3 comments about Tribal and Village Rugs: The Definitive Guide to Design, Pattern & Motif.

1. This book is not only attractive, but contains a wealth of knowledge about antique and modern rugs.
   
   Phyllis Pentecost



2. Absolutely stunning. Clear illustrations, clear text, beautiful layout. A stunning book that I am pleased to have added to my library.



3. Fantastic book---definitive info on all aspects of handmade rugs, including each part of the rug: border designs, major & minor motifs, origins of each of these with many attributed to multiple sources. I love to keep this book close at hand & use it frequently as a reference source for rugs & textiles from many of the countries in the Middle East, southwestern, northwestern, and central Asia, & many countries & regions that no longer exist in their original borders. This is one of the top 2-3 reference books that I use most frequently to identify the many elements in the rugs & textiles that I sell & also ones that I buy for my personal collection. It's absolutely fascinating--I just bought one of these for a friend who has a long-standing interest in the subjects covered in this book & she was THRILLED(!!!) with this book.

1 comments about The Official 2008 Beckett Price Guide to Basketball Cards, 17th Edition (Official Price Guide to Basketball Cards).

1. magnifying glass! thats what you will need to use this worthless book. no insert listings , micro print adds up to garbage. i tossed it as soon as i checked it ouy.

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.

2 comments about The Official Beckett Price Guide to Football Cards 2008, 27th Edition (Official Price Guide to Football Cards).

1. Like other reviews I find that some cards are simple to find, others are impossible. They may be listed, it has over 600 pages, but the way they are categorized is awful. I cant even find one of the cards shown on the cover! A 2001 Refractor reprint of a 1976 Walter Payton RC. Where is it?



2. I was kind of dissapointed. It was confussing to find the right place for the right card. It was sent on time.

No comments about Warman's U.S. Coins & Currency Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warmans U S Coins and Currency Field Guide).

1 comments about Scott 2008 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: United States and Affiliated Territories United Nations Countries of The World A-B (Scott Standard Postage ... Stamp Catalogue Vol 1 Us and Countries a-B).

1. ".....Dear Scott Catalogue User:
   Is this the first time in several years that you have purchased or consulted Volume 1 of the Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue?
   If so, the 16,500 VALUE CHANGES PLUS EDITORIAL ENHANCEMENTS CONTAINED in the 2008 Volume 1 is only the tip of an iceberg....."
   [from the book of the letter from the editor, by James E. Kloetzel/Catalogue Editor (signed)]

5 comments about Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles: A Comprehensive Identification & Value Guide For Both Antique and Machine-Made Marbles (Grist's Big Book of Marbles).

1. This is a great, glossy reference for identifying marbles. Copyright 2006, the Big Book of Marbles gives a great overview of the history of the game and of the manufacture of marbles, both antique and machine-made.There are several hundred very sharp photos of the many, many kinds of marbles one can collect, and equally sharp and knowledgeable technical discriptions.



2. Great pictures, and lots of them, with information on go-alongs and on manufacturers, but not a great an ID guide as I had hoped it would be. I still can't tell who made my vintage marbles.



3. Everett Grist's Big Book of Marbles is very comprehensive and extremely well illustrated. It will be a great reference for both hand-made and machine-made marbles. The price estimates given for the illustrations are realistic in my opinion and will be helpful in valuing my collection.



4. I decided after attending a national collector-run marble show in my area to get this updated Third Edition of Grist's book, because it looked like it would have enough new pictures to make identifying all those troublesome common marbles a possibility. And the pictures in the book are nice, being clear and color-accurate, and showing multiple marbles so one can see the range of designs/colors that fall within a category. However, I've always considered Grist to be a lazy author, and this just confirms it. Yes, it takes some work to get the pictures of so many marbles, but that is something almost anyone could eventually do. This is sub-titled a 'comprehensive' ID book, so I expected Grist to deliver. He does not even come close to delivering on that promise! First of all, many marbles are left out and many more poorly dealt with. As new as I am to marbles, even I know that there are subtle differences that help one to differentiate between marble companies. Yet Grist has virtually NO TEXT explaining how to ID various types of marbles. It is simply pictures and an occassional comment, and as we all know, pictures of certain marbles, such as cateyes, do not do justice in showing the differences. Those need to be EXPLAINED (how many vanes, shape, etc) because the differences usually do not show well in pictures. None of this happens. Many of the Peltier marbles are simply lumped together as 'Champion Jrs.' with none of the common names used in the trade included. And as far as being a comprehensive value guide, only ranges are given with no differention for size or condition given. That is hardly a comprehensive price guide! On top of that, most prices on common marbles (under $10 each) appear to be grossly inflated over what is actually happening in the marketplace today. I wish I could get those prices for my commons - I'd be rich! The final insult is the poor editing done in the book. "Peltier" is spelled "Pelitier" half the time. There are pictures where the heading states "row 1" when it means "column 1." Just plain sloppy. Most pictures of the rarities have no prices at all and only general category IDs for the entire group shown. In general, a nice picture book but nothing about it is 'comprehensive' - just more false advertising. Why can't anyone put out a book with the quality and extent of pictures Grist does and the helpful, detailed text and variety listings such as Block attempts? Then we would be approaching a 'comprehensive ID and value guide.' So far, I've found nothing close.



