Does a ukulele "coffee table" photo book exist?

JCryan · Jul 5, 2015

I have books pertaining to guitars and cigar box guitars which feature countless photos of those instruments with brief descriptions, but I have yet to find one pertaining to ukuleles.

I'd love to have one that features ukuleles throughout the past several decades.

Does such a book exist?

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

Yep. Closest thing there is is Jim Beloff's 'The Ukulele'. It was available in a lovely hardback edition with a pretty green cloth bound spine and is overflowing with beautiful pictures of ukes over the decades,coupled with a concise, readable history. Beautiful book. It doesn't have the huge dimensions of a coffee table book exactly (24cm x 19cm), but still is a lovely laid out production and the hardback edition gives it some gravitas.

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

Oh, there's also another awesome book which definitely meets "coffee table" criteria called Finding Paradise which is more of a Hawaii history but has a sweet section devoted to the ukulele. Was given as a gift tome by my wife some years back and it is a real treasure.

JCryan · Jul 5, 2015

Hippie Dribble said:
Yep. Closest thing there is is Jim Beloff's 'The Ukulele'.

I found "the Ukulele: A Visual History" by Jim Beloff on Amazon.com

If this is the book you are referencing, let me know and I'll grab it. ;-)

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

JCryan said:
I found "the Ukulele: A Visual History" by Jim Beloff on Amazon.com

If this is the book you are referencing, let me know and I'll grab it. ;-)

That's the one. Get the hardcover edition if you can!

JCryan · Jul 5, 2015

Thank you.

I was only able to purchase the 2003 hardcover edition in "good" used condition (new was not an option), but I'm sure it will get plenty of use since I'm presently unable to play my ukuleles due to a pinched nerve in my neck (if you can't play, you might as well look). lol

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

JCryan said:
Thank you.

I was only able to purchase the 2003 hardcover edition in "good" used condition (new was not an option), but I'm sure it will get plenty of use since I'm presently unable to play my ukuleles due to a pinched nerve in my neck (if you can't play, you might as well look). lol

Excellent. 2003 was the year the 2nd Ed. was published that was revised and updated - in my opinion a better publication than the '97 1st Ed. And good to get a hardback copy, I don't think the editions beyond 2003 are even available in that format. You'll love it.

Down Up Dick · Jul 5, 2015

I saw a hard bound "coffee table book" on Martin Guitars (?) Ukuleles (?) at Barnes & Noble--not sure which.

ld:

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

Down Up Dick said:
I saw a hard bound "coffee table book" on Martin Guitars (?) Ukuleles (?) at Barnes & Noble--not sure which. ld:

The Martin Ukulele, Tom Walsh & John King.

Down Up Dick · Jul 5, 2015

Thanks, Hippie, if I may call you that. I have some small, 8 or 9 inch square books, and, while they're not really coffee table books, they're interesting and tell a lot about Ukes.

Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

ld:

hollisdwyer · Jul 5, 2015

Hippie Dribble said:
Yep. Closest thing there is is Jim Beloff's 'The Ukulele'. It was available in a lovely hardback edition with a pretty green cloth bound spine and is overflowing with beautiful pictures of ukes over the decades,coupled with a concise, readable history. Beautiful book. It doesn't have the huge dimensions of a coffee table book exactly (24cm x 19cm), but still is a lovely laid out production and the hardback edition gives it some gravitas.

Thanks for this info. I just ordered one from Amazon, used. It should get here by my birthday at the end of August.

Doc_J · Jul 5, 2015

There's a really nice " coffee table " book on The Tony Ku Vintage Ukulele Collection. It may be out of print.
http://www.theukulelesite.com/vintage-ukuleles-the-tony-ku-collection.html

turtledrum · Jul 5, 2015

Hippie Dribble said:
Oh, there's also another awesome book which definitely meets "coffee table" criteria called Finding Paradise which is more of a Hawaii history but has a sweet section devoted to the ukulele. Was given as a gift tome by my wife some years back and it is a real treasure.

Thanks for the tip! I visited Hawaii for the first time a few weeks ago and now can't wait f or my copy of this book to arrive. MAHALO!

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

Awesome! To me, Finding Paradise is just one of those must-have books in your library. It's gorgeous. And revealing.

Here's a blurb for anyone that may also be interested in it:

Spanning the period from pre-Western contact to statehood, Finding Paradise examines in text and images the art, the culture (both high and low), and the mystique of the Hawaiian Islands. A lavishly illustrated book that includes over 500 color photographs, Finding Paradise features extensive coverage of paintings and painters, prints and printmakers, and a valuable discussion of "The Hawai'i One Hundred," a list comprised of one hundred essential books printed before the end of the nineteenth century. There are also essays on surfing, the 'ukulele, the promotion of Hawai'i as an island "paradise," and the development of the Hawaiian quiltmaking tradition, as well as sculpture and the decorative arts (ceramics, furniture, and jewelry).

Hippie Dribble · Jul 5, 2015

hollisdwyer said:
Thanks for this info. I just ordered one from Amazon, used. It should get here by my birthday at the end of August.

Great Hollis, I think as a graphic artist/designer you'll appreciate this enormously mate. Wall to wall eye candy and every colour of the rainbow.

ukulelekarcsi · Jul 6, 2015

The Martin ukulele book and the other John King book are excellent history books, but not 'coffee table' by my definition, where nice pictures dominate the texts.

- The 'Visual history' by Jim Beloff is the best choice, while not very big in format (the woven spine and fabulous photographs to earn it it's coffee table status). Beloff also has eye for graphics, ads, old photographs, string packages...
- The Tony Ku one is good recommendation, much larger, but rather expensive and only having 'mug shot' photographs of ukuleles.
- Daniel Dixon's posthumously published 'The World's Friendliest Instrument' is about the same size as Beloff's book but in a square format, hard covers, tons of illustrations, but is a bit light and lame on the actual texts. But this would be my second choice, after Beloff's highly recommended book.

Surly-Mac · Jul 6, 2015

I didn't know that I needed such a thing until I found this thread! Off to Amazon...

hollisdwyer · Jul 6, 2015

Hippie Dribble said:
Great Hollis, I think as a graphic artist/designer you'll appreciate this enormously mate. Wall to wall eye candy and every colour of the rainbow.

Although I lectured in an Art & Design College, I couldn't draw the proverbial straight line. My study areas were photography, film production and later, computer graphics and animation.

kapahulu50 · Jul 7, 2015

This month's hana hou magazine (hawaiian air lines ) has a great feature with full page photos of some incredible vintage instruments

UkerDanno · Jul 7, 2015

Surly-Mac said:
I didn't know that I needed such a thing until I found this thread! Off to Amazon...

me neither and after checking Amazon, hardcover editions range from $35 to $500?!?!?!

Does a ukulele "coffee table" photo book exist?

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