Collecting Books

I've read them all but this book is the best. Not only does it offer values and great illustrations it also provides a snapshot of the lure maker. You will be amazed at what you didn't know about these ancient lures.

Arlan Carter's 19th Century Fishing Lures is outstanding both as a collector's guide and as a fisherman's general reading reference. Chapters document lures manufactured before 1901 and provide color photos and histories organized by manufacturer. A 'must' for the avid fisherman, and a nice gift package.

This is an outstanding book for anyone who is interested in early metal, "spinner" type lures. Up until now, metal lures have been a largely overlooked and under-rated area of tackle collecting. In his book, Mr. Carter combines a wonderful collection of pictures with detailed information. This is a real gem of a book and should definitely be added to every tackle collector's reference library.

very extencive and complet.

The Comic Book Checklist and Price Guide published by KP Books and the editors of the Comic Buyers Guide continues to be my comic price guide of choice. The 2007 edition is another 832 pages of prices and information from primarily1961 to the present. A more apt description may be from the beginning of the Silver Age to the present as if covers those DC books such as Showcase # 4 which kicked off what we know today as the Silver Age of Comic books.

There are several things I love about this book. First, it can, if you wish, be used as a checklist. Rather than list comics in a run of issues (for example, Avengers 101 - 110) and listing one price for each issue in that run, this book lists each issue number individually with a check box next to it to check off if you own that issue. Hence the reason that it covers only the silver age to the present, otherwise it would be about 2000 pages instead of 800. I like this idea as a quick reference to one's own personal collection. Second, it lists only the near-mint price for each book with a grading guide to figure out prices for lesser condition books. Anyone who's been collecting comics for any length of time can easily do this right off the top of their heads and I've never found it necessary to list three different prices for comics.

Another thing I like is that the book lists the month and year of each issue. This is a small tool that I think people overlook but that I have found to be very useful. But I think what the Comic Book Chcecklist Price Guide doesn't give you is just as important as what it does give you...namely it doesn't give you hundreds of pages of ads like Overstreet does. It also doesn't give you dozens of pages of stale market reports from dealers whose motives are somewhat dubious in what they report in terms of price information. Rather than rely on this `advisor' information this book has garnered real world data from auction services like eBay to provide what I feel is true pricing, black & white data and that's all I really need...not some dealer in Hoboken claiming to have sold book X for seven billion dollars.

If you want a true price guide without all the vacuous fluff then this is the comic book price guide for you!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

Best title in its class!
This Title has a very diverse collection of titles and values good for finding the value of an old unheard of comic. There is normally multiple dollar values for each comic edition and its associated grade on a scale of 1-10. All this book needs is some more guide lines on how to price out comics that are signed and have CGC authentication. They do have general rules for determing CGC (professionally graded comics from a new company) comic values but they seem a little off especially when combined with fractional grades.

Pauline's daughter here. Forgot to give you contact info. I can be reached at: pauline@angione.com

Bisque and half-bisque dolls are attractive collectibles, but the market, especially for the smaller sizes, is full of confusion and dealers who don't know bisque from china. Angione had the topic covered. Even if she hadn't been an authoritative and experienced collector, her personal memories of the social context of many of the dolls would be worth the price. I personally think her views on Japanese bisques are overly harsh; but I wouldn't give two pins for an authority who isn't openly opinionated about something. Carry your ax where everybody can see it, instead of pretending you don't have one to grind, and you won't mislead anyone. If you have this book and Nippon Dolls and Playthings: Identification and Values by Joan F. Van Patten and Linda Lau (Collector Books, 2001), you are better equipped to start collecting bisque dolls than most dealers are to sell them.

Interested in making contact with those who remember the author Genevieve, and/or photographer, Charles. Signed: Pauline Angione

If you are a starting collector of ancient coins, or even a seasoned pro, this series is a must for your library. Mr. Sayles does a wonderful job of covering a vast subject in a concise and interesting way. Highly recommended!!