5. Excellent book for identification of marble types and values, and for general history of marble manufacture and select manufacturers. Grist details characteristics of marbles to identify the manufacturing method and general production dates, but you cannot identify marbles to manufacturer or more specific production dates by this book. Excellent pictures and selection of marbles. Overall, this is a good quality marble book.

5 comments about Warman's Jewelry (3rd Edition).

1. As on online vintage jewelry dealer, Atlanta vintage jewelry dot com, Warman's book was one of the first in my reference library. Sure, it has some faults, but not to the degree to make the book 'useless'. I used to spend my evenings in bed reading through the pages, getting familiar with the vast array of information.
   
   The book includes excellent pictures with clarity, and lots of them. It covers jewelry designs from various eras, beginning in the mid-1700's through present day.
   
   Many people in the vintage jewelry circles may refer to Warman's as the 'bible' of vintage jewelry as it also covers both fine and costume.
   
   In spite of its somewhat unreliable index referred to by others, this hefty book is well worth the purchase price. I'm glad for mine.
   
   Gail Gupton, Author: The 31-Day Diet of Spiritual Enlightenment and Seekers of Truth.



2. Over the years, Warman's guides to antiques have established a reputation for reliability. This volume is the third (2002) edition of their jewelry guide. It's lavishly illustrated with examples from many styles, eras, and price ranges. It provides a feast for the eyes and a lot of useful information as well.
   
   Romero divides the material according to time period and, when appropriate, according to style and material and country of origin. She gives concise summaries of the essentials of each and links jewelry fashions to world events and clothing styles. Sometimes her discussions are a little too concise for this curious reader ( to be fair, the book is a guide, not an in-depth treatment), but she provides a full bibliography at the end for those who want to dig deeper. There's also a glossary of jewelry-related terminology and a section on marks.
   
   According to the introduction, this edition reflects the increasing globalization of the marketplace and the influence of internet buying. Romero has expanded coverage of Scandinavian jewelry and added discussions of Neo-Renaissance and Beaux-Arts jewelry. Every illustration is in color, and the captions are fully detailed. Several reviewers of earlier editions mentioned that there were problems with the index. These problems seem to have been corrected in this edition.
   
   Any problems I have with this book are mostly quibbles. The author makes a point of linking changes in jewelry fashions to changes in clothing and in social conditions. I wish that she had put in a few period illustrations showing the fashions and the jewelry worn with them. This is probably a little out of the reach of an identification and value guide, but it would have been a nice touch. Nonetheless, this is a wonderful resource for jewelry collectors and, in fact for anyone who thinks they might like to become one.



3. "Warman's Jewelry," 3rd edition, by Christie Romero, is subtitled "A Fully Illustrated Identification and Price Guide to 18th, 19th, & 20th Century Fine and Costume Jewelry." The book is full of fascinating and useful features, among them an extensive bibliography, glossary, index, and chronology. There are also a number of appendices, including a hallmark identification guide and a guide to the marks and names on Mexican silver jewelry and metalware.

   The 272-page book is full of hundreds of clear, beautiful full color photos of jewelry. Each photo is accompanied by essential information on each piece depicted. The items shown represent a huge price span; in this book you'll see a $336,000.00 gem-encrusted platinum bracelet, a $10.00 brooch shaped like a poodle, and lots in between. Many types of jewelry are pictured: necklaces, cufflinks, earrings, lockets, scarf pins, etc. Included are pieces representing a broad variety of artistic approaches: whimsical, elegant, gaudy, graceful, fierce, futuristic.

