Collectibles Books

this is a great book i love it and its very interesting! Great information and pricing !

This is perhaps Mr. Wells' best Star Wars book yet. It's cleverly modeled after a the type of field guide used by bird watchers. It's very small (five inches tall, four inches wide, and a little over one inch thick), and contains a great SAMPLE of full-color images on high-quality semi-gloss paper. For example, there is at least one sample images -- and usually even more -- of each card type from the original Star Wars action figure line (Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Power of the Force, Droids, and Ewoks). There are also sample images of most of the new carded figures from the 1990s all the way up to 2004. And that's not all... There are sample images for dozens of other items, too! Vintage examples include loose figures, 12" figures, Topps trading cards, comic books, vehicles, playsets, lunchboxes, glasses, etc.. Newer items include Lego, Hallmark ornaments, and newer trading cards, comic books, etc..

That said, this book is NOT, nor was it designed to be, even close to 100% comprehensive with regard to images (it just gives you a sample image or two of each type of item so you will be able to identify something when you come across it). But, it DOES include fairly comprehensive lists of most items in most genres (both vintage and new), and a pretty reasonable price guide for each item it lists (I'm not a big fan of price guides, but the prices in this book are at least as good as any other I've seen).

It is not the best or most comprehensive Star Wars collectable book out there (if that's what you want, I recommend John Kellerman's Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors). But, that book costs a lot more and you can't and wouldn't want to carry it around with you. This Star Wars Field Guide contains tons of photos and valuable information in a small, high-quality package.

This book is not as complete as "Tomart's Price Guide to Worldwide Star Wars Collectibles", but it is far more useful as a pure pricing guide than Beckett's "Official Price Guide to Star Wars Memorabilia". It's small (about 4" x 5") but contains over 500 pages, including 250 color photos.

The items are arranged clearly and logically into 20 categories, with brief but useful introductory paragraphs alerting you to important background about each category. A very handy pocket reference tool to carry with you when attending a trading convention, flea market, or anywhere else you're looking to buy or sell Star Wars memorabilia.

I knew absolutely nothing about Weller Pottery before I read this book, and now I feel very confident both in making purchases and selling them. Very well-organized, thorough and easy to follow. I wish they had included more photos of pieces from some of the lesser known Weller lines, but it is possible that they were just not available. I am going to buy the Ragos' other pottery books for reference and I would highly recommend this book!

This is an excellent book with succinct reviews and information concerning most all of the Weller lines. I especially liked the writer's opinions of the current popularity of various Weller lines. This is good if you are seeking to invest or resell items. Prices are current, but a real collector will pay whatever price is needed to add that unusual piece to their collection. This is one book I wish I had had at the beginning of my collecting and found useful now as well. Much better than some of those dictionaries out there, but the wise collector needs both to increase their knowledge and expertise in buying. The pictures are some of the best and great text. Great price. I recommend this book.

I recently purchased a piece of Weller. I was glad to find a new resource guide with information and prices. Good variety of photos.

Although attractive enough, this is not just a pretty book for the coffee table, but a good resource addition to a working library. This book really came in handy for me by identifying several unsigned pieces. I was able to find the exact pieces in the book and read about their history. The book has photographs of various patterns and colors, brief information on each pattern, and a list of all pieces made in that pattern and estimated prices. I use the book for research and recommend it for you.

I had purchased a number of Westmoreland items and didn't really know what they were worth, this book, unlike a lot of others, has just about everything in it and I was able to find all 3 of the items that I had purchased. I was pleased to find that my garage sale buys were worth 50 and 60 times over the $1 I had paid for them!

I am a collector of milk glass and am a big fan of Westmoreland Glass. The majority of the Westmoreland I find was made during the period this book covers. The information contained in the book is very good, the pictures are beautiful and, of course, the price guide is extremely helpful.

There's a great photo of the author holding the first flying model of the M2F1 he built and tested, standing next to the M2F1! That's just one of many. The paperback edition has an update from 2005; what a treat that a program from the 1960s has such an up to date publication. If you're a junky for experimental aircraft you have to have this one.

I've studied these vehicles for years and thought I knew a lot about them. But Dale Reed was there and does a masterful job of melding the history time line with the results of the program. There are probably only a handful of people who could have written this book which is as rich in detail and "colorful" stories as any reader could want. If you've read the story of the X-15, this is the next logical step. If you haven't, you need to to really grasp what was going on at Edwards during this time. Fascinating!

