1 comments about How to be a Doll Detective.

1. For some reason I did not like this book.. There was the odd reference I found informative. The author is great and has produced wonderful reference books... Maybe I am odd or at a different level, and maybe others would find this book helpful, but this is a book I would not keep in my reference library..... thank you..

No comments about BRITISH TIN TOYS.

4 comments about Famous Couples Fashion Doll Patterns: 20 Patterns.

1. I had good intentions when I had purchased this book, (a year ago) but I have YET to make anything from the pattern book. Lots of interesting ideas, but nothing that really stood out and grabbed me. I'm more of an era clothing designer and was hoping for more ideas/patterns for 1950's clothing for my Gene Doll. Some of the outfits were very creative, but the patterns NEED to be ENLARGED.
   
   Here are some pointers for those seeking additional doll patterns/designs. You can take virtually ANY pattern and enlarge or shrink by placing them over a scanner and printing from your printer. I've recently taken a Barbie pattern and had it enlarged for a Tyler Wentworth doll. Very easy. If you don't own a printer, you could do this at a printing shop very cheap. Also, mix/matching pattern pieces works well too. Perhaps there is a doll pattern that you enjoy, but you want to shorten the sleeves or add a medieval twist, etc. You can always switch out the sleeves of another pattern.
   
   Either way, the book has some good examples, but I wasn't too impressed with the patterns offered or the book as a whole. Considering the book has been collecting dust on my shelf, SPEAKS VOLUMES.



2. I own both of Hazel McMahon's books and have enjoyed making some of the outfits. I especially love this one because, 1. I'm a sucker for period costumes, 2. I'm also a sucker for romance and 3. There are costumes for my men dolls (Trent, other males have come out since this book was published).
   I was surprised to read the other review putting this book down. It's always a good idea to fit the pattern before you sew since different materials can make a big difference when sewing in such a small scale. You can always email Hazel for questions if you are having a problem with a pattern.



3. I read rave reviews for this book (and also for her other book)but my question is "has anybody really tried Ms. McMahon's patterns?!" because if you have I doubt the reviews would be as stellar as they are. There are mistakes in this book -- very basic is the seam allowance which is 5/8" or 1.5 cm. This is too large and it does not work! Also, there are steps which are missing in some of the instructions. Either that or she is assuming that we are all experts sewers. Many times, also parts do not fit properly into each other. I just wonder if she used the same patterns to create the outfits shown in the photos. It is really very frustrating to be inspired by the nice-looking photos and not be able to make them properly for yourself.



4. The new Hazel McMahon book of patterns for 15" dolls, Famous Couples Fashion Doll Patterns, just arrived. It is a 2003 imprint, and you can smell the fresh ink.

   I have her Period and Contemporary Patterns for Fashion Dolls, but this features mostly costumes of Gene's period - 1930s-1950s - which means there are similar Simplicity and Vogue patterns. I enjoyed the book, picked up some good ideas, but have only used a few of the patterns, which work well. And, of course, I haven't yet sewn from this one at all.

   However, I have looked through it, and it is a hoot. McMahon takes 10 famous couples from fact and fiction, and designs costumes that would be appropriate for them. Her couples range from Cleopatra and Marc Antony to Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. For most of the costumes, she is inspired by movies about these characters, or ones set in their period. She tries to be faithful to history in designing her costumes: the Lauren Bacall suit is almostidentical to one Bacall wears in a photograph. She also gives "bonuses": photographs of variations on her costumes and a description of how to do the variation, which means there are actually more than 20 costumes available. As in her last book, her accessories are a particularly wonderful bonus: hats and purses for the gals, and boots and sandals for the male doll.

   As in her previous book, McMahon's illustrations are very clear. Her instructions seem vague when you read them, which can make a project seem a little daunting. However, I found that in her previous book, what you needed to do became very clear as you went through the project. Although McMahon has designs rated for beginners, I think her presentation might scare them off.

   McMahon designs for all the 15" and 16" fashion dolls, and has various dolls modeling various costumes, with some astute judgment (I mean, Madra would just have to be Wallis Simpson). She cautions readers in the intro that, although all the costumes can be made for all the popular dolls, if you want to make a costume for one doll that is modeled by another, you must be very careful to cut extra margin, and to fit it on your own doll. But then she doesn't indicate which doll is modeling a particular costume, and it can be hard to guess, in particular in the case of dolls that seem to have been custom painted.

   While the fact that there are many female dolls in this size range muddies that issue, the opposite happens for the male dolls. There is only one male doll currently available, and costumers can only hope that, as other male fashion dolls in this size come on the market, they will have the same dimensions.

