No comments about Ethnic Jewellery.

5 comments about Warman's Costume Jewelry Figurals: Identification and Price Guide (Warman's).

1. I knew this book would be good because the author is so knowledgeable about the stories behind the companies and designers. Her photos are great, with a large size that are perfect for checking out the detail in the jewelry. I have been a collector for over 20 years and yet I had never seen most of the pins in this book. The information and the jewelry are "fresh" and I really love this book. I can't recommend it highly enough, make sure you add it to your collection.



2. As a novice collector I really enjoyed this very well written and informative new book. The outstanding colored photographs are large enough to show details in the wonderful selection of jewelry represented.
   
   And now the hunt begins with this book as my invaluable guide.
   
   IT'S A WINNER *****



3. What you spend on this non-fiction work can come back to you a thousand fold because it is a great guide to making money in the big, broad world of costume jewelry. I see it as a must for anyone of any age who wants to collect or sell jewelry, especially figurals.



4. If you love vintage costume jewelry, you are going to love this book. There are excellent pictures and descriptions not seen in prior jewelry books.



5. Before purchasing this book I had heard from others about its contents and it did not disappoint. There is a lot of information and a whole lot of wonderful costume jewelry ---- wide range of subjects and makers. All in all a very good book if you like figural jewelry.

5 comments about Wonder Woman Notecards (Deluxe Notecards).

1. These are absolutely delightful! The notecards feature various images of the Amazon princess, all of which show her doing what she does best: fighting for justice and truth! The notecards are great for the WW collector or for someone looking for something original (with a vintage touch). They're blank inside, so they're also multi-functional. Best of all, they come in a handy box with a velcro tab, to keep them from getting damaged. A must buy!



2. These cards, reproducing five famous images of Wonder Woman, can turn the average "just say hi" note into something worth talking about. Perfect for DC collectors and the average fan alike.



3. If you buy this and actually use them the way they're intended, a non-fan won't understand some of the esoteric comic covers used on the notecards. However, the quality and cuteness will impress all WW fans.



4. These cards are great for gift giving,and also to appease the inner Wonder Woman we all know.



5. If you're looking for something unique and fun, these notecards are the way to go! I also love the vintage appeal they have as well!
   I'm an old-fashion gal, and I love sending fun cards to my girlfriends, I'm always looking for something different.
   While I will admit to not being into comic books, I remember fondly watching Linda Carter as Wonder Woman. It was one of the first shows I watched as a young girl that really stressed what "GIRL POWER" was all about. :) These are not just any notecards, they make such a statement that no matter who you send them to, it is bound to put a huge smile on their face. Great quality and I was so pleased with how quickly I received them!

4 comments about Collectors Encyclopedia of Russel Wright: Identification & Values (Collectors Encyclopedia of Russel Wright).

1. Packed with information, this book is cumbersome to use since it doesn't have an index.



2. I am so happy to have gotten this book. I knew little-to-nothing about Wright,and Ann Kerr's book lays out all kinds of information about the man, the artist, and his art. I haven't had much of a problem without an index, as she has all the information chaptered out, and it is all easy to access. The accompanying photos are excellent and there are many. She also explains any areas which may be ambiguous, such as color, size and shape anomalies. Due to getting this book, I often know more about the pieces I find than the dealers do, as she tries to fit in every piece of information that she has, on every aspect of the collectible items. I love this book!



3. I just started collecting Russel Wright dishes, and was looking for a definitive reference guide to help key out the pieces I had. I thought this book had a lot of helpful information about determining pattern and manfacturing locations, but I was a bit disappointed overall. Though the cover of the book features only pottery, the book itself has examples of all that Russel Wright created in his long, prolific career-- all the way down to the radios and lamps. It would be great for the diehard RW fan, but I wished it just focussed on the pottery.



4. We've been collecting RW since 1998, and have hundreds of hard to find and many one of a kind pieces.
   
   Pros:
   -Some new photos.
   -The most comprehensive author of Russel Wright, covering all designs from all eras, including furniture and plastic
   -Detailed price guides
   -History and chronology of lines based on extensive research
   
   Cons:
   -Due to wide scope of the book, it is fairly easy to find incorrect information on pieces, prices, and other data.
   -Truncated some interesting information from 2nd edition, including photos of very rare items that we collect
   
   Neutral:
   -Moved prices to back (for easier reference?).
   
