Collecting Books

Man's consciousness happened in a cathode ray tube in the 1900s.
This much we know to be true. Use this book to track old hardware used to tap into this consciousness and then view with the whole family!

A must have for anyone interested in television. Clear and easily readable, this book provides all the essential information (and then some) when it comes to vintage TV's.

This book is lots of fun even if you only want to look at the many excellent photographs.

Beautiful little paperback with 200 superior, very sharp full color pictures. Sets are grouped by manufacturer. There are brief sections covering cautions, definitions and warnings. Current values of each model appears, along with its description, model number and year of manufacture. The products of nearly 120 manufacturers are included. Anyone collecting vintage TVs or those interested in nostalgia items will enjoy this book.

This volume of tablecloth examples is absolutely necessary for anyone wishing to dig deeper into collecting table linens. The authors share many still-tagged tablecloths, give tips on research, and advise readers on cleaning and storage. Photography is clear and bright, narrative is readable and informative.

I was so thrilled when this book arrived to see not only BEAUTIFUL color photos, but accurate facts. The manufacturer section is the most concrete information yet published...it was a huge help in dating my own collection. And did I mention the GORGEOUS pictures???? This book is tops!

What a wonderful surprise I had as I reviewed the vintage tablecloths and were so happy to see so many of my Dad's designs and also see that he was mentioned in many of them. This is the first book I have that recognizes John Madsen as the designer and holder of some patents (which I never knew about). My sister, brother and I have enjoyed the thrill of looking and purchasing his tablecloths and have a nice selection - many of which we remember seeing him work on. This book has helped us so much in recognizing his work and learning more about Wilendure who he worked for. We thank Yvonne Barineau for providing this information in our search. The pictures are clear, and the information provided is wonderful. Thank you.......Sue Nilsen

Finally, a book based on facts and not "educated" guesses. A wonderful reference guide with beautiful pictures of tablecloths that are to die for. This book has helped me identify many cloths in my own collection and get an idea of their true value. Great work!

great book for those who want to know more about their machines. has helpful step by step instructions on how to repair the wood and metals of the phonograph. has washed out b/w photos that could have been color. but overall, this book is helpful for those who want to repair their machines and want to learn a little history behind phonographs as well. good low price for this valuable information.

The Compleat Talking Machine is not only a great resource for people interested in restoring old phonographs, it's also a good read -- Eric comes across as a real person with a sense of humor. He keeps his repair information and instructions general for the most part -- you may need to interpolate his instructions depending on the model of phono you have. Read carefully!

An excellent reference with great bibliography -but one warning - it focuses strongly on "table" model phonographs - has few pictures of upright floor cabinets. However it led me to buy a number of additional references to identify British machines.

I am a great fan of technical how-to books, and this is one of the most informative, well written books on the subject of phonograph restoration that there is. It covers disc phonographs, as well as cylinder phonographs. It covers too many topics to relate here. You will be impressed.

I own both volumes of this book and both are great! You cannot go wrong with buying both volumes ,or just one. Together though, both volumes are so valuable!

But if you must own just one of the volumes (in this series) then buy this volume first, & then see if you need the next volume. It could be that this volume fills your need, since this volume is packed with soooo much information! Also, the color photos are just great!

Of all my years of collecting dolls, I've never seen such a complete and informative book. Most impressive are the clear color pictures and the interesting discussion of the Cameo doll company. I.m very pleased with this purchase and recommend it to novice as well as experienced doll collectors.

An extremely resourceful book. Deep histories and information on composition & wood dolls, plus an extensive photo gallery of many rare dolls. A must have for any collector in their right mind!

Most books like this only show pictures with prices. Michele's book gives me more information, background and a true understanding about the dolls, there origins, and the true history. Besides, it's a fun book to read with great photos. I'm glad I found it.

For those of us who admire, collect, make and renovate 1920s and 20s-inspired art dolls, Susanna Oroyan has written a thoughtful volume focusing on boudoir dolls from the Art Deco period. Although the topic is covered better visually in another of my favorites, "The Magic and Romance of Art Dolls" by Stephanie Farago, the strength of this book is in Oroyan's excellent research, writing and wonderful storytelling ability. Her fresh and fun-loving writing style shines in this book (the illustrative drawings also are quite good.)

Unlike her other fine books, which focus more directly on the art, design and mechanics of doll-making, this book is a loving tribute to a period, aesthetic and style of doll that she very much values, appreciates and knows well. And for that we can be thankful, as Oroyan has contributed so largely to the doll-making world, with her vision, her instruction, and her art.

Highly recommended as another fine book to add to the resource library of "students of the doll."

In Dolls Of The Art Deco Era, dollmaker Oroyan provides a survey of the history, makers and collectible items of the art deco era, providing both a step-by-step set of instructions for reproducing the style of doll popular in the era and covering the history of dollmaking during the era, and restoration techniques after. Packed with ideas crafts and collectors alike will appreciate.

a real authentic and easy way to understand and MAKE dolls.
mrs.Oroyan must be a magician to write so many books,so variabile & so full of culture & reserch that is related to the art, craft, etc...
the book is reach, easy and wonderfull for the dollmaker! even
for the beginer! www.geocities.com/pushadolls/

there is no other book that gives so much information on bed dolls called boudoir dolls. This is like a "bible" for doll collectors. You do not need another book if you have this one.

