1 comments about Naughties: Nudies & Bathing Beauties.

1. Arrested by the photos on its cover, I picked up Sharon Weintraub's NAUGHTIES, NUDIES, AND BATHING BEAUTIES and bought it on impulse. I opened it, and almost instantly came down with collector's fever. The author's enthusiasm is contagious, and her personal collection breathtaking. The narrative on the history and manufacture of the mostly German, mostly bisque figurines is expert and easy to follow (infectious, you might even say). But familiarity breeds covetousness when it comes to this book, so beware!

   Ironically, the "nudies" and "bathing beauties," originally novelties and souvenirs bought to shock and titillate, are probably most attractive today to women, especially those with feminist bents. This is because we see them now as depicting the wonderful time when women were tossing out their corsets and wearing comfortable clothing, when we got to feel the sand in our toes,to cavort like Isadora Duncan in the sunshine. The book begins with a fascinating, lavishly illustrated chapter about that period in our history.

   With the caveat that you will want to spend your kid's college tuition on what you previously might have thought of as knick-knacks...buy this book.

3 comments about The Collectible Barbie Doll: An Illustrated Guide to Her Dreamy World.

1. I have looked through this book and also bought another in the series.It is fantastic,and anyone who is still interested in Barbie at all should not hesitate-buy it today!!!! It reveals hundreds of Barbies from the beginning of her existence,and is so fascinating and you might even see one that you once owned.



2. And illustrated it certainly is! This is the first Barbie doll book I had read and now I am hooked on her world. It tells her story from the beginning and brings it to the present day, all the while illustrating it with dolls from all eras. Although the 2nd edition (which is the one I read) is expanded, I would like to have seen a little more of the late 1980's-present. Overall, if you don't know much about Barbie and would like to find a place to start this book is it!



3. "The Collectible Barbie Doll" is a fascinating read about the world's most-loved doll. From her early beginnings in 1959, through the sixties, right up to now, Barbie has been everything from Ken's girlfriend right through to an astronaut, covers every race from Caucasian to Japanese, and the hair to match. Fennick's book captures all of this, whether the reader wants an unabridged history of the world's most famous doll or just wants to see the wardrobe! This is THE book for the Barbie fan, and it is definitely one for the collector.

3 comments about The Hopi Approach to the Art of Kachina Doll Carving.

1. Author Erik Bromberg provides the reader with a good, basic introduction to the art of kachina doll carving. The photography of Michael Mouchette is simple in style and foremat ... place the doll in front of a gray or brown background and shoot. Price is what makes this book most appealing. It's publication date of 1986, however, leaves the reader without a TRUE picture of the advances made in this art form over the past decade. Pick up a copy of this book; it's worth the initial investment. Then take an additional step ... compare it to a book from the mid 90's ... you'll SEE the difference!



2. This book is one of the best I've seen on the subject of kachina dolls and their carvers. A great reference as well as a strong introduction to the art. Describes the differences between Hopi and Navajo styles, with high quality photos. Along with my Barton Wright, this book is invaluable as a collecting reference book. The appendix includes a big list of Hopi carvers' names and a page of translated symbols.



3. This book is one of the best I've seen on the subject of kachina dolls and their carvers. A great reference as well as a strong introduction to the art. Describes the differences between Hopi and Navajo styles, with high quality photos. Along with my Barton Wright, this book is invaluable as a collecting reference book. The appendix includes a big list of Hopi carvers' names and a page of translated symbols.

1 comments about Rare & Lovely Dolls: Two Centuries of Beautiful Dolls.

1. I had the pleasure of meeting John Darcy Noble in 1999, and we've quickly become kindred spirits in the world of dolls. You can imagine my pleasure when he announced the publication of Rare and Lovely Dolls of Two Centuries! Told only as John Darcy Noble can, the book takes you on a magical tour of history. Not only do you learn about the rare value of dolls in our history, but John tells of meeting these dolls in such a way that the reader is drawn into the life of each. For anyone interested in how dolls play a part in the history of mankind, for anyone who enjoys being drawn into different worlds, for anyone who would love to meet the author, I recommend Rare and Lovely Dolls of Two Centuries. It's a rare and lovely book.

5 comments about The Official Price Guide to Dolls.

1. In answer to the last review, the book has 900 photos. Nearly all dolls have pricing for both eBay and also non-eBay sources, and the methodology for pricing is clearly set forward in the first chapter. Each secton on a particular doll also has a market analysis for that doll.



2. I found this book not up to par with some other doll collecting guides I have. It doesn't have enough pictures. I don't know how the author came up with some of the values. -It seems she just searched Ebay to find what the dolls were worth, I could have done that.



3. This book was helpful in finding the value of some dolls, the pricing was pretty acurate compared to other books



4. I think that this book is very helpful, lots of information for a very resonable price



5. Once you start collecting one type of doll, your eyes start noticing all the other dolls as well and you begin to realize that dolls have an important connection to fashion, art, history, and technology. The Official Price Guide to Dolls by Denise Van Patten gives testimony to that thought shared by many avid doll collectors.
   
   I like her easy-to-read format of the doll listings and photos. Her contemporary presentation of up-to-date facts prefaced in each category give straightforward details regarding the dolls' features and histories. Investors and buyers alike will find the pricing information helpful.
   
   Denise does a super and thorough chapter on educating the doll collector on how to use the Internet and Ebay for buying and selling dolls. This informaion is priceless for many who are anxious to learn about this important technological impact on doll collecting and how to get started. She generously shares her best tips and pitfalls one should be aware of.
   
   The book itself is of managable size and fits in your purse to take to a doll shop, show or museum. It is well worth the reasonable price for a great reference tool plus it makes a sweet beside book of dreams for the insatiable doll collector.

No comments about Norah Wellings Cloth Dolls and Soft Toys.

No comments about Collectors Guide to Nesting Dolls: Histories, Identification, Values.

No comments about Fashion Dolls.

1 comments about The Jumeau Doll.

1. Concise, accurate review of Jumeau history. Lovely photos, sharp in focus, great detail. (And big enough to really see!) Enjoyable browsing anytime.

No comments about Patsy Doll Family Encyclopedia.