Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain - Tapa dura

It is still an indispensable guide to plasterwork. Geoffrey Beard added substantially to the literature. Since its publication its relevance has increased as the need to understand the history of plaster became quite urgent... There is no other book that compares to Decorative Plasterwork in Great Britain for its authority and comprehensive treatment of the subject... Any academic, artist, craftsperson or architect will benefit from reading it and should have a copy of their own. Journal of Architectural Conservation This was an important study which, for its breadth of coverage and appreciation of craftsmanship, has never been superseded... [it] is a direct reprint of the first edition, with the addition of a short foreword by the contemporary plasterer Jeff Orton and a longer introduction by the decorative conservation practitioner, Richard Ireland, who worked on the restoration of the plasterwork at Uppark. Ireland provides a very useful and succinct summary of the advances in technical knowledge that have taken place since 1975, covering materials, techniques and good conservation practice... This is an excellent introduction to the craft, which has largely stood the test of time. It is strongly commended to a new generation of readers. Context, May 2011