1 comments about The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer's Guide.

1. Excellent service and excellent prodoct. Would order from them again.

4 comments about Pearls: A Natural History.

1. This truly is a history book, written in a very accessable style with lots of great photos and illustrations. If there's anything else to know about pearls then I suspect it might just about fill up the back of a postage stamp with room to spare. A great resource for amateurs and professionals alike; I thoroughly enjoyed it and it's well worth the money.



2. This is an excellent, well illustrated book with everything you could want to know about pearls - how they occur naturally, the biology of this, how they are induced artificially ( cultured pearls), how they are faked, the optics of their appearance and how they have shaped history and , of course, pearl jewellery.

   The hard bits are explained without jargon, in intelligeable words but without losing detail.




3. This book is quite thorough, as mentioned in the other reviews. The "but" is major, though.... The type font is VERY DIFFICULT on the eyes. I absolutely love pearls, drool over them, even. I gobble up any information on them. If the GIA offers a specialization in them, I will get it. But the lines in this font are so thin, and the size is so tight and small, I haven't been able to finish a fourth of the book, and I've had it over a year!

   Every time I try to read it, I have to put it down after only a few pages. By the way, my vision is great, corrected to better than 20/20. Perhaps my copy (bought at the Metropolitan Museum of Art store) was printed when the ink source was running low...




4. A beautiful book with great information and many gorgeous pictures. The history and pearl formation information was very helpful.

5 comments about Victorian Fashion in America: 264 Vintage Photographs (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. Kristina Harris won my applause in her introduction, where she says that knowledge of costume AND knowledge of photographic processes must be used together for maximum accuracy in dating pictures. Seems obvious, but the obvious is seldom stated. She is certainly well-schooled in both fashion and photography. However, neophytes will find it difficult if not impossible to recognize each photographic process even with the best of written descriptions. This skill is attained through experience.
   
   Readers may also be in danger of inaccurate dating if they take the guidelines provided in this book too literally. For instance, the popularity of carte-de-visite photographs may have peaked in the 1860s in Philadelphia, but they do not even appear until 1869 in frontier areas and are certainly more typical of the 1870's in Ontario.
   
   The chief strength of this book as a resource is in the captions to the illustrations, which include the name and location of the photographer, the photographic format, the name of the sitter(s) if available as well as a few comments to indicate significant aspects of the costume. We don't have to jump to endnotes: the information is right there. Bravo!
   
   Harris also knows to use "circa" (c.) to indicate that the date is a best guess. --And therein lies a weakness. This is yet another work in which photographs have been chosen to illustrate a history, as opposed to basing history on dated photographs as documentary evidence.
   
   The warning that dates written on backs of photographs are "frequently added long after the photograph was taken" disquieted me. Although Harris is absolutely correct to warn us never to make assumptions, I worry that beginners will devalue what might be critical evidence. The fact is that folks often wore out-of-date or very personal choices in dress and that 'questionable' date may turn out to be right.
   
   I gave this book three stars out of five for the above reasons, and because it is neither indexed nor sourced. An index based on photographer/city/sitter would have been very useful, and there is no bibliography.



2. Costume resources from this period tend towards drawings from period magazines, and use highly stylized model forms. This great collection of pictures shows a wide range of people, in a fairly wide range of clothing types. The limitations of period phots are that the clothing is almost always the fanciest outfits the person owns, and does not reflect day to day wear. Other photos are clearly theatrical costume, but the author has clearly identified them as such, even where the oroginal information is missing.
   
   As with any black and white source, colors are left to your imagination, but the details of finsh and construction that can be gleaned from the photos makes this a necessary tool in researching clothing of this era. Teamed with a Harper's Bazaar drawing reference, and an accessory reference, and you are ready to start making your own victorian clothing!



3. I liked this book because, although it is mostly studio portriats of Victorians, they are often in everyday dress. If you like old photographs, you like this book, and if your looking for some 'design' elements for historic costumes then you'll love this book.



