2 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta: With Harlequin, Riviera, and Kitchen Craft (Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta).

1. So what sets this book up to be any different than any other collectible book? "The Laughlin story" We came real close to calling this Shakespeare pottery. Just the history and the changing technology is worth reading about.
   
   After that is my favorite. "That Radioactive Red"
   
   As the title implies there are sections with stories on Harlequin, Riviera, and Kitchen Kraft
   
   In the back there are suggested values and a list of Collector Books for further reading.
   
   One major item, the pictures are in color.



2. Whether you have 2 pieces or 200 pieces of Fiestaware, this is the best handbook around. The Huxfords explain Fiestaware's history thoroughly. The collector will also be grateful for the many beautiful pix and credible pricing guidelines. As my dog-eared copy can attest, the guidebook will become your best friend when Fiesta shopping!
   I give this book a 10, but I hope the next edition - which is rumored to be out in 1998 - will address the new Fiesta line as some colors are now very collectible.

1 comments about Collecting Royal Copley Plus Royal Windsor & Spaulding: Book 2 (Collector's Guide to).

1. A very handy 144 page reference book featuring hundreds of small, full color photos of Royal Copley, Royal Windsor and Spaulding items. This Book II has no repeats from the previous Book I. Major chapters run from Royal Copley-Still Going Strong, The Truth About Royal Windsor, A Warm Experience at Spaulding, to Labels, Bibliography and Source Material. You'll find this handy purse size volume useful as you attend auctions and antique shows.

3 comments about Blue Ridge Dinnerware: Southern Potteries Incorporated : An Illustrated Value Guide/Betty and Bill Newbound.

1. For the money you can't do better than this if you collect Blue Ridge Pottery. Although there are many patterns of Blue Ridge dinnerware not pictured the majority of the most collectible patterns are. The color photos are great and the history of the company is very informative. I have been able to identify more than 90% of the Blue Ridge dinnerware I have picked up at flea markets and estate sales with this book.



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3. Nicely laid out, good photographs, very clear. The descriptions and background information on patterns, very informational. Good value.

4 comments about Weller Pottery (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. What a good educational book. Anything you would won't to know about Rosesville pottery its there.



2. EXCELLENT color photos of the pieces listed make this a visually beautiful book. Set up in three sections as Weller's early, middle, and late periods, with pottery lines listed alphabetically within each section. Years produced and history are peppered throughout sections. Easy to get around if you are familiar with Weller. Index lists patterns and major shapes, but could do better listing by animal name, etc. The reason I rated it as only average is that only a few pieces of each pattern are listed, and are not always listed together if they cross the time sections used. Going through ebay, I'm lucky to find one out of ten pieces to try to price. If you are hoping to use this as a pricing guide it is missing too many pieces. The prices that are listed seem to be pretty close, though. Overall a very pretty and informative book as long as you're not looking for a comprehensive pricing guide.



3. Weller Pottery
   1872-1948
   Fultonham & Zanesville Ohio
   
   Weller Timeline
   
   April 12, 1851 Samuel Augustus Weller born in Ohio
   1872 Operates a one-man pottery in Fultonham, near Zanesville in Muskeegum County, Ohio
   1882-1890 Expansion to Zanesville, followed by building, buy-outs until 1931 when the Depression forces consolidation and down-sizing
   1893-1896 William Long's Lonhuda ware, Louise Weller and Louwelsa born, 1896
   1897 Henry Schmidt develops Weller Turada, the first squeezebag pottery line in the Ohio valley, Owens Pottery introduces similar Cyrano line in 1898
   1895-1904 Charles Upjohn heads Weller decorating department, develops Dickensware II in 1900
   1902-1907 Jacques Sicard at Weller, Sicard line appears in the fall of 1903; (Clement Massier Reflets Metalliques by 1889)
   1902-1905 Weller becomes world's largest pottery and maker of mass produced Art Pottery
   1903-1904 Frederick Hurton Rhead at Weller, develops Jap Birdimal line in 1904, becomes Roseville's first art director in 1904, leaves Roseville in 1908
   1904 Weller has huge display at the St. Louis Exposition
   1908 Rudolph Lorber develops Dechiwo, 1908, which leads to Burntwood, Claywood, and others
   1917 Weller Hudson family introduced
   1916-1929 Rudolph Lorbor develops Brighton birds, Muskota, Woodcraft, Forest, Glendale and other great naturalistic lines, ending with Coppertone, 1929. Dorothy England Laughead creates Silvertone, Chase, and the Garden Animals
   1920-1924 John Lessell heads the decorating department, develops luster glaze lines including LaSa, Marengo, Cloudburst, Lamar, others
   July 1, 1922 Weller Pottery incorporated as "S.A. Weller, Inc."
   October 4, 1925 Samuel Augustus Weller dies
   1925-1932 Nephew Harry Weller takes over as president, introduces continuous kiln, consolidates plants in 1931 due to Depression, dies in auto crash in 1932
   1930-1932 Last freehand decorated lines introduced at Weller: Stellar, Geode, Cretone, Raceme, Bonito
   1932-1937 Frederic Grant, son-in-law, is president for one year, divorced from Ethel (Weller, b. 1898); Irvin Smith, another son-in-law (Louise) is president from 1933-1937
   1935 Freehand decoration ends at Weller
   1935-1948 Weller produces simplified embossed lines
   1937-1948 Walter Hughes, a ceramic engineer and former employee at American Encaustic Tiling Company is Weller's last president
   1947-1948 Essex Wire Corporation buys controlling share in Weller, closes the pottery in 1948
   1954 Minnie Weller dies at age 92, Weller house contents are auctioned
   
   ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMEND COLLECTOR'S ENCYLOPEDIA OF WELLER POTTERY FOR GREAT PICTURES AND HISTORY.



4. I went looking for a Weller Pottery book and this is the 1st one I found. I am so very happy! The pictures are very beautiful and clear. The history section is very detailed. This book is a must have for any pottery collector!

1 comments about Pocket Guide to Occupied Japan (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. We received this book as a gift and love it. It is smallenough to take along with us and it has alot of pieces that are not inany of the other books we do have. The most fantastic thing about itis the updated prices. In some pieces we own they have increased in price by ( ) from the older books we own. I would highly recommend this book to any collecter of MIOJ and wish we had more updted books we really need them. This is a winner. END

1 comments about Red Wing Collectibles.

1. This reference book is a must have for any Red Wing collector, novice to advanced. The photography is superb throught the book and the associated pricing has been diligently researched.

   The guide to markings assists in making accurate identifaction of any piece of Red Wing Stoneware.

   A GREAT REFERENCE!

1 comments about California Pottery: From Missions to Modernism.

1. This colorful and enjoyable book makes a strong case for the importance of California's commercial potteries in drawing on the state's unique cultural heritage to introduce dramatic new colors and styles to the United States. The book is easy to read and filled with interesting facts, with beautiful color photos on almost every page. I was fascinated by pictures of pottery from the 30's, side-by-side with the handmade folk pottery on which the designs werte based. This is a must for any serious pottery collector! Note that the book parallels an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The author, Bill Stern, was the curator for that exhbition.

No comments about Mimbres Classic Mysteries: Reconstructing a Lost Culture Through Its Pottery.

1 comments about Collector's Guide to Yellow Ware: An Identification & Value Guide (Collector's Guide to Yellow Ware).

1. I found this very helpful since this is a new area of collecting for me.

3 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Brush-McCoy Pottery: Updated Values.

1. I will agree right away that this book has some nice photography and it is not likely that the average collector will ever see some of the pottery listed in this book. Also I want to tear my hair out at times distinguishing between Nelson McCoy pottery and Bush McCoy pottery. Some of the pieces listed were apparently either made by both or they were borrowing heavily from each other. For instance I have always thought that the Princess Line from the mid-60's was a Nelson McCoy line (Page 144). So it would definitely suggest that a novice might also want to pick up Sanfords'Guide to McCoy Pottery. Just to note, the use of the name Brush Mccoy ended in the late 20's so anything made after that should be either Brush or Mccoy, not the combined name.
   
   (I also have to admit that I have a distinct fondness for the Princess Line. It is still reasonable and fits nicely with both a mid century modern decor or a more traditional decor. Plus, it is still reasonably priced.)
   
   The price guide is a separate leaflet, but as was noted elsewhere it is very outdated. The price of the older items have soared, and even the more common planters are attracting interest because of the increased interest in mid 20th century design.
   
   Finally, I have a complaint about the presentation of information in the book. One of the main reasons to buy a guide such as this is the identification of unmarked pieces. A great deal of the early Brush pottery was unmarked. A good way to identify unmarked pottery is by looking at the bottom of the pot. The way the pottery is finished can give good hints about maker and age. Good photographs of the bottom of some of these pieces would be very helpful in identification.



2. This is a well organized reference to Bush-McCoy. It contains a history of Bush-McCoy; this added knowledge adds to the fun of collecting and allow you to sound more like you know what you are doing. Then there are pages on the different "marks" of the pottery. There is a dated value guide. But I find it easer to do my own comparing. The big plus is the color pictures that show what is available. For those discriminate people that do not just buy anything that says Bush-McCoy there is an index. It is also fun to see you Bush-McCoy pieces in the book.



3. This book is a must for collectors of Brush-McCoy pottery. The pictures are beautiful and the information offered is just great. A large number of different pieces of Brush-McCoy pottery are shown but this book does not show every piece of pottery made by Brush-McCoy. I was very pleased with this book.