3 comments about The Comic Art Price Guide.

1. The Author has taken a vast and nearly impenatrable subject, Comic and related Original Art and subjected his audience to a Narrow Workingmans view of a more complex and multitextured subject; Despite a life long consultancy within the economics of the Comics Field, the Author has narrow focused his opinion into an end-all-of-knowledge that disservices broader subject; it becomes obvious that the Updated and Expanded format of this PRICE GUIDE attempts to fill and redefine further areas with the same limits of success as the 1992 Price Guide. The prior 1992 Guide failed only in its limits of information: Without providing data base of cataloging Auctions and Private sales lists, these guides are only Organizational Catalogs for experienced, and Gee Whiz Look At All This Neat stuff to Newbie (Wanna be?) Collectors. The collecting community has already emailed itself insensible with observations of 'I'd pay $1000 a page OVER the guide listed prices on **** Silver Age Pages by ---- (artist);etc. Maybe the Third Guide will Be the Charm; This one needed another dozen or two of Consultants; and a MUCH MUCH expanded level of expertise and Overview.The greyed and unfocused reuse of images and data from the First guide also cheapened the whole look of this; and makes the whole production look unprofessional.



2. My experience and knowledge is limited to the original comic art and underground comics sections, though I wouldn't bill myself as a great authority on either. However, even I can spot dozens of factual errors in both sections, as well as many surprises found among the values given for comix. The well-known first underground comic, "Adventures of Jesus" is not even listed! Granted, Underground Comix are a very complex area of comic book history and collecting, having a variety of printers and publishers with the various editions. His guide should at least list all printings (in the interest of documentation, even if their value is minimal), and add more historical info on significant titles, including creators. I won't even go into his lack of intelligable writing ability. Surprisingly poor effort from an accomplished expert. All in all, a frustratingly incomplete and ameteurish "Waist!." Get the out-of-print Jay Kennedy guide instead.



3. Nestled within this August 2000 guide to original comic art is a small section on underground comix, approximately less than 1/6th of the book, which was intended be a 'market check' and supplement to Kennedy (1982) for a subset of popular underground titles (e.g. Freak Brothers, Zap Comix, Air Pirates, Gothic Blimp Works, etc.). Strengths: first attempt by anyone to capture increase in values for high grade and scarce underground comix, good essay on UGs and importance of Zap Comix #1. Weaknesses: no information on printing determination; only small subset of UGs, errors/omissions.

4 comments about Harley-Davidson 1930-1941: Revolutionary Motorcycles & Those Who Rode Them.

1. This books first hand accounts of this pivotal era of harley davidson history make it a must read for any harley nostagia buff. The photos alone are worth the purchase price. Mr Wagner has done a fine job of bringing a bygone era to life.I have enjoyed this volume many times.



2. Historical account of the men and machines of yesteryear. This book is not layed out as a technical or motorcycle repair manual. It's straight forward and addresses the evolution of the Harley Davidson flathead design from it's inception to the end of production. Chronologically laid out it glides you through the changes in attitude and design. A must read for the true enthisiust. A fine job by the author of keeping the subject readable and understandable.



3. The book gives a refreshing view of incredible machines and what they were truly designed for. The author describes, in depth, how the machines were used for everything from the sublime to the rediculous on a daily basis. He walks the reader into a time that is long gone, dwells there with him (or her) in the legendary Visitors' Room, then races the reader onward to the swamps and backlands that earned the cycles' reputation. He illudes to a peaceful, contented feeling that can only be shared, alone, on a quiet hidden roadway that only the rider knows exists. He shows just how a cycle was meant to be ridden by the men who refined the machine, not the men who designed it. I can't say enough about this book. NOTE: If you believe that a motorcycle is a work of art and should be kept spotless and under glass, don't purchase this book. You'll be sorely disappointed.

   JB#52




4. A historical tale (from the factory workmans' point of view) explaining the deco-design of the first 61 cu.in. Knucklehead motor. If you own an original, or you're building a V-Twin (Tedd Cycle,Inc.) Replica Knuckle, you'll appreciate this book for stoke. A chronicle of club-life in Wisconsin before the 2nd World War, there are family names repeated in this text (i.e; Kokesh; Knuth; Deckert; Ulicki; Beguhl; and Matheus) connected with Harley-Davidson, that you still hear about today. An insight as to the working conditions at the factory (in the best of times) can be read in this excerpt: "The founders had divided their responsibilities early and stuck with them. They demanded top quality work and usually got it. They desired to build things correctly - they only accepted what they knew was right. For that reason, there weren't many surprises around Harley-Davidson. The atmosphere was predictable, calm, and relaxed. So many guys had worked there all of their lives, that some referred to the company as the "Old Soldiers' Home". It was the last place you'd expect a crisis... -
   If you were known around the factory, like Frank Matheus was, they didn't care much where you went or what you saw. That's how Frank saw the prototype Sixty-one Overhead two years before the rest of the world".
   As this book illustrates, Wisconsin had their own scene. They didn't need California. This is a darn-good read and once you start building a machine, a re-reader.
   - Plumber ~ Mechanics & Owners Guide 1941-1959 Harley-Davidson OHV Big Twins - Vol. 2 ~

No comments about Decorative Glass Processes.

