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Located in the city once called the "Furniture Capital of the World," the Grand Rapids Public Library holds one of the world's finest collections of books devoted to furniture history and design. It is primarily used by practicing furniture designers, researchers of furniture history, decorative arts curators, students of furniture history and design, antique collectors and hobbyists. The core of the Furniture Design Collection was acquired in 1904 from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition World's Fair at St. Louis when the Library purchased every furniture title available from the French Book Trade Exhibit. Subsequently, both the Library and the Grand Rapids Furniture Designers Association have added hundreds of important titles published in various languages. The Collection has been further enhanced by the donation of private book collections of retired local designers. Now numbering over 4,000 items (excluding periodicals and Trade Catalogs), the Collection continues to grow. Access is available through the GRPL on-line catalog and requests for material are made though the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department Center.The collection is for reference use only. The Furniture Design Collection is national and international in scope.
Local and some Michigan furniture holdings, including furniture trade
catalogs and trade periodicals, are housed in the archives of the Grand
Rapids History & Special Collections. Furniture Design and History Links Search our Furniture and Business Periodical Index - An index of Furniture Manufacturer / Artisan, Grand Rapids Furniture Record, Michigan Artisan, and Michigan Tradesman. (1883-1949) Archival Collections - Finding Aids - Furniture History Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library Fine Furniture - PDF copies of publications (May 1936 - December 1937) Furniture Manufacturer and Artisan (1911-1949) Furniture Trade Periodicals at the Grand Rapids Public Library Grand Rapids - the Furniture Capital of America Grand Rapids Furniture Record (1900-1939) Herman Miller Furniture Consortium Michigan Artisan - PDF copies of Publications (1905 - 1909) Michigan Furniture Manufacturers List Weekly Artisan - PDF copies of publications (July 1909 - December 1920) Compiled by Richard Vettese |
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