5 comments about Vintage Halloween Collectibles: An Identification & Price Guide (Vintage Halloween Collectibles: Identification & Price Guide).

1. I bought this book at the same time as Timeless Halloween Collectibles. They're definitely companions.
   
   This book is larger. The colors are less vivid than "Timeless" but there are so many more of them. I couldn't be more delighted with the volume and the clarity of the images.
   
   I like the detail of the old time decorations that I remember but find them unaffordable. This book easily satisfies the joy of reliving times gone bye. There's something for everyone.



2. This book tells you what to look for (and what to avoid) in the facinating world of vintage Halloween collecting. The photography is great, and the prose is informative and entertaining. Even if you're not an avid Halloween collector, the "haunting" images from these bygone days are truly works of art, full of whimsy & fun. For the serious collector, the price guide is an absolute must have.



3. So far this is the best book I've found on Vintage Halloween in the sense of information, layout and the broad spectrum of items covered. It is evident that Mark Ledenbach is truly passionate about his collection. The photos are high quality and well laid out. The information is thought provoking and facsinating to any Halloween enthusiast. I do wish there were more item information regarding usage or other interesting tidbits, however this book does give the reader what it promises.
   A must have for the Halloween aficionado.



4. Another Halloween has come and gone but for some people like myself, the Halloween holiday lives on 365 days a year due to my love of the holiday and my passion for Halloween décor. When I was a kid, I used to be rather afraid of the old decorations in my grandmother's house. These were quite a bit scarier than those jointed cardboard skeletons and plastic light-up pumpkins that I was used to...Little did I know then just how valuable those pieces were. When she passed away about ten years ago my wife and I scoured her house for those trinkets but alas, they were nowhere to be found, most likely tossed in the trash years ago.
   
   Vintage Halloween Collectibles from Krause Publications is yet another outstanding edition to their library of collectibles books. When I first received the book I literally sat down for a couple of hours and just browsed through the book from cover-to-cover, looking for the items my Grandmother used to have as well as finding the few items that I've been able to collect. Collecting vintage Halloween decorations is no easy task Halloween wasn't nearly as big and commercialized decades ago as it is today. Vintage Christmas items show up endlessly at flea markets and garage sales but vintage Halloween items are much harder to come by because there just wasn't as much made, not too mention that much of it was made out of paper and simply didn't last as long.
   
   This 256 page trade paperback book covers some 1600 items and features over 1100 full-color photos. The book lists the item with country of origin, manufacturer, date of manufacture, dimensions, current value, and, perhaps most importantly, a scarcity index on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being the rarest and 5 being the most common. Naturally, the items my grandmother had fell into the common arena but still were fairly valuable, all things considered. The items are broken down into eight different category chapters including games, candy containers and figures, noisemakers, and decorations.
   
   I found it interesting that there were so many games that involved fortune telling that were made in the 30's and 40's. This is certainly a sign of that era's infatuation with mysticism. One motif that seemed so common back in the first half of the 20the century that you don't see much today is devil and demon décor. The stereotypical red horned devil was a very common theme that has nearly disappeared from modern décor...I guess that's' a sign of OUR times. The other overwhelming common theme was the black cat. The book contains hundreds of black cat items from figurines to paper lanterns. The lanterns are things I remember distinctly from my youth and I am still amazed at the intricate detail of these rather delicate Halloween decorations. The book has dozens of examples of paper lanterns adorned by witches, black cats, pumpkins, and skeletons. These items are beautiful and Krause has done a great job with clear, beautiful photography of these rarities.
   
   One of the most interesting chapters is simply called "A Nice Variety" because the items didn't fit into any of the other categories. These feature items such as paper aprons, candy boxes, candles and candleholders, books and magazines. The covers to the books published by Dennison's in the 20's and 30's are gorgeous. These books were geared towards the woman of the house with ideas for recipes, decorations, and Halloween games. I also loved the die-cut chapter because those are the decorations I remember my mother having as a young kid and still fondly remember. But again, those red devil die-cuts, circa the 1930's are just wonderful. These items may not be easy to find anymore, but if you do, there is simply no better resource than this book from Krause Publications.
   
   REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON



5. When I started discovering vintage Halloween items, I came upon Mark Ledenbach's book. It became my leading guide while investigating on eBay. On his web site I could contact him an ask for advice. He was very friendly and helpful. The photos and lay out of his book are fantastic and it is better organized then other books I own. I could not have enjoyed the beautiful graphics and usual, rare items if it were not for this book. You must purchase this whether you are a serious collector or not. Have fun!

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.

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.

4 comments about Standard Catalog Of Schwinn Bicycles 1895-2004.

1. This review is for; Standard Catalog Of Schwinn Bicycles 1895-2004
   
   As pointed out by the other reviewers this is hardly an accurate "catalog" with the technical details that we usually associate with precise catalogs. Instead, this 160-page book is just a short pictorial and text reference for casual interest. As others pointed out this book does not have a complete catalog of all the Schwinn bikes produced (which would mean a much bigger book!), but just a random assortment of Schwinn bikes produce from 1895 to the present. Yes, unfortunately those but-ugly Schwinn choppers called "Stingray" (Stingray Imposters!) from a couple of years ago are also included. As a Schwinn enthusiast myself who proudly owns four Schwinn bikes that I refuse to let go of and I enjoyed the fact that my 1998 Schwinn Paramount was in the book.
   