I recently purchased a copy of this book on the strength of other volumes in the series. I was happily surprised to find explanations to many of the questions on Roman Provincial coins (Greek Imperial Coins) that I had not been able to find elsewhere. If you are looking for an excellent introductory volume to this area of ancient numismatics, I can't think of a better place to start. You will want to keep the volume right at hand when you examine your coins, and will enjoy reading it from cover to cover as well. Highly recommended.

The study of Roman Provincial coinage is one that needs greater attention now than ever before. With the combined factors of the fall of Soviet Communism, the advent of the Internet and it's various auction sites - these coins are becoming plentiful and an inexpensive overview was sorely needed and Mr. Sayles book fits the niche well. While it is not comprehensive, it is an excellent starting place. For the person who is thinking of collecting Roman Provincial coins or who has started already and feels themselves a bit overwhelmed with choices, this book might help them find some direction and focus.

Like all the other books prior to it, it is about 200 pages in length and it has over 300 coin photos. The print is easy on the eyes and the layout over all is well executed and there is a bibliography within most of the chapters and an index in the back of the book as well as a glossary.

The first two chapters describe provincial coinage itself and the provincial territory in general. The third chapter is the longest part of the book (100 pages) is "A Tour Of The Provinces" and takes the reader through the western provinces, the Balkans and Greece, Asia Minor and Mesopotamia, the Levant, Roman Egypt (it is notable here that Kerry Wetterstrom the current publisher & editor of the Celator - formerly Mr. Sayles publication who is a well known collector of the coins of Roman Egypt wrote this section) & North Africa.

The fourth chapter covers some interesting portraits and "client kings" - often the puppet monarchies of the Roman Empire. The 5th chapter is on understanding provincial coinage and the sixth is on deciphering them - attributing them. Make no mistake though, this book makes no intention of being an attribution catalogue/reference work. Rather, chapter six is sort of a guide for the user who has a "coin in hand" that they are trying to decipher.

Chapter seven is on iconography, items like portraits, temples, astrological symbols and other things common to the series. The eighth and final chapter is like several of it's predecessors in the series, a number of "Masterpieces" of Roman Provincial coins - a sort of gallery of the finest types you may come across.

As a collector of Roman-Syrian and Roman-Egyptian coins as well as some other types, I found the book very satisfying and it is my favorite of the whole series. This book put into the hands of young and old readers alike is sure to inspire a fair amount of daydreaming. I would highly recommend this book to the lover of ancient art as well as the numismatist, it is just as beautiful as it is an informative work.

I've been interested in old magazines for a few years now, and have been looking for a helpful price guide. I just bought this, and I highly recommend it. There's a lot of information, not just about the magazines most of us are familiar with, but also about many lesser knonwn older magazines that have great value due to authors who published their early work in them--e.g. Edgar Allen Poe. It's not just helpful information as a price guide, it's very interesting reading! Lots of great color photos also. I looked through another magazine price guide in a bookstore, and this one is much, much better.

I picked up this book to learn more about vintage ads and magazines I was interested in. I was pleasantly surprised that not only was the book a complete guide to magazines but had great analgoies and stories the "editors" wrote within.
Great information on a subject that seems to be little explored.

When we moved into our 1920's home,we found boxes left in the attic filled with old fashion magazines. My husband was ready to trash the lot, but being of the pack rat variety I found a home for them in my office.

With the help of The Antique Trader Vintage Magazines Price Guide the door was opened for me to the world of old magazines. The beautiful color photos helped me to easily identify my boxes of "trash" and give them a value.

Most important, the love affair the authors have for magazines comes across in their historical entries. The unique way they organize collectible magazine people into Sleepers like OZ artist W.W. Denslow or Stars like F.Scott Fitzgerald makes me want to haunt local yard sales. My major problem with the book was that I became so fascinated that I wanted more. The book could easily have been double in size and information and kept my interest as both a reader and for use as a desk reference. With what I've learned, our next home will hopefully be an 1890's Victorian with a basement full of Godey's Lady's Book magazines.

I have restored, refinished and sold many antique and vintage trunks. A big part of my success has been "Antique Trunks" because of the excellent historical background, trunk information and pictures.

