No comments about Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass: Price Guide (Standard Encyclopedia of Carnival Glass).

No comments about Answers To Questions About Old Jewelry (Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry).

5 comments about Gene Marshall: Girl Star.

1. This is a very entertaining and beautifully illustrated story of the rise of Gene Marshall. Anyone who has enjoyed reading Hollywood history and movie star biographies will love this. The story is told in snippets from studio memos, a gossip column, and excerpts from the biographies of Madra Lord, Trent Osborn, Eric Von Sternberg and others. It all begins with Gene's childhood and ends with the debut of her first film "Blonde Lace". There are some new characters introduced into Gene's story such as Trent Osborne, an aging actor who has dated Madra Lord and Ivy Jordan, a character actress who becomes Gene's friend. The photographs are cleverly done and the illustrations are wonderful. Anyone who has studied Hollywood lore will see the similiaries to real life stories and situations and that makes it all the more fun. The only reason I don't give the book 5 stars is because it ends too early. An entire synopsis of Gene's career would have been welcome. It really leaves you wanting more.



2. This is a terrific book. I am a big fan of Gene - as well as the way she is presented. The use of shadow and light in the wonderful photography makes her looks very real. In addition, the thing that makes Gene special is that she has a whole story - of how she was discovered and became an actress. They have interviews with various friends, enemies and family, again, making her become very real. Two thumbs up!



3. I just saw the Gene Marshall - Girl Star book at Borders. It is beautifully photographed with excellent illustrations. This book will make an excellent addition to any coffee table in any home. The story line is very well thought out and it can rival any fiction of the 1940s. Also, the book should be displayed right along with the Gene dolls that all of the collectors have, it would make a great conversation piece for visiting guests in your home.



4. I had wanted this book since I first heard about, so when I got it for my birthday, I was very pleased. The book is just beautiful, Mel Odom's illustrations are fabulous, as are the photographs which make Gene seem to come alive. After reading through the "interviews" and letters from people who worked with Gene, you almost find yourself believing that she was a real person, and want to go and rent a movie staring her, which sadly one cannot do. It is a wonderful book to add to your collection, and it makes Gene's story even more real. I highly recomend it to any Gene fan. Even if you do not collect Gene dolls, this book would make for an entertaining read.



5. For the fans of Miss Gene Marshall, this walk down Hollywood's memory lane will not be a disappointing one. Gene's early days from childhood to her initial experiences on the set of her first motion picture, Blond Lace, serve to chronicle the much anticipated story of one of the 20th centuries most beloved celebrities.

   A carousel of sweetly flavored reminisces from "those in the know" are often interwoven by the tartness of tensel town's own diva, Madra Lord.

   This well written text left this particular reader wanting more, more, MORE!

4 comments about Accessories of Dress: An Illustrated Encyclopedia (Dover Books on Fashion).

1. Katherine Lester and Bess Viola Oerke's Accessories Of Dress first appeared in 1940 and its reprint by Dover allows new audiences to receive an excellent illustrated encyclopedia which sums a number of historical sources to create an account of how men and women have used personal adornment through the ages. Line drawings taken from rare books and magazines blend with photos of original paintings and sculptures and descriptions of wigs, cosmetics, shawls, handbags and more to provide an engaging history recommended for any college-level fashion library.



2. Katherine Lester and Bess Viola Oerke's Accessories Of Dress first appeared in 1940 and its reprint by Dover allows new audiences to receive an excellent illustrated encyclopedia which sums a number of historical sources to create an account of how men and women have used personal adornment through the ages. Line drawings taken from rare books and magazines blend with photos of original paintings and sculptures and descriptions of wigs, cosmetics, shawls, handbags and more to provide an engaging history recommended for any college-level fashion library.



3. A terrific resource for anyone interested in fashion accessories throughout the ages. Wonderful descriptions and illustrations of the various accessories used by both men and women.



4. I was really looking forward to getting this book, but was disappointed. As a Rev War Reenactor I was looking for some really good insights. However, I was disappointed to find that the book was originally printed in 1940 and that many of the resources were previously published books (so read pre-1940!) Current research is much more advanced than it was in 1940! (For those of you who aare like me - remember the English Bodice!)
   
   Dates were very general and any portraits or art were undated.
   
   If you are a generalist, than this book mught be OK, but if you are someone looking to interpret a time period accurately, I'd recommend Linda Baumgarten, Sharon Burnston or Aileen Ribiero instead.
   
   As for me, I'm returning the book!