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

No matter what your age, you will be touched by the compelling words and images brought to life by James Nocito. With every turn of the page, one feels as if they have discovered a private family treasure. It evokes tender emotions, sadness, wonder, and joy. It satisfies the need we have to connect with our past, and find wisdom in the lives of others. This is a wonderful gift that will grow more precious with time.

Each time I pick up this book I see yet another fascinating detail that I missed the last time. The photos are beautiful, haunting, funny and most of all real. It is really cool to look into someone's life for that split second.

What a treat to come across this book! I am neither a photography buff nor someone steeped in nostalgia, but Nocito's eye for snapshots from an earlier time and his ear for the stories that might go with them is astonishing. The lure is in both the details and in the window it provides to an earlier time and place, one we all share on the level of memories that are visceral. The pictures are funny and startling and genuine. They tell us how much of our lives have changed and how much they have stayed the same over the past decades. A real delight and one that bears repeating. Unlike other "picture" books, this one offers its delights over and over. Great gift, especially to yourself.

In Found Lives, James Nocito has devised a unique method of utilizing his many old photographs, either given to him or collected at various estate and tag sales. Through careful scrutiny of the elements in the photograph (the people, expressions, angles, shadows, background, etc.) Nocito has created new and imaginitive lives and situations for the subjects. In one, an outdoor scene under tall trees, a smiling man holds an equally smiling woman upside down in his arms. "Everyone said poor Aunt Constance was made of patience, married to a man like Roscoe. The ladies in her Bible group prayed that there'd be a moment's rest for her someday...."

The book is divided into sections, with headings such as "Family Album," "Talking Pictures," and "Love." Under "Children," Nocito has reproduced a picture of a laughing child on a back porch, along with a quote from Anne Cameron, "A Child of Happiness always seems like an old soul living in a new body...she smiles, then the sun lights up the world." Each photograph provides a little vignette into the imagined lives of men, women, and children in the past, bucolic scenes which may recall photographs we may have, stored away in our own attics or old shoe boxes, forgotten, until James Nocito revives and revitalizes them for us.

" 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!

I enjoyed this book so much. Quitman is quite a protagonist. This story has so many twists and turns and I never knew what was going to happen next. Loved it and Quitman and would recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery that keeps you on the edge of your chair (couch in my case.) Mr. Valentinetti is very talented.

Joseph Valentinetti's "Glint" is a fine mystery, carefully and intrically plotted. What makes this novel more than a mystery is the powerful characterization of its progagonist, the wonderfully drawn and absolutely believable Quitman O'Neil, whose vulnerability and bravery beat at the heart of the story. Our first hint that we are in territory removed from the laconic, disinterested landscape of the average detective story comes early, as Quitman responds with emotional depth and integrity to a horror with which he is intimately involved.
Mr. Valentinetti draws his women with as sure a hand: Helen's relationship with Quitman is complicated, tender, passionate and revealing; Maria, the daughter of a father threatened by her sexuality, is at once poignant and merciless. It is within his interactions with Maria and Helen that the fascination and truth of Quitman lie.
The novel's intricacies of plot form a metaphor for the development of a man who is imperfectly aware of his own emptiness, and equally tentative when he begins to fill it with his own character. Mr. Valentinetti is a hell of a writer, and "Glint" is a keeper.

Glint was a great book to read. I couldn't put the book down. I wanted to keep on reading it to see what happen next. Joseph did a excellent job bringing his book to life. Glint should be made into a movie. Thanks Joseph I loved your book *

This book held my interest for more than one reason. It was a very realistic story line and made very believable by the author. The plot was well thought out and planned. I know it took time and effort. Thanks Joesph you did a wonderful job.

Excellent, if expensive, volume. The first survey of collectors and collecting since the early 60's. Well illustrated. Mostly on art collecting.

Written by a senior staff member of Sotheby's, this book offers an interesting overlook on the collections and personalities of some of the most important art collectors of our time. The text itself is a collection of short pieces on each collector, describing the building and the highlights of their collection (which can be African art, Islamic art, modern paintings, rare books, old masters, contemporary art, etc). You will not find any real scoop here, since, but for a few exceptions, most of the people and collections described are already well-known , but it is still a book that is pleasant to read and full of good-quality illustrations of seldom reproduced works.

This is a truly magnificent book, very well written, very complete. The text is scholarly and straight forward, with many answered questions about this club of great collectors. While the events of theirs lifes are vividly told, the text also explains and illuminates each personality through interesting analyses. The author tends to be factual and does not speculate much. If you want to be as much entertained as educated on this great collectors buy this fantastic book. This is no ordinary art book. You will treasure it and be proud to show it to friends. Simply 5 stars!

Will be enjoyed by those interested in the most significant collectors of great art since the end of World War II and the role each played in preserving various treasures of the world's culture.

By its nature this is a quick survey work, with short articles on each collector, along with nice photographs of important pieces within their separate collections. Each individual survey spans the time from when and how the collector started; to the collection's ultimate breadth and setting; to how it was eventually dispersed (usually to a museum or two) at death or other final point--unless the collector is still alive and still in possession.

My favorite collector in the book: The Canadian embassy worker in the Soviet Union, Mr. George Costakis.

For those really interested, you can find more detailed books on a number of these collectors, such as "Memories of a Collector" by Giusppe Panza.

James Stourton is a highly informed and interesting art expert, although certainly given to focusing on the positive about each of his selected collectors and their collections.