan in America's early republic. Color plates throughout. Paperback. 123 pgs.