This well-known book was prepared a century ago by two British architects, and its reputation has grown steadily since. The Audsleys' rendering of designs from a wide variety of sources are national traditions, and their excellent sense of space and proportion and their straightforward interpretations of these ornaments have made this collection among the most valuable of its kind.
The 60 plates contain over 250 large-scale line drawings, mostly executed by the authors. The designs and patterns shown are derived from architectural decorative motifs, textile designs, patterns from ceramics, etc. A brief text specifies sources for many of the designs, and captions identify national origin and often the original color schemes.
The illustrations include ancient Egyptian patterns from painted tomb ceilings, borders from Greek vases, Celtic designs, Japanese ornaments, Moorish decorations, eleventh-century Italian textile designs, and architectural elements from the cathedral of Notre-Dame and other buildings.
This partial list of contents gives an idea of the many styles of design reproduced in the book, and the applications to which the designs can be put. Commercial artists, architects, crafters, designers, scene designers, and others will find these pages a rich source of decorative designs.