A well written book from the engineer that was at the center of this small group of specialized aerospace vehicles. While detailed and somewhat technical, the author still manages to convey the sense of personal excitement, accomplishment and, at times, frustration experienced by everyone supporting these vehicles. A must-read for anyone interested in these vehicles.

The title says it all! The book is a true treasure for any Wizard of Oz collector! Full of wonderful pictures, facts, and trivia this book is truly wonderful.

I only have 1 complaint about this book: it needs to be updated every few years!! This Oz "reference book" is an absolute must-have for Oz fans and collectors. It's like looking through the Christmas "Wish Books" from the department stores when you were a kid, saying, "I have that......I want that......I need that...!"

The photographs are a feast for the eyes! The text is perfect. The research that went into this book is unbelievable.

If you can get your hands on this gem, BUT IT NOW!!

Very imformative.Exactly what I have been looking for. I have seen the book before but never bought it until yesterday. It is a must have for any Oz collector and I am an avid collector. I love Oz.

A GREAT BOOK TO READ. I ENJOYED ALL THE INFORMATION AND THE PICTURES ARE GREAT.

Attempting to put out a comprehensive collector's guide to toys has always seemed to me to be an exercise in futility. Still, that doesn't stop many companies from trying to do just that, resulting in a telephone book-sized tome with tiny print to match for the literally thousands of listings inside. This of course means very little room for pictures. Thankfully in Charles Dee Sharp's book "The Wonder of American Toys" there is no pretense of trying to put out a comprehensive guide. Rather that we have is a celebration of toys from the golden age of the 1920's through the 1950's and an eclectic collection of toys accompanied by brilliant, full-color photography. While Sharp does give a price range on all of the toys contained in this 336 page hardcover, it isn't meant to display the rarest or most collectible toys. Rather this is a sampling of the types and styles of toys produced during this era, regardless of value. The price ranges go from under $100 in price up to thousands of dollars.

The book is sectioned in chapters on types of toys such as Farm Toys, City Toys, Planes, Trains, Musical toys, Character toys, and more. There's tin toys, cast-iron toys, wooden toys and paper toys. Nearly color photographs display every toy covered in the book. Women may be upset that dolls and girl toys in general get a bit short-changed. There are some things such as a Mickey Mouse washing machine and tea set from the 1930's and character toys like Little Orphan Annie, but the book mainly concentrates on boy toys. It's filled with classic vehicle toys made by companies like Buddy L, Tootsie, Wyandotte, and Marx. There's Coca Cola Delivery trucks, buses, cabs, coupes, and everything in between. There's even all manner of ships and boats including powerboats featuring the legendary speed boat racer Gar Wood.

Collectors will especially enjoy the section on character toys of early film, radio and animation like Charlie McCarthy, Popeye, Felix the Cat and Betty Boop. Westerns are well represented with a myriad of toy guns including the ubiquitous Red Ryder rifle. Sharp hits just about every are he can including Circus toys, sports, war toys, and construction toys like Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys. My only complaint is that the section on space and futuristic toys is pretty sparse. Admittedly those are a favorite of mine and given how highly collectible these items are I would have liked to have seen a bit more. Even if you are maybe too young to remember these toys (like me) you'll still enjoy thumbing through the pages and seeing the things that your parents or grand parents played with when they were children. This is a beautiful book!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 by dedicated toy collector and expert Charles Dee Sharp is a beautifully illustrated, full-color photographic showcase of vintage American toys. From toy cars and airplanes; to Popeye figures and Buck Rogers paraphernalia; to science sets and baseball games; each individual toy is featured with an illustration and a very brief caption. An extraordinary range of objects of childhood memories, The Wonder Of American Toys 1920-1950 is a nostalgic and enthusiastically recommendation for toy collectors and 20th Century American Popular Culture reference collections.

I HAVE SEVERAL PICTORIALS ON WORLD WAR 11 GERMAN MILITARIA, BUT THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST BOOK ON THE SUBJECT THAT I HAVE SEEN. THE PICTURES ARE AWESOME AND MR. JOHNSON CERTAINLY HAS DONE HIS HOMEWORK ON EACH PIECE. FOR THOSE OF US WHO COLLECT MILITARIA, BUT WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO OWN MOST OF THESE PIECES THIS IS CERTAINLY THE SECOND BEST THING. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL WHO ARE IN WW11 GERMAN MILITARY PIECES!! LAWRENCE MOORE, GRIFFIN, GEORGIA 30223