4. This book is chock full of photos and information...I was a bit disappointed in the quality of the images though. I understand that the original photos are old, but I think the print quality in the reproduction on the publishing end might have been better. Fine if info only is what you are looking for, but if you are making copies to include in a project...don't expect too much.



5. I will enjoy looking through this book endlessly, but I actually prefer sketches to actual photos because the detailing is much clearer. I good book added to my library.

No comments about Beckett Unofficial Guide to Pokeman, 2009 Edition (Beckett Pokemon Price Guide).

5 comments about The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers.

1. Oddly enough, before this new 1st Edition, no such manual ever existed for the vintage amp market. Over the years, buyers and sellers alike have had to possess either a gurulike knowledge of the market, or, as is more frequently the case, rely on conjecture and guesswork to determine what different amplifiers are worth.
   So it's with a great sigh of relief that we welcome the Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers - this guide boasts more than 300 pages and features interviews with experts, a glossary of amp-related terms, a full color photo gallery, concise manufacturer histories, and most importantly, current real market values of innumerable amps, from Acoustic (remember them?) to Zapp (no, I've never heard of them either). Of course, this 1st Edition provides the going price for virtually every mode of Fender, Hiwatt, Marshall, Supro, and Vox, and boasts a section devoted to speaker cabinets. Pretending you know what you're talking about has never been easier!



2. I would have to say that I will definatley be looking foward to the 2nd edition of this book. It was well written, easy to read, and to understand for those out there who do not possess a great deal of knowladge about amps. Zach Fjestad, a new and upcoming author, definatly shows that he has what it takes to put out a sucessfull book. Watch for other things by him in the future.



3. This book is a companion to the Fjestad's Blue Books of electric and acoutic guitars. Hundreds of different amplifier models, their wattages, tube complement, features and prices are discussed. The entrys are simple to understand and also contain a short history of each amplifier brand. While Marshall and Fender are the two most famous brands of amplifiers that come to mind, this book also covers lesser known brands and rare brands such as Carr and Dumble.
   
   This book is a must for the Guitarist and amp collector. This book has given me amny insights into my amp collection which consists of a 1965 Fender Bandmaster, a 1969 Fender Twin Reverb, a 1980's Fender Vibro Champ, a Marshall Mercury, a Marshall JCM 900 combo and a tweed Fender Pro Junior. This book includes interviews with Paul Reed Smith and Mike Soldano.



4. This a rehash of the first edition with little change. If you have the 1st edition don't waste your money. 2003? How about a new one?!



5. Though this book looks nice, and has lots of pictures, seems to be dud in my case. It does not list the one amp that I was hoping to find...a Pignose Crossmix 150R. This is a vintage amp designed by Paul Rivera in 1980 or so. It's not even mentioned.
   
   Other than that, the book is okay I guess. The layout is a little confusing to work through, but eventually you can find most things you are looking for. It might be helpful to me one day. But for now, it's probably going to be a coffee table book.

4 comments about The Highwaymen: Florida's African-American Landscape Painters.

1. An all-inclusive journey through the lives and souls of African American painters from days gone by. These creative souls painted breathtaking beach landscapes... Many of their works still survive today, and sell for [a small fortune]. (I know, I have one in my living room.) A great buy! Just be warned; one look through it's pages will draw you toward Florida's shores lke a child to the smell of cotton candy!



2. This book highlites a special group of amateur black artists who lived in Florida in the 1950's. The story is well presented with wonderful details that make their artistic journey come alive. The paintings are wonderful. The only drawback to this book, as I see it, is that the vivid hues of the paintings did not come through in this book. I happened to read a magazine article, full of rich colorful pictures of some of the paintings, which sparked my interest, and led to my purchasing this book. Unfortunately, it seems that this printing process could not represent the original brilliance of the paintings. This is a fascinating peek at a little know bit of Florida art history.