No comments about Antique Map Reproductions: A Directory of Publishers & Distributors of Antique Map, Atlas & Globe Facsimiles & Reproductions.

4 comments about Goldmine Heavy Metal Record Price Guide.

1. This book is perfect for those who simply have an interest or the hard-core collector of rock and roll's wicked stepchild, Heavy metal. Loads of photos, bios, and assorted gems, this takes some of the guess work out of ammassing one's collection. The only complaint I could possibly offer is that there needs to be more concentration on the newer sub-genres of Heavy metal (black metal, death metal, etc) although they are addressed.



2. If you are into 80's Heavy metal and vinyl collecting you must get this books, which is mainly a catalog. It's very helpful on things as Band's LP's, EP's, release year, etc. If you have a missing LP from the 80's metal and don't know the label, year or even more, you want to complete your collection dig this.



3. Yes, this guide is a must have for all Metal record collectors. I would recommend it for CD collectors too, as it has a great discography of just about every metal band. But I was dissapointed to find out the author devalued many of the US record releases while raising the values of the UK releases. I know record collecting is more popular in the UK, but there are still many collectors here in the US too. This book makes it hard for the US collector to figure out what his collection is really worth. Case in point, GNR's banned robot cover sells for about five times what the guide lists by many dealers in the US. Anyway, I guees it is just a guide so don't take the values too seriously. Still, a great reference guide for the Metal Record collector.



4. This is by far the best reference guide for collecting Metal on vinyl. Although a record is really only worth what somebody will pay for it, this guide gives you a nice ballpark figure of what to spend on an LP. It also includes entries on early pre-fame recordings of bands whose members went on to become somebody (ie: ELF featuring Ronnie Dio, Black Sheep with Lou Gramm, etc)....Rookie Cards if you will.

   All of Martin Popoff's books have been informative, funny and entertaining, however, I don't agree with his views on Triumph.

No comments about Floor Coverings For Historic Buildings.

No comments about Living Dead Dolls: Value & Reference Guide to Collecting.

3 comments about American Modern, 1925-1940: Design for a New Age.

1. This is a great book for anyone interested in or appreciative of modern design and aesthetics. The book itself is beautiful, and all the color reproductions inside are sleek, clean, and inspiring. The author has the works divided by interesting categories such as "Streamlined," "Geometries," and "Penthouse," groupings that really help illuminate different design tendencies during this period. A beautiful publication!



2. I saw the exhibition at The Met and this book captures the objects perfectly! It also serves as a great reference to the greatest period in American industrial design: 1925 to 1940.



3. This is a beautifully designed and printed book based on the exhibition `American Modern' at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. The 172 illustrations (142 are large color photos mostly one to a page) focus on objects rather than the wider visual aspects of streamline design such as architecture, transport, engineering. I like the idea of everyday items being used, here you can study, for instance, Lurelle Guild's 1937 Electrolux vacuum cleaner, Norman Bel Geddes' 1940 Patriot radio, Russel Wright's 1937 American Modern dinnerware or the stunning candleholders Wilbert Orme designed in 1938, there are four shown in four separate arrangements and I would really like to have a set!
   
   Author Stewart Johnson explains, in an essay at the start of the book, how a small group of American designers, several of them emigres from Europe, abandoned the ornamentation of Art Deco in favor of simple clean lines, using new materials and manufacturing techniques. Furniture designer Paul Frankl was one of this group and he became an active promoter of the new style. He tied it all down to six characteristics
   1 Simplicity.
   2 Plain surfaces.
   3 Unbroken lines.
   4 Accentuation of structural necessity.
   5 Dramatisation of the intrinsic beauty of materials.
   6 Elimination of meaningless and distracting motives of the past.
   Johnson adds one other point that Frankl would not have mentioned at the time: Streamlining. This was the idea that made the style American.
   
   The back of the book has several pages of designer biographies, a useful glossary (Aluminum to Vitrolite and I now know what Monel Metal is) bibliography and index. Joe Coscia Jr, of the Metropolitan's photo studio, should be congratulated on his wonderful photography of the exhibits, they leap right off the page.
   
   As this book only covers objects you might want to read about other areas of Streamline design, have a look at `The Machine Age in America' by Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne Pilgrim and Dickran Tashjian. I think this can be considered the standard work on the subject. Another book that I like is Martin Greif's `Depression Modern: Thirties Style in America', it has some excellent architectural (especially interior) photos that I have not seen in other books. Want to know more? Scan over my Listmania: 'Streamline' books selection.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

1 comments about Antique American Switchblades.

1. best source that I have found so far lots of pics and info.