The Kaufmann Mercantile Guide: How to Split Wood, Shuck an Oyster, and Master Other Simple Pleasures

A visual field guide to what we ought to know how to do, and what we'd like to learn how to do, from beloved craftsmanship-focused online shop Kaufmann Mercantile.

Kaufmann Mercantile thoughtfully curates and sells timeless products for slow living, with a focus on functionality, quality, and craftsmanship. Building from that philosophy, The Kaufmann Mercantile Guide is an everyday, accessible reference book for the utilitarian in all of us.

In this comprehensive field guide to life, editors Alexandra Redgrave and Jessica Hundley share Kaufmann Mercantile's collective expertise on 48 helpful life skills that range from what we ought to know how to do, from frying an egg to tying a tie to brewing coffee, to what we'd like to learn how to do, like splitting wood, building a fire, growing our own food, or shucking an oyster.

Organized into five instructional sections (Kitchen, Outdoors, Home, Garden, and Grooming), each is prefaced by an expert and includes original artwork to visually walk you through each "how-to" step. Supplemental sidebars feature the best tool for the job, whether it's a dibber for planting, the best rawhide-and-ash snowshoes, or flammable smoking bags for making authentic BBQ.

This guidebook is a well-considered collection of how-to's, perfect for anyone who wants to live a slow and thoughtful life, or a gift for someone who does.

Author: Sebastian Kaufmann, Alexandra Redgrave
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Published: 10/06/2015
Pages: 228
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.50lbs
Size: 8.60h x 7.10w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9781616893996

About the Author
Sebastian Kaufmann is CEO and founder of the New York-based online retailer, Kaufmann Mercantile. Originally conceived as a blog, Sebastian's strategic vision has led the company's growth to a full-scale e-commerce brand, offering the finest made products from over 300 of the world's best manufacturers in more than 20 countries. The company's dedication to sourcing and selling ethically-made and hand-picked items carries across in its careful consideration and selection criteria, as well as its commitment to telling the stories of those who made them.

Prior to founding Kaufmann Mercantile, Sebastian co-founded music video and commercial film production company Draw Pictures, where he helmed the company as CEO. In addition, he founded feature film development company Six Neighborhood Films in 2003.