3 comments about Warman's Civil War Collectibles: Identification And Price Guide (Warman's Civil War Collectibles).

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it had exactly the information I was looking for, and was extremely interesting. I highly recommend this book for anyone intersted in the Civil War, whether or not they collect Civil War items.



2. I've collected Civil War relics for over 13 years now & I can tell you that it's very important to have a book like this. By studying this book you'll be able to better identify relics as well as tell a fake from the real thing. I've already used this book to identify a canteen I recently bought for $40.00(!) as a Union medical canteen. Also, this book will tell you the general price of each relic so that you won't be cheated by some crooked dealer on e-bay! However, this book doesn't cover excavated relics well at all & doesn't even mention collecting Civil War veterans' relics. The very best Civil War relic price guide available is North & South Trader's Civil War Collector's Price Guide which not only covers ALL categories of Civil War relics but also has great sections on Revolutionary War relics & the War of 1812. That price guide cost at least double what Warman's guide does, but it's worth it. I think both are great & belong in every Civil War buff's library.



3. This a great book for collectors of Civil War relics! The book has nice colored pictures of everything from bullets and artillery shells to full uniforms and pictures. Great reference for all your collecting needs.

5 comments about Blueprints of Fashion: Home Sewing Patterns of the 1940s (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. I was amazed to receive this book. I learned about how rationing during WWII affected clothing and fashion. I saw how fashion evolved during a decade that began with war and ended with Paris reviving their Haute Couture.

   I think that the one aspect of Blueprints Of Fashion that caught me completely by surprise was the nostalgic feeling that looking at home sewing catalogue illustrations returned to me. I remember spending hours browsing through catalogues with my Mom during the 60's and 70's. I noticed the change of illustration styles, and the use of more photography, throughout those 2 decades of the big 3--Simplicity, Butterick/Vogue, and McCall's. In the 40's there were many more brands and that much more variation in illustration styles.

   Mr. Laboissoniere has done a great job of grouping the pattern face cards into a journey through the fashionable 40's. Even though he meant this as a guide for collectors, there are so many facets to his research that he has created something truly extraordinary.




2. This is a wondreful look at a time in fashion when looking your best when in public or private did matter. The fashions are an inspiration to those who love classic design. The only statement being made by these fasions are upbeat ones. Thanks for a great book that any sewer will treasure forever!!



3. This book begins with a lot of information about sewing pattern companies, sewing in the beginning half of the century, and fashion changes during the forties that are worth the price of this book. The second half is all reproductions of the fronts of pattern envelopes which provide inspiration for design as well as pointing out how much more advanced the average sewer seemed to be in the forties compared to today.



4. As a dealer in vintage patterns, (...) Wade's book is an indispensable resource in accurate dating of my pattern inventory. This in turn helps me to better serve my customers. Wonderful color examples of all the catagories, styles and companies.



5. this is one of the great fashion books. very well put together, interesting...unlike most fashion books (in terms of text) and classy and LOTS of images. Both of Laboissonniere's books are great.

5 comments about 500 Glass Objects: A Celebration of Functional & Sculptural Glass (500 Series).

1. If you are a contemporary art glass collector, you will love the hundreds of photographs in this book. You might even discover a new artist whose work you covet! As a learning tool, however, this book leaves something to be desired. Other than the names of the artists and their techniques, plus the object dimensions, there is not a lot of information. It would have been nice to have examples and descriptions of how the techniques are accomplished. But then, the author - the daughter of one of the world's foremost glass artists - would have needed more than 396 pages.



2. I am not really sure what people are hoping to find in this book. Like all of Lark's '500 Series' they are simply inspirational,the are not technical nor are they project based or how to, they are mostly gorgeous eye candy. I am not a glass artist, I am lucky to have a few art glass pieces that I have collected over the years but I bought this book purely to marvel at the shapes, originality and astonishing colours achieved by the wonderful artists whoose work is contained within. Truly luscious pieces each and everyone. Not always functional but certainly inspiring.



