5 comments about 1897 Sears Roebuck & Co. Catalogue.

1. It is truly a window into the era of Queen Victoria and rural american life.



2. This book is utterly fascinating for those who hold any sort of interest in bygone times. While not a step-by-step guide, it inadvertantly thrusts the reader into the role of a home owner of limited means in the late 1800s. You find yourself shopping, suckered in by the richly worded item desciptions and enticed by the promises of "best on the market," "guaranteed for a lifetime," and "will cure all diseases of the nervous system."
   
   Unconsciously, you create your own little shopping list and envision a home where the husband builds everything from the buggy to the bathrooms while the wife prepares all the meals and pretties herself with skin whiteners and hair lotions.
   
   I am so glad to have bought this catalogue. I use it as a writing prompt for my high school students, to encourage creative and analytical thought, and they delight in it. I implore everyone to investigate this book.



3. I love it! It is fun to look at the the prices of the items that were sold back at the turn of the century.



4. This is such a great look into turn of century catalogue shopping. You'll be shocked at cheap things like violins and three piece suits used to be. For history or shopping buffs, this is a really, really neat buy.



5. Imagine having an invention which would allow you to review various products from the comfort of your own home. An invention which would enable you to purchase food, clothing, books, tools, medicines, transportation, furniture and virtually any other consumer need. An invention which would permit you to choose various delivery options which varied by cost and speed. Oh and by the way the year is 1897. After reading this book I have to say that the 1897 Sears Roebuck Catalogue was truly the Internet of its day. The book lists literally thousands of items which could all be purchased from the Sears Roebuck Company. Many of the items are farming equipment and provide a look at what was needed to raise food in the small family ran farms of the day as opposed to our world of largely corporate farming. The drawings of the home entertainment options available show how much easier we have it today. The product descriptions, especially of the medical products are eye opening (you could actually buy opium) and the overall feel is that a person in the late 1800s, even if stuck in a small rural town, truly had access to the world provided he had a copy of the Sears Roebuck Catalogue.

1 comments about Warmans Depression Glass: Identification And Price Guide (4th Edition).

1. This book is the best reference book on depression glass I've ever seen. It gives you a color identification guide, a shape guide, and a pattern guide. Each pattern identified is shown in very clear detail and the color pictures are wonderful. Patterns are presented alphabetically for easy reference. In the back of the book is a list of patterns by manufacturer and an index by pattern. I've never learned so much so fast. I highly recommend this book - especially to new collectors.

5 comments about Collector's Guide to Antique Radios: Identifcation and Values (Collector's Guide to Antique Radios).

1. This is the place to begin. Covers technical background, history, manufacturers and models. Price information is useful. Many illustrations in color. Covers battery and electric sets from 1920's
   through the 1950's. Does NOT include Crystal Radios. An EXCELLENT
   value. A ready reference for beginner to intermediate collector and enthusiast. Literally thousands of radios and many manufacturers covered. I could detect no gaps or ommisions. This is a catalog but well worth having on bookshelf as reference. Interesting commentary and fun to read. Well-written and informative.



2. This guide gives a good overview of old radios. I agree with other readers that there are some iconic radios that should have been pictured.
   However I can understand that the content had to be limited to make the book affordable. Myself, I would pay $60 for a larger book that had 4 times the content. Some short history on the manufacturers would have been nice too. On the positive side, this book has made me more aware of the variety of radios that were made. I can now better decide what I want to buy. The prices should only be used as relative value gauge.



3. Collectors who enjoy antique radios and specialty libraries catering to specialty collectors will have to have the updated 7th edition to Collector's Guide to Antique Radios by John Slusser: it packs in color photos of each antique to accompany the very latest values, organizes chapters by makers for quick and easy consultation, and includes plenty of reference material perfect for identifying the radios and their values.



4. I really enjoyed the book and have taken it along on radio hunting trips. It gives you a place to start but there are a surprising number of radios that are not in the book. Still, it has provided me a good basis for valuation and a real education of the universe of antique radios. Thanks.



