Potvin and Myzelev (European art and design history and art history, U. of Guelph, Canada) compile 11 essays that examine how collecting objects from applied and decorative arts impacted the
identity and subjectivity of collectors and consumers. The premise of the volume is that collections reveal something about the collector's identity and the larger social, cultural, and
economic contexts. Focusing on English and Irish collectors during the period of 1740 to 1920, art history, design history, and material culture scholars from Europe and North America present
case studies that consider how concepts of otherness and difference affect identity (notably sexual identity and Orientalism); how objects impact space and environment; the ideological
underpinnings of specific individuals' collections; and objects as signs of meanings, pleasures, and desires that reveal racial, gendered, and sexual identities. Objects discussed include
china, Indian craft, peasant handicrafts, jewelry, and paintings. Annotation 穢2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