3. In 1994, art aficionado Jim Fitch assigned the name "Highwaymen" to a loose association of young, mostly untrained black artists (including one woman) from the Fort Pierce area who created thousands of Florida landscapes and marketed them from the backs of their cars for about $25 in the 1960's and `70's. Theirs was an unabashedly commercial venture, and the artists collaborated to create and sell works as quickly and cheaply as possible. Dismissed as "motel art" at the time, these intense, lush and at times otherworldly depictions of an idealized Florida have become a subject of renewed interest and critical attention in recent years. Consequently, many myths and vague tales have grown up around the group.
   
   As part of his research, author Gary Monroe interviewed many of the remaining artists to bring the story to life, presented here in a 26-page annotated essay. In analyzing the art, he insists that the speed with which they worked was far from a detriment: "By unintentionally bastardizing the canonical pictorial strategies...they created a new form of fantasy landscape painting." The artists found their strength as colorists, and the emotional hues capture the essence of Florida (or at least, as we imagine it.)
   
   As a northerner who visited Florida twice as a child in the pre-Disney days, I must confess that the 63 glorious full-color reproductions here gave me goose bumps of fond memory, real or imagined.
   
   A followup: This book launched an explosion of interest in The Highwaymen. Surviving members no longer need hawk their wares, since collectors now come to them and new works sell for as much as $18,000. The were inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2004.



4. Great book! Such talent needs to be recognized and applauded.

5 comments about Montgomery Ward Catalogue of 1895 (Catalogue & Buyer's Guide).

1. Like the Sears Roebuck catalogue, which sits beside it on my shelf, this unabridged reprint is an indispensable tool for anyone who wants to know the kinds of items that might have been found in a typical middle-class home a hundred-odd years ago. In some ways it's even superior: the illustrations have reproduced more clearly, with their details better visible, and the type, though you may still want a magnifier to read it, is also more easily made out. Prices are of course included, though you'll want to allow for the fact that MW was at that time not a conventional retail house, but confined to mail-order, which allowed it to undercut the "traditional" merchants just as Net sellers can today! There's a full index right at the front, where you can easily look up whatever you may be interested in at the moment; or you can simply open the volume at random and start browsing. And, unlike Sears, it even has a toy section! Like all Dover books, its paper and binding are superior in quality, and will doubtless last very well. Since the items listed don't duplicate exactly, I strongly suggest purchasing both catalogues. As a writer of historical fiction, I use both frequently. Highly recommended.



2. This "Montgomery Ward & Co. Catalogue and Buyer's Guide" from Spring/Summer 1895 is better than a time capsule. Most of my ancestors were still on the far side of the Atlantic that year, but for my maternal grandfather's ancestors here are 25,000 items (most of which are illustrated by woodcut) that they could have either had in their homes or dreamed about owning. From straight-edged razors and high buttoned shoes to tea gowns and the New Improved Singer Sewing Machine. Historically, Montgomery Ward prided itself on being the friend of farmers and the official supplier to the Grange. Ward was the first to offer a product guarantee that became the key to earning the respect of rural consumers and building the business. However, in 1887 Ward's main competetior Sears put out his first catalog and upped the ante by showing the customer what they would be buying before they bought it (okay, he also offered lower prices). By the time this 600-page catalogue came out in 1895 Ward was following suit. Flip through it and see what sort of amenities were making their way out to the farms at the end of the 19th-century. You could buy a buggy for $60 or spend $200 on a piano. Here you can get a bathtub, chairs, watches, hats, and even a Star Raisin Seeder. How about a solid-gold eighteen-karat wedding band for only $5? Looking through these pages will give you a sense what it was like in 1895, when the average worker had to put in 16 hours to earn enough money to buy a hair brush or 260 hours for a one-speed bicycle. Just looking through the pages of books you could order was enlightening. Actually, this is more like a time machine than a time capsule.