3. This book contains images that are fantastic however it also contains some incredibly poor ones. Certain artists submitted images of really high resolution or the most accurate photographic image - in slide format and the publisher has scanned them in quite inadequately. I was disappointed at the overall quality of this book and its presentation of artwork.



4. I love this series from Lark! It provides me with lots of inspiration and it is a wonderful tool to learn new artists and their work. I have almost the whole series!



5. Book arrived in good condition and on time. I wasn't really impressed by the content, tho some might find it interesting.

2 comments about The Early Paper Money of America.

1. Wonderful pictures, and even identification of the signers of the bills. Some signatures are hard to make out even if clearly written in dark ink due to the style of writting, but are identified here. Worth every penny!



2. This is a must for money buffs and the like.

5 comments about Antique Tool Collectors Guide to Value.

1. All I expected. Alot of information for the tools it advertised



2. I am very well please with this book.Highly recommend it to any tool collector.



3. hay i collect antique tool and enjoy my new book i would like to have another just like it for a friend.



4. i bought this book as a gift for my father in law. when i recieved it my husband who is also into old tools read it first and said that he wanted it too! i guess that means the book lives up to its standards. i liked the pictures that went along with it so you could actually see the tool they were talking about. overall, good book!



5. We love this book! We sell a lot of tools where I work - we get a lot of antique tools and it has been fun to learn about them and identify them. It is amazing what is out there.

5 comments about Barbie: A Visual Guide to the Ultimate Fashion Doll.

1. I love this book. This is the neatest book in the world. It has almost every Barbie I have in there. My favorite Barbie was the Olympic P.J. I use it to help me surf on Ebay. If you like Barbies, get this book now!



2. This book is really nice, the pictures are gorgeous, and it has some index on Barbie dolls by year, also Barbie's friends. Not so much on collectible dolls, but there are some dolls with gorgeous pics, some are different from the publish pics and a few are the same. Nice information for dolls and furniture. Great book! The cover is stunning!!!!



3. My kids like it. It's got excellent layout, clear crisp pics, but isn't comprehensive. Great to look through, and point to - look, I had that one when I was a kid..... (YOU were a KID?) I don't use it with my collection, but I am glad I bought it - it makes a pleasent just for fun.



4. This beautiful book is a must-have for any girl who loves Barbies. It is a children's book and is a visual delight...not a dry guide for adult collectors. The pictures are crisp and labeled, as the other DK books are; "corduroy hat" and "red patent leather pumps," etc. A huge hit with my 9-year old niece.



5. My daughter loves this book, and we are on our 3rd copy because she has worn it out taking it on trips, in the car, etc. Her favorite part is the international dolls section, where she enjoys looking at national costumes from around the world. The layout and photos are very well-done, and it brings me back to my childhood as well!

3 comments about Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era Paper Dolls in Full Color.

1. The greater part of the nineteenth century women's fashion is covered by this book. One sees the charming bell skirts mutating into bustles and finally the hourglass figure. The colors are brilliant and the dolls are based on Queen Victoria and Empress Eugenie (although, for some unexplained reason, the latter doll has blonde hair even though Eugenie had dark hair).
   I especially liked Tom Tierney's selection of a great variety of costumes, including sportswear, daywear, evening wear and ballgowns.
   The one flaw with the book is that there is a sudden gap from 1888 to 1900. I think there was no need to feature 6 costumes from 1900 alone, while the entire 1890s were unrepresented.



2. Tom Tierney's illustrations cover a 60 year time span when what we would consider "too much", was never enough when it came to embellishing the clothing of a fashionable woman. As eye candy, this is excellent. As a reference, this book is very helpful in establishing the lines and silhouettes of the various decades. As always, the colors are brilliant and the styles are faithfully rendered.
   
