5 comments about PYREX: The Unauthorized Collector's Guide.

1. Very nice book on Pyrex ware. It is a nice guidebook to have for collectors.



2. First, I want to point out that except for one other of the 7 reviews before mine, all were written previous to 2008--the copyright date of this book. So those reviews DO NOT pertain to this edition; they pertain to earlier editions. I have been using the previous (2002) edition of this book, so I was delighted when I discovered that a 2008 edition was coming out. It has a nice, new updated cover--very appealing. But it looks like that's about all that's changed. From what I can tell, the inside of the book is exactly the same--same pictured items, with no changes that I can see. I assume the prices are updated, although I can't really tell because I can't compare them with the old edition (which was from the library). Even though I got the book on sale, it was a big disappointment and not worth my money--I can go back to the library and get the same old thing!



3. With every book on collectibles people will say or write they couldn't find what they were looking for. This is true with antique and collectibles books but we need to determine if a book of this type is relevant to our needs.
   
   As a seller of antiques and glass collectibles I find the Pyrex "Unauthorized Collector's Guide" has a wealth of information, if you will, a cornucopia of Pyrex history, excellent pictures, descriptions and range of valuation, which should serve the most discerning individual.
   
   I would prefer a hardcover book and that is my only complaint but that's being too snobbish. The glossy pages fill your eyes with cookware, flameware, ovenware, Pyrex colors, glassware and even takes on some unknown patterns. I discovered so much more about Pyrex than I ever expected.
   
   Identification of merchandise is of utmost importance for my online store and the customer should expect that. I am a stickler for accuracy and in a very short time this book has help me merchandise my Pyrex inventory for sale and has encouraged me to look for much more and not be afraid to make future Pyrex investments for my store.
   
   This book will now accompany me on my antiquing journeys and will come in handy when it's time to identify, value, and purchase. It should serve you well in your library for collecting your favorite Pyrex. Indeed!



4. Big fat glossy softcovered waste of my money. Way too many pages on boring items like glass pie plates etc. Soooooo glad I didn't buy book on ebay though--that seller wanted 27 + shipping. The corning ware & vision cookware book is much better then this Pyrex book.



5. The book I ordered arrived in excellent condition and was delivered in a timely fashion.

5 comments about Anchor Hocking's Fire-King & More: Identification & Value Guide, Including Early American Prescut And Wexford (Anchor Hocking's Fire-King and More).

1. This is the only book you should ever own on the subject of FireKing dishes. I can't imagine wanting another volume, this one is wonderfully thorough. It covers all the different series, information about them, history of FireKing, and estimated values of pieces in good condition. Really, a fabulous book.



2. Nice pictures that is about it. Some pricing information, pages away from items, very confusing. Could not even find pricing on some items. As a collector, way too much time spent looking things up and looking for pricing. Very frustrating, personally would not recommend this book.



3. The book has a lot of beautiful pictures.It is a good book to know about Fire King items, however I found the price on the book is lower than the one that I see at antique stores these days.



4. This book was very informative. It has wonderful pictures and is a must for any Fire King collector.



5. I recently started collecting Jadite. I found this book to be a valuable resource. Great photos. Good price guide and full of valuable information.

5 comments about Warman's Depression Glass Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warmans Field Guide).

1. If you are interested in depression glass you will enjoy adding this book to your collection of reference books.



2. This book is a fantastic take-along for going to antique stores and garage sales and the like. It contains several helpful sections to help you identify patterns including a catagorized section of borders (birds, floral, art deco, etc.) and a shape guide which is primarily useful when looking for plates and serving pieces. All of the photos of actual pieces are in color. This book also contains several patterns that Gene Florence's Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass does not.
   
   One thing about this book that needs to be mentioned is the large discrepency in value for many pieces between the Warman's guide and Florence's guide. I don't know if this is because this edition is already 3 years old or what. You may feel like you are getting an incredible deal when you are actually not. This book also doesn't contain much information on each pattern except for the basics and it doesn't have much good information on reproductions.
   
   This is a great field guide for glass, but it's good to have a back-up, more recent guide for values.



3. Lovely descriptive book. Found several of my pieces immediately. Will be a great reference book for my collection.



4. this is an excellent book. received it promptly and in new condition.