3. How nice that someone has preserved both a piece of history and a part of the legendary and much-missed Montgomery Ward stores. If you study or write about history, you'll find this a fabulous reference of period styles, furnishings, and common items. Fun to read as a curiosity piece, too.



4. I've given away several of these reproduction catalogs as gifts and they're always a big hit. Instantly, the recipients open the book and start studying its pages, remarking at the prices and oohing and ahhing over the more curious items of the day.
   
   This book gives a detailed and accurate picture of a typical "day in the life" 110+ years ago. Think about that for a moment. Can you really imagine someone looking at a 2005 newspaper in the year 2,110?!
   
   Buggy whips and patent medicines and cook stoves (fired by kerosene, wood or coal!) and portable bathtubs and cream separaters and more were featured in this catalog.
   
   This is a wonderful resource and a fun read. You can lose yourself for hours reading about life "back in the day."
   
   A little trivia: There's a story (as told on PBS's documentary, "Mr. Sears' Catalog") that the Sears Roebuck catalog was a tiny bit smaller than the mail order catalog offered by his competitor, Mr. Aaron Montgomery Ward.
   
   Sears (a marketing genius) knew that the farm wife would probably have both the Sears and Ward's catalog in her home. Sears made his catalog a little narrower and shorter than the Ward's catalog, so that when the little lady was tidying up the house, the Sears catalog, being smaller, would end up stacked on TOP of the Ward's catalog!
   
   Rose Thornton
   author, The Houses That Sears Built



5. Don't order from this store.
   Due to a natural disaster all orders are 6 months are more behind the scheduled delivery date!
   The customer service line 1-800-227-7598, just says that due to a "natural disaster" they can't speak to you. They then tell you to visit the website but no one EVER returns your emails.
   
   You will NEVER get your product and you will have to go through a year long process to get your money back from the compnay.
   
   I Ordered a table July 13, 2008, and I still havn't received the table and yes, my credit card has been charged!!
   
   We live in an internet age where you get most orders in 2 days. Don't bother with this company. Montgomery Ward has had it's day and it doesn't belong in this century.

1 comments about 140 Great Fashion Designs, 1950-2000, CD-ROM and Book (Dover Pictorial Archives).

1. This book and CD is another in the line of great royalty free works of images. This time, it's fashions from the great designers of women's wear 1950-2000, ranging from everyday wear to evening gowns.
   
   These Dover book/CD ROMs are a graphic designers delight. It's so hard to find good quality graphics that are royalty free, and not end up spending a fortune. Dover has a good selection of royal free images that are presented in a book and are on CD ROM.
   
   The images in the CD ROM is in full colour and so dazzling. 140 large images in TIFF format. Sharp images ready to use. Great for Paint Shop PRO. You don't have to scan, the images are there. You don't have to install some program. Just open them from you CR Rom Drive.
   
   Great resources for writers looking for 50's, 60's and 70's fashions.

4 comments about Once Upon a Time: The Way America Was.

1. How can I possibly be the first person to review a book this magnificent? I love this book, and anyone with an ounce of curiosity about the past will as well. In here, Mr. Sloane, an antiquarian with a talent for making his love of the past infectious, tells us all about how Americans used to be hard working, efficient and self sustaining, how they made almost everything by hand and from scratch, and how the knowledge of arts and crafts from tool-making to house building, were passed down by word of mouth. On every page the reader learns some delightfully amazing new fact and by the book's end, a sense of enthusiasm and appreciation for our forebears is firmly established. Great illustrations are also a nice plus and the patient reverence Sloane has for this nation as it was two centuries ago bespeaks of sincerity, not empty lip-service. A fine book to read to a child, to look at for its pictures, or one that can teach almost any "grown-up" a thing or two about the ways things were. If you own this book and haven't read it in a while, take a quiet night off and reacquaint yourself with all it has to offer.



