Antiques Books

As you read this book it seems as though you are right there with Larry and Lin as they build and sail their small boat from California through Mexico, Central America, Jamaica, up the U.S. East Coast to the Chesapeake Bay and finally to Europe. This is the 25th Anniversary edition of this book. It has been updated from the original with pictures and maps. A great book I would recommend it highly for anyone with an adventurous spirit.

Page turner - made me want to drop everything and sail. The combination of this book and Slocum's book gave me the sailing bug. Contains useful information for those that are thinking about buying a boat. As seasoned, adventurous, resourceful sailors, the Pardeys' books are useful for salties or salty-wannabes (like myself).

Now available in a brand new 25th anniversary edition, Lin and Larry Pardey's Cruising in Seraffyn now sports a new introduction, "Anyone Can Go Cruising," and a new appendix, "Affordable, Attainable Dreams." Cruising In Seraffyn is an exciting, detailed cruising guide with a 16-page spread of full-color photos, making it an adventurous reference for nautical buffs and armchair travelers alike. With its decades of sailor's wisdom and inspirational prose, Cruising In Seraffyn is very highly recommended reading for anyone interested in setting sail for pleasure.

I loved the book, but always wished there were more photos. Now I have seen the new edition, in hard cover, published by the Pardey's. It is great. They have done it for the 25th anniversary of this book. Lots of color photos, a really updated discussion of cruising costs and a really nice story about what has happened to Seraffyn over the past 30 years. The pictures of the Pardey's new boat and Seraffyn sailing side by side are worth the $2l.95 price. Unfortunately, the book will not be on the American market until June. I got one from a friend who is a book reviewer. I was told you could wait till june and get it at ..., or you can go to the news letters on thier web site, ... and order one early.

As other folks have written, this book is lovely to read and inspiring as can be. The new edition, in its hard cover is not just a simple reprint. It is almost a whole new book - the new introduction gives grand info for sailors today, the appendix puts it all where it is for those who want to sail off in 2002. But best of all are the l6 pages of full color photos - stuff to dream about, ideas to use on your boat. Really lovely. If you have the old edition, you'll still want this one. If you've never read the first book, this is the one for you.

This is a thorough book and one that I refer to often. It helps to identify many of those pieces you find in your grandmother's china cabinet. There is a lot of information about the various designs, colors and years of production. It's one of the handbooks that I constantly look to for information.

I got this gift for someone else, and they LOVE IT. All the information they were seeking was there, plus it helped price and identify the Fenton items they had.

The pictures in the book are beautiful, you can see every detail.

im a newer collector so i needed some reference guides.this book has tons of pictures, pricing and information from cover to cover..id recommend it to any fenton collector new or old

Book is very helpful in identifying pieces. New Fenton lovers should buy this!

The lack of an index makes this book difficult to use efficiently. The only guide is the table of contents which divides the book by pattern, then color. If you want to look up a particular piece and you don't know the name of the pattern, you will have to look through the entire book to figure it out and hope the piece you have happens to be in this book. Likewise if you don't know the color name of the piece. With Fenton, what you think is pink might actually be called peach. Is what you have light blue, aqua or turquoise? You won't be able to figure it out unless you look at every possibility. If you happen to collect Fenton "Amberina" don't buy this book, there isn't any reference at all to that color.
I find the layout too busy and hard to look out. The black type on green background for the price guide adds to the busy look.
Yes, there are a lot of photos and info but in my opinion, the book really needs to be more well organized for me to call it a good book.

This book is terrific! Tons of color, detailed pictures. I am a collector, and use this book to help identify which tiny accessories I need to find or identify. Invaluable! The focus is on toys from 1964-1990 ONLY, so if you collect from other periods this isn't the book you need. If you collect Little People (pre-1988), you need this book! I hope the authors will update it, with the "new" Little People included in a future edition.

THIS BOOK HAS MANY COLORFUL PICTURES AND ACCUARTE DESCRIPTION OF EACH. I TOO HAVE JUST STARTED COLLECTING FISHER PRICE TOYS AND I FIND THIS MAKES MY SEARCHING MORE ENJOYABLE. THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR THE OVERALL TOY COLLECTOR AND THE FISHER PICE COLLECTOR.

