I have just had the pleasure of attending the opening of the Lost Arts Press new premises in Covington Cincinnati. There was happy gathering of woodworkers and friends to see two new books launched The Anarchists Design Book and a wonderful two book edition of reprints of Charles Haywards writings. Both will be useful additions to our library or the library of any woodworker. I have not had a chance to read either so I will only give a first impression.
When I answered my daughters question “Dad why are you going to Cincinatti?” the answer “I am going to the opening of a publisher friends new building” didn’t really do the job. No its not flash like that, this is a friend who has personally by hard graft turned a wreck of a building, a former lesbian club, into a great workshop space. And once a month the workspace will be transformed into a bookshop open to the public and Chris’s daughter Katie can sell her polishes earn money and help out .
The evening was a friendly woody affair with pizza arriving at regular intervals and rare and nutritious beers stacked away in the back room for whenever it was needed.
I have not had much chance to look at the two new books. Too busy drinking beer, talking and eating increasingly enormous slices of pizza. But all I can say is they are beautifully produced, hardbound and cleanly printed in America not Hong Kong.
Lost Arts Press New Books
Charles Hayward was a hero of mine. When I started this game he was retiring as editor of Woodworker magazine. He was a small man for a hero, rather like Yoda but with half-moon glasses and piercing blue eyes. He was too polite to say but his eyes said it for him “Yes young man, you may be right, but my guess is that its a lot more complicated than that.” He left a magazine highly respected due to his work. He was not a journalist as most editors, he was a trained maker and draughtsman having worked in a furniture making factory when a young man.
As he learnt his craft he was surrounded by highly skilled makers. It was these men, their ability with tools and materials, that enabled Hayward to create such vivid copy. His work over a lifetime was doing honour to these makers, their skill and knowledge.
I have only looked at the chapter headings of the two volume books of Charles H Haywards articles from Woodworker. I have no doubt this is one of the most important pair of books on woodworking to be printed this decade. There will be information there for any maker whether you have been in the business for forty year or four weeks . Just buy it here.
