The three publications shown here are truly beautiful books.

As you can see from the randomly selected pages shown the detail and depth covered on many aspects of the trade is second to none. Subjects covered include Drawing instruments and their use; tools; methods and processes; joints and fastenings; machines; machine shop practice; use of steel squares; house joinery, bank, office church, museum, domestic and shop fittings; shaped and circular work and much more besides.
In the carpenters assistant the fly leaf reads – being a comprehensive treatise on the selection, preparation, and strength of materials and the mechanical principles of framing. Also a course of instruction in practical geometry , lines, drawing and perspectives.
Further on in the preface it talks about the art of Carpentry and the morals of good practice in the execution of the trade. In other words honour thy craft, and there are some carpenters out there who should take heed of that.
Some of the information contained still has some relevance today in my work, particularly on the subject of windows and period joinery repairs/refurbishments.
I recently referred to modern practical joinery to familiarize myself with balanced and lifting shutters as I could not find the pockets that house the weights.
See Balanced and Lifting shutters on the website for a description of the work undertaken.

Whilst obviously a lot of the information contained is no longer relevant, much however still is, if you are lucky enough to own a pre war property with most of its original joinery intact, and there are still many such properties around then these publications and the information contained is still very relevant particularly when trying to bring back original joinery features that may be missing.

Above all though these books are a joy to hold and read. Certainly not a coffee table book!

The Architects standard catalogues, 9th edition 1939-41