No comments about Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2009: America's Bestselling and Most Up-to-Date Antiques Annual (Kovels' Antiques and Collectibles Price List).

3 comments about The Official Red Book: A Guide Book of United State Coins 2009 (Guide Book of United States Coins) (Guide Book of United States Coins) (Guide Book of United States Coins).

1. This is a must be coin book for U.S. coin collectors. Very informative and much improved edition compare to the previous issues. I would highly recommend this to everyone collecting U.S. coins and its territories!



2. #1 Best Selling Price Guide is a MUST:
   
   The official RED BOOK a guide book to United States Coins R.S.Yeoman ed. Kenneth Bressett, 61th edition, Whitman, 2009.
   
   Best in organization, easy of use, pictures, illustrations, & data, also the most popular. Whitman's RED BOOK is an essential guide, indispensable requisite and required handbook with up-to-date numismatic information.
   
   Best of the best in the area of numismatics have contributed to this volume, the most notable, respected, knowledgeable and distinguished numismatist were consulted for the 61th edition.
   
   165 plus prominent coin collectors auctioneers, and museums contributed directly to the 2009 Red Book Guide, Bressett, Jeff Garrett, Tom Hallenbeck, Steve Contursi, Ira & Larry Goldberg, Bill Fivaz, David Akers, Silvano DiGenova, the Smithsonian Institution, Heritage Galleries, the ANA money museum, Stack's Rare Coins, Superior Galleries, the United States Mint, and several dozens more.
   
   The guide has some problems, notable some errors occurred and as I mentioned earlier "All" prices guides without exception are outdated by the time is printed, mainly due to market conditions, collector interest, commodities volatility, speculators, currency value, supply & demand, among others.
   
   Numismatics is a hobby as any other do not expect a handsome return on your investment, at least not a monetary one. Have fun. Good luck.



3. This book has all the information that I need in finding what to look for in the grade of a coin and the price of that grade. I always go to this book before I buy a cion, to see if the cost is in the area listed.

5 comments about Complete Price Guide to Watches 2008 (Complete Price Guide to Watches).

1. One of the best watch books around, it basically plods along, virtually unchanged, year, after year. Except for price updates, and a new cover every year, this book is getting long in the tooth. My main problem is realistic pricing, which would not serve the authors, primarily Tom Engle, who is a high-end watch dealer. Many items are underpriced, in my opinion, and do not reflect real world pricing.



2. Use the book often in my work. A great addition. Thanks for the fast shipping.



3. A good source for information but to refer to the guide as "complete" would be streching it a bit.



4. I got this for my husband to use in our business. He says it's been very helpful. I got it to update his old one.



5. Complete Price Guide to Watches 2008.
   This said guide is quite inacurate, the authors just copied the same old stuff of previous books and tried to imitate the real stuff that their competitors do, I am referring to the rel thing, that is titled and has been "number one" for many years: WRIST WATCH PRICE GUIDE, by Sherry & Roy Ehrhardt and Joe DeMesy.
   
   Some of the prices of wrist watches are just plain lies, plaese take a look at page 1086 and you can see the STOWA 20-221 Military watch. Ca. 1942 at the incredible price from $400 to $800 dollars. This is just a plain lie, this watch, if you ever find one, costs aroun 5 to 10,000 dollars.
   
   What do this people think, that is the publishers of this so called price guide,about the people that buy this worthless, that we are morons?. I am so sorry to have waisted my time and money on a piece of printed junk...
   
   A very disatisfied reader...
   Jose Casas

5 comments about The Official U.S. Mint 50 State Quarters: Complete 100 Hole Collector's Folder, Complete Collection 1999-2008.

1. Wow, great fun as a little project with my daughter to teach them about saving and collecting.



2. It is not a hard cover like it said it is. Philidelpia mints are on one side and Denver on another. I would have like to have seen the two mints together. Otherwise, coins fit in slots great and has interesting facts to read on the interior cover.



