5 comments about Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years: Identification & Values (Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years).

1. I love this book. It's colorful and informative. It was much cheaper than the book store. It arrived in excellent condition.



2. This book goes everywhere with me! I've bought a lot of reference books, and it's definitely one of the best.



3. THIS BOOK IS NOT ONLY A NECESSITY TO USE TO KNOW THE VALUE OF ANTIQUE GLASSWARE, IT SO INTERESTING JUST TO BROWSE THROUGH WITH ALL THE COLORFUL GLASSWARE AND ITEMS YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS AND SOME I'VE NEVER SEEN. I'VE REALLY ENJOYED LOOKING AT THIS BOOK OVER AND OVER AGAIN.



4. An excellent resource superior to their book on Oven Ware. I would highly recommend. Lots of pictures and values.



5. I have been using Florence's books for research and pricing. What a world of help and knowledge!!!I recommend this book for those, like me, who are new and need a helping hand and guidance as well as for those who have been in the business for years. My thanks!!!

2 comments about University of Notre Dame Football Vault (College Vault).

1. Product arrived on time and was exactly as described. My ND fan absolutely loved it!!!



2. I purchased this collection for my Father In-Law, a devout ND fan, for Christmas. It was highly recommended by the Notre Dame Alumni site and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who might be interested!

5 comments about Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2007 (Antique Trader Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide).

1. This book is chuck full of antigues with prices and pictures, I highly recommend it!!!



2. The 2007 Edition of Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide is superb. Filled with gorgeous color photography and to the point descriptions, this modern guide has become a leader in the field. I highly recommend that you add this guide to your library without delay!



3. The weighty yet portable Antique Trader guide Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2007 may not fit in a jacket pocket but it will easily be a take-along to any garage sale or flea market for avid collectors. Public libraries strong in collectibles price guides and private collectors alike will find this annual reference follows the market, offering up the latest prices and some 5,000 new color photos and upgrades to this latest edition.



4. As always a useful reference for the collector. My wife and I buy and sell glassware as well as other small collectibles and antiques and find this to be one of the more useful general guides for pricing and identifying a range of items.



5. This book works well to get a general idea of the value of items, but it has some bare spots. They cover some items in great detail and others in very general terms.
   
   I would have liked it better if there was more discussion about what causes the variation in prices of certain categories.

2 comments about George Inness and the Visionary Landscape.

1. A delight and pleasure to read in every way. Bell's George Inness and the Visionary Landscape is a model art book: highly informative, extremely well researched, and intelligently written. The text is divided between a lengthy introductory chapter and then several sections--such as "Science, Art, and the Visionary in Italy," "The Rhythm of the Working Hand," and "The Anonymous Figure"--that contain shorter texts describing various aspects of Inness's work and splendid color reproductions. Bell writes beautifully and reflects her obvious love of the subject. At the end, you want to go out and see all of Inness's work for yourself. A highly recommended publication!



2. Hungry for everything I could get my hands on regarding the great Hudson River artist George Inness, I spotted this book in Borders bookstore and immediately bought it. It will be one that I visit from time to time, but not for the text. It does have several reproductions of works I had not seen previously, and they are printed excellently (albeit radically reduced in size) on very thick stock.
   
   This is where the quality stops. One has to wonder why the size is so diminutive, especially for a color repro book. In several places, it takes a magnifying glass to view the works at their best. Why publishers skimp on size (and in many places, using black and white over color reproduction) is beyond me, and I would imagine that art lovers everywhere would agree.
   
   Rather than give a history of the artist in full, Bell concentrates on the spiritual or religious history of the artist and does so with great detail - but includes possibly too much unecessary history of other luminaries of that era. Copious notes are in the addendum for those who love to pour over these types of things as well as list of works presented in the book (although I'm not sure why this is done in these types of books, especially when the same information is present by each piece. It's an outdated form that keeps existing long after it's usefullness.)
   
   One rather bothersome point is how the work is not in chronological order. This is done to concentrate on several suppositions of Bells for which there is a notable lack of evidence.
   
   One example of this is Bell's dissection of Inness' Lake Nemi work, where it is supposed that the painting is made up of triangles. I would argue that nearly any landscape could be sliced in such a manner, and there are no notes from the artist or any of his contemporaries to support this rather loose idea. Bell waxes prosaic and over-flowery on the picture descriptions throughout as well, making supposition her over-stated trademark.
   
   If you are interested in the Swedenborgian school of thought, this is the book for you and while it may have been a great influence on Inness, Bell aims her focus on it to the point of dreariness.
   
   I found the book rather dry to read but the imagery faithfully reproduced, although it would have been worth my money to see more and larger imagery with less text - unless the text was more about his life and techniques instead of his philosophy, regardless of the book's subtitle.
   
   However, since there is so little of his work published and/or written about, I'll take what I can get and I am thankful this book was produced, however weak the result may be. At the very least, the paintings are there to speak for themselves, regardless of Bell's perfume-veiled mendacity.

5 comments about Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains 1945-1969.

