ACC Art Books – The Bell Bookshop

Moody Blooms

Emma — Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

“It’s an evocative, inspiring mood board of a book.” – Andreina Cordani, Reclaim Magazine

“Decorating with flowers – on everything from walls and windows to sofas and floors – will bring magic and romance to any space.” - Mail on Sunday’s You Magazine
In the designs of Tricia Guild, atmosphere is everything. Patterns, colour, texture, furniture and furnishings interweave to create spaces that have all the depth and meaning of installation art. Yet just as an outfit never feels complete without a spritz of scent, a room without plants is only nearly complete. Only nearly perfect.

At Designers Guild, Tricia Guild uses flowers, leaves and stems to enhance a room’s mood, bringing soul to the spaces we live in. A flower has many spirits over the course of its life, from the promise of those first pristine and innocent buds, to the resplendent joy of full blooms and the wistful glory as they fade. The cycle of nature provides an ever-evolving muse for Tricia Guild. Her latest book explores how blooms can evoke emotion, presenting a plethora of inspirational designs that breathe fresh life into our homes and workspaces.

The Art of Wallpapers

Emma — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This extensively illustrated volume focuses on William Morris (1834-1896), placing his wallpaper designs within the context of the radical changes in taste witnessed during the Victorian era. Against a backdrop of the fanciful, naturalistic patterns that typified fashionable papers in Morris’s youth, the impact of the Reform Movement of the mid-19th century is underscored, particularly the reformers’ crusade against such multi-coloured ornamental decoration. Instead, the insistence on the concepts of honesty and propriety as promoted by A. W. N. Pugin and Owen Jones, are demonstrated as influences on Morris. The role of imported Japanese wallpapers is also explored, giving insight into a seldom-discussed cultural exchange evidenced within the story of Morris & Co, which produced wallpapers from 1864 until 1940 and, after a post-war hiatus, from the 1960s to the present.

Amplifying Morris’s role in the creation of an influential and lasting style, his work is set within a selection by other designers, including Christopher Dresser and C. F. A. Voysey. Also introduced are firms of significance including Jeffrey & Co. and Arthur Sanderson & Sons, both of whom block-printed the Morris wallpapers. In a highly visual presentation, what is revealed are influences across time and within a global context, as pertinent to the creation of wallpaper art in the 19th century as it is today.

Jacksons Hallmarks

Emma — Wed, 28 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Since first published in 1991 Pocket Jackson’s, as it is most often called, has enjoyed enormous success and is constantly rated as a bestseller in the Arts & Antiques category.During the last twenty-three years important developments have taken place in the Hallmarking system. Most notably the introduction within Europe of a universally accepted system of marking has lead not only to the addition of new marks, but also to a change of status of several historic marks.This edition brings up to the present day all the date letters and commemorative marks. It also includes the recently introduced marks for Palladium and a section illustrating the Assay Office identification marks of those countries that are signatories to the International Convention marking system.In addition and of importance are the changes made in the early cycles of Dublin date letters which result from recent research by silver scholars in Ireland.

Where the Wildness Pleases

Emma — Sat, 01 May 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The ‘Garden of England’, ‘The High Weald’, these are phrases that describe a 70-year-old Area of Outstanding National Beauty in Southern England. Among these dramatic landscapes and ancient woodlands stand many castles, mansions and cottages, ringed with orchards, meadows, drifting flowers and horticultural exotica. Featured gardens range from grand landscapes to works of glorious eccentricity, Arts and Crafts green rooms to postage stamp-sized plots of ingenuity. Wilderness weaves into floral genius, while native and exotic species stand side-by-side – all within the unique climate of the English garden.

Including chapters on English Parks, Arts and Crafts Gardens and Woodland Gardens, Where the Wildness Pleases – The English Garden Celebrated pays homage to English horticultural excellence and tells the gripping stories behind some of our most breath-taking landscapes. This book also features a handy Who’s Who of designers, gardeners, plant hunters and nurserymen, and a brief guide to English playing greens – cricket, bowling, croquet and tennis.

This is a welcome guide for anyone interested in visiting this astonishingly beautiful part of the country, or those thinking of buying a plot.

Writers’ London

Emma — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

“When one is tired of London, one is tired of life.” – Samuel JohnsonLondon has long been a centre of the literary world. From Shakespeare to Amis, Byron to Blake, Plath, Thomas, Christie and Rowling; many of the greatest names in literature have made this metropolis their home.Writers’ London guides the reader through homes, bookshops, pubs and cemeteries, in search of where literary greats loved and lost, drank and died. Discover the Islington building where Joe Orton was murdered by his lover, the Soho pub where Dylan Thomas left his manuscript, the Chelsea hotel where Oscar Wilde was arrested, and the Bank of England where Kenneth Graham was shot at (and missed) three times. Gathering hundreds of famous and less-well-known anecdotes, this meticulously researched volume will entertain any lover of literature.Also in the series:Vinyl London ISBN 9781788840156Rock ‘n’ Roll London ISBN 9781788840163Art London ISBN 9781788840385London Peculiars ISBN 9781851499182

Jane Austens England

Emma — Wed, 28 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Walk in Jane Austen’s footsteps with this unique travel guide – the first book to explore England in relation to its most beloved Regency author. Rambling across the rolling fields of Hampshire, along the bustling streets of London and around the golden crescents of Bath, Jane Austen’s England is the perfect companion for any Janeite planning a pilgrimage.Functionally arranged by region, each chapter tracks down the most iconic scenes from both the big and little screen, as well as the key destinations where Jane lived, danced and wrote. Descriptions of each location are interspersed with biographical anecdotes and local history. Subsections focus on various stately homes that have been featured in every adaptation of every novel, from the beloved Pride and Prejudice television series (1995, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth) to Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016). With a compilation of websites, seasonal opening hours and tour details, this compact book contains everything you need to immerse yourself in Austen.

Botanical Illustration RHS

Emma — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Botanical Illustration: a genre of art that endeavours faithfully to depict and represent the form, colour and detail of a plant. Abiding by this definition, the RHS Lindley Library has secured approximately 30,000 splendid illustrations of buds, fruit, flowers and leaves since they first started commissioning artists in 1806. The Royal Horticultural Society: Botanical Illustration – Gold Medal Winners represents a cross-section of recent gold medallists from around the world. The RHS only award their gold medal to the most outstanding exhibitions, encouraging the international artistic community to perform to the highest standard. This gold medal is a highly-coveted testament to an artist’s abilities, and the illustrations gathered in these pages demonstrate great attention to detail, masterful colour work and outstanding technical skill. Insightful commentary on the artists’ creative process accompanies each picture. The perfect book for the lover of horticulture, as well as an excellent reference both for botanists and aspiring artists, this collection also includes an introductory essay that delves into the history of the RHS.