3. this is an excellent book to keep your state quarters in , a very nice folder showing both p asnd d mints- well made.



4. I had a large coin book, but wanted the 100 hole for the 2 mints. This worked perfectly. It would have been nice to have them (D & P) side by side, but it folds up nicely, better than my last one. Yes, the quarters can be hard to place in the book, but for me, they stay put. I do not like the thin backing under the holes. I worry that if I push too hard, I might tear right through. I am still pleased with it, and have ordered several. It has made the quarter collecting more fun.



5. I recently purchased the Official U.S Mint 50 State Quarters folder for my grandson who has been collecting
   the quarters. The folder was exactly what he was looking for. It was certainly the right price and because it
   was "official" made it even more exciting for him to have.

5 comments about The Apron Book: Making, Wearing, and Sharing a Bit of Cloth and Comfort.

1. Saw this in my book club at twice the money. I really identify with these, the good old days. Days when aprons were a part of getting dressed each day. I still am an apron person. Love those pockets.



2. I had to make an apron in Home Ec class many (many) years ago. I didn't enjoy it at all. I didn't care for the fabric, didn't really get the hang of using a sewing machine, just felt it was a waste of time. Nobody in my family wore an apron, anyway, somehow they miraclously stayed clean during food prep.
   Flash forward a few decades. I like to cook and bake and I did not inherit the miracle of not getting messy while I cooked. Most aprons you can buy in a store are servicable - but not exactly flashy or pretty. One of my supervisors whipped up aprons as Christmas presents one year. I was amazed because I knew she was a very busy woman. Slowly, I began to gather fabric to make aprons. And when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. That's how I feel about this book. I recommend it highly.



3. I love this book - it brings back great memories. Very interesting information, photos, patterns, a great book to add to one's library.



4. Love this book!
   I am always recommending it to others who love Aprons and apron stories.
   It even has a user friendly pattern in the back of the book.
   A must have as well as a great gift to send to friends who are apronistas!



5. I decided I was going to make aprons for my female family and friends for Christmas and ordered this book hoping it would give me lots of different ideas. It is actually more of a history lesson on aprons but did have lots of pictures and patterns and instructions. There does not seem to be a glut of books on Aprons so this was a good choice. If you are the least bit creative you can go with some of their general ideas and expand on them. Makes a nice coffee table book too.

5 comments about The Jeweler's Directory of Decorative Finishes: From Enameling and Engraving to Inlay and Granulation.

1. Awesome book with great illustrations and techniques for many different finishes in jewelry making!! Get this one!!



2. Its title is the best description of this book; you must try all possibilities that you can find inside.



3. I found this book well structured for me as a novice. It provides lots of beautiful examples of the techniques. I'll look for more detailed "how to" instructions elsewhere but this book is a great start.



4. I have lots of jewelry books. This is more of "class examples" and the like. It shows many ways to do textures, finishes, etc. and shows the finished product. It has saved me the time and expense of doing them myself. What a help!



5. This is a book for those wanting to see how metal reacts to various applications --- which are covered in some detail for the metal artist to try some of the procedues on their own. I was truly amazed by how simple variations for the process of Patination and Oxidation could produce such a varied coloration or patterns upon various substrates (metal). Who knew that by mixing ammonium chloride with tobacco will produce such an interested moss-evergreen color variation upon copper. Thus this book served as a great learning tool for me and allowed me to work metal without waste (particularly due to the cost of some metal these days) as the examples provided in the book gave me the confidence to move forward with my own designs. Each section is followed by wonderful gallery examples by numerous artists using the techniques described. Great ideas can be developed by reviewing the metal finishing techniques and observing the gallery examples. More info on how to actually do each technique would have also been helpful, but there is enough to enable every metal artist with significant knowledge of metal to move forward and proceed on some of the finishes described and maybe not fleshed out in the beginning of the section. So classify this book for intermediate or advanced metalsmiths...beginners can review this book, but please gain enough enough knowledge (at least for some processes) to aid in becoming bold enough to proceed. Some techniques are easy enough for beginners - the stamping, rolling-mill, polishing/matt/satin, press forming, and engraving. The other techniques - etching, patination/oxidation, casting, foil, granulation, enameling inlay, and chasing/repousse - are appropriate for those with more experience either through instruction, other book information, chemistry knowledge, and other methodologies.
   
