The Furniture Bible: Everything You Need to Know to Identify, Restore & Care for Furniture

by Christophe Pourny, Martha Stewart (Foreword), Jen Renzi (Contributor)

A Wall Street Journal Top 10 Crucial Home & Design Book for Beginners   A Library Journal Best Book of the Year   An Amazon Best Book of the Month Christophe Pourny learned the art of furniture restoration in his father’s atelier in the South of France. In this, his first book, he teaches readers everything they need to know about the provenance and history of furniture, as well as how to restore, update, and care for their furniture—from antiques to midcentury pieces, family heirlooms or funky flea-market finds. The heart of the book is an overview of Pourny’s favorite techniques—ceruse, vernis anglais,and water gilding, among many others—with full-color step-by-step photographs to ensure that readers can easily replicate each refinishing technique at home. Pourny brings these techniques to life with a chapter devoted to real-world refinishing projects, from a veneered table to an ebonized desk, a gilt frame to a painted northern European hutch. Rounding out this comprehensive guide is care and maintenance information, including how to properly clean leather, polish hardware, fix a broken leg, and replace felt pads, as well as recipes to make your own wax, shellac, varnish, stain, and more.

Genres: Woodwork, Nonfiction, Reference, Art, Design, Interior Design, Crafts

756 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 4, 2014

Reviews

[#AskMissPatience · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christophe Pourny’s The Furniture Bible: everything you need to know to identify, restore, & care fo furniture is chock full of all one needs to know to tackle every level of renewal and maintain any type of wood. From history to beginner tips this beautifully crafted book can nurture any level of project start to finish (pun intended).

Even though five stars for this deserving read, it’s not necessary for everyone. Depending on your goals could easily benefit from a few YouTube clips on a solitary project specific to your piece.

I bought this book because someone gave me a variety of vintage furniture pieces that need help. Complimenting the vintage property being used as a Midwest office. Plus, my hope was to learn tips to improve my current knowledge for use on non-furniture when renewing trim or installing shelves, etc.

Another benefit to the book with decades of experience is the info it provides on how to improve and add to my shop. I’m amazed by how uncomplicated renewing pieces can be. The author makes this simple through tips that helped him begin to advancing professionally. If this is your interest.

One section shows a drawer with all the tools to get started the average person who enjoys DYI owns to what if you have a shelf can add xyz to a wall shelf and so on.

The photos to add context are very telling adding depth to descriptions. Aiding in the quality of the studying experience.

For the novice or average project this text is overkill. For the person anticipating long term growth of skills and acquisition of tools and equipment for projects this is the guide to your Mecca.

There’s so much attention to detail, terms, context that everyone will gain improvement and beautiful furniture along the way.

If ya wanna own a copy check amazon’s like new and used section to save a few dollars or new. It’s lovely for a coffee table, shop, or display in any bookcase for easy reference as needed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💯

[Kaethe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, which I did not expect, and pretty. I was just going to take a look and instead I stayed up until 2 am utterly engrossed.

Library copy

[Lloyd Earickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once upon a time, I considered myself a woodworker, and I still sort of aspire to be one.  I follow several woodworkers, especially hand tool users, I read extensively about hand tool woodworking techniques, I am endlessly fascinated by beautiful wood furniture from any century, and I still like to tell myself that I’ll make fine woodworking a hobby and build my own custom furniture in my garage.  The first career I remember wanting to pursue as a kid, for several years before I switched my focus to astronautical engineering around the seventh grade, was that of a carpenter, and there’s still a voice in my head telling me I should be doing more woodworking as a hobby.  No matter that I’ve come to recognize it’s not really a hobby I seem inclined to pursue seriously, since when I have time to pursue a hobby, it’s more apt to be my writing, or engineering projects (like the significant upgrade I’m making to my 3D printer), rather than going out to the garage and woodworking.

Nonetheless, I keep reading about it, like this article from Fine Woodworking about a wonderfully intricate miniature workshop, complete with hand-rendered engineering drawings which are practically a piece of art unto themselves (while I learned how to do some basic engineering drawing by hand, I am firmly of the CAD era and could never approach something of this complexity without a lot more hand drawing practice).  It’s probably not something I would ever make, even if I fully embraced fine woodworking as my primary hobby, but I find it beautiful on mechanical, structural, and visual levels.  And, when I have a suitable excuse to do some woodworking, such as for a house project, I savor the opportunity.  My wife and I are doing some significant work on our house this year, and as part of that effort, we want to replace some of our furniture.  Not with something new, but with something old.

It probably won’t surprise you, if you’ve been reading along for long enough, that I prefer antique, hardwood furniture, though it’s not something I’ve really pursued in much depth.  When I came across this book while searching for gifts around the holidays for a fellow hobbyist woodworker, I bought a copy for myself, as well, with an eye towards exploring the world of antique furniture and perhaps applying its techniques to some new old pieces for my own house.  Not that its applicability should be constrained only to the restoration of antiques, for all that is its focus – many of its techniques can be applied equally well if you are looking to finish a new piece of hardwood furniture, hence what I consider its applicability to any woodworker.

Christophe Pourny is a French émigré to the US who grew up restoring antique furniture in a family atelier, which rather sets the tone for the text.  It is comprehensive and beautifully illustrated, going through numerous finishing and refinishing techniques, the tools required, and the recipes to use, and Pourny’s lifetime of experience shines through every layer of textual polish.  That vast experience can sometimes leave the descriptions unclear for the restoration naïf, however, taking for granted things for which not all readers may have the necessary context, and sometimes glossing over details.  Still, his thorough and detailed approach compensates to give the reader sufficient grounding in the material to conduct such clarifying research as may be required, so this occasional opacity will not put the book’s techniques out of reach.  Its attitude towards its material sometimes does.

