Collecting Books

This is a wonderful book for anyone who collects cat items! The pictures and descriptions are fantastic.

For those interested in Roman Catholic history in England and America during the time of Protestant persecution, this volume provides a solid overview and is well illustrated with artistic and literary pieces. Connected to a now finished exhibition, the work stands sufficiently by itself and helps develop a greater understanding for the development of Catholicism during a time of persecution. England did not grant emancipation to Catholics until the 19th century and religious freedom and liberty in America was often viewed as being only for Protestants - attempts were often and repeatedly made to deprive Catholics of liberty, property, and even, on occasion, life. Inspite of these difficulties, Catholic culture and life survived - and this volume does a good job of explaining the art, culture, and concept of Catholic identity as it developed in this period.

With illustrations as brightly colorful as the crayons themselves Bonnie Rushlow presents a comprehensive guide for collector's of this school days' staple.

Many will be amazed at the current market value of items held in the familiar green and yellow box, as well as the boxes and other containers themselves.

Beginning with an Introduction that covers determining the grade and value of the collectible, author Rushlow follows with a brief history of the crayons' early years when it was known as An-Du-Septic Dustless Crayon.

Succeeding chapters cover advertisements, art, books, dolls, animals, plush toys, such as a set of Burger King promotional bears, and a variety of other Crayola collectibles - even night lights and clocks. Don't be surprised to find Christmas tree ornaments and jig saw puzzles.

A price list completes the handy guide. Who knows, you may have a colorful treasure or two in your attic.

- Gail Cooke

Serious collectors and loving keepers of amiable hugs alike are so fortunate to have this new selection from author Constance Eileen King and the Antique Collectors Club.

Any reader familiar with the Antique collectors Club publications appreciates their outstanding coffee table book quality and comprehensiveness. Their collectors' guides have far reaching appeal in a variety of categories from metalwork to British 19th Century furniture. In publishing The Century of the Teddy Bear, they are acknowledging the Teddy Bear as an appreciating and respected new category in the antique and modern collectible marketplace.

Each page of this chronology is stretched to the margins in full-colored photographs of charming rare teddies and bearaphenalia treasures. Informative captions are placed next to each photo detailing delightful little tidbits of fact and folklore.

The text begins by telling the Teddy Bear's history well before his birth in the early 1900s. It traces the undeniable appeal of the bruin as a character in fable back to the time of King Arthur (whose name is derived from the Latin Arcturus or bear guardian). Continuing on with delightful details of a history full of remarkable twists and turns that have created the teddy we know today which has become a respected part of the collectibles marketplace fetching record hammer prices at illustrious auction houses as Sothebys or Christies.

This book is so valuable in that is has been written from the perspective of a noted authority in the antique doll and toy field. But most importantly, Ms. King is also an author who understands the soulful and endearing qualities of the Teddy that pull at the nostalgic heartstrings of any Teddy Bear lover. After all, the little bear she was given at six months of age is still a "close friend". She understands what makes the value of a Teddy Bear so much more than simply its market collectibility.

David Elliot has written a superbly researched and presented biography of Charles Fairfax Murray, perhaps the least known of all the Pre-Raphaelite painters who was the friend of William Morris, the Rossettis, Edward Burne-Jones, and a protégé of John Ruskin. A man who prized his privacy, Murray deliberately sought anonymity, left no memoir, and his diaries revealed very little about himself as he served his friends as a supporter, confidante, and adjutant ranging from adding miniatures to Morris' illuminated manuscripts to serving as a copyist for Ruskin. Murray's spheres of activity also came to include collecting, dealing, museology, and art-historical scholarship. A grandson of Murray, biographer David Elliot is able to offer a wealth of insights into Murray's personal and professional life as revealed by papers on both sides of the family, as well as diligently and painstaking research through the archives of Britain, Europe, and America. Charles Fairfax Murray is a magnificent and much appreciated contribution to students of the Pre-Raphaelite movement and those associated with it.

This book is the ultimative start-guide for charm collectors. You'll learn about the history of charm-bracelets, about the how to wear charms, how to choose your collection-theme, you learn about different marks and brands and lots of other things. After reading this book, you'll have an extended basic-knowledge about charms and charm-collecting. Only that the pictures are b/w and not coloured, is a pity. But still, when you search for informations about charm-collecting, this book will fit your needs.

Almost every page has full color photos. Included is maker's marks identification information, as well as a value guide in the back. If you're interested in figurines, this book contains some valuable information about who made what where. Here are some of the kinds of figurines in this book: piano babies, Heubach, Fairing pieces, snowbabies, Frozen Charolettes, nodders, half-dolls, Occupied Japan. This is the most comprehensive guide to china children figurines I've ever found. I bought the book and then became a collector. It might make a collector out of you, too!

"A large number of beautiful and unusaul photographic material, many of the early dolls with china, parian and bisque heads are presented in this book for the delight of collectors and art enthusiasts. Skillfully modeled hair styles and trimmings adorned these dolls. Through their subtlely and artistic modelling they are often far more valuable as an art object than a play doll. Since many of them are sought after by collectors, this book presents for the first time in great diversity and color, a wide selection of the most beautiful dolls. They are the oldest among the china head dolls, especially remarkable, and their past extends up to the Royal Porcelain Manufacturers of the 19th century from Meissen and Berlin. Until now their past lay rather poorly illuminated, so that very little was known about these dolls. Only in the last few years has painstaking detective work by comparison of old findings determined new information. Thus was it possible, for the first time to associate a larger number of doll heads to their respective manufacturers. This book illuminates a largely unknown chapter of doll history, offers new knowledge and provides the collector and student of art with valuable help in appreciating, identifying and collecting the modelled hair dolls of the 19th century German dolls."

This book on fans is written from a purely Chinese point of view. It deals not with the fans China made for the west (Mandarin fans and elaborate ivory brise fans), but with those that were made for local use and taste.

First we are given a history of Chinese fans dating back to prehistoric times, quoting numerous examples of ancient fans found in archaeological digs over the last 50-60 years. It also deals with the methods of making fans -both for sticks and leaves and how they have changed over the centuries. There is also a section of painters noted for their fans whose work is highly esteemed within China. This portion of the book, almost more than any other, gives a good feel for how knowledge the West lacks on native Chinese fans. Many 'Great' artists and calligraphers are mentioned that have almost no references in Western art books on Chinese art.

My only disappointment with this small volume is that many of the masterpieces mentioned in the text do not necessarily have corresponding photos. The author seems to assume that the reader would be familiar with these artists. While this may hold true in China this book almost breaks new ground in the west in dealing with Chinese fan painting and manufacturing in English. This book should be part of any fan collectors reference works if you have an interest in Chinese fans.

I value art and always looking for books or guide to make my job easy to do. I see alot of Chinese Provincial pieces and going online to find it takes time. I open this book and got a great example and price. This is worth the price, for not other reason it a great references.