Collectibles Books

This book is a fascinating collection of antique advertisements for entertainment acts ranging from the whimsical to the bizarre. The broadsides themselves are surprisingly readable and Jay's commentary illuminates the subject matter in a way that sheds light on multiple facets of the social context the broadsides existed within. It's an art book, an intriguing work of history, a compendium of the bizarre, a chronicle of advertising techniques, and a unique stage door view on just exactly what humans will define as "entertaining".

Ricky Jay is a national treasure. He's the head curator of a continuing collection of the curious, marginal, sometimes macabre but always compelling congregation of entertainers who have slipped through the trapdoor of time's stage. His newest masterpiece, Extraordinary Exhibitions, is a catalogue of broadsides heralding some of the strangest performers that ever graced an auditorium or a sidewalk. You'll meet Pietro Stadelmann, a seventeenth century armless dulcimer player. As well as the nameless 27 year-old Angolan "Famous African Hermaphrodite". And a South American trio whose huge excrescences extruding from their chins gave them their stage moniker "The Monstrous Craws". You can sit at the feet of Joice Heth, the 161 year-old former nursemaid of Little Georgie Washington, the marvelous showman P. T. Barnum's first client. There's singing mice, educated fleas and a Rabbi whose demonstrations of his prodigious memory were endorsed by the Pope himself. To paraphrase the immortal Charles Fort, you'll see a procession of the damned of showbiz. And thanks to the wonderful Mr. Jay, they'll walk (and bark, tumble, juggle, catch bullets, arm wrestle, rope dance and eat stones) again.

If you ever have a chance for a collector to show his collection, you run the risk of being terribly bored. Unless you yourself collect stamps, coins, thimbles, Hummel figurines, or Corvettes, you are unlikely to sympathize with the delight the collector takes in his hoard. Ricky Jay is a fascinating man; he is a master magician, a historian of show business (especially of novelty acts), and an actor in David Mamet's movies. He collects something few others do: showbills for the jugglers, magicians, animal acts, ventriloquists, and other eccentric and novelty performances through almost four centuries. Don't worry, it is far from boring. Around eighty of his specimens are on display in a large format book, _Extraordinary Exhibitions: The Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head, the Whimsiphusicon & Death to the Savage Unitarians_ (Quantuck Lane Press). The broadsides are funny and beautiful, and Jay's learned and enthusiastic commentary about each one is on the page facing each specimen. It is all thoroughly entertaining, and like any show advertising, the posters make you wonder if the acts are really as described. There is so much verbal and graphic hyperbole on display here that a bit of incredulity is only sensible, but still: who, if confronted by an announcement for Signor Cappelli and his Learned Cats, with assurances that after he introduces his cats to the audience, they will "beat a drum, turn a spit, grind knives, strike upon an anvil, roast coffee, ring bells, set a piece of Machinery in motion to grind rice in the Italian manner with many other astonishing exercises", who, I say, would let incredulity overcome a wish to get a peek at the show?

Let me just take the three displays mentioned in the subtitle. "Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head" were on display in London around 1840, and it was, if the description is to be believed, truly enormous, eighteen by seven feet, and weighing 1,700 pounds. What the head was, we do not know; one observer said it was likely that of a whale, and another said it was an obviously gigantic bird, fish, or lizard. The Whimsiphusicon had one of those fanciful names showmen of the 19th century enjoyed. It is advertised on a playbill for the ventriloquist Christopher Lee Sugg in 1816. Jay says, "Sugg, like a number of early magicians, was a proponent of theatrical neologism used to entice, or more likely confuse, the public." Indeed, Sugg explained on the playbill that the device was also dubbed "The Wandering Melodistical" and was a "Pill to Banish Melancholy," but it is safe to say he didn't give any secrets away until the performance. "Death to the Savage Unitarians" is on an Argentinean bill from 1842, and does not refer to the members of the religious sect, but to the country's Unitarian political group who favored a liberal rule of law and a strong central Argentinean government. They opposed the dictator Juan Manuel Rosas, and probably the phrase was included by the publicist who had drawn up the bill to ensure it would not offend the dictator. It caps an ad for "Robert and His Wife" who did magic and juggling, including "the new trick of the ceramic plates that will very much please the spectators" and "the lovely balancing act of the two dogs dressed as a Marquesa and a Marquis."

