5 comments about Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass Price Guide (Standard Carnival Glass Price Guide).

1. The book title is a bit deceiving. The cover does say, "Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass". What part of 'encyclopedia' did I miss? This is nothing more than cheap paper with a long list of designs. If you ever hope to identify anything, this is not the book for you. Personally, I thought an 'encyclopedia' might help me identify, but not a single picture. My book now resides at the paper recycling dump. It really is that worthless.



2. From tumblers and bowls to advertising pieces, specialty items from glass workers, and notes on manufacturing credits and oddities, Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass, eleventh edition is an outstanding survey of carnival glass makers and their products. Identification of pieces is the focus here; each piece accompanied by a small yet clear color photograph, and a separate price guide offers no photos but plenty of pricing details. A superb choice for collectors of carnival glass.



3. The cover on the books says it all. It is a price guide but I was looking for a picture book.



4. I had no problem finding any of the patterns that I was looking for. Having only been collecting carnival glass for about three years, I found the book to be informative and a great referance to fall back on if I was unsure of something. This book was one of the best purchases that I have made when it comes to referance books.



5. This book is useless if you do not know a lot about carnival glass. I was very disappointed, it was a waste of money for a beginning collector!

5 comments about Collectors Encyclopedia of Limoges Porcelain (Collector's Encyclopedia of Limoges Porcelain).

1. This is a very thorough history of Limoges. I did not find the pattern that I inherited, but after reading the book, I now understand why there are an amazing number of patterns.



2. Purchased this book as a gift for my wife, who has some Limoges dinnerware. She loved the book and has been able to identify much of her collection with its help.



3. If you collect Limoges Porcelain this is an excellent reference book, with a large section on marks and their dates. The colour pictures identify many patterns, along with a detailed section on manufacturers and a history of Limoges porcelain.



4. I purchase books online based on the reviews so lets be honest. Debby DuBay's book Antique Limoges at Home is the book to purchase. Gaston's book has terrible photographs & just can not compare to DuBay's books.



5. Mary Frank Gaston wrote the foreword to Debby Dubay's Antique Limoges at Home and the introduction to Collecting Hand Painted Limoges Porcelain and I'm thrilled. Two experts collaborating to give collectors all of the info they require to collect successfully. Please write a book together.

3 comments about Paper Dolls of the 1960S, 1970S, and 1980s: Identification & Value Guide (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. If you grew up as a girle-girl who just adored spending hours with your collection of paper dolls, you will recognize many of the sets of dolls presented in this wonderful collector guide.
   
   The information and pictures are wonderful, and you will long for the dolls you played with as a kid. How I wish these collections would be reprinted today!
   
   This is an excellent gift for yourself or a friend who shares your passion for paper doll fashion!



2. The book is a history of paper dolls during the period indicated in the title. The paper dolls are of tv and movie stars. There are paper dolls of familiar dolls like Barbie and kewpies. The book consists of pictures of various paper dolls, some are no longer being printed. The book is colorful and interesting. It is a treasure for paper doll collectors and anyone interested in paper dolls.



3. Very nice paper doll book. I wish someone would do some reproductions. I would like to have them in my collection.

No comments about Collector's Encyclopedia Of Madame Alexander Dolls 1948-1965 (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

5 comments about TV Guide The Official Collectors Guide: Celebrating An Icon.

1. Enhanced with more than 3,700 full color covers from America's most popular, iconic, and widespread weekly magazine, "TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide" compiled by Stephen F. Hofer (Curator of the Philo T. Farnsworth Television History Center, Auburn, Indiana, and who himself is the owner of one of the largest collections of TV Guide magazines and memorabilia in the United States) covers all the national and regional digest size covers from April 10, 1953 to October 9, 2005. Included are TV Guide foldout covers, holographic covers, and multiple covers. For the antique dealer and hobbyist collector, each issue has the current secondary market prices listed. Featuring memorable quotes from TV Guide and from television shows, "TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide" is more than a price guide compendium, (and a superb history of the magazine itself), it is also a very highly recommended tour of American television programming through more than fifty years of popular culture.



2. This book has several major flaws. For a start, there is no index. The only way to locate covers with your favorite stars or shows is to browse the pages year-by-year.
   
   The price guide only gives values for "mint condition" issues, with no guidelines for how to adjust value for copies in less than mint condition. (Most collectors' guides give a range of prices based on condition.)
   
   It would have been nice if they had included some lists, such as: the most valuable issues; issues with multiple covers; people who have appeared on the most covers; etc. All of these things are mentioned in the text, but there is no way to look them up except by browsing every listing.
   
