4 comments about Standard Catalog of Stocks & Bonds (Standard Catalog of Stocks and Bonds).

1. This book contains many stocks and bonds that no one would collect. I sold many of these to the author for $1.00. There are many good references out there. Try George LaBarre's Books. They're out of Print but can be found on here and Ebay. The Author should stick with his other subject matter we writes about and Shame on Krause Publishers. They should have used a established dealer or the IBSS.



2. This is the most complete catalog of scripophily items I have found. (It is the only one I have been able to locate.) The book is organized well, and is fairly complete. I find at least two thirds of the issues I have been looking for in it. As for the listed pricing, the prices seem to be fair compared with what I have encounterd in the market. There are plenty of photographs, though most are blabk and white.

   The book would be improved if they added details on how to adjust pricing for the condition of the document. In addition, if they added more general information on the field it would be helpful. Of course for later additions, I hope that they will add more items to it.

   In general though, it is a good book.




3. This is a nice try but the prices are way off the mark. They are for the most part way too low and not in touch with reality. The book provides a good basic overview of the Scripophily hobby, but the reader should totally disregard the prices. A search of Scripophily websites on the Internet will give someone a much more realistic view of pricing and availability. I have heard a lot of complaints about this book from dealers and collectors alike.



4. This book provides a decent overview of inexpensive stocks and bonds from around the world. About 60%-70% of the items listed are from the United States. A large number of photos are provided and the type is very large. The authors clearly focused on the low end of the hobby. That's not bad, just not very helpful for mid level or high-end collectors. The quality of the photos is mediocre at best. They are black and white except for the covers and an eight-page insert. Even in this section, common material dominates, with only 9 of the 61 color photos shown being valued at more than ten dollars. Of those, only two are valued more than one hundred dollars. Many of the photos are fuzzy, taken at angles, or trimmed, giving the appearance that they've been lifted from online auctions. The values given seemed way off in my opinion. The authors note that the values were generally derived by reviewing online auctions and not by reviewing dealer price lists. I have to wonder if this approach makes sense since it doesn't consider shipping charges and the discount the buyers apply for the additional risk of buying an item in an online auction. Comparing my collection with the listed items left me with a feeling of incompleteness. Less than 10% of my collection was listed. In general, the book may provide a good overview of material available to the novice collector but advanced collectors should avoid it.

1 comments about Warman's Paper (Encyclopedia of Antiques and Collectibles).

1. This was clearly a labor of love for co-authors Martinus and Rinker. Their mini-guide to ephemera collecting in the front of the book is more than worth the cost of the book. It is a joy to read. It provides anyone interested in collecting ephemera will an outstanding overview of the field.
   
   Although the prices listed in the guide are now outdated, the book remains a useful reference for any serious collector of ephemera. This important reference deserves a place on any old paper collector's bookshelf.
   
   It would be wonderful to see a revised edition of this guide with current prices.

2 comments about Collecting Printed Ephemera.

1. I just purchased this book and it is what I was looking for. Service from Elagebooks was great- received it within 4 days. The book was in excellent condition. Hats off and may cheers to Elagebooks.



2. This is a fabulous book! For those of us who revel in collecting ephemera (printed paper of all sorts), this book provides a feast of information and visual overviews. The author covers the following subjects (among others): collecting ephemera; sources and values; conservation and display; the various printing processes; various categories (such as tradecards, letterheads, handbills, poster stamps, playing card stationery, book labels, valentines, and rewards of merit); a variety of themes (such as travel, funeralia, crime and punishment, rural life, cigar packaging, education, and entertainment); and includes a wonderful glossary, reference of papers and watermarks, and a good bibliography.

   All in all a must-have for the serious collector of ephemera (you know who you are!), and well worth the price to special order. Don't hestitate, buy it!

4 comments about Victorian Trade Cards: Historical Reference & Value Guide.

1. Vastly illustrated and very informative. Although the majority of this book is pictures (very nice ones at that), there are some very interesting facts and historical information about the victorian card craze. Because there are in excess of 100,000 different cards in existance, don't expect to find every card in here or the current market price. It is just a matter of time before a more extensive guide is published, (I would still recommend because of the great illustrations!) The only problem I have with this book is the layout which can be annoying if you are trying to find info on one of your cards. You have to search through several sections of the book. (e.g. Jackson's chewing tobbaco card in the "Exploration and Travel" chapter instead of the "Tobbaco" chapter). More expensive cards are usually only discussed in the chapter rather than illustrated, which I find kind of strange(Maybe he didn't own any of those to get the photo?).



2. The beautiful 224 page, 8 1/2 x 11" softbound book contains more than 500 full color, sharp, large photos. '98 values. There are 70 topics ranging from angels, baseball, dolls, expositions to Uncle Sam, women, wringers and washing. There's plenty of background information on each topic. A useful glossary of terms is provided. A must for tradecard collectors. Fascinating to read and refer to.



3. This is a great book. It's a definitive reference on the somewhat obscure subject of Victorian Trade Cards, but for those of us who love them, it's a feast. It is crammed with illustrations, broken into categories, and contains history and collecting tips. The pricing information is somewhat out of date, due to the impact that online auctions have had on these collectables (some are more expensive, some less, as auctions make them more available.) If you're at all a fan of this genre, don't hesitate to buy this book!



