4 comments about 1000 Fruit Jars.

1. This book is just what I needed on my many excursions to garage/estate sales. I have been able to determine better purchases for my collection by referencing my book on my outings. The images are in alphabetical order and are drawn precicely as they are seen on the jars. Info on jar colors for each embossed design is available too. A MUST HAVE for the avid jar collector!!



2. This book, One Thousand Fruit Jars, was just what I needed to sort out a horde of old fruit jars from my aunt's estate. Wonderful drawings and values. Helped me 100%.



3. Great little book for identifying all those jars you buy at auctions for a buck a box. Alphabetized, clear images exactly as they appear on the jars, even comparative values for many choices per brand by color.
   It's not a coffee table book, it's a throw it in your bag and take to the sale book. Perfect!



4. This is a great little book to help identify all the differences in your fruit jar collection. All the different embossings are drawn out for you to identify - like all the different Ball fruit jar embossings. It helped us beginning jar collectors! Also has prices for all the different jars.

5 comments about Colored Gemstones, 2nd Edition: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide: How to Select, Buy, Care for & Enjoy Sapphires, Emeralds, Rubies and Other Colored Gemstones.

1. I FOUND THIS BOOK TO BE VERY EDUCATIONAL, SINCE I AM STARTING TO PURCHASE JEWELRY ITEMS FROM JTV.COM WHICH OFFERS AN ARRAY OF THINGS THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF, AND THIS BOOK IS A GREAT TOOL TO SMARTER GEM SHOPPING. I RECOMMEND PEOPLE READ THIS BEFORE MAKING A BIG JEWELRY PURCHASE.



2. There is a lot of good information in this book. However, it is not for someone new to the trade. Not many pictures to use while reading. makes it hard to follow certain parts of the text.



3. "Colored Gemstones" is a beginners' guide to gemstones that aims to help consumers understand what types of gems are available, what to look for in determining value, and how to go about doing that. This book does not oversimplify the subject as some guides for beginners do. Author and gemologist Antoinette Matlins gives readers some preliminary guidance on how to familiarize yourself with a gemstone using a loupe and how to determine if it is well-cut. Then it is on to Part 2, which constitutes the bulk of the book and is a fount of essential and fascinating information.
   
   First, the "4 C's" of color, clarity, cut, and carat, with particular emphasis on color and cut and how they relate to one another. Sample laboratory reports on gems are provided, so we see what a lab report can tell the consumer. The chapter on synthetic gems and enhancement treatments is particularly informative. The author describes common treatments and provides a very useful chart of treatments by gemstone. The chart lists treatments for 34 gem groups and indicates which treatments are typically used, seldom used, whether they are stable, and whether the treated gemstones require any special care, including which should avoid ultrasonic cleaners. Information on color enhancement spans several chapters.
   
   A chapter on fraud and misrepresentation lists which gemstone treatments are acceptable practice and which are dishonest, with descriptions of the treatments, and a list of deceptive names often used to mislead customers. So we will know what our options are, the author lists gems by color, provides a list of gems not routinely enhanced for those who prefer natural stones, and a table of how much treated vs a natural stones differ in price. There is a detailed price guide for 21 groups of (faceted) gems, indicating what you may expect to pay for good to extra fine quality stones, wearability, and availability. Opal and synthetic price guides are separate. One chapter is dedicated to descriptions of about 40 gems, with data on hardness, chemical composition, wearability, and brilliance for each. Ms. Matlins concludes with specific advice on what to ask and look for when buying stones, what facts to make sure appear on your receipt, and tips for cleaning and caring for gems.
   
   Having read Renee Newman's Gemstone Buying Guide, I find that Ms. Matlins' "Colored Gemstones" is more complete. This is primarily because the coverage of enhancements, synthetics, and price are more extensive in this book. Its discussions of how cut affects color are also better. That said, the "Gemstone Buying Guide" treats star and cat's eye stones more thoroughly and has a slight advantage in coverage of opal and jade. It provides more vital statistics, including refractive index, cleavage, and specific gravity. "Colored Gemstones" biggest shortcoming is the scarcity of photographs. There is a 16-page insert of color photos, but most of the gems discussed are not pictured. The "Gemstone Buying Guide" has far more photos, but if you have to choose one book, I think you'll be happier with "Colored Gemstones" unless your interest is in cat's eye or star gems.



4. If you buy Jewellery and gem buying guide from the same author, you find it is a lot of repetition. However, to me this book is giving more information than the other one as the discussion of more focus on gemstone.



5. Quite enlightening. Particularly liked the guide for prices of gemstones as well as the uses of stones. Had I purchased this book before, I would have made more informed choices when buying gemstones. Would recommend to anyone buying any type of gemstone.

5 comments about Barbie Doll Fashion: Vol. 2, 1968-1974 (Barbie Doll Fashion).

1. What would vintage Barbie lovers and collectors do without this and the other 2 books by Sarah Sink Eames? Without a doubt her books are the best on the market for identifying all the wonderful vintage outfits for Barbie and her family. Beautifully presented, detailed and comprehensive information. Each outfit is presented by name, stock number and years made, as well as detailed descriptions of the fabrics used and the accessories accompanying the outfits. Original outifts that came with the dolls are also shown and described. A trip down memory lane and the next best thing to owning all the wonderful outfits.



2. Another great book by Sarah Sink Eames!-Great outfits and pictures-easy to see values-Fun to see how Barbie and friends followed current fashion trends for the late 60's and early 70's-very helpful to any vintage collector!!