   Despite these flaws, this is still an invaluable book for collectors, because of it's comprehensive checklist.



3. I was so happy to receive the TV Guide Official Collector's Guide, it is a great publication!! It has a lot more information than I expected - comments by stars over the years and much more!! It is very colorful and I will enjoy reading it for years to come. My 45 year old son has a collection of TV Guides and I know he will be interested in seeing the publication to see if the ones he has are valuable! Thank you



4. The episode of Seinfeld where Frank Costanza was noted to be a collector of TV Guide pretty much cemented that publication's place in the lore of pop culture. Now, from Bangzoom publishers comes "TV Guide" the official Collector's Guide. A lot of collector's books claim to be the only book you'd ever need to own but this one truly fits the bill. With over 3700 pictures, and every national and regional TV Guide cover pictured from 4/10/1953 through 10/19/2005 this is truly the ultimate resource for not only collectors, but fans of the magazine as well.
   
   With a foreward by senior TV Guide editor Michael Davis, the book provides info geared towards the collector on where to buy, grading, and preserving your TV Guide collection. The cover subjects are what drives the price of back issues with the very first issue featuring the baby Desi Arnaz Jr. being the most valuable. While I've never collected TV Guide I was a long-time Comic Book collector and basically TV Guides should be kept and stored the same way...in protective bags and ideally in acid free storage boxes.
   
   The guide provides a 19 page history of the magazine as well as a look at TV shows and trends by decade from the 40's through the 2000's; everything from Milton Berle and Howdy Doody to Lost and American Idol. I was born in the 1960's and love many of the shows from that era even though I didn't watch many in their initial runs. It wasn't until syndicated re-runs in the 1970's that I came to adore shows such Bewitched, Gomer Pyle, and Green Acres. As noted in the book, The Brady Bunch was never a top-rated show, but you'd hardly know that since it has gone on to become one of the most syndicated shows in history and a true TV legend.
   
   Next up is 213 pages which show each of those covers from 1953 through 2005 in full color and it's like a trip on a wonderful time machine to page through the decades to see many of the actors and shows that you remember so fondly, and many you may have forgotten such as The Governor and J.J. One TV Guide trend that seems to have ended some time in the early 80's was featuring Santa Claus on the cover of a December issue. The book concludes with a 68 page index and value guide for each issue and doubles as a handy checklist for collectors.
   
   Whether you are storing issues away chronologically like Frank Costanza, or just have a life long love of TV, you are certain to find something to enjoy in this fabulous book.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



5. A mind-bending, if not surreal, parade of TV trivia presented week by week, year by year, era by era. Every single TV Guide cover is shown in true color, from April '53 to the first mag-size issue from autumn of last year. They're arranged as text would be on each page, left-to-right, top-to-bottom and IN ORDER on each page, dated and readily viewable. They even include full displays of all fold-out covers, as well as every version of each multiple cover, such as the one which had to be updated at Michael Landon's death, different regional sport-season previews, and the 25-cover tribute to all the Star Trek cast.
   
   The book is in 3 main sections:
   1) A 26-page section of blurb overseeing the history of TV Guide and background trivia of many of the covers
   2) The section displaying the covers themselves, and
   3) A listing of all covers (with dates and captions) and their collectible worth in mint condition.
   
   It is bound in durable yet manageable paperback binding.
   
   Anyone can invent their own TV trivia diversions just by scanning through this book (i.e. what are the earliest covers featuring people who are still alive? or Who has appeared the most times? or How did TV Guide handle documentarial times and issues [JFK's assassination, 9-11, the advent of cable & PBS etc.], or When did one televion era end, and another begin? and the like). The price list section also serves as an easier-to-count ready-reference of all the cover headings.
   
   Mad Magazine presented a similar, also top-rate, timeline of all their covers a few years ago upon the advent of their 400th issue. The first such resource to incorporate all the TV Guide digest covers certainly doesn't disappoint.

5 comments about Warman's Sterling Silver Flatware: Value & Identification Guide (Encyclopedia of Antiques and Collectibles).

1. This is an excellent guide for the identification of sterling flatware for the collector or the dealer.



2. This book happens to be laying on my business desk at this moment because of the frequency of its use. It is an invaluable resource and guide for Sterling patterns and values. My business sells a lot of silver and couldn't do without this research book.



3. This book is a very useful resource if you deal in sterling silver flatware as it provides actual photographs, not drawings of the handles of each patter. The other benefit this book provides is that you can identify the pieces based on size -- and accurately call a piece by the proper name. Each pattern has a list of many available pieces and their value. I use this book alot and bought one for by business partner -- anyone who deals in sterling flatware should have a copy!