5 comments about Watches, Volume 4.

1. Similar in style and feel to Peter Braun's Wristwatch Annual 1999 and 2000, this book is another example of a reasonably detailed "catalogue" of the ranges of a variety of (mostly) Swiss watch brands. If the potential buyer can, I would recommend buying Braun's book also, as there are sufficient differences to make this worthwhile. Well worth the money!



2. This book takes you in a very clear way through the whole spectrum of watches' brands, giving you a complete idea of what exactly is happening in the world of the ultimate wrist jewel; the watch. Don't miss this one if you want to be really updated in horology.



3. Being a devoted watch lover, I was really thrilled in receiving "Watches, Volume 4" over the mail. Nevertheless, I was quite disappointed after looking through the content. I can't see or understand why would reviewers rate this book with 5 stars. I felt as if it was put together without much dedication. It seemed to be a scrapbook of wristwatches. The layout and introduction of each brand watch wasn't properly done. Worst of all, the pictures are definetly terrible. Don't know where they obtained the photos but some of them have no resolution at all and are quite blurry (seemed as if they scanned the pictures). Articles were mediocre. Nevertheless, I would definetly recommend Wristwatch Annual 2001 by Peter Braun. It has a better layout, good detail, and excellent photos of the brands introduced. If I were to only have one of them, Annual is far superior than Watches. If I were a teacher I would grade the editor of Annual with an "A" and Watches would at best get a "C" for its hard work.



4. The book has pale pictures, less information about watch models than many other books.

   one Review above says "Most of the major luxury brands are represented providing companies' background histories"

   Well, this is absolutely UN-TRUE, at least was not true in Volume 4 (Which I bought).

   Not a word about the watch's companies or histories or anything, just bad photos and short descriptions that will give you information no more than that of it's maker advertisement.




5. Maybe it was entirely my own mistake, but i didn't realize all the previous reviews were from at least year 2000 which is 3 years ago. I guess i was dissapointed upon receiving the book to find that the book was far from comprehensive. I would even say it falls quite far short of it. A lot of models seem to have been left out and more emphasis is placed on special collections or editions of a particular brand then the actual selection of models offered by a particular brand. Being a admirer of Panerai i was dissapointed to find only one page dedicated to this beautiful watch. Many others brands also were given mere mention by 1-2 pages of advertisement and nothing else.

   This book is definitely not for those who are new to watches or just want a book to help them to decide their first important purchase. Really very outdated.... even the section on Rolex seem to me severely limited.

   But possibly i am judging the book based on what i know now which is probably quite a few years ahead of when the book was last published.

No comments about Collectible Magazines: Identification and Price Guide (Confident Collector R).

5 comments about Hello Kitty, Hello Everything: 25 Years of Fun.

1. Although the book does not have every Hello Kitty item to date (and I would love love love to see THAT book come out), it has a very good selection of items ranging over the years, that Hello Kitty collectors (like myself) like to see. Anything from the laundry machine to the waffle iron to the car, you can find it in here. Even the Hello Kitty golf clubs and Hello Kitty GameBoy!

   If anything, it's a really cute book to have. The layout is adorable, and it's Hello Kitty! That should be enough within itself.




2. I got this book as a gift, and was glad that I didn't pay for it. It's got some content, but most of it is just "fluff" for tha hardcore Sanrio fan. It has lots of pictures, including some vintage (that's my favorite Sanrio item(s) to collect). This theme has a lot of potential, and I hope someone makes a more definitive Sanrio "history" book, with more characters & information. I'm working on my own Sanrio history & such for my site ...that will have more of a history of the Sanrio Company. It was a good attempt, but could have been better if written by a more hardcore Sanrio fan.



3. While i would love to see an all-encompassing book detailing *everything* in the evolution of kitty, this isn't a bad place to start. It's really more of a novelty book, but I for one, was surprised to learn that there's even a dang HK vespa! and now i can not rest until it's mine.
   The pages are laid out very clearly, and the uh..."necessities" are well organized. I would recommend this book if you can get a slight break on the price.