5. Collector's Guide to Antique Radios: Identifcation and Values (Collector's Guide to Antique Radios)
   This book is a valuable reference for me as I look for bargains in antique radios.

No comments about Ideas across Time.

2 comments about Washington Quarter Folder 1965-1987 (Official Whitman Coin Folder).

1. WOW! this hold all your quarters. Its great. I bought it today and its so fun to save your quarters and display them. Its a good investment! §§§Thanks§§§



2. A great way to keep your collection of change in a handy thin book.Your coins stay in place, and are not easily lost. Most have dates and mint marks, that way you can see what you have or still need. Some books even give a little information on the coins you have. Great for the beginner or exp. person.

5 comments about Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

1. It's a great book but the first time we looked thru it the pages were falling out. Very poor quality binding.



2. This is a wonderful book written and illustrated fabulously - dealing in Vintage Kitchenware and Home Collectilbes with our own online web shop, it was a joy to read and savor every page - made us love the eras talked about even more!!
   
   linda
   Evelynne's Oldies But Goodies
   http://www.evelynnesoldiesbutgoodies.com



3. A+++ A must for any collector! Beautifully written, photographed, and illustrated. I can't wait for Ms. Zweig's next book!



4. Love, love , love this book. It was exactly what I wanted and so much cheaper than the book store. It arrived very quickly and was in excellent condition.



5. I've rated this book good, but I've got mixed feelings about it. On one hand it's wonderful! Lots of good info and interesting items featured. It really is a fun read with lots of cool items photographed. But my main concern is the execution of the book. The lighting on many of the photos is very poor for example. They look like they were taken with nothing but regular room lighting, not special lighting I would assume a professional photog would use. So, I'm sort of split down the middle. But I would definately say I'm glad I bought it, even with the split decision!

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of the 1911: A Complete Look at the Use, Care & Repair of the 1911 Pistol, Vol. 2.

1. This is a very interesting book about the workings of the 1911 and I learned a lot from it. It would have been even better if the pictures were in color, but I guess it would cost a lot more....
   I also think that the book should have more information about the trigger/sear/safety and the adjustment/replacement of those parts...



2. These reviews are MERGED reviews of two different volumes of a book. I believe people are purchasing Volume 2 and expecting the content of Volume 1. There is minimal overlap between Volume 1 and Volume 2.
   
   Volume 1 (ISBN 0873492811, 334 pages, 2001) has information on the history, calibers, disassembly, cleaning, competion, reloading, and testing. At the end of the book is a series of reviews of various 1911 models.
   
   Volume 2 (ISBN 0896892697, 336 pages, 2006) has information on barrels, mud tests, penetration, longevity, tactical illumination, holsters, defense, and competion. As with Volume 1, a series of 1911 reviews are at the end. These are different from Volume 1.
   
   Volume 2 is not meant to replace Volume 1. In fact, in Volume 2, the author writes, "this book is not designed to replace Volume 1..."
   
   I wrote Amazon.com an email indicating that this reviews are mixed up between Volumes 1 and 2.
   
   Both volumes are the best collection of information about the Model of 1911 in book form out there. However, they are two different volumes. I recommend starting with Volume 1 (search by the ISBN above) and if you crave more 1911 information, purchase Volume 2.



3. IU am doing an upgrade project on a Colt Series 80 1911 .38 Super and this book is a very good reference on what to do to get the best results, along with lots of other useful info on the 1911 and its clones.



4. Very detailed view of the modern 1911 handgun. A great read for any new or experienced 1911 owner.



5. If you like paying for advertising this is a must have.
   
   Even the table of contents was worthless since it only listed "Chapter 1; Chapter 2" and so on; never mind what the chapter is about. The front half has a few good tidbits but the back is a lot of "I owe it to the gun manufacturer to say good things" advertising reviews.

4 comments about How to Identify Prints, Second Edition.