3. Great book. Found outfits and the year they came out. Do Recommend if you are into Barbie clothes...



4. If you are a collector, you should have this book on your shelf. Comprehensive, complete, with photos galore. A+++++



5. In Hong Kong, it is not popular to collect vintage Barbie dolls so that it is not easy to explore specific related knowledge. This book really helps a lot. It is a bible for every Barbie collectors!

2 comments about The Encyclopedia of Early American & Antique Sewing Machines: Identification and Values (Encyclopedia of Early American Sewing Machines).

1. This is an awesome book for those with interest in early sewing machines. The photographs are first rate and the history is comprehensive and fascinating. The rating system puts all of the machines in perspective. I find myself referring to this book frequently.



2. I was looking forward to buying and reading this book because I purchased the first two editions and thoroughly enjoyed them. Even my wife, who does not totally share my interest in sewing machines, enjoyed this book. I really liked the more detailed photographs of these early sewing machines and the abundance of color photographs were right on. Everything about this carefully researched book is first class and a great deal for the money. I would have enjoyed seeing more photographs of early trade literature, but I am not complaining. So, to Mr. Bays I say, "CONGRADULATIONS for writing another informative, collectable book about antique sewing machines." James W. Slaten

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...

No comments about Scott 2008 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: Countries of the World: C - F (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 2 Countries C-F) (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 2 Countries C-F).

4 comments about 2008 US / BNA Postage Stamp Catalog (Us Bna Postage Stamp Catalog) (Us Bna Postage Stamp Catalog) (Us Bna Postage Stamp Catalog).

1. The 2008 US/BNA Postage Stamp Catalog is a MUST have for any beginning collector. It has helped me correctly identify many of my early American stamps and takes the guess work out of were to add stamps to your album



2. I started collecting US stamps not long ago. I just bought this catalog and really like it - high-quality color pages; coil binding; useful introduction for beginners (and probably for experts too); US as well as UN and Canadian stamps; etc.
   
   Minor con: 2007 stamps are not complete. It should end at 4220 rather than 4159.
   
   For those who do not want to pay for such a catalog, there are free catalogs, for example, the 132-page (in color) soft-cover Mystic's 2008 US Stamp Catalog is pretty good ([...]).



3. It's great to finally see color reps of the stamps. It's great to still have order pages and gradient pricing depending on the condition of the stamp.
   What I could have done without is the hardback format, soft paperback would have been fine and probably cheaper. Unnfotrunately this edition doesn't have one.



4. This is an excellent catalog for North American stamps. This is the catalog with the binding that allows the pages to remain flat which helps immeasureably when trying to catalog and then place stamps in an album. I wish all catalogs came this way. I rrecommend this book to anyone, beginner to expert.
   Al

5 comments about Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2007 (Antique Trader Antiques and Collectibles Price Guide).

1. This book is chuck full of antigues with prices and pictures, I highly recommend it!!!



2. The 2007 Edition of Antique Trader Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide is superb. Filled with gorgeous color photography and to the point descriptions, this modern guide has become a leader in the field. I highly recommend that you add this guide to your library without delay!



3. The weighty yet portable Antique Trader guide Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2007 may not fit in a jacket pocket but it will easily be a take-along to any garage sale or flea market for avid collectors. Public libraries strong in collectibles price guides and private collectors alike will find this annual reference follows the market, offering up the latest prices and some 5,000 new color photos and upgrades to this latest edition.



4. As always a useful reference for the collector. My wife and I buy and sell glassware as well as other small collectibles and antiques and find this to be one of the more useful general guides for pricing and identifying a range of items.



5. This book works well to get a general idea of the value of items, but it has some bare spots. They cover some items in great detail and others in very general terms.
   
   I would have liked it better if there was more discussion about what causes the variation in prices of certain categories.

2 comments about Pictorial Guide to Christmas Ornaments and Collectibles: Identification and Values.

1. If you love vintage Christmas ornaments you will love this book! This is the best book I've seen on the topic. It definitively covers Dresden ornaments, and ornaments made of glass, paper, fabrice, metal, wax, and more. It contains thousands of photographs of mostly pre-war ornaments, a wealth of information and a price guide to help value your collection. Even if you are not an ornament collector, you'll find this book contains collections that will absolutely amaze you. This book will remain in my library forever.



2. If you love vintage Christmas ornaments you will love this book! This is the best book I've seen on the topic. It definitively covers Dresden ornaments, and ornaments made of glass, paper, fabrice, metal, wax, and more. It contains thousands of photographs of mostly pre-war ornaments, a wealth of information and a price guide to help value your collection. Even if you are not an ornament collector, you'll find this book contains collections that will absolutely amaze you. This book will remain in my library forever.

4 comments about Warman's Roseville Pottery: Identification and Price Guide (Warmans).

1. I gave this book to my husband, the Roseville collector of the family, for Christmas. He spent several happy hours looking through it. The pictures are great, but there are not enough of them. This is not the be all, end all book for Roseville, but so far it's the best one I have seen.



2. I was very satisfied with the book I received. I received it in a few days as promised and I really liked that.



3. Book was very helpful in finding out about Roseville pottery, I would recommend, pictures are very good also. Gives lots of info.



4. July 5th 2007. Another "overview" book from Warman's. It states updated prices, but there are only prices for what is shown. I'm not sure how useful updated prices would be when you need a price on a piece not included in the book. There are some Roseville lines that are not included.
   
   On the other hand, the photography is the best. The colors and details are amazing, which would make it a great coffee table book or gift.
   
   For collectors; The Bomm book (2004), Mollring's 11th edition book (2006)(B&W pics only), Bassett's Prices book, Bassett's Introducing book and Bassett's Understanding book are the most comprehensive.