There are scores of other playbills for acts in this beautifully produced book that shows some astonishing curiosities, well annotated by the erudite collector himself. It is full of jolly whimsy, for every act depicted is shown at its best, even though it might be promising more than it could actually produce. There is a taint of regret, here, though, on every page. As the playbills frequently remind us, the like of these productions will never be seen again. Oh, how I would love to see Daniel Wildman, for instance, the first and foremost equestrian apiarist of two hundred years ago, who rode his horse standing up while five swarms of bees covered his face, swarms which would thereupon alight on specific locations the performer designated by his command.

This is a wonderful book by a truly genius author. Also, make sure you put Ricky Jay's other books on your list. He has a great mind and his books are phenomenal!
Harry Monti
Society of American Magicians
National President 1999-2000

An exquisite book, large format. Beautiful color plates. If you get one book on Faberge for the quality of its plates, this is it.

While in Moscow, we were able to see the traveling exhibition of Faberge eggs and pick up this book. The exhibition itself was stunning - the individual settings were chosen especially for the particular egg, the accompanying commentary intriguing, the lighting spectacular.

The only thing that compared to the eggs themselves was this book which is one of the best of its type. It is large and the photographs and descriptions lush. One is transported back in time to the days of Tsars and Orthodoxy and the now disappeared Russian craftsmanship. This is a must for your coffee table.

This book is amazing! The oversized photos are mezmorizing. I am a collector of the small egg charms used in the Czarina's Maria Feodorovna's necklace. I was thrilled to see photos of many of the egg charms I own. I love this book!

I couldn't ask for a better Faberge book. Exepting those by my freind Geza Von Habsburg.

Hal Herring's 2008 volume is a marvel...and a marvelous read. Herring examines the life history of a dozen historic Wild West firearms and the men who used them. Filled with thrilling stories and larger-than-life characters, it presents a vivid picture of the Wild West. I can't remember when I have enjoyed reading a book as much as I did FAMOUS FIREARMS OF THE OLD WEST.

The firearms and personalities covered in Herring's book reads like a who's who of the Wild West: 'Wild Bill' Hickok and his Colt Model 1851 revolvers, John Wesley Hardin's Colt Lightning Double Actions, Geronimo's Winchester Carbine, Joseph Smith's Pepperbox pistol, Pancho Villa's Smith & Wesson American Revolvers, John Brown's Sharps Model 1850, etc. Herring deftly combines the history of each weapon's development with the life story of each individual to produce an entertaining and educational "look back."

The book is nicely illustrated with vintage photos of the firearms and users along with contemporary color pix of the weapons themselves. The combination of history and illustrations really makes the Wild West come alive.

In short, FAMOUS FIREARMS OF THE OLD WEST is a gem, fascinating history related by a master storyteller. Anyone interested in the Wild West will want to purchase a copy of Herring's book. Highly recommended.

*****
One minor criticism: no index.

There are a lot of books out there that cover historical firearms, biographies of the men who used them, or the world they lived in. Herring's book is one of the few that combines all three of these aspects into one story. By selecting specific weapons, the men who used them, and how society looked at that particular time, Famous Firearms Of The Old West provides the reader with a glimpse of the growth of our nation.

This is not just a gun book. Anyone interested in history, sociology, or firearms should find a great read in this book.

Tiger McKee

The Book of Two Guns: The Martial Art of the 1911 Pistol and AR Carbine

Herring writes about guns the way McPhee writes about rocks, fish, and oranges. In an easy but confident voice, Herring describes the history and people behind a dozen firearms. He managed also to be informative but not pedantic and decidedly avoids hook and bullet assumptions. A pleasure to read.

For those that yearn for yesteryear and a hearty 'Hi-yo Silver!' this is the real thing. Hal delivers again. If you think you know the story of the person, it is fascinating to see how his story would not have been possible with out his particular firearm.

Great book for finding out what they really wore for dressy occasions during the Civil War Era and just prior. Afterwards they did not have the money or the material to do this, but it is lovely to see what they did before the war. Reenacter's who do not wish to spend a lot of money on a gown from the wrong era need to see what is correct before some dressmaker puts them into whatever pattern that SHE likes to make! RESEARCH is the key.

