2,808 pages of "industrially manufactured objects of aesthetic value and timeless quality". It's one of those books you can label definitive and "the reference". If product or industrial design is an important part of your life, this tome is probably worthy of a place on your bookshelf. Presented chronologically, and featuring 999 products in all, this illustrated sourcebook covers notable product design since the early 1600's, starting with a pair of Chinese bonsai scissors and ending with Barber Osgerby’s Lunar bath accessories. At once a catalog and a history book it's also a document that captures the evolution of taste and culture. Each product is presented on two, four or six pages and is accompanied by a text written by a design expert. The texts provide context, key information and insights into each designer's work. The three volumes come in a single-use carrying unit designed by Konstantin Grcic, which will likely make the book the 1,000th notable object in PDC II. Hardcover, 2,808 pages, 3,000 color illustrations, 500 B&W illustrations, $110.25 at Amazon. Thanks Zania!

+ Phaidon Design Classics at Amazon