1 comments about 1001 Wristwatches: From 1925 to the Prsent.

1. I bought this as a gift for a watch collector. He's still going crazy for it. The book has a wide range of watches with great, clear pictures for each. However, there's only a small description for each watch that includes what it's made of and what kind of mechanism it has in it. This book does not have prices but it's great to look through even for someone who is not a collector.

2 comments about The Ultimate Corkscrew Book (Schiffer Book for Collectors.).

1. This is a great book for the collector or anyone with an interest in the subject of corkscrews. The photos are superior and the authors knowledge is evident in the comments and information presented.



2. Donald Bull obviously knows his corkscrews. He has assembled a fascinating exposition on corkscrews which delights your eyes as you turn each page. If you thought corkscrews were just for opening bottles, you're wrong. Donald Bull shows you that corkscrews are works of art as well.

   The layout is beautiful and his corkscrew erudition is undoubtable. You should get a copy for yourself. A work of art.

5 comments about FELDBLUSE: The German Army Field Tunic 1933-45.

1. Don't feel compelled to write a wordy review - this is just the best book ever made on the in-depth examination of the German combat tunics of WWII bar-none. Outstanding book and well worth the money!



2. Good photographs, but some concerns with the work. On page 41, the waffenfarbe for panzergrenadiere is misidentified as that worn by mountain troops - an error far too common in German Army collector's literature, suggesting that the research for this book was done by consulting the same secondary sources that have been circulating misinformation for the past few decades. But we wouldn't know, because there are no footnotes, and worse, no photo credits. However, there is a list of primary sources listed on the back page, and reference is made to this throughout the text.
   
   There are a great many suppositions made and conclusions drawn from facts not in evidence. The cartoon on page 29, for example, shows a pattern of private purchase field blouse in use with turn back cuffs and buttons on the rear that the authors are unfamiliar with. Rather than accepting this contemporary evidence at face value, the authors have labeled it a "mistake". A check of other sources might have yielded better dividends. Private purchase field blouses with turnback cuffs in officers' quality cloth for NCOs were in fact permitted in the German Army, so this cartoon is not necessarily a "mistake". Try Angolia.
   
   There are other examples of conclusions drawn from garments that have no provenance, but are being assumed to be wartime originals. There are also full page photos of such things as assault gun tunics and Waffenrocks, which seem to be mere filler.
   
   Some nice colour photography up to the standards of MILITARIA magazine - though as one may guess, the models all look very clean and very French. Comes close to being as useful as Pruett and Edwards book on Panzer uniforms. A good overall effort and some useful details for collectors. Contemporary photos are clear and the large size format is welcome. Book is affordably priced, unlike others in the same genre.



3. Excellent book, but short. Wets your appetite for more. Excellent pictures & text - highly recommended.



4. This book is exceptional for its size (128 pages). It has many excellent photographs of original tunics: exterior, front, back, interior showing lining, stitching patterns; ink stamps of tailors, garment firms, size and acceptance markings. There are photos of tunics lying flat with equipment, firearms, personal items, with extensive captions identifying all items. Other accurately exposed color photos have male models wearing the tunics with typical gear. The chapters are arranged in chronological order, 1933-1944, with B&W period fotos. Only drawback, only nine pages on officer's tunics. Otherwise, an exhaustive reference with attention to detail and vivid realism you will never tire of examining. A beautiful reference book with no fakes, war movie fantasies, or poor quality reproductions.



5. This book is by far the best ever written on this subject. The book is detailed with great information and color pictures of original garments.

1 comments about Standard Companion to Carnival Glass: Identification & Values (Collector's Companion to Carnival Glass).

1. Good book. Small enough to be portable. Illustrations are good with wonderful information about the piece,i.e., colors, maker, year and value.

No comments about Traditional Folk Costumes of Europe Paper Dolls in Full Color (Traditional Fashions).

2 comments about Shotguns for Wingshooting.

1. Fantastic book overall!! Topics covered include side by side to autoloaders to various kinds of ammo for all types of birds. Great read from an honest author!



2. Barsness has written the best current overview of shotguns for hunting: not sporting clays, trap, etc. He is not aligned nor does he show a marked prejudice for a particular type of shotgun like the side by side which is so prevalent today. He explains the advantages and downsides of various guns and does a particularly good job on the very important, if not vital, subject of stock design and fit. Although I think you can find much of this information elsewhere, Barsness brings it together in a very concise format and cuts through the "poppycock." Plus, the photos are great!