Every now and then you come across a book that you cannot put down for various reasons, be it the storyline, the photos or the topic. This is one of those books that has all three of the above.
It shows in fine colour photographs, and large ones at that, some very very rare militairia "liberated" by vets and brought back home.
All types of trophies seem to have been secured such as Hats, medals, daggers, swords, firearms and uniforms to name a few and all are shown in excellent detail.
Printed on fine glossy paper for excellent photographic reproduction it also shows US soldiers liberating, trading or searching for Third Reich artifacts which I found fascinating.
Collectors from around the world have opened up their collections to the author for a very rare insight into authnetic Nazi memrobilia which few if us will ever see in our lifetime.
I agree with the previous reviewer if you are a collector or do have an interest in the third reich paraphenalia this is a must have and worth every penny

This book is a great read-through for anyone who is interested in either militaria collecting or a general appreciation of the second world war. The one aspect of this books that sets it above the rest is its documentation of GI's taking these things back up, which is shown through several example photographs. I reccomend this book, yes the price may be high, but if you are interested in seeing amazing items like Hitler's famous "brown shirt", and a very large selection of other personalities, such as Goering, Himmler, and many others!!! Overall a wonderful book that is a great photo history!

Few things carry the taint of Imperialism like Yasukuni Shrine. Dedicated to war dead, the shrine became a symbol for the Emperor cult of WWII Axis Japan, with Class A war criminals such as General Tojo being honored there. In modern Japan, it is a last remaining relic, after State Shinto was banned by the US occupation forces, and even today an official visit by a government official creates an uproar in the Asian nations abused by the Japanese army.

With this in mind, a book titled "The Yasukuni Swords" carries the same aura as a book titled "The Auschwitz Bayonets" or "The Mai Lai Guns." Even amongst Nihonto enthusiasts, WWII era swords were known for their inferior quality and mass production, handed off to soldiers before being sent off to slaughter. But this book, "The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan 1933-1945" is not about ignominious history or garbage blades. It is about the preservation of an ancient art, rescued from oblivion. In this case, it is the end, not the means that matter.

By the time of the inauguration of the Yasukuni Forge, in 1933, there were less than 10 swordsmiths in remaining in Japan. The sword-banning act of the Meiji Restoration had almost caused the extinction of perhaps the most refined tradition of swordcraft the world has ever known. Even of the 10, only one, Gassan Sadakatsu, was able to make blades of ancient quality. The military government in power, attempting to foster their aggression with the resurrection of the samurai spirit, gathered the remaining swordsmiths at Yasukuni Shrine, and established the forge. This is their story.

Their story is fascinating indeed, as is the tale of the slow and painful resurrection of the swordsmithing art. Not only the smiths themselves, but all the accompanying crafts needed revival. The unique ore needed was in short supply, and the oral tradition of its processing was in the minds of 80-year old men. The blade polishers and the hilt wrappers all needed to be sought out and new craftsmen trained. Specific to the Yasukuni Forge, only traditional hand-craft was used, forging blades for officers and high-ranking Imperials, rather than the machine-forged blades of the common soldier during the war.

In the end, up to 200 new swordsmiths were raised from the fires of the Yasukuni Forge, ensuring the survival of Japanese swordcraft for future generations.

In addition to this fascinating history, "The Yasukuni Swords: Rare Weapons of Japan 1933-1945" catalogs the blades of that era, showing the distinct markings and techniques and rediscovery of the art. There are articles on the Yasukuni Forge from the 1940s, as well as modern essays on the blades. Photographs bring the whole history to life, and this is one of the most fascinating books I have read for some time.

Books on Japanese swords are by their nature scarce and expensive. Many of them are out of date, or of supeficial scholarship. And many of the best ones are in Japanese, which makes it difficult for the English speaking collector/ enthusiast to use. But this book is an essential reference
in this field of interest.

Most books of Japanese swords cover the old historic swords. But since there are only so many of these surviving, a new market in swords made after the age of the Samurai have become popular. Hence the interest in swords made in modern times, but in the traditional manner.

This book originally appeared in Japanese in 1998, and was translated in 2004. It covers the efforts in the 1980s to commemorate the traditional
Japanese sword smithy and manufacturing unit that existed at Yasukuni
shrine from 1933 to 1945. Yasukuni shrine was founded in the late 19th century in Tokyo to commemorate the spirits of Japanese war dead.
A number of these smiths were located, and some made swords which
were part of special exhibition. Eventually a special presentation sword was made by a group of these artisans, and given to the shrine marking the 50th anniversary.

Most of the production of these swords were given as presentation pieces
to graduates of the Army and Naval officer schools. Also a number were ordered by the Imperial household. All of the swords made at Yasukuni
were of the highest quality, and rigid quality control was enforced.

