1 comments about Complicated Watches and Their Repair.

1. Not a very up to date book on watch repair. There are also very few pictures/diagrams available. For those wanting to buy a book about watch repair at a beginners level, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.

5 comments about George Ohr, Art Potter: The Apostle of Individuality.

1. 
   "Geo E Ohr has challenged any potter on earth! `You' Prove the Contrary!" These are the words painted by George Ohr on a sign at the 1895 Atlanta Cotton States and International Exposition.
   
   He did more than challenge fellow artists, he set a standard for them by digging his own clay, shaping his own pots, firing his own kiln, and creating forms that were unlike the currently popular shapes. In fact, his shapes were so outre at the time that he was called "The Mad Potter of Biloxi." As the world now knows he was prescient.
   
   The words that he painted in 1895 followed the total destruction of his studio and some 10,000 pieces by fire, plus a devastating hurricane that hit the Mississippi coast prior to that. Obviously, he was a resilient and determined individual. Today, in the wake of Katrina, the Ohr O'Keefe Museum in Biloxi is being rebuilt. If he were still living Ohr would have it no other way.
   
   Married and the father of ten children, he sold most of his works at expositions and fairs. He received only a modicum of artistic appreciation during his lifetime, although he was presented with the Silver Medal at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. It was not until the 1960s that a New Jersey antique dealer, Jim Carpenter, came to Biloxi and saw Ohr's works now housed in an auto repair shop. Carpenter eventually bought nearly 7000 pots and introduced Ohr to art aficionados in New York City. The potter's stature as an extraordinary artist has continued to grow.
   
   Robert Ellison became an admirer of Ohr's and now owns some 370 pieces. His creation of this beautiful volume is a gift to all. With 192 color illustrations illuminated by scholarship George Ohr, Art Potter, is both a tribute to the artist and an outstanding reference for his work.
   
   - Gail Cooke



2. Ohr does break the mold when it comes to art pottery. Whereas other potters, no matter how innovative or imaginative they are, stay within certain classic forms for vases, bowls, goblets, etc., Ohr often departs radically from the forms. His art pottery is perhaps best considered as free-form sculpture inspired by, but not made according to, traditional pottery. Thus, a "pot" has "elaborate configuration: sharp bends, angles, blades, swirls, and quasi-cylinders [making for] complexity from every angle." Another "pot" has "crinkling result[ing] in dramatically deep three-dimensional spaces...[which] radiate highlights that contrast with the dark-brown glaze...[giving] this piece...a brooding, enigmatic presence." The foregoing quotes are from captions of two of the color photographs of individual pieces of Ohr's pottery on nearly every page. The work is a tour through Ohr's artistic career from "The Early Years" to "A Final Phase" noting and illustrating phases of development and points of his individuality. With their colors and polymorphous, though mostly rounded, shapes, Ohr's pottery/sculpture has a deep earthiness, as if plucked whole from the ground's depths, though they patently demonstrate a clear, singular vision and matching consummate skill.



3. If you like pottery and George Ohr this is an outstanding book. Amazing photo quality of some of George's coolest work..He was truly one of the worlds best at what he did..This has become one of our favorites, and we found it for less money on AMAZON.COM!!! Thanks,TESSRS



4. The book is beautiful and the photos are superb, but I was somehow led to believe I'd find photos of early utilitarian pottery in this book and I did not. I will use the book. It does enhance my knowledge of George Ohr and his work, but I wanted to see the really old pieces from his work with his mentors and beyond.



5. A must have for any person that appreciated the work of George Ohr.
   Thank you Robert A. Ellison Jr. for this amazing book. If you can't see
   the actual work this book is the next best thing.

5 comments about Meet Mr. Product: The Art of the Advertising Character.

1. A fascinating foray into the sometimes clever, sometimes idiotic, occasionally just plain bizarre (Mr. TV Tube? Dunkie Donut-Head? Phillips Screw Man??) world of advertising characters. Anybody obsessed with kitschy pop culture, especially that of the 50's and 60's, will want this one. You get all the cartoon mascots you've ever seen on "retro" t-shirts at your local Hot Topics, plus hundreds more of varying degrees of obscurity. Indeed there was a period when designers would simply draw a smiley face on a cog and call it "Mr. Cog," and you see a lot of that here, often in hilariously weird contexts - lawn spinkler heads, pistons, the state of Nevada, a sock, all grinning amiably at you as they pitch themselves. You've got your cartoon pigs voraciously devouring pork rinds, your cigarette boxes with showgirl legs, your anthropomorphic donuts, and robots robots robots. A book like this not only takes you through a wide range of illustration styles, it hints at what life was like in those days, those "simpler times" (though it's arguable how much we've really changed). What better window into American psychology in the 20th century than the commercial devices by which we've been beguiled into consuming? Aunt Jemima has stories to tell on you.