No comments about Victorian and Edwardian Furniture and Interiors: From the Gothic Revival to Art Nouveau.

No comments about Arts & Crafts Collector's Guide, The.

4 comments about Ancient Coin Collecting IV: Roman Provincial Coins (Ancient Coin Collecting).

1. While this book is a nice piece of history and a wonderful overview of Roman Provincial coins it definitely NOT a book to look to enable you to identify any coins you may acquire of this type. The best I can advise to do is get the book and then seek out other sources (well documented in the
   book) and use them to attribute those coins in your possession. Make no mistake, I believe the book is good and a beginning to ones library. To identify any portion of Provincial coins in a volume of this size is just not possible. Buy the book if you are just starting as it will give you a good start on their history.



2. The study of Roman Provincial coinage is one that needs greater attention now than ever before. With the combined factors of the fall of Soviet Communism, the advent of the Internet and it's various auction sites - these coins are becoming plentiful and an inexpensive overview was sorely needed and Mr. Sayles book fits the niche well. While it is not comprehensive, it is an excellent starting place. For the person who is thinking of collecting Roman Provincial coins or who has started already and feels themselves a bit overwhelmed with choices, this book might help them find some direction and focus.

   Like all the other books prior to it, it is about 200 pages in length and it has over 300 coin photos. The print is easy on the eyes and the layout over all is well executed and there is a bibliography within most of the chapters and an index in the back of the book as well as a glossary.

   The first two chapters describe provincial coinage itself and the provincial territory in general. The third chapter is the longest part of the book (100 pages) is "A Tour Of The Provinces" and takes the reader through the western provinces, the Balkans and Greece, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia, the Levant, Roman Egypt (it is notable here that Kerry Wetterstrom the current publisher & editor of the Celator - formerly Mr. Sayles publication who is a well known collector of the coins of Roman Egypt wrote this section) & North Africa.

   The fourth chapter covers some interesting portraits and "client kings" - often the puppet monarchies of the Roman Empire. The 5th chapter is on understanding provincial coinage and the sixth is on deciphering them - attributing them. Make no mistake though, this book makes no intention of being an attribution catalogue/reference work. Rather, chapter six is sort of a guide for the user who has a "coin in hand" that they are trying to decipher.

   Chapter seven is on iconography, items like portraits, temples, astrological symbols and other things common to the series. The eighth and final chapter is like several of it's predecessors in the series, a number of "Masterpieces" of Roman Provincial coins - a sort of gallery of the finest types you may come across.

   As a collector of Roman-Syrian and Roman-Egyptian coins as well as some other types, I found the book very satisfying and it is my favorite of the whole series. This book put into the hands of young and old readers alike is sure to inspire a fair amount of daydreaming. I would highly recommend this book to the lover of ancient art as well as the numismatist, it is just as beautiful as it is an informative work.




3. I recently purchased a copy of this book on the strength of other volumes in the series. I was happily surprised to find explanations to many of the questions on Roman Provincial coins (Greek Imperial Coins) that I had not been able to find elsewhere. If you are looking for an excellent introductory volume to this area of ancient numismatics, I can't think of a better place to start. You will want to keep the volume right at hand when you examine your coins, and will enjoy reading it from cover to cover as well. Highly recommended.



4. If you are a starting collector of ancient coins, or even a seasoned pro, this series is a must for your library. Mr. Sayles does a wonderful job of covering a vast subject in a concise and interesting way. Highly recommended!!

5 comments about Modern Book Collecting.

1. The information in the book is a little aged, but it is still applicable and useful. This book will remain in my reference collection.



2. Good reference book for book collecting. I read it as often as I can.

   Good book to have if you collect or sell books




3. From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly:
   Wilson's guide combines discussions of the basics of book collecting with helpful appendices.



4. The copyright date on this book is 1980. That's right, over twenty years old and the title says modern. The book is sorely in the need of an update. I was disappointed in lack of recent infomation dealing with the internet. It is a good source on basic book info, however. I would recommend looking elsewhere for anyone interested in this subject.



5. Robert A. Wilson is something of a legend in the book world. His experience can be useful to the beginner. If you buy no other book on the subject than this you could do much worse.