2 comments about Fashionable Clothing: From the Sears Catalogs - Mid 1960s (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Sure, "Radical Rags" is an amazing book, but very few could actually afford, or indeed have the guts, to wear many of the designs it features. This book shows how the look of the '60s trickled down to the middle American masses. Don't be put off by the Sears name--many of the outfits here are divine, and some are downright outlandish. Even the prim suits look fresh and cute. Unlike some other books on vintage clothing from this publisher, this one features actual source photos from the period, so the hair-dos, make-up, accessories and overall look are accurate. The companion volumes on the late '60s and 1950s are equally fab.



2. i want to get some detail abt this book

No comments about Warman's American Clocks Field Guide.

3 comments about 100 Greatest Baby Boomer Toys.

1. No generation is so defined by its toys as the Baby Boomers. They loved them as kids. They collect them as adults. 100 GREATEST BOOMER TOYS explores the phenomenon. It's fun and it's serious.

   First the fun. The books got hundreds of great pictures. It's like a Christmas catalog. Look up old favorites. Discover items you'd forgotten.

   And there's a ranking system which seems pretty much designed to provoke arguments. Wait until you see who's #1!

   More substantially there are short essays on many of the toys. Little studies in anthropology, in social history, they tell us about the 50's and 60's. The tie-in of G.I. Joe and the draft is, I think, very apt and really well done.

   Once you pick it up, you will be drawn in.




2. This 208 page, softbound walk-through-the-past volume features 250 full color, very large, sharp photos that are a joy to behold. I enjoyed looking at the photos and reading each comprehensive write-up. A real memory jogger. I was quite surprised at the number of these things I actually owned as a child, and welcomed seeing them again in life-like color. Even many of the boxes are shown. There's plenty of interesting text accompanying the photos and year 2000 values. The toys run from Easy Bake Ovens, Slinky, Cootie, Thingmakers, Lincoln Logs, and Spirographs to Tootsietoys, Monster Kits, Pez, Colorforms, Life-Size Kitchens, Gilbert, Renwal Doll Stuff and Captain Kangaroo. You'll really enjoy seeing some of these toys you haven't thought of in years. I have many books on baby boomer collectibles, and this one ranks among the best. Get it and enjoy !



3. Reading this book was truly a passage back in time for me. As I was growing up, I played with so many of the toys listed in this book. The Slinky, Lincoln logs, the Spirograph, Cootie, Mousetrap, Etch a Sketch, Mr. Potato Head, Gumby and Pokey, Rock'Em Sock'Em Robots, Twister, Tinkertoys, Frisbees and the Hula Hoop all passed through my hands. With a large number of children my age in the neighborhood, the toys I didn't have were often owned by others. Therefore, reading this book brought back very fond memories of playing with Clive, Sandy, Dale, Rick, Paul, Terry, Cindy and all the other kids who grew up with toys that you physically manipulated. I strongly recommend this book to anyone with a background similar to mine.

1 comments about Warman's Watches Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. This book Was a disappointment although it is in a convenient format it is just a copy of Dean Judy's other book.

No comments about Miller's Teddy Bears: A Complete Collector's Guide (Miller's).

5 comments about Warman's Depression Glass Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides Depression Glass: Values &I Identification).

1. this is an excellent book. received it promptly and in new condition.



2. Lovely descriptive book. Found several of my pieces immediately. Will be a great reference book for my collection.



3. This book is a fantastic take-along for going to antique stores and garage sales and the like. It contains several helpful sections to help you identify patterns including a catagorized section of borders (birds, floral, art deco, etc.) and a shape guide which is primarily useful when looking for plates and serving pieces. All of the photos of actual pieces are in color. This book also contains several patterns that Gene Florence's Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass does not.
   
   One thing about this book that needs to be mentioned is the large discrepency in value for many pieces between the Warman's guide and Florence's guide. I don't know if this is because this edition is already 3 years old or what. You may feel like you are getting an incredible deal when you are actually not. This book also doesn't contain much information on each pattern except for the basics and it doesn't have much good information on reproductions.
   
   This is a great field guide for glass, but it's good to have a back-up, more recent guide for values.



4. If you are interested in depression glass you will enjoy adding this book to your collection of reference books.



5. I've used this book for selling many pieces of depression glass. It is very detailed with lots of pictures to help identify pieces by maker and pattern.

2 comments about The Art & Character Of Nutcrackers: Art And Character Of Nutcrackers.

1. The Art And Character Of Nutcrackers is an artbook of nutcrackers as crafted throughout human history, from simple and utilitarian devices to whimsical novelties resembling toy soldiers to beautiful works of art, and even provocative nutcrackers fashioned in the semblance of nude women. The text offers a brief survey of the creation, evolution, and use of nutcrackers, yet the majority of The Art And Character Of Nutcrackers is devoted to full-color photography of the nutcrackers themselves. Each photo bears a caption that lists the nutcracker's name, origin, composition, and approximate dimensions. The Art And Character Of Nutcrackers is not a price guide, yet it is a truly gorgeous resource for collectors and casual browsers alike, and a wonderful way to visually experience an artistic marriage of practical function and aesthetic value.



2. Nutcrackers have a long history, moving from simple utilitarian designs to works of art which have achieved notoriety and acclaim - and here to document all the changing trends in construction and artistry is THE ART & CHARACTER OF NUTCRACKERS. Color photos pack every page and contrast a wide range of nutcrackers. Discussions of different woods utilized by artisans, changing styles around the world, and different materials utilized make for an exciting display perfect for collectors and artists alike.