2. Tons of product logos here, with the bulk of them from the 30s to the 70s. These are reproduced very well, and each of them is dated and carries a two-line description of their purpose and company origin. There are a few pages of introductory front matter that summarize the history of product logos, but the meat of the book is taken up by the graphics, with anywhere from one to four logos per page. I didn't know there were so many anthropomorphic logos, among them Mr. Coffee Nerves, Mr. Dee-Lish, Mr. TV Tube, Phillips Screw Man, Johnny-One-Note, Miss My-T-Fine, Miss Fluffy Rice and Mr. Weatherball. Many of them you'll recognize, and some of them you won't, but all of them will delight you.



3. The compilers have done a wonderful job; the layouts are absolutely marvelous, a real pleasure to flip through, great retro colors used, and should be an essential addition to the collection of anyone who enjoys 50s & 60s graphics.



4. My brother is a commercial artist and his personal artistic style is kind of "retro". I got this book for him for his birthday because I though he might like to have it around for inspiration just in case he needed some someday. I was right! He loved it. I was surprised at the size of the book. It's kind of small, but it gets it's point across just fine. Being a fan of nostalgia, I wouldn't mind having it for myself.



5. My wife and I had fun laughing at some of the characters in this book. Apparently there was NOTHING you couldn't make fun of back in the 1950s.
   
   Even if you're not interested in advertising this is still an enjoyable little book, fun to look at while sipping tea on a rainy afternoon. Well worth the money.

4 comments about Collecting Fluorescent Minerals.

1. Minerals from the United States from New Jersey to Arizona and California, as well as unusual selections from mineral mines around the world, are profiled in Stuart Schneider's Collecting Flourescent Minerals, a guide to gathering in the field and one of the most complete references to the topic in print. While introductory pages discuss notable mine sources and fluorescent minerals, the heart Schneider's discussion lies in color photos of the minerals themselves, supplementing a price guide which reveals glow factors and favorable lighting.



2. This is a terrific book for the beginner as well as for someone who has been collecting for years. Tons of pictures, explainations, and locations of where certain minerals were found, as well as what to look for when rock hunting yourself.



3. I have both of Stuart Schneider's books and think they are wonderful. I collected fluorescent rocks all over Europe for many years, and now I am doing the same here in the Southwest USA. Stuart is an honest man and he knows a great deal about the subject. It is difficult to get the printed colors in the book to match the beauty one sees in reality, but he comes closer than anyone else. His books are required as part of any good book collection about fluorescence.



4. Pictures are fairly decent and accurate, with minor exceptions. A few obvious PhotoShop jobs. But the text has factual and spelling errors that number in the hundreds. I still recommend this book to beginners I come in contact with, but I cringe at the errors I see. Price Guide is 100% subjective, therefore worthless. Most likely what the author paid for the rocks he bought and included. If it were accurate, I'd have a rock worth over $37,000.
   
   Book was published with far too much "blind faith" in references. This should have been published by a person who is more knowledgeable and committed, not a "dabbler".

5 comments about The New Beadwork.

1. This book full of photos with amazing artworks. I was surprized what people can make with beads. You can find a lot of great ideas or you can give this book as a gift to someone who enjoys beading or just loves albums with beautiful pictures. You gonna love it!



2. You can't be a serious bead artist if you don't own this book, that's all there is to it. The introduction itself--with its cogent and encompassing trace of the contemporary groundswell in bead art--is worth its price. As a source for the work of the most well-known and emerging artists this book is a museum in itself. Ms. Withers is to be commended for the beauty of her presentations as well as for her sensitivity to the deeply spiritual and downright funky satisfaction both the bead artist and the bead art owner derive from the humble bead.Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but women prefer beads. And yes, real men do make bead art!



3. Inspirational...helps get your own creative ideas going when you see some of the incredible stuff other bead artists are doing. Has a small how-to section which is not very helpful, but the photographs are wonderful.



4. This book is for one thing only - inspiration! But what inspiration! I'm an actually on my second copy of this book as my first became so worn from my paging and drooling.

   The pieces are shown alphabetically by artisan with a two line biography, then a brief desciption of the piece and a listing of techniques used - I love the fact that the dimensions are given with each piece! There is also included an artisan's statement giving you insight into how the artisan sees his/her work.

