Furniture provides a fully illustrated global perspective of the history of furniture, from Ancient Civilizations right through to cutting edge contemporary designs. From the simple to the sophisticated, the developing styles of furniture around the world are clearly illustrated with specially commissioned full-colour photography. Each chapter focuses on a specific period, opening with the historical and social background and an overview of the key elements of furniture design at the time. This is followed by spreads showcasing furniture development on a country-by-country basis - including "closer-look" features and designer profiles - and catalogue-style spreads on specific types of furniture, such as chairs, all of which help readers to recognize key styles and periods, from Baroque through to Post Modernism. DK's Furniture will emerge as the definitive work of reference on the history of furniture. It is not just a book for collectors, but for all those interested in identifying, dating and valuing their own pieces of furntiure.