I love this book. IT is a MUST for any new and seasoned Fisher Price Collector, especially those who collect Little People. The Pictures are great and the descriptions are excellent. I love this book, and my kids enjoy looking through it as well. It brought back so many memories from toys in my past, and ensures I know what I am getting myself into if I decide to make a purchase as a collector.

this book is a real treasure. I've just begun collecting Fisher Price toys the pictures and info are of great help. Friends/family who look thru this book also get a lot of pleasure from it and will reflect back over what toys they had as kids etc...I'm real happy I made the purchase.

This is a wonderful book! I loved the vivid pictures and descriptions of the playsets. If you love and collect Fisher Price, this book is for you!!

The Gilded Edge is a beautifully comprehensive explanation of American period framing. Not only is it informative, but includes detailed pictures of the frames it describes. What an educational account of the bond between the frame and the art it surrounds. A must have and wonderful gift for anyone interested in art or framing!

A wonderful reference book. The frame and painting have never looked so good together.

This is a great addition to any library. It is a truly eye-opening publication about the rich history and art of framing over the years. You'll never look at a painting the same way again.

As a painter I have always loved art, but I never gave the frame much consideration due to the fact that my, as well as many of my contemporaries', paintings are unframed. Upon reading "The Gilded Edge" I realized not only the importance of the frame throughout art history, but also the importance of the frame in terms of the paintings themselves. There are lots of gorgeous photos of frames as well as their respective paintings. Also featured are detailed descriptions of the methods of construction as well as the reasoning behind the aesthetic criteria of the frames. This book has opened my eyes to the importance of frames as well as their beauty. It's a must buy for anyone interested in art.

With unparalleled insight from key contributors, this is an exquisite measure of a book. The Gilded Edge is a celebration of the rarity and awareness of American period frames. Eli Wilner blends the perfect amount of knowledge with striking visuals to leave you wanting to learn more. The Kuehne frame on page 43 is one frame among many that will open your eyes to the depth and magnificence of the history of framing.

Do you remember Golden Books as a child. Do you still read them to your children? Then you won't want to miss this fascinating history.

If the names Poky Little Puppy, Tawny Scrawny Lion and Tootle bring a smile to your face, than this book might just be for you. Golden Legacy is extensively illustrated with a detailed history of the writers, artists and publishers of the Golden Book series. As a Disney fan, I especially appreciated the piece on Mary Blair's Golden Book work. I would have given this book 3-4 stars if I were just interested in the illustrations, but it is definitely a 5 star book because of the extensive history of the books.

I ordered this book because I worked for the company for 5 years and so I had a special interest in the subject. Honestly, I can't imagine why anyone else would have a burning interest in the subject. Too bad I wasn't able to read the book before I went to work for the company...I would have known who was most important there and why. In any case, I liked the book but am not sure I would recommend it.

If you grew up reading Little Golden Books, you will likely find this book very worthwhile. Along with it being an enjoyable trip down memory lane, it's full of interesting "behind the scenes" information. 2 things prevent me from giving it 5 stars: narrative is not the author's strong suit, so it's often difficult to keep track of the various people and logistics of the company, and the book ends rather abruptly. The other minor aggravation is that the captions for all the pictures on any 2 facing pages all appear under one picture. Nevertheless, I'm glad to have this volume in my library.

For the last 65 years, children have grown up on The Poky Little Puppy, The Color Kittens, The Saggy Baggy Elephant, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, dozens of other Golden Books titles. To celebrate the legacy of this innovative publishing venture, Leonard S. Marcus has released the art book "Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way." The collection is not only an exquisitely beautiful celebration of our collective childhood, but the rich history of the publishing company that changed the face of literacy in America.

The first Golden Books, published in 1942, were distributed through supermarket chains at a retail price of 25 cents. At the time, paper shortages had increased the average cost of children's picture books to $2, putting them financially out of reach for many consumers. Librarians initially resisted the mass-produced books with a place to draw your name inside, but parents could purchase a title a week, children could devour the books on the go like any other toy, and television and cartoon marketers quickly seized cross-promotional opportunities. Golden Books succeeded at their goal of democratizing reading and personal book ownership for families across America.