4. As previous reviewers stated, this book does not have "everything" that's ever been Hello Kittied but still it's okay and a nice coffee table piece. My guests always reach for it when they wait for me on my couch and they enjoy looking at the cute pictures and are surprised to learn all the paraphenilia created by Sanrio. So it's quite entertaining and my friends and I have looked through it more than once even though we are not hardcore HK devotees. I did learn something about Hello Kitty's origins in the first few pages and the names of her friends so it's not a total loss. The items in the book need more organization - some are arbitrarily placed and there's no real sense of chronology in terms of dates (the years of the items emergence are all mixed up). The pages are nicely laid out but it did leave a feeling of wanting to see "more" from the collection because there are things I own that are HK that are not in the book. They can't include everything so maybe the name should be changed to "Hello Kitty Hello Something" lol. Nevertheless, it's really cute and eye catching and entertaining for guests (mostly female) and I'm happy to own it.



5. Its is a cool book for the collector and a definate buy for anyone looking to get a book for a Kitty fan( which is what I was doing), but I couldnt help think it was a missed opportunity to offer a more indepth catalogue of info and rarities. Still, I am sure it will encourage a few more ebay wish lists!

5 comments about Oriental Rugs Today: A Guide to the Best New Carpets from the East.

1. I saw a review of this book in HALI magazine, and have found it clarifies a lot of things that I found confusing and intimidating about buying an Oriental rug. It explains exactly where the rugs in today's rug stores come from, and how much you should expect to pay for them. It's well written and very much on the level-you don't get the impression the author is pushing you to go out and buy something. There's a lot of mystification in the Oriental rug business, and although the book is not an expose in any sense, I felt better equipped to buy a rug and get a good value than I did after reading other books on the subject, most of which seemed out of date. Lots of color plates too.



2. As someone who already has an intermediate knowledge of oriental carpets, I was disappointed by this book. It is extremely basic - something akin to a Dick and Jane primer. It provides only a few pages of information on carpets from each region (if you can believe it, Iran [Persia] was lumped together with two other countries, and all three countries were covered by approximately only five pages, including illustrations. It does not provide any information on specific carpets (i.e. Nain, Bokhara, Yahyali, etc.), but did explain the general difference between wool types, dyes, etc. Also, while it did have several photos of carpets, many of them seemed to be photos of novelty carpets, and not of traditional designs. Overall, I believe that this would be good for someone who knows absolutely nothing about oriental carpets and is only looking for general information. In my opinion, there are much better books on the subject for both beginners and experts alike, such as Oriental Rugs, A Buyer's Guide, by Lee Allane.



3. I've read both editions of this book and, yes, the first edition only had a few words on Iran but, as the author explained, there was an embargo at the time. The new edition has an entire chapter on new rugs from Iran, with photos of some really gorgeous rugs.

   Most of my personal knowledge about rugs was that rugs made today are lifeless, uninteresting pieces cranked out from rug factories in places like India and China, or poorly made, touristy pieces from places like Turkey. Boy was I wrong. It's good to know there are finally interesting, attractive, reasonably-priced, handmade carpets available again.

   The possibility that some carpet made in Iran in the last year or so may rival the beauty of my 19th-Century Persian Bidjar is stunning.




4. Unlike the gentleman below, I had little knowledge of oriental rugs prior to reading this book. I found it to be a perfect place to start my education. The text was informative, particularly in regards to the "renaissance" in traditional rugmaking techniques over the past 20 years. He does a wonderful job of covering the pros and cons of natural vs. chrome dyes, and handspun vs. millspun wool - again without being overly opinionated or judgmental despite his personal leanings.
   
   The writing was engaging, fair, and accompanied by high-quality photographs (n.b. the photos on his website are the highest resolution I've seen anywhere). He gives equal weight to each country's production. Helpful information is also provided regarding approximate prices per sq. ft.
   
   In fact, I liked his book so much that I just purchased two rugs from him - two years after reading the book, and after looking at dozens of sites on the web and a handful of shops in person.



5. This is one of the best books I've found on Oriental Rugs. The text is very well written and specific to each type of rug shown, and the photography is excellent. Photographs are of representative rugs for each type ("tribe"), and the rugs shown are very colorful with intricate patterns that are sure to stir the heart of every lover of orientals.

1 comments about His Master's Voice Portable Gramophones.

