Timeless Sources: Rare Books in the Cooper-Hewitt Museum

On view are selected volumes of illustrated rare books on design, chosen from the Cooper-Hewitt collection of more than 3,000 volumes dating from the 16th through the 20th centuries. Highlighting the importance of illustrated books as tools in the design process, the exhibition offers pattern books for the study of ornamentation; books showing outstanding examples of architecture and interior design; treatises on perspective; technical manuals; works on landscape and theater design; catalogs of famous collections; technical encyclopedias in decorative arts; manufacturers' trade catalogs; books relating to international exhibitions and world fairs; and examples of rare design magazines.

Illustrated handbook: Design of Books