Given that this title was published by Golden Books, the overall tone is rather celebratory, but author Marcus does not censor all detractors. He covers the controversial flat fee payments to the creative talents behind early titles. Those authors and illustrators have received no residuals from books which are still bestsellers today, 65 years later.

A 2007 copy of The Poky Little Puppy is nearly identical to the original 1942 edition that launched a publishing empire. After reading Golden Legacy, the reader may well be inspired to seek out copies of both for his or her personal library.

I've been reading MSR's books from almost the beginning, so when I learned she was switching from non-fiction writing to fiction, I was excited at the prospect, because I had read The Seventh Mesa and thought it was outstanding.

Suffice it to say, my expectations were high because I do have a long history, and I've often read many of the other sources that MSR discusses in her Q&A books and autobiographies.

I felt Ruby was written for the initiate not for someone seeking a peek into the inner mysteries. MSR has hinted a lot in her non-fictional writings about all that she knows. I was hoping she'd fill us in.

Ruby is written in a highly descriptive style, one that I admire and appreciate. I felt like I was there with the characters watching the scenes as if I were watching a movie. The simply message of the book is one that can never be told enough, never gets old. So even though I was wanting something more, slightly different, I've recommended this book to many people with the hopes that it will pique their curiosity to explore the non-fictional offerings MSR has written.

I loved the storyline. I am a little too impatient to get through all of the descriptive passages, but Ruby (the character) was reminiscent of a feminine verson of Sai Baba in the flesh. I loved the concept and really got into the story. Kudos to you Mary for this lovely story.

The wait was worth it!!! Mary pulls out all the goodies in this novel which will bring on the truth bumps.......that is , IF you really know Summer Rain and have read ALL off her books.

This book is worth buying and please ,, give ourself time to digest the story. If you have read ALL off Mary's books, you WILL get where she is at with this one. Love and Blessings to ALL, And to Mary Summer Rain for helping me to awaken to the truth and for being MY TEACHER just by putting her heart into print for the past 20 some years! Lightweaver

Mary Summer Rain is one in a million!!! She has a way of writing that brings her point across so one will never forget it. I have read all of her books, and am a fan of her non-fiction works especially, but "Ruby" is a priceless gift to her readers!!! Mary brings "Ruby" to life in a way that will inspire the reader to question those 'chance' encounters forevermore!

This book, while disarmingly simple in it's premise and style, contains a compassion and grace, that is genuine. It is a welcome return for those of us who have come to be used to the prolific offerings of Mary Summer Rain, only to have her suddenly take a sabbatical. It was an exciting prospect for her to return with a novel, only her second, and I was far from dissappointed. She simultaneously perceives life through the innocent eyes of a child, and the learned eyes of a sage, and the confluence of that sight transmits so nicely into this story of a deeply personal spiritual nature. It is well written, with great thought, and is imbued with integrity and charm from its beginning to its conclusion.

this has to be the best book to have on any bedside tale for anyone with an interest in big game hunting and rifles, it is very informative and will go a long way in helping you to choose your next rifle should you be planning a hunt. I have decided on a 416 rigby bolt action rifle which gets more than its fair share of good reviews and hope this book will help in the planning of your next safari.

Craig obviously really knows how to hunt and must have done heaps of it

The best look at modern rifles and today's African scene there is.

I could not put it down, and read it cover to cover in one night. After that it became a reference. The endless detail on calibers, cartridges and loads may put off some but it helped me choose a gun, gave me cartridge selection ideas and got me involved in a South African safari. It is a reference book that reads like a novel.

This is the complete work on the hunting rifle in Africa, period. This and Boddington's "American Hunting Rifles" make a two volume masterwork that completely covers the modern hunting rifle in all its forms. This book is unique in that it includes a fascinating poll of modern African professional hunters, what they use, what they want their clients to use, etc. etc. Fascinating statistics. Essential reading for Africa. Also essential in its own way is John Taylor's "African Rifles and Cartridges", and you need to read both.