A delightful book to page through. Lots of black & white line drawings and several color plates. This must have been where Scarlett O'Hara got her inspirations!

This is an excellent reference guide for Lady Civil War Reenactors who want to create beautiful day dresses and ball gowns. The book has detailed descriptions of each dress. A true Godey's dress was for the lady of wealth, however many women of average means subscribed to Godey's to get ideas for the dresses they wore. Each page will give you an idea of colors, styles and types of fabrics used. This book is a must along with "Who Wore What" for a true insight into women's fashions of the 1860's

This book is beautiful. It is a very helpful reference and it is just fun to look at. It was also great to have the description of each of the outfits. This book is much more detailed than the "80 Godey's Full-Color Fashion Plates (1838-1880)" by JoAnne Olian, but then I liked all the full -colored as well.

I found this coloring book to have wonderful pictures of the Antebellum period to color in my own way and use my imagination as to how they would appear. The information at the bottom of each page was a fun lesson in style history.

Beautiufl coloring book. I bought these for my daughter who is interested in fashion and likes to color. Never a disappointment for the price.

I just purchased these Dover COloring Books for my mother and she loves them. The detail is out of this world and the variety of colors you can use are only limited by your inagination. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

For someone like me who loves to study historical fahsions, Tom Tierney has given me more to look at. Its a wonderful & thoughtful book cover to cover, and the detail impressive. Enjoy!

Great reference book for flower frogs. Good clear pictures and every item had a photo; clear, concise discriptions.

Bonnie bull is probably one of the most knowlegable collectors of flower frogs. Her descriptions of the many kinds and the materials used to create these not quite antiques is wonderful. The book is easy to read, and is an excellent resource for new or seasoned collectors. Grandmothers used flower frogs to arrange their flowers and now collectors use these aids to decorate their homes. If only Bonnie could have captured the tale each flower frog could tell. An intelligent and informative read.

great book, found many items that we have had for years and were unaware of
there value. this book is one of the better price guides in our collection

We collect frogs and this is a perfect gift for a collector

Blitman's book is drool-worthy. He has photographed Francie in every outfit she ever had, including the hard-to-find early seventies packs, and set the doll in cute scenes full of props and humor. I could pore over this book for hours enjoying the panache and verve Blitman conveys with his clever photos of Francie. But its not just eye candy -- each outfit is carefully modelled, on the doll and off the doll, and prices are listed. Invaluable. Thank you, Joe Blitman, thank you.

Finally, a book with color pics of Francie dolls & fashions! I own Joe's "Vive La Francie" book and was disappointed the pics were not in color. This one is much better! Makes identifying and looking for items simpler. THANK YOU MR. BLITMAN FOR A WONDERFUL AND FUN TO READ GUIDE! :)

The book was great, just think that it would have been better if there had been some of the Prototype out-fits in it. I wanted the book to see the out-fits that Francie had. Now I want to see the prototypes, because some of the clothes where a nice style, but fabric was ugly. Maybe Joe Blitman will do another book with all of Francies things in it.

This book is as close to being perfect as any can get in the Barbie world. Not only is it informative and well-written, it's fun too!

Each outfit is explained in detail, with each part listed, along with what parts may be more difficult to find, any variations in the outfit, etc. All of these items, where possible, are photographed flat and clearly so you can see each item separately and know what each thing is. Then, another photograph is taken on the doll, in a fun setting that usually goes with the name of the outfit somehow, so you can actually see how the outfit looks on a doll, something which I think is really important.

The photographs are great pretty much right across the board. The book is well-written, with a great sense of humour. All in all, you can't go wrong if you're into Francie and buy this book!

My mom got me this postcard book for Christmas. The postcards are lovely. They are pictures of Kahlo's artwork and even pictures of herself. I need to buy this because I love the pictures too much to give them away!

This book contains 22 postcards featuring 17 full-color popular works of art as well as 5 photographs of the artist herself. The compilation of images consists of self-portraits, still life, surreal scenes and black & white and color photographs. Painting dates, titles, size and medium are printed on the back of each card. Painting titles are in English and Spanish. Cards are 4½" x 6¼" and are suitable for framing.

The most wonderful person ever, her life story has to be the most inspiring one to any young girls who would like to change their path and get on the right direction to a bright and happy life. I would recommend this book to any one and we all can learn from her struggle life and look at our own.