   Don't expect detailed information for each bike such as specifications and frame measurements that you may have seen from actual Schwinn catalogs. The book only has a few photographs of the whole bike and a few close-ups of the bike and accessories. In terms of text, details of each bike described is limited to one paragraph at the most! If you are a Stingray or Krate enthusiast over 55 pages are dedicated to the Stingray & Krate (mostly original and a few pages of the later reproductions). I'm just a mild Schwinn enthusiast, so I was surprised to see some products that I never saw before such as the Stingray tandem bike called the "Mini Twin" (which was produced for only one year!) and the moto-cross bike called the "Hornet". The book shows all the odd yet unique accessories such as the Stingray "ram-horn" handle bars, windshield and baseball bat carrier. Some photographs of the Excelsior motorcycle and other motorcycles designed by Ignaz Schwinn (the 1895 founder) are included in the book. Other pictures included are some of the vintage Schwinn ads produced throughout the years.
   
   As far as the text, the book briefly explains the history of Schwinn, but most of the text is dedicated to explaining the various lines of Schwinn. I highly recommend the book "No Hands" by Judith Crown & Glenn Coleman if you want to get a better historical perspective on the history of Schwinn.
   
   My only mild complaint about the book is that since the 160 pages of roughly 8.5" X 11" pages (office size) are paper bound, the large center-fold pictures are somewhat difficult to see because the middle of the photo is "mashed" very tightly where separate pages are bound together. The "Schwinn Bicycle" book by Pridemore & Hurd was a slightly better book in terms of presentation because the pages were slightly larger 10.5"X 10.5" in a hardcover bound book. I think this "catalog" book would have been slightly better if the pages were wider.
   
   Despite the fact that this book isn't really a detailed "catalog" for the Schwinn die-hards, I still thinks it's still a pleasure for people with some casual interest to browse through and look at those wonderful Schwinn bikes that you have or use to have or wished you have!



2. This book was disappointing. It's title lead me to believe that it would be an extensive and thorough compilation of most, if not all of the bikes Schwinn produced; not so!
   
   I own a 1970 Schwinn Twinn Tandem bike, and was hoping I would read and see information on tandems. They picture one tandem, and have very little information about it. They also fail to depict several other models. If you look at an orignal Schwinn catalog, you'll find that they built dozens of models each year! Do a google search and you'll find it.
   
   One of Schwinn's more popular models was the "Typhoon", and I don't even see a mention of it! What a crock!
   
   I have a Standard Catalog of Corvette, and it's is much more thorough than this one for the bike.



3. The book is well written for the casual interest, yet it does not detail the financial woes that Schwinn had prior to its demise. The photos are good, not enough information that a "Catalog" should have. I was hoping for model names and production fiqures year by year, but such was not contained. I'm sure there are better histories out there.



4. After reviewing this book I was very disappointed. The title should have been "just another picture book of a few guys bikes". The title "standard catalog" is very deceiving. The content does not even scratch the surface of the vast array of of bicycles built by Schwinn down thru the years. There are no charts of models built, no production numbers, no serial numbers, really nothing in the way of valuable information to the collector. Nothing more than pictures of a select few bicycles and some cheesy history thrown in for copy. Even my untrained eye spotted several inaccuracies in the pictures of the restored bicycles shown.
   I will say that the photography is quite good and the paper quality is great. My "new" copy arrived with the binding separating and some pages coming out. This would make an excellant book to keep next to the commode in case of emergency!!!
   Perhaps the next time the author decides to tackle such an undertaking, some amount of research would be in order instead of relying on the Schwinn name to sell a book. I'm not into burning books but this on comes close.

5 comments about Collectible Glassware from the 40s, 50s and 60s (Collectible Glassware from the Forties, Fifties, and Sixties).

1. Our copy of this book has lots of paper markers sticking out, because it has helped us identify so many items, found in our travels. Vintage glass is a great favorite at our house, and it can be challenging to ID, so we appreciate Mr. Florence's help! Great color photos, clear information and the authoritative voice of experience.



2. I found the book to be very informative about the collectibles I have interest in collecting. It even gave me insight on others that I have seen and may consider collecting. Great, Great book!!!



3. This guide was great if you don't have any other volumes. The pricing so far seems to be very accurate to the market. If you have another earlier edition of 40's 50's 60's there are not very many new patterns in the book. Great photo reference.



4. Gene Florance is, I think, the best person to go by, when it comes to depression glass and collectible glassware. his books are like the bible to me.
   one of the best things about Gene's books, they are easy to follow and the pictures are AWESOME! I'm a better person to compare pictures than try to read what someone is telling me. so thats why, I dont leave home without him/it!



5. I always find gene florence book the most helpful for research. I did find somethings that where discontinued I would have liked referenced. I still rely on his resources.