From the very first pages to the last page of this book, I found lots of information that helped to fill in some blanks on some of the little dolls that I was interested in. Amazing Resource for many dolls of this particular time period. Lots of color photos also. I highly recommend this book as a must have if you are adding old dolls to your collection or just need more information on dolls that you may have.

This book is a very good reference guide to check out the value of dolls from the 40's and 50's. I would recommend it to any doll collector.

As a longtime doll collector, I have often found 8-inch hard plastic dolls that I could not identify. Some of the dolls were even mint with original clothes. I always passed them by thinking that I would never be able to learn about the companies that made them. This "Small Dolls" book will go a long way to answer these kinds of questions. The author has written a great book with lots of excellent illustrations, which includes pictures and information of the more well-known dolls like Ginny, Ginger and Muffie. In addition, dolls are pictured from over 50 other doll companies, including Norma Originals, Unique, Virga, Carlson Manufacturing and many more. For collectors who like small dolls, especially those from the 1950s, this book is a must.

I found this book to be full of valuable info. Its a must have for the 40 and 50's doll collector. A great asset!!!

this book is a wonderful reference book -have learned so much, highly recommend

A wonderful resource book, exhaustive coverage of big and small wristwatch producers. This is a commercial book and all company's are written about favorably (not reality). One is best to research products/reviews online in addition to get a true picture of the products represented in this book. This is the best in my opinion of the watch annual books.

The strengths are: clear listing of all watch specs, often interesting blurb about each company, pronunciation list, company contact info, additional resource list (forums, dealers, etc.). Annual does not change that much yearly, might try buying last years annual and saving about 50% for very similar content.

Enjoy this wonderfully rich subject.

Of course you can't include everything, but these annuals usually have some glaring omissions of watch lines, particularly American made.

After years of buying the equivalent in French and German, this is definitely the best guide, very complete, very well written. The prices are in US$, though. The most expensive watch, a Vacheron Constantin. 1.6 million dollars, production is limited to 7 watches. The mind boggles!

Do not expect to find quartz electronic watches from the orient here. This is a catalog of the finest in traditional watch design from Europe, primarily Switzerland, Germany and France. Here are watches that are the ultimate in design, both mechanically and artistically. They are also the ultimate in price, intended for the well to do who wants to make a fashion statement that is also a supurb timekeeper. (I don't know the most expensive watch in the book, but the highest priced one I found was $783,100.)

The book is organized by manufacturer and gives the highlights of their current product line. It is profusely illustrated with color photographs on virtually every page. Of course not every watch of every manufacturer could be included on a book of any size. But then again, that's what the web is for.

I found the catalog very limited. A review should include all products available from a manufacturer or list variations of products displayed. For example, a watch made of stainless steel is also available and not just white gold.

This is one of my favorite 500 books. It is the perfect book for those days when inspiration is hard to find!

I bought this book and looked through it with post its to label all the interesting teapot ideas I was drawn to. When considering this book, I wasn't particularly drawn to the cover teapot and wondered if I would be disappointed in the authors picks, but I wasn't. This is a great visual resource for my classroom and studio.

As someone else has commented, I would have given this book 5 stars if the author hadn't repeated multiple photos of very similar teapots by the same artist.

As a ceramics teacher who teaches her students how to build teapots, this book is a wonderful resource. The pictures are great and it helps give students a better understanding of what a teapot can look like.

500 TEAPPOTS is an wonderful book and is sure to inspire both potters and tea drinkers alike. It is a wonderful companion to 500 BOWLS. I hope they publish ANOTHER 500 TEAPOTS (BOWLS, too).

But if I were a little teapot, I'd be one of the beautiful ones in this book. There are teapots both plain, and beyond description to fascinate, amuse and amaze you. If you know a little about firing ceramics, and glaze technology, the information provided will deepen your appreciation of each teapot. You may find that some of these artists are in your area, and have ceramics for sale. Or if you just like teapots, there enough teapots here in beautiful color photos to sate your appetite.