   However, I could only give it 4 stars since one of the most important issues was not covered in significant detail - safety. One page devoted to the subject (page 8) is NOT enough, particularly since some of the techniques are dangerous or at least require controlled conditions with appropriate protective covering of hands/eyes/clothing with stabilizing materials available in case of an accident (e.g. spilling chemicals).
   
   This is a great book to envision the possibilities when working with metals and producing your own jewelry or fine art; and the price makes it an easy addition to your reference library.

5 comments about The Gun Digest Book of Combat Handgunnery.

1. I have read nearly all Massad Ayoob's books and many of his articles. When I got into guns recently, in particular handguns, I ran across his writings. They changed my life. Not only is he an authority on self defense with and without handguns, his analyses of guns and manufacturers of guns are superb. Anyone looking to learn about modern handgunnery ought to turn to Mas Ayoob's writings. His style is concise yet exploratory; his coverage is complete; his demonstrations and illustrations and/or photos are informative; and his message is clear: handgunnery is a serious subject, one that can take many hours of anyone's time, and it should be analyzed carefully along the way. And, finally, Gun Digest is an authority as well, so this combination of publisher and author is one with which you cannot go wrong.



2. Save your money. The 6th Edition is exactly the same book as the 5th Edition published in 2002, except for the cover. You can buy the 5th Edition (used) on this website for as low as $1.67. Gun Digest should have pointed this out when they published the 6th Edition. I am surprised that such a distinguished publisher would resort to this tactic to make a few more bucks.



3. Great book, with a mindblowing amount of information. Aimed at training cops, but useful info to civilians, especially about disarming armed people if need be. Also love that he included info on Reverend Kenneth Blanchard and Kenn's book "Black Man With a Gun."
   
   Well done!
   
   Michael W. Dean



4. Having read Massad's work for the past twenty years or so this is probably his best work yet. Everything you need to know for handgun use is in this book. If you don't have his other books search Amazon for them and get them as well. Once you start reading these you cannot put them down.



5. Good book with nice pictures. I have read all of the tactical books and this is one of the best overall. Covers most basic topics and is an excellent book to read before buying a firearm for self protection.

5 comments about The Jeweler's Directory of Gemstones: A Complete Guide to Appraising and Using Precious Stones From Cut and Color to Shape and Settings.

1. Good for what it is, this book offers an ABC look at some gemstones. There is no depth to the material, but it makes a nice starting point and gives a position to make further research decisions on. The section on setting options for different kinds of stones is valuable & interesting, but could have been a lot larger/in-depth, as from a 'Jeweler's' perspective (as the title implies)this is critical info.
   All in all I am happy I bought this book & look forward to finding some serious/heavy duty books that delve right into this important subject.



2. "The Jeweller's Directory of Gemstones" provides a good introduction to the world of gemstones for both jewellers and those interested in purchasing gemstone jewellery. This full color book complements the existing gemstone directories. I also own copies of Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks) and Gemstones of the World: Newly Revised & Expanded Third Edition and I consider all three of these books to be of equal value (I recommend that you purchase all three of them, if you can afford it). However, unlike the other two books I mentioned, this book discusses gemstone jewellery, as well as providing geological information about the gems (most gemstone guides simply focus on the geological detail). This book also has a good glossary and index.
   
   This book is a valuable addition to any gemstone library and it is well worth the price of purchase.



3. As a gemologist, I have an extensive library of gem books. This book is one of the best guides written that is germain to professionals and novices alike. Easy to follow and very well edited. High marks!!