5 comments about Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Value Guide, Second Edition: 1973-2006.

1. The Hallmark Keepsake value guide was vary informative and well laid out
   it is a pleaser using it. I would not hesitate buying another value guide for the year 2010.
   
   Thank you for providing such a product.



2. I think this book is a great way to keep track of my Hallmark Ornaments and give me a current value of each one. However, because values change from year to year, it could be a lot of work transferring them to a new book each year. I think every couple of years would be fine to keep track of what you have unless you purchase numerous ornaments every year. I would, however, like to know where the values come from. If the values listed are to sell, I don't think you could get the amount stated. However, if it's for insurance reasons, I think it would be a great book to have.



3. I just love this book. It gives you a picture for all ornaments, including miniature ornaments too. Plus, other specialty hallmark products. The book also gives you a market value of the ornament and is nicely organized. I would recommend this book for the novist collector and the serious collector!



4. This book lists all Hallmark ornaments in pictures and prices. It is
   helpful to find some of my ornaments and know their value. I would
   recommend it to any collector of Hallmark.



5. This guide is very useful for determining insurance values for a person's ornament collection. It is not as useful for determining sale prices as sale prices almost never equal value guide prices. It is easy to use and has good pictures of virtually every ornament and merry miniature Hallmark has produced. I highly recommend it to any serious collector.

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.

5 comments about Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide 1800-1960.

1. This book is going to take some studying for me to really "get it". Fabrics from eras before 1900 all tend to look similar to me because of the different dyes that were used then, compared to later. The prints look the same to me. I was hoping to get more of a sense of each distinct era but while studying this book could give me that, it seems to be more of a resource for looking up fabrics one finds on old quilts. And it couldn't possibly be complete enough for that. I haven't spent a lot of time with the book yet but this is my impression at this point. Nothing else like it for sale though!



2. When paging through this colorful book, Dating Fabrics: A Color Guide 1800-1960, imagine my tremendous joy when I found THE yellow flowered fabric featured in my most prized quilt, dating it between 1830-1860!
   
   This very well researched and comprehensive collection introduces each time period from "Pre-1830 'A New Nation' with a thorough introduction of the era and the history of quilts and fabrics. Following are 1-inch x 1-inch photo swatches of the fabrics arranged by print style and colors.
   
   A wonderful reference book for those who make, collect or simply appreciate this art form.



3. This book is a great addition to my historical fabrics/quilt collection. I really appreciate the hardback cover and the spiral binding!! It has
   excellent photographs.



4. This is a great book and took a lot of time and research to put together, although it did not help me. It seemed to have more northern than southern information.



5. Excellent. It's a keeper and is now on my reference shelf. It was hard reading but the best book by far with the pictures and text for dating my fabrics. It really helped in dating my quilts.

3 comments about Arrowheads and Projectile Points (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. Good overall, although only basic pictures, simple text but get the point across. THis book is really the same for over a decade now, but has updated realistic prices. Lar did great and his son has done well since his passing. Good value price too.



2. Mr. Hothem puts together a book that is easy reading but I wish it had a section which showed exactly what characteristics designates certain points from each other (with a diagram). Otherwise, I found the book to be a nice companion book to other arrowhead books I have.



3. This 223 page's book is an excellent introduction to the world of prehistoric amerindian projectile points and arrowheads. In some very nice photos and inscriptions you could find the "keys" to what you collect, their relative prices, regional classification and chipping techniques. A simple and practical relation describes the U.S. materials used to make arrowheads and blades including all the regional types, edges, shapes, individual characteristics of each piece and instructions to take care with them. Indispensable to begginers and advanced collectors this book certainly attempt the amateur archaeologist's expectation.

5 comments about 500 Glass Objects: A Celebration of Functional & Sculptural Glass (500 Series).

1. Book arrived in good condition and on time. I wasn't really impressed by the content, tho some might find it interesting.



2. I love this series from Lark! It provides me with lots of inspiration and it is a wonderful tool to learn new artists and their work. I have almost the whole series!



3. This book contains images that are fantastic however it also contains some incredibly poor ones. Certain artists submitted images of really high resolution or the most accurate photographic image - in slide format and the publisher has scanned them in quite inadequately. I was disappointed at the overall quality of this book and its presentation of artwork.



4. I am not really sure what people are hoping to find in this book. Like all of Lark's '500 Series' they are simply inspirational,the are not technical nor are they project based or how to, they are mostly gorgeous eye candy. I am not a glass artist, I am lucky to have a few art glass pieces that I have collected over the years but I bought this book purely to marvel at the shapes, originality and astonishing colours achieved by the wonderful artists whoose work is contained within. Truly luscious pieces each and everyone. Not always functional but certainly inspiring.



5. If you are a contemporary art glass collector, you will love the hundreds of photographs in this book. You might even discover a new artist whose work you covet! As a learning tool, however, this book leaves something to be desired. Other than the names of the artists and their techniques, plus the object dimensions, there is not a lot of information. It would have been nice to have examples and descriptions of how the techniques are accomplished. But then, the author - the daughter of one of the world's foremost glass artists - would have needed more than 396 pages.