5 comments about Standard Catalog Of World Paper Money, General Issues (Standard Catalog of World Paper Money Vol 2: General Issues).

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.

3 comments about The World Encyclopedia of Coins and Coin Collecting: The definitive illustrated reference to the world's greatest coins and a professional guide to building ... featuring over 3000 colour images.

1. great book about coins around the world, many images, coin history facts and collecting guide for every collector, sure increase coin collector knowlegde



2. I purchased a copy of "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Coins and Coin Collecting" by Dr James Mackay. This is a paperback edition of encyclopedia with similar cover. I found it a beautifully illustrated book but was Shocked to read the text of the introduction to Sri Lanka. It contained many factual errors and reflected a total ignorance of the History and Numismatics of Sri Lanka.
   
   Let me point out a few.
   
   1) Lankan coinage is documented from 3rd Century B.C.
   2) The Chola were from south India and invaded Lanka only in 985 and subjugated the Sinhala who migrated and took over the island from the indigenous Veddahs in the 5th Century B. C.
   3) Images [1-2] is a Portuguese Tanga counter-marked by dutch
   4) The rupee was not in par with the Rix dollar
   1 1/3 (i.e. 4/3) rupees equaled 1 Rix Dollar in 1821
   5) The 1/3 Farthing did not circulate in Lanka.
   6) Images [3-4] is a half cent from 1870 not a fraction of farthing
   7) There was no Local currency from 1839 to 1868 - Indian Silver was used along side British brass.
   8) The new emblem was adopted in 1972 coins.
   9) Images [13-16] were of commemorative coins issued after 1990
   10) The Images [13-14] is slightly smaller than actual size.
   
   In view of these numerous errors in a short bit of text of which I am an expert, I have lost all confidence in the text printed in the guide. I strongly suggest that like Krause, Anness publications, get experts in the numismatics to review and correct the text for each country.
   
   In views of these errors I have corrected the text below and hope this modified text will be used in any future reprints of this Guide or Encyclopedia.
   
   ==========================================================================
   
   A number of islands in the Indian Ocean, which were formerly part of the British or French colonial empires, issue their own coins. They range from Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), which has a coinage dating back to the 3rd century BC, to the territories that have adopted distinctive coins only in quite recent times.
   
   Following the capture of the island of Ceylon from the Dutch in 1796, and its proclamation as a British crown colony six years later, copper coins were issued by the British in 1802. They bore an Asian elephant on one side and the value or the effigy of George III on the other.
   
   SRI LANKA
   
   The earliest coins were Punch Mark silver of northern India. The Ancient coins of Lanka had the railed Swastika. Medieval Gold, Silver and Copper coins with Standing King "Ceylon Type" were issued from 9th to 15th Century. Coastal area of the island was under Chinese control from 1408 to 1438. Portuguese arrived in 1505. They, in turn, were supplanted by the Dutch in 1658, who counter-marked the Portuguese silver tangas [1-2].
   
   The British took over the Dutch territories in 1796 and made the island into a crown colony in 1802. The British retained the Indo-Dutch currency system, based on the rix-dollar, divided into 48 stivers, or 12 fanams. From 1839 to 1868 British half and quarter farthings and silver three-half-pence also circulated in Ceylon, in addition to Indian silver coinage. In 1872 the currency was decimalized, and the rupee of 100 cents was adopted. Bronze coins of this series [3-4] bore the profile of the reigning monarch (obverse) and a palm tree (reverse) while the silver, or later nickel, coins had the value in numerals in an ornamental reverse [5-8].
   
   Ceylon became a dominion in 1948 but continued to issue coins with the monarch's effigy until 1957. Thereafter the national emblem was substituted in a series introduced in 1963, with name of country in Sinhala and Tamil in addition to English [9-11]. In 1972 the island became a republic under the name of Sri Lanka ("resplendent island") and adopted a new emblem on obverse [12]. A few commemoratives have been produced since 1957, when the 2500th anniversary of Buddhism was celebrated, and many more since 1990 [13-16].
   -------------------------------------------------------------------------



3. This is a great book, beautifully illustrated. Bought it for my niece who has just started collecting foreign coins. It is easy to use, fully illustrated, and gives great background on foreign countries and their history as well as information regarding the coins themselves. Would highly recommend this book.

5 comments about The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture: An Illustrated Guide to Identifying Period, Detail, and Design (Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture).

