The Furniture Doctor by George Grotz

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Furniture Repair, Refinishing & Decorating Ideas

Furniture Book

The Furniture Doctor by George Grotz

The Furniture Doctor
by George Grotz

Paperback: 366 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.02 x 8.17 x 5.38
Publisher: Doubleday; (December 18, 1989)
ISBN: 0385266707

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Ingram: The best known book in its field, The Furniture Doctor has sold more than a quarter million copies and is now available for the first time in paperback. 141 illustrations.

From the Publisher: The best-selling guide to keeping furniture in the finest and most beautiful condition, with complete information on proper repair and refinishing techniques from the legendary expert on antiques and their restoration.

Customer Reviews
Great for do-it-yourselfers, December 4, 2001
Reviewer: historydoc from San Francisco, Ca USA
This is a 'bible' for the average amateur and full of good tips for both the experienced and fussy wood worker. I've used it for more than 30 years. Whenever I have a problem I start my research with this book, and I usually come back to it again after looking at a number of other sources. There are suggestions that you'll not find anywhere else. The humor is a delight. However Grotz wrote most of this before the development of many current ideas about how to preserve antiques. I imagine that employing some of his suggestions might lead to a reduction in the market value of an item. However, I don't think it will ever lead to a reduction in your personal enjoyment of the piece.

Absolutely Useful, November 20, 2001
Reviewer: lomein from Clinton, ME USA
I've used this book for 30 years - to learn about furniture, to learn about tools and, most of all, to learn how to finish, re-finish and repair furniture. It's an invaluable reference and guide with no pretentions. The drawings are excellent - you're not buying a lot of glossy photos of unaffordable furniture. Grotz's style is folks-y and sometimes coy, but it doesn't get in the way of the wealth of information he shares.

Good reference book for restoring finishes on furniture, October 27, 1999
Reviewer: Treasured Things Antiques from Brownsville, TN
I have the original version of this book and use it whenever I need to restore a finish on antique furniture. Easy to read and full of humor.

An interesting read but not a brilliant resource., August 14, 1999
Reviewer: phil_twiss@hotmail.com from Nannup, Western Australia
I found the book to be a reasonably interesting read, if not a little too cynical at times. The tips and tricks could be useful but I would be reluctant to let the author anywhere near a half decent piece of furniture. His apparent disdain for the use of hand tools devalued the whole book in my eyes, and made me shudder to think what people might do to fine tools if they followed his advice on sharpening and tuning. If you are in the market for useful, cheap pointers and are not overly concerned about potentially messing something up, then its not a bad book.

This book is hilarious!, May 12, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Idaho Falls, ID
The other 2 reviews accurately describe the contents of "The Furniture Doctor", but they fail to mention how much fun it is to read. George Grotz is a riot. There is hardly a paragraph in the book that won't make you laugh. This is a great way to learn the ins and outs of all things furniture-ish.

A manual for buying and restoring antiques. Wonderful find!, January 10, 1999
Reviewer: A reader from Atlanta, GA
This book is *very* practical for anyone interested in refinishing their own furniture or just shopping for antiques. It covers everything from acquisition to restoration to how to recognize fakes to identifying period styles. It is full of practical advice and technical "how-tos" , recommended waxes, where to find suppliers for special tools, and so on. I flipped through several books at the bookstore before buying this one. It stands out as an encyclopedia of information on refinishing antiques and it is very readable. I was glad to have it to refer to when I redid some of my family heirlooms. It is well organized and *full* of good information.

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The Furniture Doctor
by George Grotz
Paperback: 366 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 1.02 x 8.17 x 5.38
Publisher: Doubleday; (December 18, 1989)
ISBN: 0385266707