4. easy to follow and while this does not have hallmarks or much history, does carry clear pictures of standard patterns and makers. Good for a start and considering how little is out there, not bad.



5. I wish I had read the above review before I spent my money on this book. I think if someone is going to sell an identification "guide" for a specific category of goods and they are only going to cover a representative selection of that category, they should at least be honest about it on the cover. The cover of this one should say "If you only need a few photos from each manufacturer and you don't need makers' marks to help you IDENTIFY your silver, then this book is for you!!!"

2 comments about Hot Wheels: Warman's Companion.

1. This is a handy smaller sized book from the maker of the great Hot Wheels Variation guide books. The first 2/3 of the book is all color pictures of loose older Hot Wheels cars that really seem to be more of a "Here's a sampling of a nice older collection" than a identification guide. Anyone with a Tomarts guide, (even an old one) really does not need this entire first 2/3 of the book as it is disappointingly incomplete. The price guidance of the older cars is a little deceiving as some of the pictures are of very pretty rough shape cars and all the prices are for near mint vehicles. However, the last 1/3 of the book is fantastic, albeit with no pictures. This is Michael Zarnock at his finest, listing very accurate pricing for an incredible number of variations from 1995 all the way up to recent years. The bottom line is that if you know nothing about collecting older Hot Wheels it can get you in the ballpark of knowing what one could be worth if you run across a loose one. If you do know what you're doing you can still get value in the most recent price guide of practically every known variation out there.



2. This long awaited book has finally arrived and is well written and helpful to beginner and seasoned collectors. The book provides many high quality photos and has alot of information packed inside. The author is a very highly recognized expert in Hot Wheels and writes for Toy Cars and Models Magazine monthly. The book's size will help people when shopping for or selling these fine cars and is easy to understand.
   I truly enjoy the books that Mike Zarnock writes and it helps me with understanding and documenting the cars I have in my collection. For additional information on the subject be sure to check out his "variations" and "accessories" books as well.

No comments about Scott 2007 Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue: C - F (Scott Standard Postage Stamp Catalogue Vol 2 Countries C-F).

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.

5 comments about Ladies' Vintage Accessories.

1. This book was put together very well, there is so much to see and the pictures are all nice and clear.



2. This book is the generous sharing of Ms.Johnson's passion of 25 years - the collecting of vintage clothing and accessories. With overviews of all of a woman's favorite accessories, the book can easily serve as a basic primer for those with a new-found interest in vintage pieces. The information on documentation, age determination, and worth accessment is both helpful and inspirational. The numerous close-up photos of a wide variety of accessories, along with drawings, illustrations, and ads from old periodicals will delight both new and experienced collectors, as well as those simply interested in the past - for fashion, as always, tells us much about culture. Ladies' Vintage Accessories is written in a personable style and is full of both information and food for thought. Highly Recommended.



3. This book follows the current trend in vintage clothing books, in that it consists of photos of items belonging to one collector, presented as an identification and price guide. There are brief captions and a little explanatory text. The author has photographed her items flat or on stands, thus avoiding the jarring effect created in some other books by the use of very modern-looking live models. Most of the items represent everyday, easily purchasable vintage accessories rather than spectacular or rare collectibles. There are also many black-and-white period advertising pictures, possibly to atone for the relatively small number of pre-1900 items photographed from the collection. The prices (unfortunately!) seem low for the current market, and I found no indication of how they were derived. Unlike some other books, most of the time the author avoids gushing about her collection. However, she does follow the current trend of giving comparatively little practical information on how to restore and use vintage accessories (which many collectors want to do), on the grounds that they are "too precious." In fact, most of the items pictured in her book could be worn and enjoyed without much risk of damage.



4. LaRee Johnson-Burton's book, Ladies Vintage Accessories, is outstanding. The photographs were stunning, and the information imparted about the value and description of the collection was exceedingly valuable. Quite frankly, I feel this book is a must-have, not only for the serious collector of vintage accessories and garments, but for writers of historical fiction, who can use this guide to bring them back in time and make certain that their characters are properly adorned. From cobalt blue Victorian parasols to 1920 gold mesh bags, this is a valuable and beautiful crafted book, packaged impeccably by Collector Books, and written by an author/collector who is clearly knowledgeable and passionate about her field. --Karen Plunkett-Powell, author, Remembering Woolworth's



5. LaRee Johnson Bruton's Ladies' Vintage Accessories ...covers hats, purses, shoes, aprons, shawls and all kinds of vintage accessories, with full-color photos alongside the latest prices. The history is as involving as the color photos of spoons paired with their values.