   Also fascinating is the broad range of materials covered: diamonds, emeralds, opals, turquoise, gold, coral, agate, wood, rhinestones, plastic, brass, porcelain, etc. The photography is accompanied by an interesting, well-written text. Jewelry production is placed in historical and cultural context. There are also special sections devoted to jewelry of particular cultures (Native American, Mexican, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish). Interesting trends such as Victorian-era black jewelry and "eye miniatures" are also highlighted. Overall, this is an endlessly interesting and stunningly beautiful reference work.




4. AS AN OLDER PERSON, I HAVE 'LIVED THROUGH' MANY OF THE FADS WHICH JEWELRY MANUFACTURERS REFLECT. I STARTED COLLECTING JEWELRY, AND DECIDED TO WRITE A RESOURCE BOOK FOR THE NOVICE. WELL, WHEN I READ MS. ROMERO'S BOOK, I FOUND THAT IT WAS SO INCLUSIVE THAT IN ORDER TO FILL IN THE GAPS, AS IT WERE, MY WORK IS REALLY CUT OUT FOR ME. THIS BOOK IS A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO ANY JEWELRY COLLECTOR'S REFERENCE LIBRARY. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE SPACE TO REVIEW IT.



5. A great book, with lots of valuble information, but the index, is not accurate.this makes it very frustrating to look things up....warmans should issue partial refunds to the dedicated customers who purchased the book...

5 comments about Crystal Stemware Identification Guide.

1. I purchased this book based on the reviews that were published. I thought they would also have ways to identify different crystal company signatures. I was just expecting more than a picture guidebook.



2. I think the book is good in the sense it has a lot of pictures even though they are not in color they are still clear enough to make out the pattern. Besides, most stemware is clear anyhow. The stick figure patterns are also helpful for some of the harder to find items and besides they do give a written description as well. I recommend it as a must have. home-of-china



3. I thought this would be a great addition to my library as I enjoy stemware and was very disappointed that most of the "images" are just line drawings and there is no history of lines or anything. I couldn't even find my stemware in the listings and I have several old sets that I have bought over the years. Stick with Gene Florence if you want a really good book on identification. Very lackluster!



4. Lots and lots of phots and makers. Very good even has unknown photos.Worth the money for a glass person



5. It was dissapointing that the contents of the book is in gray and white while the cover is in color. Very misleading. Although a multitude of patterns were covered many were sketched. All in all it would be difficult to recognise patterns using just this book.

5 comments about Ancient Coin Collecting.

1. This book is an invaluable reference and great educational tool for collectors of ancient coins. It explains many aspects of the field in an academic but witty style. Very readable text, also contains lots of reference material indexed for additional study of specific areas of research. A "must have" for those new to this area of collecting.



2. This is a good introductory book to ancient coin collecting. Getting one's feet wet in this are of numismatics, is a touchy thing in this day of on line auctions...where forgeries are easily sold as authentic. Book covers most everything a numismatist new to this field could want, online help, types, forgeries, authentication, caveats, etc. Good read for the newbie in ancients.



3. This is a great single volume reference on Ancient Coin Collecting. I don't want to repeat what others have written, but I found it to be thorough, well-researched, engaging and well-organized. It will spark your imagination and add to your knowledge base without overwhelming you.



4. This is something of a potpourri of ancient coin information. It doesn't make a good reference work, per se; there are other books, etc. to purchase when you settle on your collecting theme. It is a great background resource, though, and helped me to clarify my own collecting themes.



5. As a collector over 30 years on Chinese and modern world coins, it's an adventoure for me to probe a totally different field of coin collecting - the western world ancient coins. What I need most is something to show me the way, to give me an outline, to guide me to the right direction, as well as to keep me interested at the unfamiliar new world.

   This book serves my needs exactly as it starts with very basic but substantial introduction to the ancient western cultures which are not familiarized by an oriental like me. Then there are good references provided, among them I appreciated most the last part of Chapter II, "Ancient Coins and the Internet", and also Chapter VI, "Numismatic Literature". Those information show a beginner to a broader view and an easier access in continuing his collection interest.

   I would say the most fancinating part of this book is surely Chapter VII, "Identifying Ancient Coins". It's systematically arranged thus I can get a clear picture of different categories of ancient coins, together with fundamental history background of the coin issuers. That is, indeed, far more interesting than just reading a coin catalogue.

   For anyone who intends to start ancient coin collecting, this is the book to start with.