Old Time Wall Papers

Kate SanbornProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.4

Word count: 203K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Old Time Wall Papers by Kate SanbornAuthor: Sanborn, Kate, 1839-1917,Language: English, Class: NK: Fine Arts: Decorative and Applied Arts, Decoration and Ornament, Release Date: Dec 19, 2012

Editor's review

This book is Kate Sanborn's thematic essay on old-time wallpapers, an English public-domain work on the history of decorative arts and interior furnishing. Its value lies not in offering a systematic technical manual but in recording, in a relatively relaxed tone, the pattern tastes, aesthetic fashions, and home decoration ideas of different periods, making it suitable as an introductory read for understanding wallpaper culture around the nineteenth century. The book carries a strong period perspective and personal narrative flavor; readers can sense how people of the time understood domestic beauty and can read it alongside materials on pattern history and interior design history. As an early work, its framework and selection of materials bear the limitations of its era, so it should not be used as a basis for modern decoration construction or artifact appraisal. It suits readers interested in decorative art history, old-house furnishing, and vintage patterns for casual browsing, and also serves as supplementary reading for design history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in decorative art history and wallpaper patterns
Designers engaged in interior design and soft furnishing who want to understand historical styles
Readers who enjoy old houses, vintage room furnishings, and the aesthetics of old objects
Students who need supplementary English reading materials on decorative art history

Not a good fit for

Technicians seeking modern wallpaper construction techniques and material specifications
Professional researchers requiring rigorous academic annotations and the latest research reviews
Readers who prefer a Chinese translation and are not used to reading English originals

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents, pick chapters on periods or patterns of interest, and browse rather than reading straight through.
Read alongside image materials or actual pattern samples to help understand the decorative styles described in the text.
Read the book as design-history essays; take simple notes on proper nouns to build terminology.
If using it for design reference, record convertible pattern elements and color ideas as you read.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book suitable for learning modern wallpaper construction?

No. This is an early essayistic work on old-time wallpapers, focused on aesthetic fashions and decorative taste; it does not cover modern wallpaper material specifications, construction techniques, or acceptance standards and cannot be used as construction technical material.

Can readers with average English read this book?

They can try. The book is essayistic and not overly difficult overall, but it involves decorative art terminology and period context. Readers with average English are advised to read with a dictionary and pattern images, grasp the general meaning of long sentences first, and not ponder word by word.

How does this book differ from systematic works on decorative art history?

It is closer to personal thematic essays, with a period perspective in its narrative and a selection of materials that does not aim for comprehensive system. For systematic knowledge of decorative art history, pair it with formal textbooks or research works; this book is better as supplementary reading for experiencing old-time domestic aesthetics.

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About the author

Kate Sanborn Author · American · 1839–1917

Kate Sanborn (1839–1917) was an American writer, teacher, and lecturer, born Katherine Abbott Sanborn in Hanover, New Hampshire, and educated at home under her father's guidance. She taught English literature at Smith College and lectured for many years in New York and elsewhere, closely combining teaching with writing. Five of her works are held here, covering rural life, women's wit, and old-time wall papers. She was skilled at depicting everyday experience in a humorous, relaxed style: Adopting an Abandoned Farm recounts the pleasures of running a derelict farm, The Wit of Women showcases female cleverness, and Old Time Wall Papers turns to old objects and decorative taste. Her books are often classified as inspirational growth writing, approachable and engaging, and distinctive among popular essays and writing on women's themes. Public information is limited, and details of her life survive mainly in her works and records of her lecturing.