Four Centuries of American Furniture

Took my Mom to the new Senior Center yesterday morning.  She and I tried out the exercise equipment in the fitness room and had a great time.  I think working on the machines will help her gain a lot of strength and help to improve her balance.  I wonder if there is much out there that would be considered antique exercising equipment.  I'm sure there would be something, probably hand weights and some sort of inversion apparatus.  Would be interesting to find out what else. Really just leading the very physical lives they did was a lot of exercise in itself. Have modern day conveniences turned us into marshmallows?  Don't know - but I'm not giving up my washing machine or my microwave!!

Found a great book at the library by Oscar P. Fitzgerald called Four Centuries of American Furniture.  It is copyrighted 1995 and is a follow-up volume to Three Centuries of American Furniture copyrighted 1982, which appears to have been the first edition.  It has a lot of great information but most of the photographs are in black and white, which I think is a shame.  If I can only see a picture of a piece then I would prefer it be in color because it makes the details pop so much clearer.  Still a black and white is better than nothing.  The text is very descriptive and filled with historical references and everyday history that brings the periods alive.  I will find a copy of this book for my personal library not just for its value as a reference but just to read for fun.  Take a look at it at your own library the next time you get a chance.

Happy antiquing!