   The source of most of these illustrations are famous portraits, magazines of the day, and later photographs of fashionable women. Charles Frederick Worth started the practice of showing clothing on real people, as opposed to miniature costumes worn by fashion dolls, and his work is generously represented, along with a number of other designers, all of whom might have been overlooked by a lesser researcher than Mr. Tierney.
   
   Since there are a multitude of refernces including printed and photographic material that cover the 1890s, I can understand why those fashions would merit an entire book of their own, so I am not troubled by the absence of the decade of the 1890s.
   
   This book serves to provide an excellent overview of how womens' clothing evolved during the Victorian Era all the way up until 1900.



3. I love a lot of these books and when I add another one its such a treat..Once again..fine quality.good paper quality,fine coloring.I use them in paperdoll/altered art ,and decoupage.they are perfect for my needs..B.W.

3 comments about Light of India: A Conflagration of Indian Matchbox Art.

1. Warren Dotz's "Light of India: A conflagration of Indian matchbox art" is a fascinating little gift or coffee table book. It starts out exploring the origins of the matchbox industry in India, its practical and cultural place in history. From there it branches into an impressive exploration of the art that adorns Indian matchboxes--starting with those imported from other countries, and progressing through those made in India by Indian artists in later years.
   
   While the images themselves are beautiful and fascinating to look at, every bit as fascinating is the discussion that goes with each section. The images on matchboxes changed with the times, reflecting cultural trends, history, politics, national hopes and fears, and more. What started out for me as a fun look at matchbox art became an engrossing read on Indian cultural heroes, Gandhi's work, religious beliefs and iconography, and even Indian wildlife, foods, and architecture.



2. Light of India has great pictures of matchbook artwork. I am inspired by the colors



3. This is small but bold little book. The collection of images of matchboxes are colourful, humourous, curious and extremely entertaining. A must have for anyone interested in Indian graphics.

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Vogue Dolls: Identification and Values (Collectors Encyclopedia of Vogue Dolls).

1. This Book is great and is written so the reader can find about everything that is necessary to start a Vogue Doll collection!!! There are a couple important things I want to mention to eveyone about this book that are very helpful..The way the dolls are put in YEAR ORDER and when a doll is not pictured in this book the Authors make sure it is mentioned with the NAME OF THE DOLL and in detail what she should be wearing for that year, No doll is left out. PHOTO'S ARE GREAT!!
   This Vogue book is a must for the Vogue doll collector with a wealth of information. I learned so much with this book and could not be without it! It has all you need to help you in your quest for Vogue doll collecting.



2. My doll friends and I use this book daily! Especially love the 'Herstory' section where there are plenty of vintage photos showing the factory sewers and samples, Promotional events, and store displays! Book is interspersed with actual catalog photos and many, many color photos of dolls from private collections. Great to see a variety of Vogue dolls all in one book, too!



3. This is an exceptional book for people who love the Vogue dolls! Illustrations and text cover both composition, hard plastic and vinyl dolls. The illustrations are many and identify hundreds of various costumes sold for the Vogue dolls. The Ginny, Jill, Jeff and Ginnette sections are especially helpful. Collectors who have costumes or dolls with missing pieces can use the book as a reference to complete outfits. If a collector likes 1950s Ginny dolls, this book offers a wealth of information and is known to collectors across the country as the "Bible" for Vogue collectors.



4. Even though Kathryn Kay was mentioned as a former Vogue Doll employee, her doll "Ginger" by the Cosmopolitan Doll & Toy Corp. was not illustrated and with absolutely NO information. This book is otherwise recommended for Vogue dolls only.



5. Terrific reference book - definitely would recommend for personal or public libraries. Loads of pictures and information - very helpful.

1 comments about Fantastic Folders and Exceptional Envelopes: A Designer's Guide to Custom Carriers That Open Conversations and Seal Deals.

1. A great resource illustrating many variations on folders and envelopes. Classic, clean and corporate styles with not too much funk going on (minimal urban design). Unusual ways of presentation - fresh ideas. Also has relavent and useful sizing information and alternate suggestions for die-cuts.