Islamic Glass in the Corning Musuem of Glass: Volume 1 (Islamic Glass in the Corning Museum of Glass)

Wow! what more can we I say :)

This is the first of 3 volumes detailing the collection of Islamic glass in the Corning Museum of Glass. It documents 595 objects and fragments produced in the Islamic world between the eighth and eleventh centuries. As a publication it is beautifully and luxuriously presented. Each item is excellently photographed in color and described by David Whitehouse, the executive director of the Corning Museum. As such it would deserve a 5 star rating for glass specialists.I approached this book as someone interested in glass objects, but hardly as any particular expert. Given that the aim of these volumes is to comprehensively catalogue a large collection, is is understandable that every piece be included. Thus apart from complete (a small minority) or reconstructed items (much more common), there are many items (around 300) that are small glass fragments or parts of a whole piece. While the fragments are of some value for their designs, the average glass enthusiast would find them of relatively little interest.Examination of the Khalili Islamic glass collection catalog (expensive but superb) and the Al-Sabah catalog (cheaper but well printed) demonstrates high quality pieces that are in better condition and many that are unbroken. Very few fragments are published in these two volumes.In summary, this is a beautifully presented and printed book about a renowned collection that would be an obligatory purchase for the glass specialist. The generalist would possibly hesitate the outlay of funds.