4. If you find this book lying on someone's coffee table, don't pick it up--you'll be hooked! I am not an aficionado of trade cards, but I found this book to be endlessly fascinating. Cheadle wisely keeps his writing to a minimum, letting the illustrations speak for themselves-- page after page. I know of no book that is more intriguing just to page through. Henry Kort (kort@ainet.com)

No comments about Mother Goose of Yesteryear.

No comments about Christmas Merrymaking.

5 comments about Fountain Pens: Their History and Art.

1. This handsome volume reflects the high quality standards, cantankerous spirit, and eccentrically traditionalist preferences that seem to characterize many of us who are drawn to the impractical beauty we call insist upon calling fountain pens.
   
   An introduction and six chapters tell the story of this writing instrument, its long evolution, its demise in the twentieth century, and its rebirth as a collector's item here in our twenty-first. Five lavishly illustrated chapters meander their way from the pre-fountain-pen spectacle of rooms-full of 'inexpensive scribes' with quill in hand doing the work of a small iiterate class ('Pre-1880s: before the fountain pen', pp. 22-39) on to moderate levels of pen production ('1880-1910: early marketing efforts, pp. 40-52) to the rise of a corporate behemoth (1910-1925: competing with Sheaffer', pp. 54-85) to the fountain pen's twentieth century misfortuntes ('1930-1940: how the depression affected the market', pp. 86-107); '1945: the war: how bargain debasement nurtured the ballpoint pen', pp. 108-121) and finally to a day when--mirabile dictu--people write books about fountan pens ('The future: the rebirth of the cottage industry', pp. 122-128).
   
   Mr. Steinberg is neither an economist or sociologist and so given to amusingly sweeping explanations of pen life: 'By the 1930s the world was in the grips of the Great Depression. The public wanted to be dazzled by technological marvels to take their minds off their economic woes. Hence the uncommon popularity of the Schneider Trophy seaplane races and the land-speed record attempts ... For fountain pen design, the Great Depression made utilitarianism and functionality the order of the day.'
   
   However, Steinberg *is* a lover of pens and that's why he's a capable author of a coffee-table illustrated book like this one.
   
   One closes this book with several impressions forming themselves in his brain.
   
   First, there is the sheer technological challenge of making a pen where ink flows in the directions it's supposed to, with tolerable evenness, and a refusal to leak. This is one of those small technological adventures that culminates in something the rest of us take for granted rather than to the cleaners with ink stains around the pockets.
   
   Then there is the sheer variety that flourishes within somewhat unbending natural limits. As with dogs, there are only so many ways and means to make a pen. Yet the plethora of canine breeds on offer has its parallel in the dazzling display of pens of which photographs, paintings, and reproduced advertisements flavor this book.
   
   If you are so inclined, you may well find a resource that will educate your more thoroughly about fountain pens. But probably not with a more satisfactory outcome for the appreciative eye.



2. If you own three books on pens, this should be one of them.



3. I purchased this as a Father's Day gift for my dad, who is a fountain pen addict. He loved the book and the history, but especially the pictures of the old ads for some of the classic fountain pens. He continues to talk about the book and for about $20 I found a gift that has become one of his favorites.



4. This is a beautiful book. The covers and pages are of high quality papers. Steinberg has written a truly excellent book on history of the fountain pens. Though by no means it is comprehensive and detail but definitely more than adequate for any serious collectors as part of the essential knowledge on fountain pens. The illustrations are well laid out accompanying the story and they are simply superb. A very elegant book and suitable for both beginners and serious collectors. Even good as a gift to introduce someone to pen collecting. I simply love the book and a pleasure to read it.



5. I've received the book yesterday. It is not the first related to Fountain Pens that I see, but this one is really nice. It is not written as the others but as a review of the history and the kind of pens. I've read almost a half of it last night!

No comments about Collecting Rock 'n' Roll Sheet Music of the 1960s (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1 comments about Applique Paper Greetings.

1. This is a very useful book! All of its ideas are just as applicable to paper-only cards as to the fabric ones. Arranging the cards by technique and sequence allows the beginning card maker to build a library of ideas for her own creativity. The sequencing also allows a more experienced crafter to jump in to or be inspired by any project of interest.

5 comments about Standard Catalog of World Paper Money: General Issues to 1960 (Standard Catalog of World Paper Money. Vol 2 : General Issues, 8th ed).

1. This book is very well for inform on bills in a world! Pictures, year, price...Very complete!



2. I use this book only, I don't know better source for basic informations for collectors.



3. It was a pleasure for me to order from you. The catalog is great and I got it delivered in no time. The service was GREAT!!!



4. The new edition of this catalogue is an extremely disappointing effort in terms of keeping up to date with price developments. A majority of the countries covered in this update have not been reviewed at all, resulting in a very misleading guide to collectors. If you have the previous edition, there is little incentive for you to buy this new edition. Editors should really put much much more effort in updating prices, or simply stop printing updates of the catalogue altogether. Changing the cover picture does not justify a new edition.



5. An excellent catalogue. The only disturbing problem is that there are several mismatchs between pictures and descriptions. Unfortunately more frequent than in earlier issues.