   Bottom line: 2 stars for accuracy, 4 stars for breadth, 3 stars for depth. Thus the average rating. If you seriously collect RW and do not have either the 2nd or 3rd edition of this book, you should buy this as without doubt this is certainly better than other RW books (and we have several others), but again not necessarily a must have for those with the 2nd edition.

5 comments about By the Light of the Moon.

1. I've read almost all of Dean Koontz's fifty plus books, and this is one of the more enjoyable ones. BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON is unique because it involves characters who develop superhuman powers, much like the characters in a comic book.
   
   This is new territory for Koontz, but he makes it a lot of fun, and the action in this novel is fast-paced and suspenseful. This book isn't a classic, but it definitely is one of Koontz's better recent efforts, filled with humor and Koontz's unique brand of spirituality. Koontz also does a fine job of portraying a character who is autistic -- he manages to humanize the character without making him sentimental.
   
   BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON contains a LOT of dialogue, and therefore reads very smoothly and quickly. I read this book in a single afternoon. As other reviewers have pointed out, the ending of this novel was indeed abrupt, and almost begs for a sequel. Koontz, however, has already stated publicly that there will be no second book featuring these characters.
   
   I heartily recommend BY THE LIGHT OF THE MOON, but my advice is to seek out other Koontz novels if you're a first time reader. In particular, try WATCHERS, FEAR NOTHING, INTENSITY, PHANTOMS, or ODD THOMAS. I also recommend TICK TOCK and LIFE EXPECTANCY if you want a more humorous novel. Those are his very best ones, and will turn you into a hardcore fan like me.



2. In fairness I should say that I'm a HUGE Dean Koontz fan to begin with but I LOVED this book. The only bad part was that it had to end. The main characters are very three dimensional, the plot was just complicated enough, the pace fast and good and, as with all Koontz's books, I'm a sucker for a happy ending. It was an exhilarating read and great fun!



3. I am an avid Koontz reader and really enjoy about half the books I read of his (the ones that are too creepy for me go to the library).
   
   I enjoyed this book very much, and it will be in my personal library to be read again and again.



4. Enjoyed the book so much I bought the audio version so I could enjoy it again.



5. Good page-turner. I hadn't read a Koontz book in years and it lived up to what I expected, which was something escapist and a little bit chilling. Don't expect a hard-core fright fest here, just a mystery with a supernatural edge. Don't think too hard about the plot or you'll probably snag a loose end and unravel it! Oh, and speaking of metaphors, Koontz does tend to employ some really terrible extended metaphors in his writing -- but that's ok -- we don't read Dean Koontz to experience literary finesse!

4 comments about Collecting Lladro: Identification & Price Guide (Collecting Lladro).

1. For anyone who is interested in learning more about Lladró, the company, the history, the incredible artistry, "relatives" such as NAO and Zaphir, collecting and becoming better at collecting, and how to care for your collection, this book is fantastic and I highly recommend it! Peggy Whiteneck is truly an expert in this field, and has a passion for collecting Lladró that shows in every page. This second edition includes updates and new information as well as even more photos. Lladró collectors will not want to miss this!



2. Good book to read about Lladro porcelains but it's pretty outdated and doesn't contain samples of the newer Lladro pieces. But then again, Lladro related books are so rare, this itself is a jewel. Majority of the pictures shown here are the 'official' photographs of piece by Lladro themselves. It would have been great to see pictures taken by the author or owner as it would give a different angle and view of the pieces. I'm an avid collector and was thrilled to see many of the older pieces and read a short history about them in this book. Perhaps the author would consider to publish a newer edition?? And also source out Lladro examples from a more varied selection of collectors. A view of how they are stored in display cabinets at individual homes would be great too, to give a more personal and homely touch to the pieces. This is a great book and I'm sure it took a lot of effort to come out with it.... I would recommend it to anyone and hope that new editions will be published in the near future.



3. As a Lladro collector of more than 25 years I found this book to be most informative. Even though I have read much about Lladro there were topics covered that were new to me. A new addition would be most welcome.



4. The book was exatly what I was looking for, a very no hassel transaction which makes it a real pleasure. We have found Amazon to be a very honest company. Nothing else to say. Cheers Chris

3 comments about Gun Digest Book Of Beretta Pistols.

