5 comments about Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building and Upgrading (Identification & Value Guide).

1. I learned many of the basics overtime and searching the internet. It is great to have so much information in one book. The photos are excellent and I would recommend this to anyone starting a collection. Great do's and don'ts.



2. This book along with the "202" book by the same author are "must have"s for costume jewelry collectors, buyers and sellers. I can't rate them highly enough.



3. Found this book to be very helpful at my jewelry shows. Has lots of pictures and information on vintage jewelry and numerous designers. Does not go into great detail, but gives enough good information to be helpful. Because the information is listed in alpha order, my customers find it helpful when looking up specific designers or styles. This book is great for beginners and old collectors alike.



4. I actually bought her 2nd book (202) before buying this one (101) and while I treasure my 202 guide much more than this first one (because I'm not a beginner) - I think it is a fabulous book to have for those starting out. With a lot of fake WEISS and other great designers' jewelry being reproduced and sold as the real thing today (especially on eBay), it's a good guide to have that shows a fair amount and variation of these favorite popular designers' pieces. This will help the beginner collector possibly know a fake when they see it. Not all that shines and sparkles means it is the real thing or that it's collectible. I believe both her books should be bought together but the 202 Guide is definitely the very best there is (because it shows so many patents). I particularly like the fact that both of these books are done in sturdy paperback because if they were hardbound, they would be so heavy given how big they are. Lots and lots of colorful pictures! Well done!!



5. Brief Description of Book
   This book lives up to its name and is a great gift for someone you may know who is just getting hooked on buying vintage costume jewelry. It would make a great companion gift to a fabulous vintage piece. This book Collecting 101 is a bit basic for absolute beginners only.
   The core thesis of the book is G-U-I-D-E an acronym that stands for:
   * Is the piece in Good condition?
   * Do U Like it?
   * Is it a good investment?
   * Is the piece designer signed and is it well designed?
   * Are there extras that make it more interesting?
   These questions are posed to help the buyer select good pieces at whatever price point they are starting to collect at. The author explains her GUIDE concept quite concisely and uses it throughout the book.
   
   The author suggests four designers that beginners should collect Trifari, Coro, Kramer and Weiss. She recounts a little history about each of the companies, shows photos of their marks and recommends pieces to purchase. For example she suggests Trifari from the 50's and 60's because it is plentiful, available in excellent condition and not too expensive. The author uses a lot of photos to illustrate these sections
   
   The next portion of the book is arranged the alphabetically and cameos 130 designers. Each profile contains a little company history, marks, signature look of a designer and recommendations of pieces to buy.
   
   In the next chapter there is a section called "Marked by Style" on identifying unmarked jewelry. A little more than a beginner skill in my opinion but an interesting section to ponder nonetheless. She focuses 75% of her energy on Juliana, the remaining 25% on Eisenberg, Dorothy Bauer, Hattie Carnegie, Goldette, Haskell, Hollycraft, Sarah Coventry, Schauer, Schreiner and Weiss.
   
   The remaining chapters cover:
   * Upgrading your collection
   * Repairing and Cleaning
   * Cataloging a Collection
   * Storing and Insuring a Collection
   
   Over all the advice is quite sound, the G-U-I-D-E principle should be followed it will really help anyone avoid unfocused buying.
   
   Quantity of Illustrations:
   There are more than 750 total illustrations in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101. There are color photographs, original advertisements in color and black and white. The photos are clear and focused.
   
   
   Quality of Illustrations:
   
   Comments: The items selected are not riveting I think that they are pedestrian. Maybe that is because this book is pitched at beginners. However I feel that the selections should be inspirational and exciting. This is why the top shelf pieces in a book such as "A Tribute to America" are always fun to look at. I felt the items pictured were what the author could get permission to use. Which leads me to the inclusion of Christmas tree jewelry! There are too many Christmas trees in this book. And I like Christmas tree jewelry.
   
   I have one very pointed example that illustrates my low score on the illustrations. The author devoted 3 pages to Miriam Haskell. In my opinion these are not good representative pieces, they are what was available to include. There is one pair of beaded earrings, a necklace with gold chain and a wood pendant that looks like it was made in shop class to me, several strings of beads, a pearl necklace that is not photographed close enough to generate any excitement and a pair of gilded earrings. I may sound harsh here but the wow factor of buying Miriam Haskell is not expressed in these photos. Feel free to disagree!
   
   As a final note on the illustrations, I am reviewing the first edition of this book. According to the publisher Collector Books a second edition should be available soon. They promise 200 new photos and updates on the price guidelines that are included in the first edition.
   