1. Dave Cooper has produced a valuable reference work about the portable spring-motored HMV gramophone (phonograph), and a quite beautiful one at that. This is not a subject that has been treated before with such lustrous detail. The story begins in the mid-1920s and finishes as late as 1960 or so (perhaps later if one considers models manufactured in India). All of the models have been illustrated or photographed with their respective color and other model variations (my favorite is the De Luxe Model 101 with crocodile leatherette exterior). Very useful information is detailed for each model, such as mechanical or stylistic variations through the production histories, which make it easy to date your own machine (my red 102 is from about 1950, it turns out). And some very unusual machines are illustrated as well, made for Asian markets or special orders.

   The only flaw I can find is the included CD, somewhat of a gimmick, but one which had potential, including British and American pop music from the 20s-30s. The transfers, unfortunately, are not good, a combination of being over-filtered and having unfortunate distortion (perhaps worn records were being overcompensated-for?).

   Anyway, buy it for the book. And you can't beat Amazon's price.

4 comments about The Farm Book (A Golden Super Shape Book).

1. Charmingly dated illustrations (I believe this book was first published in 1964, the year I was born!) take us through a day on the farm with a Leave-It-to-Beaver family. Yes, with two toddlers in my lap, I have seen more farm books than I care to think about. This one, however, has really captured the attention of both my son and daughter. A neighbor borrowed it recently and apologized for taking so long to return it, saying that her son had become very attached to the book. I'd like to give some substantive reason why the kids are so attracted to it, but it's hard to say. Maybe because they get to see what place children have on a farm -- as opposed to typical farm books: "The cow says moo. The sheep says..." etc. In any event, the ilustrations are very appealing for one-year olds to older toddlers, and a fun glimpse of the past for moms and dads. Enjoy!



2. Charmingly dated illustrations (I believe this book was first published in 1964, the year I was born!) take us through a day on the farm with a Leave-It-to-Beaver family. Yes, with two toddlers in my lap, I have seen more farm books than I care to think about. This one, however, has really captured the attention of both my son and daughter. A neighbor borrowed it recently and apologized for taking so long to return it, saying that her son had become very attached to the book. I'd like to give some substantive reason why the kids are so attracted to it, but it's hard to say. Maybe because they get to see what place children have on a farm -- as opposed to typical farm books: "The cow says moo. The sheep says..." etc. In any event, the ilustrations are very appealing for one-year olds to older toddlers, and a fun glimpse of the past for moms and dads. Enjoy!



3. I've been reading this book to my son since he was one (he's now 2) and he consistently picks this book every night to read. It's a great tool to teach your child about farm animals. The illustrations are wonderful.



4. My son got this for his first birthday and enjoyed the pictures while we read it to him. Now at age 2, he loves to look at each page, over and over, and tell us what animals and farm equipment he sees. Very nice.

4 comments about Classical Deception: Counterfeits, Forgeries and Reproductions of Ancient Coins.

1. For a long time there was considerable confusion about the authenticity of ancient coins. While considerable quantities have been found in the former ancient sites, and they have been collected since ancient times, few works were available to help the collector distinguish between the actual ancient works and fakes and copies made after. Works that are available are hard to find, usually specific to one forger and quite costly. I can safely say that this book clearly outlines the things to look for, from the commonest tourist cast copy to the advanced techniques used to fool the more advanced collectors.

   If you want to collect coins you should include this book as one of your first buys because it can save you many times its cost with the purchase of just one coin that is not right. This is especially true if you are buying on the internet from sometimes unreliable impersonal sources.

   The format is great with a show and tell approach, easy to use, and references to other works on specialized areas of counterfeiting.

   While it shows and concentrates on mostly ancient coins the information is valid for all copies. There are great plates of the fakes the average modern collector is apt to encounter now on the market. This book will help you acquire the basic knowledge necessary in collecting coins just as in any other facet of collecting antiques or art.




2. This book is a must read for those starting out in collecting coins, either ancient or modern. It explains the differences in the original minting of coins, and the "modern" reproductions, fakes and forgeries, even ancient forgeries. It is easy reading, and will give a good basis for coin collecting. It is worth the short time it takes to read, and it may save you from some embarassment.



3. I enjoy reading Mr.Salyes' books and this one is no exception. He easily one of the best current numismatic authors. This work does a great job of covering the types of counterfeits along with their history and an overview of how they are created. It is a very good book for anyone beginning to collect ancient coins. One thing the book is not is a catalog of counterfeits nor a guide on how to detect counterfeits. These subjects are beyond the scope of any general work and are dealt with by various numismatic associations and their publications. So if you are only looking for a manual or catalog move on.



4. Learn something every day. Love that maxim!! This book gives you the complete picture, well worth the money.
   Dennis Skea