American Peasant, Christopher Schwarz (book)

American Peasant by Christopher Schwarz from Lost Art Press is an introduction to a style of furniture and decoration almost unheard of in the Americas. Built primarily with tongues, grooves and pegs, the furniture is frequently engraved with geometric symbols that beautify the piece and protect its owner.

You will learn to build 10 simple pieces with common tools and whatever lumber is on hand, and to engrave them using only a cheap craft knife and a vinyl flooring cutter (Crucible has since made its own engraving tool). The book also covers other areas that make you a more independent woodworker: making your own glue from three grocery-store ingredients (gelatin, salt and water) that is strong, reversible and non-toxic, and your own finish of beeswax, linseed oil and citrus solvent that is easy to apply and repair and looks better with age.

Finally, you'll learn the language of the engravings, from Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and the U.K., which by tradition protect from sickness, guard valuables and grant good fortune.

Projects in the book:
Pristolnic (bread stamp)
Wall rack
High Carpathian wall cabinet
Plate rack
Wall cupboard
Small coffer
Large coffer
Cupboard
Peasant chair
Boarded tool chest (appendix)

The 312-page book is 6" × 9", printed in Tennessee on matte-coated paper. The pages are sewn, glued and reinforced, and attached to heavy cotton-covered boards with a two-colour foil stamp.