   As this was originally published in 1992 some of the resources are out of date but a web search will remedy that. Also, don't buy this book for instructions on how to do the beadwork, this is strictly eye-candy and how sweet it is! This is the book I pull from my shelf often to remind me of how much I love this medium, how far I have to go in my explorations, and how much fun getting there will be!

   Sadly this book is out of print, but if you are a serious beadworker or someone who wants to see the best that beadwork can be - spend the time and money to get a copy of this treasure.




5. Back in 1992, If you said "beadwork," people would think of the simply strung love beads of the 1960's, or they might consider Native American beadwork. Yet the art of serious beadwork was still alive and was growing, thanks to people like the authors of this book. Unlike today, when there are more books on beadwork than one could possibly read and still have time to actually DO some beadwork, there were no real books on the kinds of beadwork being produced by a few small pockets of artisans.
   
   Then "The New Beadwork" was published.
   
   It would be hard to overstate the impact that this slim volume has had on the art of beading. In the early nineties, if you wanted to buy a book on beadwork, this was it. Not that anyone buying the book would feel as if she hadn't gotten her money's worth - this book became an instant treasure. It was a major factor in elevating a certain calibre of beadwork to an art, just as a beautiful woodcarving or an ancient mosaic is art. The beadwork in this book is so far from love beads or the macrame potholder hanging in your grandmother's kitchen, it seems almost criminal to speak of them in the same breath.
   
   Any serious beadworker, or anyone who aspires to be a beadworker needs this book, as inspiration and also to see how far we have come. If one could only purchase a half-dozen books on beadwork (which would be tragic), this would have to take a place with "The Art and Elegance of Beadwork" and "Creative Beadweaving" by Carol Wilcox Wells, "The Beader's Guide to Color" by Margie Deeb, "The Art of Beadwork: Historic Inspiration, Contemporary Design" by Valerie Hector and Lois Sherr Dubin, and "The History of Beads: From 30,000 B.C. to the Present" (Unabridged Edition) by Lois Sherr Dubin. This listing is subject to debate, of course, but most beadworkers would consider these books to be the best of the best.
   
   It's a pity this book is out of print - but it is still available, and still fresh and useful. It is a worthy purchase for anyone who wants to raise her beadwork out of the craft category and into the realm of artwork.

3 comments about Avon's 1876 Cape Cod Collection: Glass Dinnerware (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. The subject book is very well illustrated with actual photographs. The descriptions of each item are not consistent throughout. In some places dimensions are entered in fractions while in other places they are entered as decimals. We purchased the book to satisfy an insurance claim. Dimensions was one of the insurance requirements; however, none of the items in the book have their original cost which was also another requirement of the insurance forms.



2. This book is wonderful! It has beautiful photographs and price estimates for each piece! I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in collecting the 1876 Cape Cod Collection!



3. I love this book. Now I can have an idea what to pay for these items.

5 comments about Mego 8" Super-Heroes: World's Greatest Toys!.

1. No complaints here! Excatly as a MEGO book should be done with lots of color pics!



2. I had all of the items shown in the book as a kid so paging through it was a big trip down memory lane. It reminded me of a lot of fun times.



3. Simply put this is a fantastic book. It is a walk down memory lane for Mego fans who had the pleasure to grow up with these wonderful action figures in the 1970s. The photographs are splendid and bring to life Mego's WGSH line. The author's attention to detail cannot be matched by any other book out there that purports to touch upon this fine line of Mego action figures. If you are debating between Mego books to buy, please don't pass this book up. It is a decision you will regret a year or so from now when you are trying to track down this book from online auction sites, etc. For anyone looking for a wonderful trip into the past, jump on and enjoy the ride!!!



4. This book does not cover everything Mego, but its a wonderful collection of photos and important information. I recommend the book for any Mego collector.



5. A good looking and very informative book full of great photos of the Mego super-hero figure toy line. It's a must for any Mego toy collector and well worth the price of admission!

5 comments about A Dictionary of Costume and Fashion: Historic and Modern.

1. The previous reviewer, Michelle Willingham, does not seem familiar with the use of a dictionary. It is not intended to be read, but consulted when information is needed.

   This is an excellent reference work, a classic in its field.




2. I found this book to be rather comprehensive in terminology and volume of terms. I would have liked to have seen some dates for items, at least approximately. Eg: It is important to know when the zipper was invented in order to make a historically correct dress. But all in all the book has been helpful with definitions and illustrations.



