 | Tales from the Blue Ox
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Tales from the Blue Ox is a collection of the best tools, techniques, recipes and general common sense gleaned from the history of Victorian-era ingenuity. Interspersed with these gems of nearly forgotten wisdom is the story of one of Northern California’s least-known treasures, the Blue Ox Millworks Historic Park. The Blue Ox is a combination living-history museum, sawmill, and custom woodworking shop, specializing in the distinctive gingerbread decoration of Victorian-era homes. It is also a workplace for area artisans and craftspeople whose work ranges from blacksmithing and metal casting to boat building, pottery and vintage printing. |
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Although the Blue Ox has frequently been the subject of magazine articles and news coverage, this book marks the first attempt to tell its entire story, while sharing the skills that have been kept alive there. Starting with a tale of the Victorian craftsmanship that inspired it all, subsequent chapters elaborate on crafts and skills practiced at the Blue Ox, accompanied by detailed illustrations of the processes described. Topics range from wood turning, to blacksmithing, to ornamental plaster molding, with a narrative that gives readers enough basic information to further explore the crafts on their own. Also included are dozens of formulas for homemade paints, varnishes, glues, and other concoctions useful to artisans and craftsmen alike. Lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 pen-and-ink drawings, Tales from the Blue Ox is a source of both information and inspiration for anyone interested in the traditional arts and/or the golden age of craftsmanship: the Victorian Era. |
Dan Brett is a writer and illustrator with a strong interest in traditional skills and self-sufficiency. Originally from the Midwest, he headed west as a young man and—after extensive traveling that included a five-year stint in Germany—settled down in Northern California, where he now lives with his wife, Miriam. He was introduced to Eric Hollenbeck and the Blue Ox through a mutual blacksmithing friend, and was immediately enthralled with the spirit and vision he found there. This book is the culmination of that interest. Dan has written articles for Backpacker and California Blacksmith, and is the author of Hike America: Northern California (2001, Globe Pequot Press)
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Tales from the Blue Ox |
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