   McMahon rates her costumes for difficulty. Her patterns are not full size, and need to be enlarged on a photocopier - but, as she points out in her introduction, this means she was able to put in an additional 4 patterns. I enjoyed looking at this book very much, and am a confident enough sewer to expect to try and succeed with the patterns. In particular, I am very pleased that McMahon provides costume patterns for these dolls that are most original, and very different from the ones available at the fabric store.

No comments about Moritz Gottschalk, 1892-1931: Dollhouses - Doll Rooms - Kitchens - Stores - Furniture--Reprints of Original Catalog Photographs with Historical Documentation.

No comments about Country Dollmaking.

3 comments about Contemporary Hopi Kachina Dolls (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. the kachina dolls and photography were well done and could hardly be improved upon. however, the commentary is terrible; it is replete with errors; so much so that the reader is misled by unreliable information; this book should be withdrawn from the market until the errors have been corrected.



2. The pictures in this book were quite good. I would have liked the captions to match the Kachinas. Some of the errors were so blatant that I find it hard to believe the book was proofed.



3. Like many collectors of Hopi kachina/katsina dolls, I eagerly await the release of another book on the subject. I have several books by Schiffer Publishing in my library and have enjoyed each of them. Auhor Nancy Schiffer (a part of the company?) claims to be an avid collector of katsinam for the past 15 years. Her knowledge of the subject and research are some of the worst I have ever seen. There are at least three dozen ERRORS in this book. Any writer who misspells the names of two of today's MASTER carvers, Cecil Calnimptewa and Ronald Honyouti, should not have a book in print. Only one piece by Ronald is shown, but his brothers' last names are misspelled in several places. Various katsinam are wrongly named and the list of errors goes on and on. There are a number of quality books re: Hopi katsinam, but this is not one of them. Many average to below-average carvers are represented, while excellent carvers are excluded. A PLUS for this book is the number of katsinam which are included. It is the only book which has both front and back photos of every katsina. For an introduction to contemporary katsinam and reliable information, I would certainly NOT recommend this book. My suggestion is that Schiffer Publishing cease publication on this edition, rework it and REISSUE a quality product in a year or two.

1 comments about 2nd Muffy Identification & Price Guide (Muffy Vanderbear Identification & Price Guide).

1. This is an excellent source for Muffy bear collectors of all ages. The pictures and tips provide excellent resources to determine edition, completion, and price status. Ann offers a modest price guide in the back of the book that sets reasonable expectations for today's value of the bears. I would like to have seen documentation of all of the accessories. Most bears have pictures, but there are a few that do not--and many of the accessories and club pieces are not pictured or priced. Overall, a great source of information. Well-written!

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Doll Exclusives and More: Identification & Values (1977 to 1997).

1. I have looked at many many books trying to find one that would help me to easily identify Barbie. Well folks, this is it! The pictures are wonderful, brightly colored and large enough to see detail. This is a "Must Have" book if you are a collector. (or if you buy used dolls to make up an OOAK) Well worth the money spent. I highly recommend!



2. This book is the most wonderful Encyclopedia about Barbie dolls. It has so many dolls listed with descriptions, prices and pics of the dolls in their boxes. Many pink boxes, OOAK Mattel dolls and collectibles. Pictures are nice, they are from the doll in box, and there are closes on some dolls.

   If you need information on Pink Boxes, this book is the best!!! There are a new version 'cos this is not updated, the dolls showed ends on 1999. There are no 2000 dolls or 2001. But there are a second edition, so search for the new edition!




3. This book was very informative regarding dolls and values. I wish it would have had more of the "Special Edition" models and values though. Lots of pictures that are a good size for viewing and easy to see.

   This book is put together very well, the index pages in the back make it easy to locate the dolls that you are looking for. I am a beginner and this book was very helpful for me to put a value on the dolls that I already have.




4. I just received the COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA of BARBIE by JMichael Augustyniak. I thought I knew a lot about the value of eachdoll, I sell them and buy them regularly right here on amazon.com auctions. However, I opened the pages of this book and it is fantastic and a must for any serious collector. All the photos are in color, by date, series, it is all in this book. You will be amazed that some Barbies are valued in high 5 figures! I'm so glad I have this reference. Everyone who is interested in Barbie should! END



5. Maravilloso libro ! , poseo la 1ra y 2da Edicion, y son fabulosos, fotos hermosas y claras, muy bien las descripciones de cada muñeca...,Gracias Micael Augustiniak ! desde San Luis ,Argentina RITA REVUELTO

No comments about Patricia Smith's album of all bisque dolls: Identification and value guide.

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.