4. This is a great book. Well written and great pictures to go with the breakdowns of each gem. Recommended.



5. I've been a hobbyist jewelry studeng for some little while now, and what sets this book apart is the section on using each gemstone... this is the part that tells you how to approach setting the stone into jewelry, how hard or brittle the stone is and what features of the stone might make setting it easier or harder. Other books may give you more scientific/ gemological detail, a greater range of stones, and a better idea of price ranges. If you want to know what your stone is, whether it's a good specimen of its kind and if you paid a good price for it, this book may or may not tell you that. BUT... if you know what stone you have, this book will tell you how to care for it, and, if you're crazy enough to want to set it yourself, this book might just tell you how best to do that, and give you some idea whether, just this once, you should hire it done by someone who's already gone around that learning curve...

5 comments about The Prop Builder’s Molding & Casting Handbook.

1. The most detailed, informative, and educational book for any prop builders in the industry. A "gotta have" book in your library...just EXCELLENT.



2. This book gives great detail about most aspects of molding with good illustrations and step by step instruction that can be followed be a novice, covers various material used in the processes and describes the pro and cons of each.
   I think it would be usable in many projects beside prop building.



3. I have no experience in casting, and don't want to make any more costly mistakes than necessary. This was a very informative book that has given me much more confidence and knowledge to start.
   It is the best book I have found so far for my needs, which is actually for casting miniature (1:20.3 scale) details for an outdoor train layout. However, the methods explained are very widespread, and would suit most needs, I would think.



4. This is the best book for learning about prop making. I learned so much and found that prop making is relatively easy, but time consuming. Yet it is the joy of making something with your own two hands that makes prop making so much fun. This book is a must have for every prop maker and those who want to learn prop making.



5. "The Prop Builders Molding & Casting Handbook" is by the far the best book on mold making and casting I have found (and I have quite a few :)
   
   Not just for prop builders, this well laid out work covers many different types of mold making materials, uses, benefits, and TONS of tips. The casting and finishing sections are also very strong, providing great advice for reproducing realistic looking props.
   
   HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!

3 comments about 500 Pendants & Lockets: Contemporary Interpretations of Classic Adornments (500 Series).

1. With few exceptions, I enjoy the Lark "500" series of books, Pendants and Lockets is no different. Sticking to the photos only with minimal wording publication concept, this is not a "how to" book it simply showcases a veritable smorgasboard of amazing contemporary designs. The enormous range of materials used to create these pieces is appreciated, nothing seems to have been left out. Of course all the to be expected precious and non precious metals and stones are there, now add plastics, textiles, papers, glass, all the clays, resins and found objects.
   
   Continue with every possible technique you can think of, and then some, with design concepts that for the most part are also extremely wearable ( and yes there are some that leave you with a what the?? feeling )and you have a great book. Make no mistake here, this is contemporary jewellery, don't look here for the traditional or you will be disappointed.
   
   Everypage is a highlight, with Jacqueline Ryans Untitled ( pg 14) gold and enamel pod looking so real it was stunning, Jin a Jung's - A dot of Illusion was incredible, visual illusion of geometric patterns done so well and Karen McCreary's Geode Pendant in Acrylic, gold leaf and silver were both elegant and fluid with stunning colours. These may have stood out for me personally, and I am sure everyone who views this will have favourites too.
   
   Whilst there were some well known artists showcased it was great to see so many new names and better still I had not seen over 95% of the photos before.
   
   I have been left in awe of the designers who have created pieces that challenge your thinking, delight with their interpretations, playful and serious and leave you knowing you have just witnessed Pure Magic. Well done to both Lark and the exceptional job the jurors Mike Holmes and Elizabeth Shypertt have done. This is a book that will be my night time reading for many days ahead.



2. What a pleasure to open a book and be awed by its quality and content, delighted



3. This is a wonderfully varied and representational compendium of jewelry pieces from a wide variety of artists. I was inspired, impressed, amused and amazed by various pendant/lockets. The editors do a marvelous job of gathering work from the traditional to the far-out without going round the bend or boring this reader.