1. This is an excellent reference work. The layout of the book is easy to use and the pictures are first class. This book surpasses many of the standard reference works available. Makes a great addition to a reference library on Lionel Trains.



2. this is the only book you will ever need if you collect older lionel trains it covers all the bases and lets me remember everything I forgot many years ago when I got my first train set extremely informative thanks I only wish there was a book to cover later years



3. Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, David Doylle's "Standard Catalog of Lionel Trains' showcases Lionel toy trains made from 1945 through 1969. Surveyed in an authoritative collector's reference this new edition packs over a thousand color photos with its expanded catalog , which includes variations on Lionel cars and accessories. Many collectors of Lionels will find come to consider this a major 'must have' bible of information, packing in color photos and charts of values for Lionel trains in all conditions.



4. Excellent amount of information on post Lionel trains. The catalog contains the highest amount of information on Lionel trains, the value and rarity for each model. Plenty of photos to provide visual reference for your research.



5. The best or one of the best Lionel guides to postwar Lionel trains. The only guide that authoritatively lists all production variations over the years covered.

5 comments about Matchbox Toys 1947-2003: Identification & Value Guide (Matchbox Toys).

1. i can track my collectible item from this catalogue.
   this book help me a lot
   
   thanks
   
   
   ari



2. I collect superfast Matchbox from 1969-present. This book only lists 1-75 (1/64th scale) Matchbox cars which is fine for my use. It is good becasue it lists all models in alphabetical order so you can cross-reference the number (1-75) of the model - most model numbers are not imprinted on late model cars so it is helpful in that respect. However, I found it lacking in the number of variations it listed. There is no consistent differentiation between wheel type (other than RW and SF), interior color, stickers/decals or other minor variations. This guide does not use the same numbering system as Charlie Mack's Encyclopedia (e.g. 14 A 3) making it difficult to have the references compliment each other. This guide does list more recent models where as Charlie Mack's guide is typically long overdue when a new edition comes out. But again, this one is not as complete regarding model variation so you may not know if you are collecting all the variations of a particular model you want in your collection. Another positive point of this book though is that not all pictures are of perfect cars -- the cars in the photos have a little play wear and is more reflective a practical collectors cars rather than some ideal collection most of us will never have. Lastly, in comparison to Charlie Mack's guide, I find it nice becasue most of this book does dedicate it's picture space to the 1-75 models. One of the dissappointments I have found with Mr. Mack's guide is that it lists a lot of subtle variation (i.e. light blue, mid blue and dark blue Soopa Coopa) but does not show pictures on how to tell the difference (neither does this one -- it doesn't even try to differentiate). Also, much of the picture space in Mr. Mack's guide is with models that no one I know really collects (i.e. NOT 1-75 series, super kings and models of yesteryear). I'm still not sure where 1/2 of the pics in Charlie Macks book come from (I've been collecting MB superfast for 20 years) -- perhaps thats why it is called an encyclopedia. Dana Johnson's book simplifies things but does not take it to the next level by any means.
   
   Basically, I use Dana Johnson's book as a supplement to find model numbers so I can look up varaitions in late model cars in Charlie Mack's guide. I do think Mr. Macks guide can be too complete, in that it lists more model variations than most people can possibly collect. However, Dana Johnson's guide is too incomplete. I prefer Mr. Macks guide becasue it lists all known variations and allows me to decide which variations I think are significant to collect.



3. It is amazing to see every single matchbox diecast ever made into production grouped under one title. You can easily assess the value of your cars and hit the road to find precious collectables with this very usefull guide.



4. Interesting book with a bias in its pictures towards Matchbox models released in the last 10 years. Great that it concentrates almost wholly on the 1-75 series Matchbox models which is all I collect. Very useful if combined with other books as a model identification guide, especially as this one is in alphabetical order and up to 2003 year. I would rate it as less than useful in terms its value to me as a price guide. There are better and more accurate books around reflecting international prices especially of the 1953 to 1969 series issues.



5. The benefit of this book is in its arrangement. For the first time in any toy car price guide, models are listed alphabetically by model name, making this the easiest-to-use Matchbox toy collector's guide ever published.

   The only compromise, due to time constraints by the publisher, is that the book only lists three-inch models, which leaves out Major Pack, Kingsize, Models of Yesteryear, Skybusters, and larger Matchbox Collectibles, hence the 4-star rating. This will thankfully be remedied with the release of Volume 2 in 2005.

5 comments about Paper Money of the United States: A Complete Illustrated Guide With Valuations (Paper Money of the United States).

1. This is a very useful, if not indispensable, reference work on United
   States currency, including much colonial and Continental currency.



2. THIS IS A NEEDED BOOK FOR ANY LARGE SIZE CURRENCY POTENTATE, BUT THE BOOK BY GEORGE CUHAJ "STANDARD CATALOG OF UNITED STATES PAPER MONEY,26 ed." IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE WITH BOTH LARGE AND SMALL VALUES AND NUMBERS PRINTED.



3. Being a coin collector, I purchased this book to give me a guide on Gold Certificates as they caught my eye recently at the Carson City Coin Show. The book flows through the different eras of US paper money to the National Bank notes, Federal Reserve notes, fractionals, etc. My only issue with the book was that I would have liked to have seen more color pictures of the bank notes, especially the 1905 $20 "Technicolor" Gold Certificates.
   