5. I love this book and recommend it to any collector of depression glass, especially if you are anovice. The thumbnail guides are easy to use and great for identifying just about any pattern. This has become my bible for identifying and valuing auction buys and yard sale finds. I hope Warmans considers another volume to acccomodate some of the patterns not covered in detail in this book.

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!!!

5 comments about Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

1. I've rated this book good, but I've got mixed feelings about it. On one hand it's wonderful! Lots of good info and interesting items featured. It really is a fun read with lots of cool items photographed. But my main concern is the execution of the book. The lighting on many of the photos is very poor for example. They look like they were taken with nothing but regular room lighting, not special lighting I would assume a professional photog would use. So, I'm sort of split down the middle. But I would definately say I'm glad I bought it, even with the split decision!



2. Love, love , love this book. It was exactly what I wanted and so much cheaper than the book store. It arrived very quickly and was in excellent condition.



3. A+++ A must for any collector! Beautifully written, photographed, and illustrated. I can't wait for Ms. Zweig's next book!



4. This is a wonderful book written and illustrated fabulously - dealing in Vintage Kitchenware and Home Collectilbes with our own online web shop, it was a joy to read and savor every page - made us love the eras talked about even more!!
   
   linda
   Evelynne's Oldies But Goodies
   http://www.evelynnesoldiesbutgoodies.com



5. It's a great book but the first time we looked thru it the pages were falling out. Very poor quality binding.

5 comments about Silverplated Flatware.

1. Please see my review of "Sterling Flatware Identification & Value Guide". This is a good companion guide, but for silverplated flatware. It's just a little more complicated to navigate, as there are so many silverplated patterns, and so many manufacturers. However, once you become familiar with the way it is set up, and with a lot of patience, you can ID silverplated flatware very nicely. I keep both right at hand..can't do without them.



2. This is a great book for collectors of silverplate flatware!! I have worn out one and found another one here on Amazon. Highly reccommend the book and Amazon. Claudia Cope



3. This book helped in the identification and listing the ages of different flatware I have found at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores. I have shared it with several friends.
   Thank you
   Tom



4. I found many of the patterns I collect covered in Hagan's book. The drawings are large and easy to use to identify your pieces. I also bought Hagan's Sterling Flatware which is set up in a similar manner. You can also use both books to note which patterns you want to search for. The dates given in the books allowed me to note which patterns were contemporary with the china I collect.
   I've looked at other silver identification books and I liked these best.



5. I have owned this book for at least 3 years, it is the most used book I own. If you are interested in identifying many pieces of silver plate, this is the book for you. Very easy to use. I was just on Amazon to see if there was an updated version yet, or I am trying to decide if I should buy a new one. Mine looks ragged, I have used it so much.

1 comments about Warman's Fiesta: Identification and Price Guide.

1. THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR ALL COLLECTORS OF FIESTA. THE PICTURES ARE ABSOLUTELY THE BEST AND CLEAREST I HAVE EVER COME ACROSS. I HAVE READ ALMOST EVERY BOOK OUT THERE AND THIS ONE IS THE MOST PRECISE. SEE ONE OF THE LARGEST COLLECTIONS IN THE US. EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND PRICE ANY FIESTA WARE YOU COULD EVER FIND. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS BOOK

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia Of Fiesta: Other Colored Dinnerware, Post86 Fiesta, Laughlin Art China (Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta).

1. I am brand new at collecting Fiesta Ware. I really enjoyed this book. Great pics. It has been a wealth of info for someone new like me.



2. This is the third book in this series I have purchased by these authors. I like the book a lot.



3. One of worst of the newer "collector" books out there. There isn't even a color chart with the names, you need to deduce them by flipping through all the pages and guessing at collections of variuos colors and doing a process of elimination. Fakes are mentioned, and the author says "you'll know them when you see them". Thanks alot! All the marks aren't even listed. What about newer peices versus old?
   
   Some Encyclopedia, more like ramblings of a collector. The medium green issue is already covered by others, the book mentions it everywhere but gives very little evidence of it (maybe the author has medium green envy?).
   
   Not worth the bargain price spent on it. Certainly not a reference book.
   
   p.s. I give other collector books 5 stars, so I'm not just a grump.



