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The Book of Looms – A History of the Handloom from Ancient Times to the Present

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( 23 ratings, 2 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Book of Looms by Eric Broudy is a heavily illustrated classic tracing the evolution of the handloom from ancient times to the present. It explores how this simple yet ingenious tool, often just sticks and cordage, has been used by nearly every culture worldwide for thousands of years. Broudy investigates the historical influences on the development and spread of handlooms, questions whether different cultures invented them independently, and examines how modern techniques build upon ancient weaving skills. The book highlights early technical achievements that produced magnificent textiles using rudimentary tools, underscoring that no modern technology has surpassed their inventiveness.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$6699
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book is ideal for weavers, textile historians, craft enthusiasts, and those fascinated by engineering and cultural history related to traditional technologies.

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"Broudy shows how virtually every culture, no matter how primitive, has woven on handlooms. He highlights the incredible technical achievement of primitive cultures that created magnificent textiles with the crudest of tools and demonstrates that modern technology has done nothing to surpass their skill or inventiveness"--

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A heavily illustrated classic on the evolution of the handloom.

The handloom—often no more than a bundle of sticks and a few lengths of cordage—has been known to almost all cultures for thousands of years. Eric Broudy places the wide variety of handlooms in their historical context.

What influenced their development? How did they travel from one geographic area to another? Were they invented independently by different cultures? How have modern cultures improved on ancient weaving skills and methods?

Broudy shows how virtually every culture has woven on handlooms. He highlights the incredible technical achievement of early cultures that created magnificent textiles with the crudest of tools and demonstrates that modern technology has done nothing to surpass their skill or inventiveness.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviewers praise Broudy's extensive and diverse research, drawing on sources from Egyptian tombs to Viking ship ruins. His storytelling skill vividly traces weaving's growth from simple mats and basketry to complex looms like those of the Gobelin tapestry workshop and Chinese silk producers. The Goodfellow Review of Craft suggests the book will inspire both professional and hobbyist weavers, while the Journal for Weavers, Spinners and Dyers recommends it for those interested in the historical and cultural facets of weaving.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781684580828

Publisher: Brandeis University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 29 September 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Brandeis University Press

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 12.0mm

Width: 215.0mm

Height: 279.0mm

Weight: 506g

Pages: 176

About the Author

Eric Broudy, a former freelance writer and editor, now devotes his time to fine art photography and public arts management.

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