Off the Wall : Wonderful Wall Coverings of the Twentieth Century / by Lena Lencek and Gideon Bosker ; in Association with Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution

San Francisco, Calif. : Chronicle ; London : Hi Marketing, Distributor, 2004. First Edition. Paperback. Hypnotic flowering vines, black-and-white Op Art odysseys, and seas of patriotic warships are just some of the beautiful, strange, and fantastic patterns that have adorned the walls of homes the world over. In the tradition of best-seller Fabulous Fabrics of the 50s, this home decor reference book entertains while it inspires with flawless reproductions of 150 classic and unique wallpapers; many of which are drawn from the collections of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Covering every decade of the century, Off the Wall celebrates robust pattern and detail in all their manifestations. Lively text and captions help to capture the designers, trends, and world events relevant to each piece, and the broader evolution of the genre, from a 1948 mural of rural America, replete with plump livestock and ripening fields, to the boldly colored abstractions produced in the 1950s by Herman Miller for MOMA. A useful resource for collectors, designers, decorators, and artists, Off the Wall is a colorful and captivating tribute to a widely appreciated medium. An exceptional copy in colour printed stiff card wrappers. Particularly and surprisingly well-preserved; tight, bright, clean and especially sharp-cornered. Literally as new. ; 120 pages; Physical desc. : 120 p. : col. ill. ; 25 cm. ""Drawn mainly from the Cooper Hewitt's extensive collection of wall coverings"" - Text. Includes bibliographical references (p. 188) and index. Subject: Wallpaper --History --20th century