1. Now in an updated and expanded second edition, How To Identify Prints: A Complete Guide To Manual And Mechanical Processes From Woodcut To Inkjet is a superb reference and self-teaching tool for discerning between manual prints, process prints, and screenprints/non-prints, whether the print in question is monochrome or color, and whether it is relief, intaglio, or planographic. 272 illustrations, 40 of which are in color, highlight the meticulous attention to detail in this excellent manual, which also covers essential aspects of printing history and the craft of printmaking. This new addition is revised with insights concerning how increasingly sophisticated yet inexpensive cheap printing processes such as quality inkjet and laser prints affect the process of identifying and evaluating printed images. A "must-read" for anyone collecting authentic prints or pursuing a career involving the identification of prints.



2. Back in print and updated in a new paperback edition is Bambar Gascoigne's classic How To Identify Prints, first published in 1986 and enjoying ongoing acclaim as an essential resource for any involved in identifying prints, whether they be woodcuts, lithos, or etchings. Some ninety techniques - manual and mechanical alike - are described to round out an accompanying history of prints. A lasting, classic work essential to any art library and many a general library reference collection.



3. I almost said "for the beginning print lover," but even the pros might want occasional reminders about obscure processes.
   
   This book displays an incredible number of processes and variations. Even within etching, there is standard intaglio process, relief etching, intaglio so deep it's amost relief, spit-biting or open-biting - well, a very long list. This gives an exacting look at the marks specific to each process, and gives good diagnostic descriptions. A special strength in this book is the differential diagnoses, the questions to ask that help distinguish two very similar kinds of marks. Every point made in the text is illustrated real samples, and that makes for a heck of a lot of illustrations.
   
   I have almost no quibbles with this text. There are just a few minor points that Gascoigne could have brought out more clearly. First is that Japanese woodcuts are under-represented. It's a rich tradition with a number of distinguishing features: gradations of ink hand-placed on a block, occasional use of mica for luster, and occasional use of un-inked "blind" impressions to impress texture into the paper. Second is a mark that I think is unique to drypoint: the line is often asymmetric, crisp on one side and blurred on the other, capturing the asymmetry of the drypoint burr. The split drypoint line is more famous but, in my experience, less common. I've seen it only in the most aggressively worked drypoints, such as some by Picasso. Third is a feature of some dust-ground aquatints: that the white marks can sometimes form a connected mesh around the black dots, where a spirit ground always has a black ocean dotted with white islands. I know these are minor points, and I hope you see how few there are.
   
   I'm a process nut. It's not the only way I enjoy prints, and not the way everyone enjoys them. For me, though, it really adds something to know how the maker's hand created each mark that I see. This isn't strictly a process book, and only accidentally a book of process history. It's a book about how a print looks, and seeing even more in the finest part of its looks. In the end, that's really the best reason to love a print.
   
   //wiredweird
   
   PS: A little while ago, I was given a very nice color print. It was done in mezzotint style, using burnishers to work from dark to light. Instead of a rocker-made ground, though, it had an aquatint ground. Color came from inking au poupee, dabbed on the plate. The giver was quite surprised that I read its story so precisely. Read this book, and you'll know just what I saw.



4. This book is found in the printrooms of most galleries and print collectors as it is a precise and concisely written text which explains the complex processes of printmaking. It clarifies the sometimes baffling differences between printing families and the creative techniques involved in making a print such as the subtle visual difference between an etching and an engraving. The book is illustrated throughout to assist the reader to identify printing techniques, characteristics and attribution marks used in Old Master prints through to those made in contemporary times. This reference text would appeal to anyone fascinated by prints and provides a new vocabulary for those who want to know more about the interesting visual variations possible in the world of the print.

5 comments about The California Coast: The Most Spectacular Sights & Destinations.

1. One of my favorite things to do is to travel down sections of the California coast. I do this whenever I can, and usually have an opportunity to revisit a favorite site at least once a year. One of the high points of being a teenager in California was taking a driving trip with my mother and sister where we covered almost the entire coast.

   I was very impressed by this book. If you think you are interested in taking a trip to the California coast, I think this book is essential!

   First, I couldn't find any sight that I have enjoyed visiting that was not included. For example, I have spent a lot of time near Laguna in Southern California in recent years. I found every activity that I enjoy doing in Laguna captured in the book, down the art galleries and museum I like to visit there.