2. Once Upon a Time is a lament of the loss of the old ways. While it does have Sloane's trademark illustrations and observations, it constantly compares the old to the inferior modern ways. Written in 1982, not all the complaints still apply, and they detract from his usual, loving description of early America.
   
   I grew up with A Reverance for Wood and A Museum of Early American Tools, which I always loved. This book is not up to the standard that Sloane set with his earlier work.



3. I became curious about the author's work after receiving emailed samples of his charming essays and illustrations from Dover Publications. This is the first of his books that I have read. I suppose from the other reviews I should not take this to be an example of his best work.
   
   I did find the book overall to be a worthwhile purchase. I'm very interested in the pioneer days and found his descriptions and drawings of how things were made and done to be quite fascinating. The author also had a real passion for this period in history which comes through in his work and makes the reader appreciate it as well.
   
   The one negative thing I have to say about it is that I felt a little like I was being scolded as a person living in modern society as I was reading this book. Like another reviewer said before me, there is a lot of talk about the good old days, and how people have changed for the worse. For example, one statement that I found unfair was the author's claim that the average modern American worker dislikes his job so much, looking forward to retirement, because he has an aversion to hard work. I believe many people are unhappy in their jobs not because of an aversion to hard work, but because of management problems, office politics, or other corporate BS- things I'm sure most pioneers didn't have to deal with. I'm sure there must have been a great joy in working only for yourself, living off of your own land, but in the U.S.A today that is very difficult for most people. The author paints an ideal picture of the old time farmers supplying all of their own needs through the land and the values of thrift and hard work. While I don't doubt that, he fails to cut us modern folk a break by pointing out the things that have changed for us which would make this lifestyle nearly impossible even if we wanted it.
   
   I noticed in his introduction he was living in Connecticut at the time. Also living in New England myself, I constantly see small farms that can't survive being sold and developed into residential areas, and it saddens me to see it happen. This books helps preserve the memories of the old farms which deserve to be recorded and cherished. Kudos to the author for doing so.
   
   Despite the sometimes scolding tone, I thought it was an above average book, and a good guide to the pioneer time period.



4. I couldn't begin to touch on how fantastic all Eric Sloane's books are. They give you a magical window into America's everyday people and how they lived what they made and used...I absolutely love his books, I think I'm only missing 2 or 3 books to own his entire works. I would recomend A "Reverance for Wood" and "Vanishing Landscape" above all his others.

5 comments about Jones Beach: An Illustrated History.

1. I gave the book to my husband for Father's Day. We both grew up on Long Island and Jones Beach is a part of our past. The book is the greatest, complete with history, old photos of the past. I recommend it to anyone who wants to bring a piece of their past, into the present.



2. It's a fascinating history of a place I've enjoyed for more than sixty years. I recommend it to anyone who's had this wonderful beach as a special destination...either now or in years gone past.



3. Great book! I've been going to Jones Beach for 50 years and I did not know this stuff! The pictures were great also. A must read for those who have beach memories



4. My dad worked as a lifeguard when Jones Beach opened in the early thirties and my two brothers, Bob and Don, and I were second generation guards. Having worked at Field 6 with George Marth and Jay Lieberfarb, I can attest that this book is a great piece of nostalgia. The writer, John Hanc, captures the soul of an earlier, simpler America when mom and dad took the kids to the beach for the day and we made sand castles which were then washed away with the incoming tide.



5. Being a Long Island resident all of my life and loving Jones Beach both during the summer and winter, this was a great book to read. As a young adult I spent many happy hours at Jones Beach with my friends and family. It was great to read how the beach and associated park got it's name and from whom and to also read about other local places that Mr.Jones was involved with or lived at. As a matter of fact when I was a kid the Jones Estate was in my town, Massapequa, now Marjorie Post Park. The photographs in the book provide a visual history of their own in addition to the written history. You can see how things have changed over the years. All in all this is a great read especially if you're from Long Island or have visited the beach and want to know more about it.