   Now my only problem, as a coin collector, is that I have a list of Federal Reserve bank notes and Gold Certificates I just have to have in my collection. HA!



4. A must have for any collector of Collectible Paper Currency !!! This reference book is yearly updated (which is a must to stay on top of the ever changing pricing of these collectible notes) and goes into great detail of each and every U.S. Note ever printed with the current market value of the notes. Black and white pictures of each note as well as breathe taking colored photos of each U.S. Note. I find I use this reference book everyday along with my other U.S. Paper Currency reference books in my private library.



5. The Friedberg book continues to be a classic reference for U.S. Paper Money. However, its strength is still pre-1928, large size notes. There are far better references for small size paper money, notably the Standard Guide to Small Size U.S. Paper Money by Schwartz and Lindquist. For example, that book catalogs blocks, mules and other variations, something that friedberg doesn't even mention. However, having said that, Friedberg is still an important book for anyone interested in U.S. paper money to have in their library.

5 comments about The Official U.S. Mint 50 State Quarters 1999-2008 (P and d Album).

1. This was the most difficult thing to put coins in that I have ever experienced!!! Most of the few coins I could even get in the openings, ripped the page....so the book is useless!!



2. I LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. THE HOLES WERE SNUG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE QUARTERS FIRMLY. YOU DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE THE PAGES WILL TEAR.



3. The presentation of these books is nice, but it is very difficult to put the quarters into their slots. Many pages have rips in them because of this. We have 12 of these albums; one each for our grandchildren, neices and nephews.



4. I ordered this album based on the ability to display quarters from both mints and to show both sides of the quarters. The first album was received with a cracked interior spine and evidence of rough handling at the origin - not in transit. Amazon courteously and quickly shipped a replacement but it also arrived with evidence of rough handling, including a sliced edge. I returned the second album for a refund and bought a replacement product at a local coin store where I could inspect the item before purchasing. I appreciate Amazon's service but am disappointed that damaged goods were shipped both times.



5. My wife bought this album for me a few years ago and got me hooked on collecting the State Quarters. This album is very sturdy and insertion of the coins is a simple matter of sliding the plastic cover out, inserting the coin and sliding the cover back. Another nice thing is that you can view the coins from both sides. I have had the other types of albums where the holes are too small and I've had to work hard to press the coins in or the holes are a bit too large and the coins keep falling out. This album beats them all hands down. The other nice thing is that it has 100 places labelled in order so that you can display each state quarter in its D and P mint marks. It's higher priced, but you definitely get a superior product that will last for years.

4 comments about Avon's 1876 Cape Cod Collection: Glass Dinnerware (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. I bought this book with the idea that it would be a valuable resource for me when I sell some of my collectibles. While I did find most of my items and the current market value is there for me to sell or get insurance, the one thing I needed most was the issue price. I have no clue as to what I paid 25 years ago. No one thought to keep receipts back then. Since these items are considered collectible, IRS regulations require that it be reported on Schedule D and you pay tax on the gain. If you have no idea as to the cost, you end up paying tax on 100% of the sale price! Who wants to do that!!! If this book contained the issue price, that could be used as a cost basis.



2. I love this book. Now I can have an idea what to pay for these items.



3. This book is wonderful! It has beautiful photographs and price estimates for each piece! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in collecting the 1876 Cape Cod Collection!



4. The subject book is very well illustrated with actual photographs. The descriptions of each item are not consistent throughout. In some places dimensions are entered in fractions while in other places they are entered as decimals. We purchased the book to satisfy an insurance claim. Dimensions was one of the insurance requirements; however, none of the items in the book have their original cost which was also another requirement of the insurance forms.

5 comments about A Century of Indiana Glass (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. LOTS OF GLASS THAT YOU SEE EVERY DAY, BUT NOT SURE OF WHO MADE IT!
   THIS IS A GOOD BOOK FOR DEALERS, FOR IDENTIFICATION. NOT SURE THE PRICES ARE ACTUALLY WHAT THE ITEM WILL BRING IN TODAYS MARKET, BUT GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHERE TO START...



2. Craig Schenning has done a great job of identifying Indiana Glass patterns, including information on dates of production, colors, and lists of known pieces with current prices. Also included are several patterns originally produced by other companies but whose molds are known to have been acquired (and produced) by Indiana in later years. Lots of good color photos, although you may have to look elsewhere to identify etchings and decorations. The best book I've seen on Indiana glassware.



3. A very good and thoroughly interesting collectors book to have.



4. Indiana Glass is one of my favorite companies. I love the different types of glass that they created and am thrilled that there is finally a new resource out there about the company. Hopefully, this will educate old and new collectors about the wonderful glass they created. I can't wait to see more from this author.



5. Informed about this book by an article in the Antique Weekly. So happy to have found it on Amazon at a more than fair price. The book is excellently done. Loads of information. Extremely informative. I'm a new collector of Indiana Glassware.