3. I just received my copy today, and I am thrilled with it. It is exactly what I was hoping for, a useful, easy to pick up (it's lightweight and not so large that it's a difficult reference), simple to use reference material for our costume shop. Includes broader headings (sportswear), as well as specifics, the pictures are great (although more would be helpful), and there are fabric descriptions as well. Highly recommended as a reference, do not purchase as a reading book. Perfect for a work setting.



4. This text was required for my costume history course. I found it lacking -- many definitions do not have images to illustrate them, making learning difficult. Definitions are not very descriptive: if you're looking for a comprehensive fashion dictionary, this isn't it.



5. I believe the book is very complete, not only because of the word definitions, but also because of the pictures which show how costumes were in each fashion trend and in which we can see diferences between time an place. I have just recieved the book and that is the impresion I have from a quick look.

5 comments about Antique Tractor Bible: The Complete Guide to Buying, Using and Restoring Old Farm Tractors (Motorbooks Workshop).

1. Mr. Yost has done a fine job in researching, exhibiting and explaining the antique tractor hobby. So many details from "why should I be involved in the hobby?" to trailering your newly restored tractor to that favorite show are covered. He answers many of the questions most of us have learned the hard way and does it in such a way as to inspire, rather than to alarm. The book reaches out to one comtemplating the hobby of antique tractor restoration like a friendly, helping hand and performs as a lantern, guiding one through the other wise dark and mysterious avenues sometimes associated with the hobby. Mr. Yosts book is as essential a tool for the beginner, or those of us who have "been there, done that", as that old dog curled next to the shop stove and our grandfather's words of wisdom echoing in our mind as we scrape, clean, bang and paint these loveable machines which are our agricultural heritage. Three cheers for Mr. Yost!



2. If you were going to buy just one book about tractor collecting this would be the one to buy.



3. This is a good all-round reference for restoring antique tractors. You expect a good discussion of "how-to" information on restoring old tractors. The book has that and many illustrations to help you understand particular repair techniques. Yost has included useful tips on nearly every page. These tips cut to the heart of the topic he's explaining. He also has a useful section on how to choose and operate your old machinery. A section on shows, demonstrations and pulls helps you find a way to show off your new pride and joy. Among the more useful information is a good section on further specialized references for particular tractor brands, and several pages listing parts sources for old machinery. Old-timers in the restoration business will appreciate the references, while beginners will benefit from basic explanations that more technical manuals assume you already know.



4. Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or a neophyte who doesn't know which end of the wrench to hold, Spencer Yost's Antique Tractor Bible is a comprehensive guide to buying, using and restoring antique tractors. There is enough information here, so even if you don't intend to do your own work, you'll know how things are done and why. Additionally, the author shows how to use your antique tractor and equipment. This book is not model-specific, and the author touches on many different tractors. This is a major new resource work that will become indispensable to antique tractor owners. I wish the photographs were in color, which is a minor complaint in light of the wealth of information presented.



5. This is a good all-around tractor book with a lot of historical tidbits about different makes of tractors. If you are interested in one particular brand/style etc..., this may not be the book for you. If you simply like tractors, and enjoy learning reading general information about antique tractors, then this is a good addition to your book collection. It offers information on a few interesting and not so typical tractor types.

5 comments about A Museum of Early American Tools (Americana).

1. 
   Very informative and well written



2. I would have to say this is one of my best books! The pen and ink drawings a wonderful. So well writen with so much information. I just finished reading this again and feel like going and useing some of the tools in there that i own! I love working with wood and other materials in the American way. Some of the tecniques he dessribes are so ture an i use the all the time! If u love America and/or hand tools, you must own this book.



3. Eric Sloane doing what he does best. The illustrations are superb as usual and so are the descriptions of how the tools were used. This book is bound to make you think differently the next time you are at a yard sale or fleamarket standing in front of a bunch of old rusty tools.



4. I love tools, especially old tools and I found this book to be a treasure trove of information. As the title claims, it is a museum. For every tool there are one or two drawings and a short blurb on the tools were used and made - frequently I want more detail than this, but it is a starting place, just as any museum. For the price, this book is a good value for any lover of old tools.



5. I just finised reading the 1976 edition of A Museum Of Early American Tools. I love this book! It is obvious that Mr. Sloane had both a deep understanding and a heartfelt reverence for our American history, the implements that were such an integral part of it, and the ingenious craftsmen who designed and fabricated them. Our early history is indeed told most eloquently by the tools our ancestors devised. And who better to lead us through that story than Eric Sloane. I'm adding more of his books to my wish list.
   Mike Dearing