Identification, values and years are sometimes difficult to determine but Linda and Paul offer a guide that in most cases will help you whittle down to insightful information about your trunk or trunks you wish to purchase.

This well laid out book offers a guide to parts and sections of a trunk, old fashioned Victorian labels, manufacturers complete with locations and addresses, locks, handles, hasps, tips for basic refinishing and restoration.

The guide helps in the identification process in particular because it provides date ranges related to specific designs used in specific time periods.

Besides written information and photographs one section offers diagrams of trunks styles related to patents from years past.

This book is soft cover with a complete glossy finish and will serve you well in most endeavors concerning a by gone era of steamer trunks and the modern era of bringing them back to life and usefulness. Enjoy!

It is just what I wanted. Like it very much.

A treasure trove on this fascinating subject, the informative text, beautiful photos, and handsome lay-out, combine to make this tome invaluable. This well-researched work paints a portrait of a young and eager nation moving on. Whether you're a serious collector or a casual consumer, this exquisite book will chronicle for you the unique industry of American trunk making. The dozens of color photos bring the past to life. Looks great on the coffee table too!

I purchased this book after many other arrowhead/artifact book purchases, this book gave to me, personally, more information, it was simple to read and understandable. I was able to identify alot of items I had found on my property here in the mountains. I know he is in CO. but there were a good lot of items I could identify from here in OR. by the illustration and writing identification. I would like to thank Mr. Yeager for writing an easy to follow book on artifacts and such...I would also LOVE to see his collection sometime. :0)

This guide contains information on what artifacts are made of, how they were made as well as the types of places to look for them. It also offers valuable moral advice on site preservation and the laws pertaining to artifact collection.

June 19,1992 was surface finding in a plowed field in Wilmore Ky., found to my surprise found a 10 pound mint, polished axe. Was very excited... I have found 2000 pieces over the past 10 years. Just found a top to a water jug. Would enjoy any correspondence from other collector's. have many different types found in only 5 fields. cannot identify all of them...One is a triple fulton turkey tail arrowhead, notched at bottom. I also have a piece of drift wood with a large spear inside wood with a celt, and other piece unidentified.

How interesting can old American cigar labels be? Enough to fill up a full color 250 page coffee table book, at least.

The book is more than just a compendium of old labels from deceased brands, but a history lesson, a seminar in the materials and processes used in generating the labels, and a discussion of the various themes explored in the artwork, i.e. patriotism, women, theater, sports and gambling, cowboys & indians, you name it. Finally, there is some very informative stuff on collecting cigar art, searching for historic labels and estimating value. The book is the most complete work on the subject of this type of collectable Americana, and as such is recommended to all interested in the field.

Any true collector will appreciate Davidson's initial edition, and followup version, "Smoker's Art". For those of us who pore over piles of stuff seaching for a winner, be it cigar labels or anything else, this book is a treasure trove of high quality art.

As a graphic designer this book has served me well on many projects. It is detailed with a large display of labels that are well reproduced for the viewer. The catagories add a variety subjects to the art of labels which is why many of us feel this book is like a bible. It is the most complete book so far on this subject.

This book is a beautiful. You do not have to be a car enthusiast to enjoy this book, where art and beauty come together in a well-detailed book. An excellent edition to any coffee table collection.

The author does it again! This time he captures 50 of the best sportscars with purpose made photography, done especially for the book, and writes simple but very informative text so everyone can relive the best of the best.
Bravo!

This is a great book of historical sports cars, with lots of information and beautiful pictures. This is a neat reference and a great coffee table book, very informative and very very classy too! I really recommend this for a car person, of just someone who loves the history or simply the art of beautiful cars.

Sam Kochel: STi driver

If you have any interest in the barber shops of your youth this is the book for you.I thoughly enjoyed reading this book.It covers everything you ever thought you wanted to know about the barber shops of old.At the end of the read I could almost smell the hair tonic and Bay rum.I loved this book.

barber shop in the Philippine

I know this author personally, his book is a terific example of what classical barber practices. He has proven his dedication and love for the trade. If you have a interst on this subject, this book will surely satisfy your curiosity. It might even make you want to pick a pair of clippers and start cutting.