   
   
   Quantity of Information
   Range of Information offered:
   For the most part this is a good concise book to check for information. If you are looking for in depth information on a particular designer you should probably look at a more specialized book. For example there are entire books on Haskell, KJL, D &E, to name only a few designers.
   
   Is the information thorough?
   The information provided seems to be thorough and remember this is a book for beginners.
   
   Values Listed (Prices) Yes
   Are they helpful or realistic? The prices are being updated for a new edition
   The prices are based on what one might hope to get in an e-bay auction.
   Comments: Based on the prices sometimes I want to be buying and other times I want to be on the selling end of the transaction.
   
   
   User Friendly:
   Is the book easy to read and follow? yes
   Is there a table of contents and index? yes
   Is information easy to find? yes
   
   
   Is this book a must have? Only for your friends who are just beginning to collect costume jewelry. I think Costume Jewelry 202 is a vastly superior book and I would recommend that (again).
   
   Overall comments
   If I had this book many years ago I would have avoided buying stuff I just didn't need. I would have made wiser purchases and would have a better collection today.

1 comments about Chinese Ceramics: A New Comprehensive Survey: From the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.

1. A must for anyone interested in Chinese ceramics. Beautifully photographed - a first class publication of quality.

4 comments about Venetian Glass: The Magnificent Mosaics 1860-1917.

1. This is a lovely book. The pictures are superb and it covers very clearly the history of glass-making in Venice during the late 19th and early 20th century. Major names and companies (Salviati, Seguso, Barovier, Toso, but not Venini) and the main styles of glass are discussed. A must for anyone wanting to know more about the Italian glass of this period. I would have liked to see in index, though. It has the feel of a much more expensive book.



2. Readers can read and enjoy this beautiful book with confidence that they are hearing from a true source of knowledge. Sheldon Barr is a widely recognized expert in this and several other fields of fine art, and his opinions are sought by the world's great museums. Fortunately for readers, he combines this knowledge with a felicitous pen, so that the beauty of this art can be even better appreciated. This is a bargain.



3. Sheldon Barr is increasingly skilled in both writing and visual presentation in this addition to his impressive shelf of books and articles. He expands from his previous book on Venetian blown glass to the glass mosaic productions emanating from that city. He has told his story in parallel tracks of the technique and artistry of the medium, and the maneuvering and machinations of the people involved. The combination is lively, entertaining, and informative. As a relative newcomer to this field, I now feel significantly better educated for having read this book.



4. Venetian Glass: The Magnificent Mosaics 1860-1917
   
   Anyone who is interested in antique Venetian glass needs this book. Sheldon Barr has researched the subject thoroughly and provides information in a concise, direct manner. It has taken years of work to put together this reference book, and it could only be accomplished by someone who truly loves and appreciates the subject matter, and it shows. I look forward to Mr. Barr's next book.

5 comments about Winchester's Finest The Model 21.

1. Winchester's Model 21 was the last in a long series of side by double barrel shotguns to be built in this country Parker, L.C. Smith, Ithaca, just to name a few that preceded it. It came out during the midst of the Great Depression and when Winchester was about ready to go bankrupt. A very inauspicious time to bring out what would be the finest and most strongest shotgun ever made. Here was the modern double barrel shotgun that was made with superior steel and design, that could withstand maximum proof loads that would cause any other gun to fail. The Model 21 made its reputation based upon its strength in the duck blind, going after upland game, or even on the trap and skeet line. It lived up to its reputation. Incidentially, it was one of John M. Olin's favorites. He was the one who kept it going on a custome made basis, after it had been discontinued. The authors have gone to great length researching the history and development of the gun. They start off with the earliest models, which sported double triggers and a splinter forearm to the custom model which were made starting in 1960 up until the late 1980s when USRAC stopped making them. Nothing has been left to chance and the photographs of the engraving and stockwork, while very well done, unfortunately, does not come close to the book on the Browning Superposed. Still, this is a book to buy for those who, either, own one or like to entertain hopes of buying a used one. Be forewarned, that while they are available, they are rather expensive. One closing item and that is the gentleman who is making the Fox side by, Tony Galazan, bought up all of the parts for the 21, along with tools. He is prepared to either repair Model 21s and even make them.



