Collecting Books

This is a great book if you collect artifacts and want to see what they are presently going for.

I've been to bed and breakfasts and wondered how I could make my home feel so cozy and inviting. This book gave me lots of good ideas not only for my collection of yelloware, but also for other displays. I'd recommend this book to anyone with a desire to create an interesting and inviting home.

for anyone seriously interested in collecting $20 gold "double eagle" coins- meaning the "Type 1" variety, produced from 1850 to 1666, this is a must have book. Combine this book with the "Encyclopedia of U.S, Gold Coins, 1796-1933", which has very nice color photos but less specific info on type ones (meaning those minted without the now typical "In God We Trust" motto), as well as current online coin values relating to this type of coin, and you'll have a lot to go on. These coins- all containing .97 troy ounces of gold (rounded off)- range in price from around $1000 or so to well over $500,000 for the rarest of the rare. And appreciating!

Collecting Art Deco is a great, accessible, and useful guide to collectibles and decorative art from the Art Deco period, appropriate for any level of collector. It contains a multitude of resources within the field of collecting, as well as a complete guide to what to collect and how to identify Art Deco. Collectors will find complete in-depth information, simplified in one book that is user-friendly and compact. Collecting Art Deco covers furniture, sculpture, metalware, prints and graphics - all different types of collectibles and decorative art that fall under the category of Art Deco.

The book is divided into easy-to-use chapters, with helpful sections on recognizing Art Deco, understanding today's market, identifying fakes, and understanding a collectible's value. There are chapters that focus on furnishings, sculpture, glass, prints, industrial design and more, with lots of black and white pictures throughout the book. In the back, there are invaluable resources such as a directory of art deco dealers, art deco societies, a bibliography and the Instant Expert Quiz, which tests how much you have learned from the book.

All in all, if you are looking for introductory information about Art Deco that is in-depth and comprehensive, look no further than Collecting Art Deco; as the tagline says, it will help you to "Think like an Expert."

Joyce Ware's book offers a superior way to educate yourself on fine rugs in a short time, and it's well written, to boot. Highly recommended by this lover of rugs.

Since the collecting of antique knives (defined as those no longer in production and made before 1970) has developed in the last thirty some years, there have been many reference items published from the pioneer work of Robert L. Mays and others who reprinted original manufacturer's sales catalogs to those who have made detailed check lists of one or more long defunct products. One of the major criteria for collecting is that there must be enough surviving specimens to make a market. Thus, exceeding rare in numerical terms private brand and hardware wholesaler brands are not as highly desirable as the products of quality makers such as Remington, Winchester, and Case, who have made millions. Since knives were mostly bought to be used, not collected, the survival rate of these is high enough but not too high, especially in desirable condition. This book covers the field for the beginner but is still useful for those who collect other than the big three mentioned and want to know how to get started. It covers the history of manufacturers and the various brands they made. There are useful chapters on grading, on how to behave at knife shows, and how to spot fakes. The several editions of the work have stood the test of time. Specialists will need others. The listings herein are enough to get one started on a fascination hobby.

This is a wonderful book. All dollhouse collector's would benefit by owning it. Not only is it a very lovely, informative, hardback book, it has beautiful pictures with discriptions of dollhouses and accessories. The layout is great, making it easy to find the item along with a price guide. Dian Zillner has written three previous dollhouse books and one on toy buildings (some have been co-authored by Patti Cooper). All of these books are a great asset to the dollhouse lover's library.

Japanese Anime Linens: 1970s To Present showcases more than 325 photographs of vintage and contemporary Japanese textiles, including fabrics, handkerchiefs, yukatas, and appliques, that come alive with art celebrating characters from anime, Japanese animated film and television. Most of the figures and shows chosen are from older anime of the decades leading up to the early 90's, including such classic heroes as Goku of Dragonball Z and Astro Boy, and many others corresponding to television shows never officially translated and released in English; a few offer designs celebrating more modern shows such as Digimon. Notes on fabric designs, color trends, examples of common textile labels, and recommendations for crafts round out this impressive and beautiful collection, revealing its smorgasbord selection with all the grandeur and respect of a museum collection artbook. Recommended for fabric collectors, sewing enthusiasts, fabric historians, and Japanese pop culture fans.

Excellent, authoritative & easier to understand reference guide to this very difficult subject. Have to re-read a few times to understand, but guide is only one I found to be understandable. Very in depth research went into this reference & guide. I highly recommend for amateurs & professionals.

One of the best books ever written on Post war toys from Japan. Beautiful color photos of toys and their boxes, along with production dates and quantities, dimensions, description of actions, scarcity ratings and values. Patent drawings and illustrations are included for many toys. This book contains the most extensive listing of Japanese toy trademarks I have ever seen. I have been collecting Japanese tin toys for 35 years and this listing alone makes this book invaluable.