1. Don't buy from this vendor, the book was prepriced and they charged substanitally more plus the frieght. When contacted about it they asked for more imformation and pictures of the product then is required to get a social security number. They were bascially nasty with their attitude. Amazon should not list these people.



2. "The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture" is not only a wonderful reference book with lovely illustrations and photos, but it makes a great coffee table book as well. I highly recommend this book. It is a great value for very little money.



3. Totally a collectors book has great pictures and wonderful information showes the designs well. helps you learn what to look for in antiques



4. This is an absolute sensational book! It is a book that must be included in your antiques reference library!
   It covers everything A to Z on the subject of identifying and authenticating period pieces. You WILL be able to identify period pieces once you've studied the book subjects. It offers hundred of pictures, with clear cut difinitions and examples.
   If you are an antiques dealer, beginner or expert, you will not regret owning this very comprehensive guide.
   I would also like to recomment The Bulfinch Anatomy of Antique Furniture; another must have reference book.
   *****



5. This volume provides a good reference for collectors of antique furniture. It includes a detailed chronology of styles and periods, coverering Europe and the US, and presents typical pieces of various categories of furniture, including details on construction. It is well illustrated. Unfortunately no relative values are provided. Also degree of rarity, popularity, etc. is also rarely mentioned.(A tip: I still think that Peter Philp's FIELD GUIDE TO ANTIQUE FURNITURE is much better. In fact, if you've got Philp's book, you don't really need this one).

1 comments about Barbie Doll Fashion 1975-1979: The Complete History of the Wardrobes of Barbie Doll, Her Friends, and Her Family (Barbie Doll Fashion).

1. I bought this book to use as a reference for my Barbie collecting. It's great, only now I'm kicking myself over all the little odds n ends I resold on eBay because I didn't know what they were. Sigh. I should've bought this book long ago. It's well-written and packed with information on dolls and outfits, variations, store exclusives, and foreign-issue items. It also includes information on Barbie-sized dolls such as Charlie's Angels, Chantal Goya, Donnie and Marie Osmond, and a few others. If you're collecting Barbie from this period, this is a must-have book (so you won't be letting go of all those little outfit pieces!!!). Since I've bought this book, I've also ordered the other two books in this series that cover Barbie's outfits from 1959-1967 and 1968-1974.

5 comments about The Art of Opium Antiques.

1. Thanks goes to Steve Martin for bringing to light a significant, and nearly forgotten, history. Through artifacts (Steve's impressive and beautiful collection of opium paraphernalia, and period photographs) and down to earth story telling, I found myself transported to opium dens in the East and West, and imagined the lives and circumstances of those who were entranced and enveloped by the narcotic.
   
   The pictures are gorgeous, the writing evocative, and the topic and the objects themselves provide a fascinating portal for history.



2. This book is really helpful to identify antique opium art. I work for Asia Galleries in San Francisco where we sell a lot of antique opium artifacts. I had hard time to find a book that helps me to study about details of opium art, but in this book I see many dampers, pipes, lamps, and opium scrapers are similar to the ones Asia Galleries have; therefore, I was able to gain some knowledge through this book. Now, I am confident to explain details of our antique opium art to customers. I would like to say thank you to Steven Martin.



3. When the paraphernalia associated with opiates comes to mind what do you picture? Syringes? Drippy candles? Bent spoons? These are the gear of the heroin user but what about heroin's long dead uncle, opium? The paraphernalia of the two drugs couldn't be more different. This book will take you back in time when drug use was at least practised with style and flair. The opium pipes, lamps and other accouterments illustrated in this book are gem-like works or art made from rare and precious materials such as silver, ivory and jade. It's a world long lost but the author manages to bring it back to life for a brief moment and dazzle us with the promises of chemical bliss that tempted our ancestors. Getting addicted back then was no doubt as painful and ruinous as it is today, but they sure knew how to do it in style!



4. The Art of Opium Antiques is one of the most artfully illustrated and artistically written books on the subject. Throughout its pages Steven Martin traces the cultural use in China alongside the artistry and astounding craftmanship of the time, from the low and common to the truly decedent. Photos of amazingly ornate apparatus are peppered throughout alongside diagrams depicting the main components of a typical pipe or lamp. Historical photos help put one in the mind frame of the times, allowing one to contemplate how this blissful habit, aided by dedicated artisans progressed up until its zenith during the nineteenth century. Martin's vast collection and grasp of the subject are equally great, allowing one to walk away with a greater appreciation for opium related antiquities. There is no doubt this book will help spawn new collectors as well as reconfirm the addiction of the collector aficionado, for this book is a grand spring board for newbies and opium-porn for the serious collector.