The book is full of wonderful details about the smiths and artisans working in Yasukuni, the establishment and history of the unit, and its demise at the end of WW II. There are numerous pictures of these swords, their inscriptions, production notes, even the layout of the sword
shop. There are also the basics about Japanese sword making and the
traditional forge and tools involved. For a slim volume like this, there is
an amazing amount of information and research packed into it. In all
approximately 8100 swords were made at Yasukuni from 1933 to 1945.

This is an excellent book and essential addition to anyone with an interest in Japanese swords, Japanese history, arms & armour, or WW II in the Pacific theatre.

The Japanese sword occupied a position in their military culture not unlike that of the engraved pistols in American culture. One important class of Japanese swords are the 8,100 swords produced on the grounds of the Yasukuni Shrine between 1933 and 1945. The group of swordsmiths collected there preserved the time-honored forging methods and the aesthetic and apiritual traditions of the samurai warrior.

In the aftermath of World War II sword ownership was banned in Japan and many of these swords were destroyed. Others became war booty and were removed to the victors countries.

After the manufacturing of swords was allowed in 1954 many of the smiths began making swords again, but independently.

This book is both a collection of photographs of Yasukuni swords and a story of the swordsmiths and the institution. It is a book that speaks of these historic swords with reverence.

Highly recommended reading (especially for new parents), Your Baby Treasures: Time Capsule by author Janet E. Reinhold is an explorative guide to the preservation of a parents cherished baby items. In the pages of Your Baby Treasures, the reader will find why some papers crumble over time and others stay nice; what makes a photo fade and what you can do to save it; how to keep baby clothes nice for years; why you can store a lock of hair but not a piece of cake; why many things need proper enclosures when stored together; what to consider when storing electronic media.

Making a Time Capsule is truly a work of art, and who better to serve as Muse than your own baby-child?!!!

And I love my old baby stuff, don't you? Even in old photographs, I see the old patterns of blankets and flooring, old toys, old books, etc., and part of me is comforted. I love to look at these simple things, and remember being a baby. ;-) It's amazing how visceral and instinctive the memories can be, too. Later on down the line, not only will your grown-up child be thrilled and tickled, but your child's family and friends will recall their own childhood memories, too, as the capsule is opened and enjoyed.

Anyway, it's really interesting to read in this VERY READABLE BOOK about different materials and how long they last. I think my favorite section is "Choosing Baby's Items." I love the ideas...they are so creative!

I think the "Letters for the Future" ideas are so very sweet....and really really precious, especially if the parent might not be alive when the adult child opens the capsule. I think any parent would be giving their child a very beautiful gift to do this.

The Geneology section is also very interesting and gives me some ideas to trace my own and my husband's family tree.

All-in-all, a practical, easy-to-read, inspiring, and spunky little book that will guarantee the memories you save will be cherished and passed down to future generations.

Not only did I thoroughly enjoy reading this book, but I came away with a wealth of ideas for creating a time capsule for baby. I also found myself full of enthusiasm and confident that I now possess all of the knowledge required for successful completion of the project. I can strike out on my own in search of the correct materials to preserve my memories, now that I know exactly what I am loking for, or I can choose simply to order the materials individually or in "kit" form by using the order form in the back of the book.

I was hooked into reading the rest of the book when it began by explaining why I might want to make a time capsule in the first place. Then, without the use of confusing technical jargon, it clearly covers every aspect of time capsule creation from the memory selection process to the proper paper, ink, and preservation materials to use. There is a wonderful chapter on genealogy that provides just enough information to cover that important aspect of baby's life for inclusion in the time capsule.

This project could be undertaken by the parents OR grandparents of the baby. At the agreed-upon time of opening (twenty years is suggested), the "baby," who is now all grown up, is ceremonially presented with a wonderful gift of exquisitely preserved artifacts from the first year of his/her life. It is a gift of memory for the parents, but for the grown-up child, it is a gift of actually feeling, for the first time, what his/her first year of life must have been like--right down to world events that were occurring at the time. There can be no experience to compare with the unique chance to travel back in time and this book is the only ticket you need. It's well worth the price!

A great starter book for those interested in political collecting. If you do not yet own the Hake books, you'll get a lot of information from this. Contains lots of info on the hobby, fakes, prices, clubs to join etc... Mark is a political button dealer and knows the hobby well. He is also a super nice guy!

I found this book of great help when I am looking for buttons to buy--It tells the reader what to look for in counterfeits and how to accurately estimate prices--good book for beginning collectors!