The Joiner and Cabinet Maker

The anonymously written 1839 edition of The Joiner and Cabinet Maker followed the fictional career of Thomas, a young 19th-century English carpenter's apprentice, through his training in traditional joinery and casework techniques.

Moskowitz, a book collector, history buff and expert woodworker, collaborated with Schwarz, editor of Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine, to republish this expanded version that brings the 170-year-old volume to life for modern readers. Placing the work in historical context, an introductory chapter and footnotes throughout the original unaltered text illuminate a tradesman's life in that era, from social conditions to the tools in common use.

Of particular interest to woodworkers, Schwarz completes three of the projects described, using modern hand tools to build a chest of drawers, a packing box, and a school box. He documents every step in text and black-and-white photographs, and provides dimensioned drawings and complete cutting lists.

It is an eye-opening glimpse into 19th-century carpentry, with much to teach woodworkers in this century about traditional hand tools.

Hardcover, 6" × 9", 373 pages, reprinted in 2009.