These card's are exquisite and I intend to frame them in a grouping on the wall. This is truly an amazing woman, the life and time's of which would make an interesting film.

Frida Kahlo lived in the times of great upheaval in Mexico. And went thru much pain and suffering, due to illness and a tragic accident. I am readin one of her biography's written by Haden Herrera, and it is great, in that is is based on letter's she wrote to her school chum and boyfriend. ciao yaaah 69

Robin Hopper strikes again! For every potter who wants to get better, there is something to do, something to follow, something new to try. I could go on making the same stuff, day-to-day, month-in, month-out, but I like to stretch my abilities, fail a few times, then learn how to do it the right way. Robin's book, "Functional Pottery" helps me to achieve my goals. I have about 300 books in my pottery library. If I were to be forced to reduce that number to ten, "Functional Pottery" would be one of the keepers.

Robin Hopper has written a definitive book for all potters, beginners and masters alike. The chosen work for photos offers an excellent range of contemporary and classic forms for study.

This book is an excellent addition to my collection of pottery books. This book deals with the more technical side of pottery. This book is for people who have accomplished throwing but want to take it to the next level. The book covers everyhting from history of pottery, to correct proportions, and also has artist bio's. Excellent book, i rate it 12 out of 10.

I found Functional Pottery to be a pleasant surprise for the most part, although I was mildly disappointed by the more practical sections of the book. Roughly the first half of the book provides an interesting historical and cultural review of functional pottery, which went beyond what I had anticipated from the title and general description. A portion of the second half of the book focused on the mechanics of particular forms of functional pottery. This portion, which was my particular interest in buying the book, was a little less thorough and extensive than I had hoped. For the beginner/intermediate potter specifically interested in practical advice and detail regarding the mechanics of functional pottery forms, the material in the book, while useful, may not go far enough. I recommend this book as a general overview, keeping in mind that the scope of the book covers a broader range of topics than implied by its title, and that only sixty pages of the book are dedicated to the practical considerations and mechanics of designing and creating functional pottery.

" Human slavery is wrong, insecure, and demoralising. On mechanical slavery, on the slavery of the machine, the future of the world depends." That profound quote from Oscar Wilde leading off the robot section tells you that this is not simply another stylish, colour- drenched coffee table collector's book, but one which marries brief text and evocative photos to cast its subject in a new light. "This book celebrates the design, novelty and colour of these highly fascinating toys," the authors write, exactly the same elements that readers and collectors find so fascinating.

In 225 pages, they present hundreds of colour photos of rare and iconic robots and space toys, along with brief informative blurbs. A rare feature is a listing of manufacturers' marks, both fascinating and helpful in identifying toys. Another rarity is the many photos of original boxes, along with numerous colour and style variants. Amazon suggests you buy this book along with Blast Off! I'd make the same suggestion. Blast Off! has lots of reading, unusual in a collector's book, while the stunning photography and layout lift this British book well above the ordinary.

I have to agree with the comments made by the author himself, both " ...informative & visually stimulating ...". If that was what he set out to achieve by writing this excellent book, then he has surpassed it. Superb colour pictures of the type of tin robots & space toys we all played with in our younger days brought the memories flooding back. For collectors of this type of toy, this has to be a classic. Clear photography, excellent description of each toy, rare items and original boxes and a desirability guide. A must for both new & experienced collectors alike !

Altho I'm not a Space Toy collector, this will be on my shelf just for the quality and quantity of the fantastic vintage graphic images of the toys and their boxes.

For the Space Toy afficianado, this has the best, large scale, clearest photos I've seen. Thee is brief, but concise information on each toy that includes the size, maker, year, country, desirability, & description. There are several pages of trademark logos. It's a real trip down memory lane and should serve as one of the top ranked refrence books out there.

The authors have done a superb job in presenting a classic piece of collectible reference. The book is filled to the bubble with all the greats and done with taste and care. One of the nice sections is a complete listing of toy manufacturers trademarks. No effort was made to price the robots and space toys, which I'm gratefully thankful for, since any attempt would certainly have dated the work. As a collector this will be one of my future guides as I pursue what has become a rewarding if albeit expensive pastime! Bravo...and my compliments. To all others the least bit interested...get this book!