3 comments about A Guide to Zuni Fetishes & Carvings, Volume II: The Materials & The Carvers.

1. This is a book that collectors should have. As a beginner, I did not find it as interesting as the first volume. But it is well worth the money. If you could only have volume one or two, I would say get the first. But because they are both such inexpensive book, you should have both around. They are both well indexed. I found information about every carver that I was looking for listed in the index of either this or the first book.



2. In this valuable sequel to Volume I, McManus provides additional information and understanding of this unique art. There is no one better qualified to discuss these wonderful creations and their contemporary carvers. The author does so in a fashion that will fascinate and educate both the novice and experienced collector. One can only hope that McManus will continue with this exceptional series.



3. This handy little volume packs a lot in its pages. If you have been collecting and want to move beyond the "oh isn't this pretty" stage and know more about the pieces you have and the ones you are selecting, this is the volume for you. McManis clearly and concisely discusses the wide range of materials used in carving (from pipestone and turquoise to jet and glass) and the main carving families. The volume is filled with pictures that are modern (not recycled 70s and 80s photos as in some other books) and gloriously clear. This book is a companion to McManis' A Guide to Zuni Fetishes: Volume I: The Animals and the Carvers and the two work well together. Those new to fetishes (and collector's interested in a solid reference text) will want volume I to complete their education on this wonderful art form.

No comments about British 19th Century Marine Painting.

1 comments about Ronson's Art Metal Works (Schiffer Military History).

1. This is one of a series of books by the same author covering "unique" manufactured items including cigarette lighters, ballpoint and fountain pens, and flashlights among others. It is also a collector's price guide. One should read the Introduction and History sections carefully because the rest of the book consists primarily of pictures and captions.
   My interest was piqued when the dust jacket blurb listed hood ornaments. L.V. Aronson started doing business as The Art Metal Works in the 1880's. They are said to have made the first hood ornaments manufactured for sale in the U.S. in about 1909. Since I am helping the San Diego (CA) Automotive Museum catalog its hood ornament collection, and we have one of these, I bought the book.
   Unfortunately only one hood ornament (of several they made) is covered. It is a 1915 Uncle Sam with "America First" emblazoned on it. While I think the author has confused "patriotism" with "isolationism" in his discussion of it, nonetheless it is an interesting piece. But even more interesting is the picture on page 100 of a 1909 Smiling Baby Buddha figurine which became the first U.S. hood ornament, "GOBBO". My source informs me they came in three sizes - large (trucks), medium (cars) and small (bicycles). He owns a complete set. The author informs us that it wasn't unusual for companies to "borrow" figures they (or others) made for one use and change it to another.
   About 1923, GOBBO's head became an incense burner (page 110) with "I am GOBBO - God of Good Luck" inscribed on the side with L.V. Aronson's mark on the bottom. This same inscription appears on the hood ornaments.
   When WWII ended, the various items the company was producing such as incesne burners, bookends, aquarium stands, figurines, etc., were discontinued and the company focused on making cigarette lighters and associated items which were the most profitable,

No comments about Pacific Pottery: Sunshine Tableware from the 1920s, '30s, and '40s...and more!.

No comments about How to Buy and Sell Art.

No comments about A Western Legacy: The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum (Western Legacies).

4 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Flow Blue China.

1. This book along with the entire series of Flow Blue books by Mary Frank Gaston are vital in Flow Blue identification and history. This book is brimming with photos and identification marks, along with manufacturing dates and makers. There is also a section on 'fakes' and how to look for and avoid them.
   Each book has different photos of the many patterns and shapes Flow Blue comes in. I highly recommend owning a copy of each of Ms. Gaston's books if you are a true Flow Blue collector. You will enjoy these books for years to come. They are well made with high quality color and material.
   Enjoy!



2. I have been seriously collecting only a few months now and have decided to sell. This book is well organized and the best of 3 reference books on flow blue that I have. The hard cover is a good idea since I think I would wear it down to stubs if it had been a paperback!!



3. If you collect, are interested in collecting, or want to identify and value flow blue items, this book is a must. You can look up items by pattern, which are cross-referenced to the manufacturers' names. The book is full of color photographs of makers' marks as well as examples of hundreds of patterns on various types of pieces. The back of the book contains values for the photographed pieces. Another helpful feature is the section on reproductions. This is a great reference book.



4. This is an essential guide for collectors of flow blue china. It features over 400 pieces photographed in color and described in detail.

   For identification purposes, all of the manufacturers' marks on these pieces are shown in enlarged b/w photos. There are also cross-references for manufacturers and their patterns and types of objects other than plates.

   For the collector, there is a history of flow blue, information on collecting methods, a glossary, and market trends including modern reproductions to watch out for. A current value guide is also provided for all the items illustrated.

   The photography is excellent. Captions for each item include maker & pattern, size and reference to the photo of the mark. This will be a great reference for the beginning or advanced collector of this beautiful style.

1 comments about American Art Pottery: Identification & Values.

1. 
   I purchased this book to aid in cataloging an existing collection and found it to be of no use for this task. Some of the other books are much more helpful. I was impressed with his research information on the American potteries, but found the pictures to be limited and the shape numbers were difficult to read ( very tiny print)and pictures of signatures were unclear, and prices were limited to the pieces shown. If I had been interested in the history of pottery in America this book would have been excellent because many potteries were listed.

1 comments about The Fine Art of Russian Lacquered Miniatures.

1. This is a large, excellent book on the traditional Russian art of lacquered miniature painting. Over 250 color reproductions of the works of Masters are featured. This is really the definitive book on the craft. The art is famous for its tiny, but finely-detailed illustrations of folk tales or village life, painted free-hand with a homemade brush of a single squirrel or sable hair. Real gold leaf and mother-of-pearl insets add to the beauty and value of the paintings, which are created on papier-mache' shkatulki (boxes) or plaques. Many layers of lacquer finish the artwork, giving it a long-lasting, lustrous, three-dimensional quality (and incidentally, its name). Each creation can take several months, or as much as a year, to complete. Some of the rarest, most magnificent paintings are presented in these pages. The book contains a history of the craft and its Masters. Also included are short essays on each of the four schools -- the villages of Palekh, Kholui, Mstera, and Fedoskino -- which have produced generations of painters in this enduring and endearing folk art.

No comments about Survey of Chester County, Pennsylvania Architecture.