4. I just received the 10th edition copy of Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta, and other related items. The new layout and design are exactly what this edition needed to set it out above the previous ones. It seems the forward is a bit lengthy. Each page is framed in the turquoise color. The new pictures are numerous!! And for those who collect New Fiesta (produced since 1986, the pages for this are expanded to include up thru Scarlet and quite a few of the pieces produced thus far in color pictures. I rate this book at 4 stars for one reason. I feel the prices are inflated and out of line. Yes, there will always be some "rare" items at high prices. There are a fair share of pictures that are the same as previous books as well.



5. The title of this book "Fiesta" can be a little misleading to the novice or seasoned collector. Beyond actual Fiesta and Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin the author's detail company history by delving into Harhequin, Riviera, Mexican lines, Kitchen Kraft, even promotional items and advertising.
   
   For Fiesta identification pieces the pictures and Plate descriptions are very good. Pictures, specifically are very clear and concise while the page quality is excellent. In particular, this book will provide a very wide range of history and the wide variety of products offered by Homer Laughlin Co. over many years. Although the title suggests a book on Fiesta, this portion is limited.
   
   If your looking for price comparisons or rule of thumb the book is weak in this department, it does not effectively handle all colors preferring to provide information strictly on the "hot" collector pieces such as 'medium green.' Of course, prices quoted in books are strictly "guides" as the internet, antique malls and live auctions mix up values on a weekly basis. Current research and personal perspective will be the true guides for market value at any given time.
   
   Fiesta is covered in the first 73 pages of this book (pre/post 1986) and then moves on other topics or products produced. This book would be a fine starter for the novice but additional resources will need to be added for a complete library on Fiesta and Fiestaware.

No comments about Antique Trader Salt And Pepper Shaker Price Guide (Antique Trader).

5 comments about 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles.

1. Just received my second copy (replacement copy) of "300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles" and it also is missing pages 401-432 and has duplicate pages 433-464. That makes two books missing the same pages.
   Otherwise the book has a lot of information.



2. I bought this book about a year ago, I saw a lady using it at an auction bidding on kitchen items. The next day I ordered this book and it has been my guide ever since, with so many kitchen items out there, fakes and repros, it's good to have a helper to guide you thru a maze of online auctions and fleamarket finds.
   The description are accurate, there are plenty of pictures, the index and glossaries are very well organized, it also gives marks, how the items have changed over the years, who made them, where when and how they were used. I love it.



3. This is packrat Linda Campbell Franklin's fifth edition...for many good reasons!
   
   What first seems like a hodgepodge of items to a beginner-collector or student, has a certain logic or shorthand to those in the know, and to those getting acquainted with kitchen collectibles, it's an eye opening education! All sorts of pointers, reproduction alerts and historical notes are placed throughout the book, to avoid being duped by many fakes.
   
   Yes as one reviewer noted, there is scant information on items less than 75 years old, and that's just fine with me..these 890 pages are going to keep me interested and learning for quite a while! The little color section isn't terribly helpful...more smaller photos of items could have been placed in these expensive pages. Still for most of these mechanical items, color is not the key in identification. I'm just tickled to be able to recognize what a peculiar gadget is/was used for! So if someone realistically wants more black and white pictures/drawings, bring them on..and yes there could be sharper photos of some blurry items taken for better clarity in a future edition-it's not a problem for me!
   
   She lists many references for those seeking more information, and addresses to contact specialized collectors or clubs. Well worth the price of admission, alone!
   
   This is a delightful "must have" for the "kitchen curious" and beginning collectors!



4. Seldom is a reference book an entertaining read. Seldom is a good read easy to reference and find information quickly. This book does an excellent job of bridging both worlds. For the casual auction hound or dealer this book is invaluable.

   I liked the book so much I was wondering what to give my mother for mother's day. She's one of those people who either has everything she needs or goes and gets what she needs when she wants it. The idea of giving her this book struck me as a good one. Reluctantly I gave her my copy. She clearly has enjoyed it, she allows me to look at it when I'm visiting. She hasn't been willing to loan to me though.




5. The 300 years of Kitchen Collectibles is sorely lacking in information about the last 75 years of kitchen collectibles. The majority of the book covers what I would call primitive kitchen items. The photos are grainy and lack detail. If you have a kitchen item that you need to identify..this book might prove useful.