5. Such a great book! Instead of just relating the well-known disastrous effects of opium, the author of this book brings new insight into the history of the drug by exploring Opium paraphernalia as an art form. It works!
   
   We are brought into the mythical Opium dens of a not so distant past, with the rich illustrations of this text. A rare photo of an 1880 Butte, Montana bunkhouse "opium den" is particularly amusing. However, it is the lush photographs of the drug paraphernalia that make this work so worthwhile. The extensive captions that accompany each photograph have enabled the author to not only inform the reader about the use and artistic achievement of these artifacts, but entertain as well.
   
   The result is a more humanizing view of the addiction itself. Knowing that these beautiful instruments were the tools in which to feed a deadly addiction gives us another vantage point to view this era of history.
   
   Anyone with the an interest in the history of China, the Chinese Diaspora living in the USA in the late 18th/19th century or the history of Southeast Asia will find this book particularly fascinating. The Art of Opium Antiques will be an essential addition to your bookshelf.

4 comments about Collecting Victorian Jewelry: Identification and Price Guide.

1. The 'historical' background is at elementary school level. Many of the photos are in poor quality, with no zoom in whatsoever. The index is basic and lacking and as the book is chronologically arranged, that's unhelpful.
   It can give a very basic and limited idea about the subject but nothing more.



2. Yet another book by prolific jewellery writer C. Jeanenne Bell. In this book, Bell deals exclusively with Victorian jewellery, that is jewellery produced in England, America and France during the period from 1837 to 1901. This book is primarily a catalogue of Victorian jewellery, with full color photos and prices at the time of publication, interspersed with text that attempts to place the jewellery in a historical context with respect to events and fashions. Unlike some books, which only show the jewelley of royalty, this book shows items which would suit a range of budgets.
   
   This book is primarily aimed at dealers and those wishing to collect jewellery from the Victorian era. However, with over 700 full colour photos (according to the back cover), this is also a great coffee table book for those wanting to look at beautiful things and dream.



3. It was intersting reading. More on style, than on collecting. Interesting if you like history. Lots to learn. And a true collector neds to learn alot.



4. Gemologist C. Jeanenne Bell presents Collecting Victorian Jewelry: Identification And Price Guide, a full-color showcase of the distinctive jewelry of the Victorian era. Vintage photographs and artwork as well as close-up detailed of pieces, extensive price information, tips on discerning real pieces from imitation and general background information on gemstones and fashion of the time fill this lavish volume. A "must-have" for antique jewelry collectors, and recommended for anyone interested in seeing these wondrous works of art and adornment up close.

1 comments about Warman's Carnival Glass: Identification and Price Guide (Warman's Carnival Glass: Identification & Price Guide).

1. Great Book. Studied it in the library and decided I just had to have a copy. Very informative.

5 comments about Hot Wheels Variations: The Ultimate Guide (Hot Wheels (Krause Publications)).

1. This was purchased for our 4 year old who is a major Hot Wheels fan. He and dad pour through the colorful photographs and line up all their cars that match those found in the book. I am sure from a collectors point the information of the value along with the detailed picture would be very useful. It is a nice thick, heavy paged book that will be around this house for a long time.



2. I find this book extremely helpful in listing a very large percentage of the current (1989 onwards) Hot Wheels variations. The book follows on from the earlier editions and I find it a very useful refererence source.



3. Awesome very fast shipping. Arrived in excellent condition. Will buy from again. Thanks so much.



4. If you collect variations of Hot Wheels, you have probably heard of the Godfather of Variations, Michael Zarnock. This guy is nuts about variations and has put together one of the top 3 Hot Wheels collector books ever published. I love the book and have loved it since volume 1 because it has fantastic Blue Card identification pictures and very accurate price guide. If you don't know if a variation is real or fake, just check the Grail, it will let you know if you are dealing with fraud or not. In other words, if it is not in this book you are probably not dealing with a variation. Indispensible to a serious Hot Wheel collector. Gratzi, Don Zarnock.



5. I just got got this book today and It was more than I expected there were tons and tons of pictures, mr. zarnock give yourself a pat on the back because you did one heke of a job.

No comments about Scott 2007 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: Countries of the World: G-I (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 3 Countries G-I).

5 comments about The Fostoria Value Guide.