5 comments about The Bowl Is Already Broken: A Novel.

1. "The Bowl is Already Broken" blew me away! It is so so so good that I missed the characters afterward. Lots of wit and perfect proportions of both ne'er-do-well behavior and affection (if you don't know what I mean by that now, you will after finishing the novel!)
   I so admire the way Zuravleff makes the reader care about a whole community of people. The structure is masterful the whole way through, and wonderfully echoes the zen-like themes. Even if you've no interest in Asian art or museums, the human-interest plot and subplots will keep you reading longer than you meant to. I had a delicious sense of "how are characters x, y, and z going to get themselves out of these messes" the whole way through.



2. A quintessential Washington novel with culture, commerce and Smithsonian politics. The central conceit -- that the Freer Sackler-like Asian Museum will be converted into a food court -- meant to be comically hyperbolic, does not seem all that farfetched anymore!
   Wry humor and lots of informed detail make this a worthwhile read.



3. Mary Kay Zuravleff is a talented writer with a wry sense of humor. She captures the nuances of life in Washington, D.C. and behind the scenes at an Asian art museum (very much like the Freer and Sackler Galleries) with style and wit. Her characters are real and not caricatures. While some readers may view this story as satire, for those of us who live in the nation's capital, the prospect of a museum being commercialized or turned into a food court may be closer to the truth than one would think!
   I look forward to reading Ms. Zuravleff's next book.



4. Mary Kay visited my bookclub when we discussed this book, and we were all so excited about it that I insisted my husband read it too. He has since given several copies as gifts. Mary Kay's political commentary is subtle, but it's spot-on given an administration where the Smithsonian and everything else is up for sale and the world's oldest and richest cultures are viewed with suspicion.
   
   We read The Frequency of Souls together too, and loved it. We can't wait to see what she writes next!



5. The Bowl Is Already Broken is a witty and warm romp through a fictional museum in our nation's capital. It's a humorous tale of mystery, intrigue, office politics and the ups and downs of the average and not so average American life. Just like a good friend, you'll love these characters because of their quirks and flaws rather than despite them. Once again, Mary Kay Zuravleff has written a novel you hurry home from work to read. You won't want to say goodbye to these characters. Perhaps you can invite them over for dinner sometime soon to see how life is treating them now. A wonderfully good read.

4 comments about Collecting Japanese Antiques.

1. The photos in this book are stunning. The author is knowledgeable.
   If you can't live in Japan to be near the beauty of its art, then this is second best. Rarely will you be able to get such thorough descriptions, history and feeling for the art and antiques of Japan.
   
   Cyndee Nagy, Kobe, Japan



2. This book is a real treasure. If you buy just one book about Japanese art and antiques, this is it. Its presentation, descriptions and explanations are excellent. Reading this book is learning and pleasure at the same time.
   I know the author personally and one can really see in this book his love and dedication to Japanese art.
   For everybody who wants to learn more about Japanese art and antiques I strongly recommend the magazine "Daruma" which is edited by Alistair Seton.
   Markus Zenhaeusern, Kobe, Japan



3. This is not your typical collector's handbook listing objects and possibly briefly describing them and listing going prices. This coffee-table quality book with the title "Collecting Japanese Antiques" is a survey of Japanese art works and cultural items with sections of advice for collectors. The historical and cultural background on the different items favors what would be of interest to collectors. But it is also informative and relevant simply for its artistic, historical, and cultural material. Readers looking for concentrated information on Japanese art and culture accompanied by attractive color photographs would find this work exceptionally suitable. For the collectors it is meant for particularly, there's sections on "Tides and Trends in Collecting," guidance in developing collections of certain items (e. g., baskets), lists of artists, notable regions and schools for certain antiques, and especially desirable objects in certain categories. Seton also moves to the technical subjects of materials, production, and workmanship which are important for collectors not only in appreciating items and assessing their value, but in making a preliminary decision about their age and authenticity. Among Seton's 13 categories of antiques are screens and scrolls, ceramics, furniture, sculpture and metalwork, dolls, and tea ceremony utensils. Seton has lived in Japan since 1972, where he currently teaches Japanese art and poetry. In 1993, he founded the quarterly magazine "Daruma" to cover Japanese art and antiques; which he still edits. "Collecting Japanese Antiques" is a work any collector or lover of Japanese art and antique objects will want for sound education and easy reference, and at times for enjoyably looking at the numerous color photos of the varied Japanese objects.



4. If you love Japanese antiques, you cannot live without this survey, with superb photography, spectacular taste, ecclectic choice, and scholarly background by the editor of Daruma magazine. All of the major collectible fields are covered with practical, informative text, and beautifully photographed select finds. The photographic choices are representative, varied and exquisite. Not merely an introduction, the work serves as a springboard to understanding and appreciating many of the accessible antiques from the Edo and Meiji periods in particular. If the book had an index of marks for each type of collectible, it would be perfection. As-is, I like the book so much that I have bought extra copies for my friends, and a new copy when mine started to get worn.

5 comments about Collectible Glassware from the 40S, 50S, and 60s: An Illustrated Value Guide (Collectible Glassware from the Forties, Fifties, and Sixties).

1. 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!



2. 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.



3. 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!!!



4. 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.



5. I purchased this book to use at the consignment store that I work. It has really helped me identify antique glass and price it to sell. Reviewiing this book has helped me make some purchases at auctions too!