Pourny is not someone who has turned his furniture restoration hobby into a small career; he runs a professional atelier performing custom restoration work for pieces which are usually reserved by collectors and command prices in the many thousands of dollars.  This lends credence to his instructions and advice, but it sometimes adds a tinge of, for lack of a better word, snootiness.  He is quick to restrict certain techniques as things only experts should do, but more perniciously, he operates with certain assumptions about what constitutes “proper” restoration and antiquing.  Though doubtless well-meaning, some of this advice presupposes a concern with reaching a certain end state which may not be the goal for the individual looking to restore some old furniture for his or her private use.

As long as you keep the author’s perspective in mind, the book is a thorough reference for everything about furniture finishing and refinishing.  Whether you are creating your own hardwood furniture and are looking to apply classic finishes to it, restoring old hardwood furniture, or even refinishing other woodwork, this book’s thoroughly described and illustrated techniques will be a significant asset.  Sure, you can probably find all these sorts of tutorials on the internet somewhere, but having them compiled together, from a reliable source, in a hardcover, physical medium is so much more convenient for these sorts of tasks.  If you work with wood in any kind of presented capacity, from trim and molding to antique furniture restoration, this is a book for you.

[Jemma Z · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a lot of books about how to do things and they often do a good or very good job of conveying subject matter and skills involved in a craft. However, this book has been the best I’ve ever read at capturing both the author’s passion and expertise for his craft and being wonderfully informative. I learned so much. I picked this book up for a history of furniture styles and even though it is primarily about restoration, which I’m only marginally interested in, I was rapt the whole time. I’m sure this book is pretty niche and not for everyone, but I loved it! Strange to say, but it was a real page turner.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

First saw this book in a small shop somewhere upstate NY. Seemed interesting so I picked up from the library.

I don't know much about books antique furniture but I enjoyed reading the book. Author is a crafstman and puts a lot of care into this book and his work.

Has nice example of how a piece can go from a few bucks at a yard sale to thousands at a boutique store. Talks about the different time period of furniture and ways to tell them apart. Lots of info on actually refinishing furniture. I may never do it but if I do I'll probably get this book again.

[Horus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book with good advice to those wishing some 'do-it-yourself' experience at repairs or refinishing of antiques. He gives solid advice and is not possessive of recipes for things like waxes and fillers. The photos are really good as well, but don't always follow the text, which is likely to be confusing for those who have not done any of this kind of work before. It also mostly ignores chairs, which I thought odd, but doesn't severely detract from the usefulness of this book. He does spend most of the book focusing on Edwardian and some early 20th c pieces, mostly Eurpoean and American in origin. He also has a respectable list of sources for further research.

[Tehya Nichelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

solid time-tested advice interspersed with absorbing tidbits about the author’s childhood in France, spent working in his artisan father’s atelier. if only all educational literature could be this approachable and inviting to read. i own two copies. both are superb.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best

Excellent resources for true antique finishes and techniques from a classically trained professional. Easy to read and understand; highly recommended.

[Mary]

Excellent reference book.

[B.L. Newport · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true wealth of information for furniture restoration. Easy to read and understand.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and accessible resource for novice furniture collectors. Takes you through where and how to buy as well as how to care for, transport and revive.

[Beverly Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this book out from my library. I found I needed for reference. It’s really a valuable book for furniture restorers.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're interested in the history of furniture and/or furniture refinishing, you will want to add this reference book to your library. It is hands-down the best furniture book that I've read.

The book begins with an overview of the history of furniture including descriptions (with excellent photo examples) of example pieces from each era. It then digs into refinishing furniture including a discussion on when to do it yourself and when to call in the professionals.

My favorite part would be the nitty gritty details of refinishing furniture. For someone who enjoys the diy aspect of old furniture, this part was fantastic. I learned about techniques and finishes that I hadn't heard of prior to reading this book. It was a fascinating, educational read and made me want to go out and start refinishing some pieces.

I highly recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a digital ARC copy of this book for review purposes.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminds me of George Grotz's books on antiques and refinishing with pretty pictures and an updated suppliers page. Large section on making your own stains, waxes and fillers with an emphasis on older, simpler techniques that are reversible. I'm more of a dumpster diver and wood butcher than a connoisseur of antiques but I am thinking of getting a copy. If you like antiques, you may consider a copy, the section on caring for furniture is good and it is a good education on the care and restoration of antique materials.

[Mike Cosden · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting reference guide for furniture collectors or restorers. Well-presented information on construction and materials that may be helpful in dating pieces and better understanding collections.

[Trista · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must own for anyone who is interested in furniture restoration.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding this amazing reference book to my "must own" list. If you're a furniture addict like me, you'll love reading about the history and care of old furniture in this book!

[Tisha]

Got to pg 91.

[San Diego Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Gretchen Wagner for San Diego Book Review

Author Christophe Pourny has compiled an excellent and highly readable guide to restoring and repairing old furniture. A true master artisan, he sees the beauty and inherent possibility of every style and era, and his enthusiasm is infectious. The book begins with a brief history of furniture, with some tips on what to look for, and where to look (this is not an antiques guide, however; questions about specific pieces should be directed elsewhere)...

You can read this entire review and others like it at San Diego Book Review.

[William Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book with very little of any knowledge of furniture maintenance production or techniques, but wanted to develop a stronger conversational vocabulary for taking to people in the industry. my second objective was too learn to discern quality in furniture more accurately. this book delivered on both ends, going into great detail in a comfortable tone and a solid steady pace. if you are looking to expand your skills, jump into a furniture related trade, find the best stuff at antique stores, or know for to talk to someone about restoration this book will provide immense value.