1. Perhaps the definitive Beretta modern handgun book. Written with exceptional clarity and depth from a true expert's perspective. Massad Ayoob is a veteran police officer, gun writer & editor, shooting champion, and self-defense guru. His book covers Bobcats, Tomcats, Jetfires, Cheetahs, Cougars, 92s, 9000s, Neos, and revolvers (PX4 not yet released to the public at the time of publication). It also includes handling, equipment, shooting, customization, and maintenance tips.
   
   The legendary 92 series is heavily emphasized and the author does a good job of counteracting all the popular hate, myths, and rumors point by point. For example, the author agrees that 9mm ball is not a particularly great man-stopper, but he also knows that modern 9mm +P hollowpoint is, and moreover the Beretta 92 can handle it with ease. It would be almost foolish to not take advantage of a proven firearm with this much firepower, stopping power, and reliability. In fact, the author's own trusty bedside gun is a modified 92 loaded with high performance ammo; a solid endorsement if there ever was one! Beretta handgunners rejoice, this the one of the best feel good books ever written!



2. Not a Berreta fan but shoot alot of different handguns so I bought it anyway. Excellent book so if you are a Beretta fan this is a must have. Also check out Ayoobs Sig-Sauer book which is very good as well. Maybe you'll do the right thing and buy a Sig instead of a Beretta. ;)



3. To call this book an 'Advertorial' would be too kind. To reprint official Beretta press releases would be only slightly less objective.
   I bought the book to learn more about the 92, decide which model to buy, and what to do to improve it. Ayoob wastes way too much ink and pages in basically a bar room style of dialogue ("I heard" "someone said" "some people think" etc.) of testimonials and countering negative comments abot everything from the stopping power of a 9mm to the integrity of the testing peformed to approve the weapon for the US military.
   Oddly enough, the only model he doesn't like (the 9000) he shot only one -an early production model and never did any follow-up testing.
   As far as suggested mods to make the 92 (his favorite gun in the world, it seems) a better shooter, he spends very little time with no useful pictures.
   There are lots of pictures of Ayoob and his daughter posing while shooting, but none that show internal mechanical changes in the firearms that might be helpful in deciding which gun to buy.
   Many, many words about the style of safeties used on the guns and why a police officer should carry a gun on 'safe'.
   Bought the book. Am buying (and planning on keeping) a Beretta. Will throw out the book.

5 comments about Blue Book of Pool Cues.

1. It's amazing how much my old cue has appreciated in value. I almost sold it at my garage sale. Thanks to Simpson's BLUE BOOK, I got almost 10 times what I thought it was worth. This book is a goldmine.



2. This is a great value for content and price! I don't know how it could have been done much better for the cost. Some of the minor cuemakers don't have pictures of their work, but I suspect they didn't submit any to the publisher. It was a big help to me when I went to buy a cue.



3. As this is the 3rd edition of Blue Books, that tells you that people into pool cues have been buying them, with good reason.
   First off, the author, Brad Simpson, has been adding more and more info into each new edition, the 1st ed.(1996) had 465 pages, the 2nd, (1999) 600 pages, and this 3rd edition,(2005), a whopping 913.
   The number of color photos's showing the work of the more well known cuemakers, past and present, living and dead, has also increased with each new edition and, IMO, is the best feature of these books.
   The 3rd edition has a fairly extensive listing of cuemakers and a brief business bio of them. Their current cue offerings, as well as their older and one of a kind cues is provided. The pricing guidelines should be regarded in the most general of terms, as so much goes into the value of a pool cue.
   If your a collector or just someone looking to spend a few hundred dollars on a nice cue to play with, The Blue Book of Pool Cues, 3rd Ed., can provide both useful information and enjoyment at a reasonable cost.



4. If you enjoy playing pool and want to find out who makes the pool cues we use, this is the book for you.



5. Great reference material for anyone interested in collecting cues. Just wish the book was hardback.

1 comments about Copper Art Jewelry: A Different Luster.

1. This book covers the major designers of copper jewelry, Rebajes and Matisse/Renoir as well as some other less well known names. There are great full color photographs throughout with accompanying descriptions. It is an important addition to the wide range of jewelry books.

1 comments about Graced by Lace: A Guide for Collectors of Antique Linen and Lace (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book is the most beautiful and informative book I have ever seen on the subject on antique lace. I am a second generation antique textile collector, and this book is truly the best I have ever seen on antique linens and lace.

   It is the perfect gift for both the expert and the novice.

   Gerry Nichol President - Decorative Textiles