Basics of Style for the Artist-Blacksmith

[JWBIRONWORKS]

Basics of Style for the Artist-Blacksmith
Max Metzger
Translated from German by Robert Ruhloff
No ISBN # found
144 pages
Spiral bound

I seek knowledge where I can find it. Thats what led me to I Forge Iron to begin with. I spend my "extra" cash on tools and books. I was looking online in the book section of one of the blacksmith suppliers and trying to decide what books I thought I might get the most out of. I had already put Metzgers "Classical Techniques of Hand-Forged Iron Work" in the shopping cart and decided since I know sqat about style (My wife will vouch for that!) that maybe I'd take a chance and buy this also.
I found the book interesting but in all honesty I will have to read it several more times before I get the full value of it. It has lots of drawings and B&W plates which help alot. However I find it hard to keep track of dates and periods in time.
I'm not sure what I had hoped to gain from this reading but it could be I am confusing Style with Design. I beleive I am progressing satisfactorly with my forging skill but lack in putting "The whole picture together". I can't say this book helped with that. It did enable me to distinguish somewhat between different styles...Egyptian,Gothic, Renaissance,etc so knowledge was gained. As I said perhaps with subsequent reading I will gain more.
I have the book now and it will be a reference guide when need be. The jury is still out as to wether it was worth the price of admission.

John

P.S.
If anyone has good book on design please take the time to do a review. I would appreciate it and so will others