1. Quiz: What is the size difference between a cookie, cracker, pickle, and a pretzel jar?
   
   Don't know? This book won't help. Many of the listings lack physical measurements, cutting the value of the book in half. This is particularly crucial when looking at stemware and bowls. Unless you carry a measuring cup with you, the capacity in liquid ounces in some listings won't help either. Means you'll have to lug around the other books, defeating the purpose of having a separate Value Guide.
   
   The book seems quite complete otherwise, and has clear pictures/drawings of most patterns so you can verify price tag accuracy. No substitute for a pattern identification book, since that is not the purpose of this book.



2. I found this book very confusing and difficult to use. There are very few colored pictures, and what there are, are not labelled. I would not recommend this book. There has to be a better Fostoria book than this. It also does not have everything that was made in a pattern. You would have a real hard time identifying many Fostoria patterns using this book.



3. There are those who impulsively and passionately buy books on antique and collectible glassware, those who systematically purchase such books for their usefulness, and those who wait for that rare wonderful book to add to their collection. Milbra and Emily, Mother and Daughter, have written a book for ALL of you. Grab your purse, your wallet, your checkbook, your credit card. We're going shopping!

   Why this book, you ask. The shelves are full of reference books. True enough. There are bigger books, books that have more pictures, books that are hard bound and updated every year. You already have those books. Buying THIS book is like buying a piece of Fostoria- crystal, colorful, wonderful to touch, full of history, something from which you must tear your eyes, something you don't want to put down, something valuable.

   Each of the 206 numbered pages has a treasure for you to find. No where will you find more information on the value of your Fostoria pieces. No where can you find references to the 4 previous books so lovingly and gorgeously produced by this team. With this book you have a way to access all 4 previous books in any way you choose.

   From Acanthus, Etching 282 to York, Cutting 707 (almost A to Z), The Fostoria Value Guide is where you find what you are looking for. One hundred years of production by the greatest glass company this country will ever see. What are you waiting for? Need more information? Okay.

   Worried that THE Guide is organized just by etchings or cuttings? Leave your worries behind you. Categories (alphabetically) are imbedded in the treasures, so if you want to look up "Jugs and Tankards", you'll find them after Jubilee and before Juliet. Got a collection of "Figurals"? Find them after Fifth Avenue and before Finger Bowls. Starting a collection of Centerpieces? You'll find an entry just before Century, which kindly redirects you to "Bowls, Centerpieces, and Console Bowls". Have an unnamed blank? Look under "Blank". Collecting an unnamed etch? Look under "Etch". It doesn't get any better than that.

   Still not satisfied? Okay, you've got a beautiful pitcher, which your Aunt Wilma left you. She called it Meadow Flower, you're sure. But there is no listing. What to do? Meadow Rose is close, look there, is that it? Page 109 in THE Guide. You know she got it in 1937, when she was married. That's right, it was made then according to THE Guide. Not sure? THE Guide tells you to look closer in Stemware, page 87. Convinced? Now call your insurance man. That pitcher is worth a lot more than what your Aunt paid for it. How about $350.00 today?

   Still need more? Hard to please or just a discriminating book shopper? How about 16 pages of photographs, advertising, and catalogue pages you haven't seen before. How about an alphabetical guide word at the top of each page, just like a dictionary, so you can move around quickly and easily through the pages? Milbra and Emily aim to please, and they've hit the bull's eye.

   I know you're convinced now. You've seen plenty of other value guides- lifeless, cryptic, colorless, limp, incomplete, poorly bound, an after thought. Who needs them? With this choice you'll enjoy a beautiful, friendly book.

   See you at the store. Or if they are sold out (likely), see you online. You won't go wrong. Have Milbra and Emily let you down thus far? Not even close. Love their books, love them, love Fostoria.




4. This beautiful new book is a worthy companion to the other 4 books in the Crystal for America series by Milbra Long and Emily Seate! It is artfully designed and cleverly organized, so you can quickly find updated values for any Fostoria glassware covered in the four preceding books. Colorful page borders and plenty of illustrations, many in color, make this book easy to use, despite all the numerical information it offers. There is even a section of new information on Fostoria tumblers! This book does not replace the other 4 books -- you need them for indepth information on pieces and patterns, but it is a masterful presentation of updated value information.



5. This is the book I've been waiting for. It puts all the patterns into one book I can carry with me. Since it's in ABC order, patterns are easy to find, and there's picture of a piece or design to jog my memory with each pattern. Lot's of good data packed into one book, plus all the color makes it fun. A must have for Fostoria collectors!