As the author of 34 books on the decorative arts, and with his work as a consultant at Christy's for over a decade, Duncan is certainly qualified to write a "complete" and "definitive" work, which is how the title and subtitle of this hefty volume characterize its intent. His introduction emphasizes the broad reach of Art Deco and the lack of consensus about what the style encompasses exactly, as it sprang from Art Nouveau roots but reaches into a Modernist sensibility, as it spread from a French mix of ornamentation and functionality to related versions specific to other countries. With about 1,000 color images and thorough text, coverage includes furniture and interior decoration, sculpture, paintings, graphics, posters, bookbinding, glass, ceramics, lighting, textiles, metal, lacquer and enamel, and jewelry. Profiles of designers, artists, and manufacturers--in an A-Z listing--occupy a couple hundred pages; and a glossary and select bibliography round out the offering. Generous-sized display of images is afforded by the oversize format (9.5x13"). Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)