2. Winchester's Model 21 has generated more then its fair share of controversy since it first came out in 1931. There were those who considered it the finest side by ever made. They based this up the superiority of the design and strength of the steel used. Then again, there were those who couldn't stand it. They said it was too heavy and was over priced. Be that as it may, it has made its mark on the shooting public. It was the closing chapter in a long list of great American shotguns; Parkers, L.C. Smiths, Ithacas, etc. The author has compiled a book that traces its history through its development and early years to when it was production line mode and finally to when it was relegated to the custom shop. If it hadn't been for John Olin it would have been dropped altogether in late 1959, instead of being made into a custom gun. Nothing is left to chance. The chapter on the custom made 21s is especially well done, as it goes into great detail regarding the differences between the various grades. I was impressed with the photographs of the engraving. Winchester's engravers were some of the best in the business. I wish there had been a chapter explaining the building of one of these guns from start to finish, with photographs included. It would give the reader a better appreciation. Overall, this is a very well written book that should be in the library of those who appreciate fine shotguns.



3. Winchester's Model 21 has generated more then its fair share of controversy since it first came out in 1931. There were those who considered it the finest side by ever made. They based this up the superiority of the design and strength of the steel used. Then again, there were those who couldn't stand it. They said it was too heavy and was over priced. Be that as it may, it has made its mark on the shooting public. It was the closing chapter in a long list of great American shotguns; Parkers, L.C. Smiths, Ithacas, etc. The author has compiled a book that traces its history through its development and early years to when it was production line mode and finally to when it was relegated to the custom shop. If it hadn't been for John Olin it would have been dropped altogether in late 1959, instead of being made into a custom gun. Nothing is left to chance. The chapter on the custom made 21s is especially well done, as it goes into great detail regarding the differences between the various grades. I was impressed with the photographs of the engraving. Winchester's engravers were some of the best in the business. I wish there had been a chapter explaining the building of one of these guns from start to finish, with photographs included. It would give the reader a better appreciation. Overall, this is a very well written book that should be in the library of those who appreciate fine shotguns.



4. best of the books on the winchester model 21. if you own one, or are thinking of owning one, this is a must read book.



5. This was a very well written and illustrated book. Enjoyed it very much.

5 comments about Lucia, Lucia: A Novel.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She's a little gullible, but I appreciated her just the same!



2. I BOUHT THIS FOR MY STEPMOTHER AND AUNT. THEY REALLY ENJOY HER BOOKS



3. Lucia Sartori is described as the most beautiful girl in Greenwich Village. But Lucia was born a generation too soon because being a feminist in 1950's New York is most unsettling to her family and suitors. Plus, her bitter aunt put a curse on her in infancy that she would die of a broken heart. Curses aside, the future looks bright for an intelligent young woman who knows what she wants and is willing to work hard to get it.
   
   We first meet Lucia when she is seventy-eight years old and living in a walk-up apartment. She invites her young neighbor, Kit Zanetti, up for tea one afternoon. An aspiring playwright, Kit is intrigued by the mementos in Lucia's apartment and wants to know more about her interesting past. Turning the clock back over fifty years, Lucia begins to tell the story of her life.
   
   This reader was captivated by Trigiani's cast of lovable and often quirky characters that populated the Sartori household. Lucia's four older brothers provided laughter and tears but it was Mama and Papa, the doting parents, who shone like jewels in this story rich with family and friends. As Lucia recounts, they may have been taught that Papa was the head of the household, but it was Mama who ran the show. From Lucia's best friend Ruth to Delmarr, her affable boss at B. Altman's Department Store, and Rosemary, the sister-in-law she never expected, I was swept into Lucia's life and completely in tune with her on every page.
   
   Her love story with fiancé Dante DeMartino and her life-long infatuation with the dashing John Talbot provide a roller coaster of emotions as Lucia confronts the life she wants for herself and sets out to claim it. Heartbreaking moments as well as those of pure joy are neatly wrapped up in the arms of this Italian family who may have lots of advice you never want to hear but are there with open arms when you need them the most.



4. I know you have a lot of loyal fans who love your work. I like your work too, but I believe you have it in you to do a lot better than you do. This book is a nice light read, pretty good popular fiction.
   
   BUT Italian Americans need a LITERATURE to document the early years, and the meter is ticking. Movies & TV have shown the world some wonderful Italian family portraits, but they are crime family portraits, they do not portray the everyday vibrancy of the many Little Italies all over the US. In another generation the knowledge will be totally lost. The Jewish immigrant experience has a deep well of wonderful fiction and LITERATURE.
   
   Please, Adriana, give us some LITERATURE. I believe you have it in you to be a Philip Roth or Bernard Malamud, but you have to do better.
   
   This is the best of your books that I've read, but, each of Lucia's brothers has the same personality. Lucia's awareness of herself, because it transcends what could be expected for 1951, has to be developed through illustration, for instance observing her mother's role and treatment in the family. The same is true of the collision with Dante's mother. More shading of experience, personality and expectation should precede the dinner. Some of the dialog is just plain sloppy, the characters use terms not in common use in 1951. The vocabulary and grammar of Lucia's father, not the content of what he says, needs tuning. Etc.
   