   Second, most books of photography cause you to have great envy for the skill of the photographer, with no idea how to take your own images. I was delighted when the book opened with a brief photographic note that explained what equipment was used for the photographs. It's all equipment that I can access and manage, which is also nice. The images of sunsets over the ocean are the best!

   Third, the book brings in the environmental issues of defending the coastline from California's enormous population and heavy tourism industry. You will read about how development and wildlife are both being protected and brought together in complementary ways. Ms. Misuraca's text makes no bones about the smog and congestion near Los Angeles, and the photographs make those problems visually appalling.

   Fourth, the writing is way above what I've come to expect for travel-related books. I thought that Jean-Michel Cousteau's Foreword was especially eloquent. "California is a fabled land . . . . From small, Hispanic-influenced farming towns to the cosmopolitan bustle of San Francisco and Los Angeles, it is host to a blend of cultures not seen since the days of ancient Rome."

   Fifth, there's a balance in the subject matter that I found helpful. Many areas of California offer seasonal festivals related to fishing, harvesting or simply cultural history. Anyone who loves California enjoys visit those festivals. The book is quite complete in telling you about those activities. At the same time, you get ideas of where the architecture, hiking, photography, swimming, surfing, and nature observing are good.

   This is probably the only book about California's coast that I have seen that both residents and potential visitors will treasure equally.

   After you have finished enjoying this remarkable book, I hope you will plan to visit some of California's lesser known but remarkable locales. I particularly recommend the section of Route 1 that goes south from Carmel through Big Sur, the Lost Coast, Fort Ross, Muir Woods, Point Reyes, Drake's Bay, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Preserve, Morro Bay, Catalina, and Torrey Pines.




2. Stunning photographs!! A beautiful book! Text is most interesting & informative too. Well written. You wish you could jump into the page & pictures themselves. I once lived in California - wish I had this book - years ago! SM Pierrot Olney, MD



3. What an excellently written book. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the authors words are worth a thousand (mental) pictures. But there are very nice photo's as well. Covers nature, towns, and cities with the type of information a tourist or native would appreciate. And if you can't actually do such a trip, you definitely can from your armchair while reading this book. A real pleasure.



4. I bought this booking thinking it would be a good guide to the hidden gems on the West Coast but found that it was more a coffee table book or souvenir book. If you are looking for something with detailed information on the coastal drive, e.g., highlights, directions, tips, etc. this isn't it. If you want a nice momento of the California Coast, then it's a beautiful book.



5. This is a book we repeatedly buy, since we give this to our house guests as a keepsake of their trip to the Bay area. Since it also mentions the town we live in - Half Moon Bay - it is especially meaningful. Wonderful pictures!

5 comments about Hallmarks of the Southwest (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This is the eagerly-awaited second edition of Hallmarks of the Southwest; as a longtime collector of Native American jewelry, I'm happy to finally have a copy of this book.
   
   Naturally, not every craftsman can be represented in such a comprehensive work, and complicating this is that not every piece is stamped with identifying marks. (Some of my favorite jewelry isn't stamped at all, even with "Sterling.") Many of the references are a carry-over from the first edition; since silversmithing is often a family tradition, certian respected craftsmen working today may not be represented but their families are.
   
   It's a valuable overview, and leaves the reader [me, at least] wanting more.



2. Although the exchange process was easy, both copies of the book that Amazon sent had pages either missing or hugely out of order. I wished there was a way for Amazon to check the copies, under such circumstances, before sending them out.



3. We have had previous editions of this book by Barton Wirght for years. This up-dated edition is just more current, but overall it is a very helpful bood to us.



4. I've been able to find some of the marks in the book but so many times the marks I'm looking for are not listed. I was also surprised that some names, such as Harry Morgan, were not in the book.



5. This book is a must have for the serious collector of Native American jewelry. This compilation is broad and attributes many makers to their nation of origin. There are names, initials, and pictographs, with an assortment of unknowns as well. This book is worth its weight in gold!