Chris Pye: Woodcarving
Recommended Books

Carving Architectural Detail in Wood
By Frederick Wilbur

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Over the years I have been asked many times whether I can recommend books on classical ornamental carving and I've always replied that you have to look around and garner where you can; there isn't anything. Well, now there is!

While no one book can be complete in the range of items it covers or deal with all that a carver might wish to know - at least without needing a wheelbarrow to take it to the workshop - here we have a really excellent attempt at outlining the scope of 'architectural' carving; how it builds up from units.
Dipping into classical design, Wilbur demonstrates how to go about this sort of carving, how to train your eye, even.

Fig 7.3: A crossetted Mirror Frame, with pulvinated frieze in the entablature, designed and made by the author after examples of the Empire (Regency) period.

There are sections on classical design, mouldings, volutes, rosettes, capitals and so on, and, indeed, as the cover says, it is 'a thorough primer for woodcarvers in the vocabulary of classical ornament and the practical skills needed to carve it'.
Some items such as ribbons, swags and shells are absent from the main body; appearing only in the illustrations of extant pieces of furniture and architecture. But, as I implied, there's a vast amount one could cover; and book sizes are limited today by budgets.

This is a very rich book; excellently illustrated - mostly with Wilbur's own photographs and drawings; clearly organised and written. Many of the illustrations are just a pleasure to gaze at.

The carving methods are generally sound, although perhaps not as tidy as they might be at times - this may be the cruel eye of the camera - and a little crude in places. But Wilbur himself seems to acknowledge this in a personal note and imperfections are well countered by the many fine examples.
Mercifully Frederick Wilbur has left out all the obligatory sharpening and using of carving tools, which is well covered elsewhere, and gets straight into the work.

I was excited to see "Carving Architectural Detail in Wood"; I could only wish for more of the same.
If you are at all interested in classical ornamentation of furniture, frames - whatever - then this book must be on your shelf.

In addition to Carving Architectural Detail in Wood, Wilbur now has 2 further books: Carving Classical Styles in Wood, a continuation of the first and Decorative Woodcarving: Accessories for the Home.

Frederick Wilbur's Website

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