   Adriana, you can do it. Give the world some Italian American LITERATURE. Your books will take longer to write, but they will live forever.



5. This was my first novel by this author and I had not read a review; so I had no preconceived notions. I listened to the audio version of the book that was read by Cassandra Campbell and she does a good job with the character impersonations. It is about 8-10 hours of listening time on unabridged CD. The story has a nice pace and the clothes, food, and customs of the time are colorfully descibed.
   
   This novel takes place in the early 1950's and is centered on a close-knit Italian-American family from Greenwich Village. Lucia is the youngest and was an early feminist, well before careers and professions were normal for women. She is described as beautiful, fashionable, and is a talented seamstress, but what I found most endearing was her integrity and devotion to her friends and family. This is Lucia's life story, as told by 80-year-old Lucia to her young neighbor Kit, who is an aspiring playwright.
   
   As in any life story or family drama, there are some good times and some traumatic / emotional events. I'm not sure if it is the author's writing style or the voice actor's method, but there is always a background aura of foreboding as the story is being told. Some of the events are plainly foreshadowed, but non-the less heart wrenching. If I had to describe this book to someone, I would say it is part "Moonstruck" with the strong Italian family background, part "Titanic" with the love story and bittersweet ending, and part "Under the Tuscan Sun" where an independent woman attempts to get through her heartbreak. This is not a romance and may not be for everyone, but if you enjoy a well-written saga with a lot of emotion, I strongly recommend this book to you.

2 comments about Standard Catalog of German Coins: 1601 To Present (Standard Catalog of German Coins).

1. Krause Publications has brought under one cover the vast numismatic production of the German cities, states, and colonies from 1600 to date. Every serious collector of German coins needs this book. This book is a real bargain because it eliminates the need for the German coin collector to purchase Krause's regular world coin books that are now broken down into different centuries (this single volume pulls information out of the four volumes that would otherwise be required).

   Here are some good points:

   1. Collectors of Thalers will be pleased to see Davenport numbers incorporated in their favorite areas.

   2. Numerous illustrations aid the collector in identifying unknown coins.

   3. Prices appear in at least four grades for each coin.

   4. Helpful sections include an "Instant Identifier" with illustrations of various coin designs specific to a particular area, and "Legend Abbreviations" which give the collector a big leg up in identifying coins based on the legends alone.

   5. A decent attempt is made at listing Pattern pieces (those coin designs never officially adopted).

   Here are a few areas where the book could be better:

   1. Prices appear to reflect the American market for German coins which, in many cases, is substantially lower than the German market for the same coins.

   2. Some of the States higher in the alphabet (Saxony, for example) seem to be lacking data on the earliest coins.

   3. I'd like to see the Pattern section expanded and possibly include the numbers from Schaaf's reference book on this area.

   4. Cross-references to Jaeger (the German "Guidebook") would be helpful to our friends across the big pond.

   Lest I appear too critical, let me state that the positive impact of this book and the obvious time and effort that went into its production are immensely important. No other reference on German coins comes anywhere close to matching the sheer volume of information contained herein. No other single book opens up the world of German coins like this book does. Thus, whether you're a beginning or an advanced collector, this book should be an essential part of your reference library.




2. Unless you speak/read German, this is as good as it gets. Not only is this most comprehensive compilation of relative values of German States issues, but the other information helps with the overall history lesson. This book is an ABSOLUTE MUST for anyone at the German coin beginner/intermediate level of collecting, and I suspect it has become quite useful to the advanced collectors/dealers.

1 comments about Violin Varnish.

1. This Book has lots of information and thoughts on The old masters varnishes They don't claim to have the ansers just peoples thoughts on the 1550 and 1565 treatsie that were wrote on the subject it is technical but it is also eye opening good information,

No comments about Silver Hollowware for Dining Elegance: Coin & Sterling (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1 comments about Hawaii's Early Territorial Days 1900-1915: Viewed from Vintage Postcards by Island Curio.

1. a must have for any one who owns a book!

2 comments about Railroad Collectibles: An Illustrated Value Guide (Railroad Collectibles).

1. I am in the process of selling the collection for a man who has been a long-time railroadiana collector and this book has been invaluable to me. I would recommend it to all.



2. This is the 4th revised edition of the popular railroad collectibles volume. It features 200 pages with thousands of listings and hundreds of black and white photos. 1999 values are shown. There's plenty of informative text and item descriptions are very comprehensive. Topics range from art, baggage, books, badges, keys, to passes, playing cards, stereo view cards and wax sealers, wood tokens and time tables. Railroad enthusiasts will find this volume of real value.