Collecting Books

Wow- that's entertainment. Who knew blankets could be so fun and interesting? Now I do! A unique era in American history is crystalized in this book. If Barry writes it- I'll read it. Laughed out loud- often.

Superb- buy it and will it to your favorite child.

"Chasing Rainbows" is beautiful, profoundly informative and more fun to read than any collecting book you've ever owned...period!

I received this book as an early Christmas gift and now I'm buying a dozen copies to give to friends and family. This is the most beautiful and interesting collecting book I've ever read. The author is remarkably funny while delivering all the information on the subject anyone could possibly absorb. Just a fantastic effort.

Most books about collecting have lovely photos and dull text. This is an exception! Friedman's text is fun and helpful, with photos used as examples.

I own a massive library of books on every imaginable collecting subject and none has given me more joy than "Chasing Rainbows". Barry Friedman has intertwined his vast knowledge of Indian blankets, American history, the antiques business and garnished the result with a unique sense of humor and breathtaking photos to create a book that is an absolute gem. This is a great book from a very gifted man.

WOW - Matt did it again! This book picked up where Illuminated left off. Both books are written extremely well. They keep your attention, and you do not want to put them down. House of Wolves takes you on another adventure with August Adams and his family.

If you want a good read do NOT pass up House of Wolves!!! It is definitely worth it...

I picked up Illuminated at our church bookstore, and loved it. I was so excited when House of Wolves came out. These are fast paced books that keep you on the edge of your seat! I can't wait for the 3rd one to come out. Matt Bronleewe is definitely one of my favorite authors!

Reading "House of Wolves" was an enjoyable experience. Although this is the second in what is to be a five-book series, I had no trouble following the characters and never felt at a disadvantage for not having read "Illuminated," the first book.

"House of Wolves" kept me up at night, turning page after page until I finished the book. Matt Bronleewe skillfully combined tidbits of historical fact with intriguing fictional narrative involving believable characters and tied it all up with a satisfying finish.

In terms of theme, Matt Bronleewe has deftly woven into a great story characters who struggle with forgiveness, responsibility, and restitution. This world we live in is not always an easy place and we all have to deal with these issues at one time or another. Matt Bronleewe gives us a good picture of the pain experienced by many estranged partners and shows by example one of the paths that may be taken to resolve said differences.

I highly recommend "House of Wolves" for anyone looking to read a thrilling mystery with a solid Christian foundation. I look forward to the next edition in the August Adams Adventure Series by Matt Bronleewe.

Career day at his 9 year old's school is almost a little more than August Adams can bear, given the bombshell his former wife dropped on him the night before. Rather than bore the kids with a definition of a archeobibliologist, August shows them a copy of The Gospels of Henry the Lion, a beautifully illuminated manuscript that disappeared years before in mysterious circumstances.

When accosted by a knife wielding assailant as August and Charlie leave the school, August reconsiders the book's authenticity and the reasons his estranged father may have sent it to him.

Deadly assassins, an ancient secret society and an unplanned trip to Antarctica have August in a bind, one even his brilliant mind cannot find a solution for.

Matt Bronleewe picks up the tempo in this non stop sequel to Illuminated, with tighter prose, deeper characterisation and really evil bad guys! Enter August's world of fascinating history, questionable religious practices, ancient relics and the quest for ultimate power, at your own risk if you have other things in life to do but read! House of Wolves is a brilliant page turner and will appeal to all those who love a good thriller. Matt's writing style is reminiscent of best selling Aussie author, Matthew Reilly minus the language and excessive violence. If Matt continues to improve with each novel, The Deadly Hours, releasing in 2009, will be exceptional.

Matt Bronleewe does it again in this second book in the August Adams series. This one is even better than the first which was a good book. Adams is back to fight secret societies and find hidden secrets in a rare book. I know the action in the book takes place in a few days time but it is still interesting and it makes the book that much more enjoyable. The book reminds me of the movie National treasure. You can really tell how Bronleewe has grown since the first book and I cant wait to see what mysteries August Adams tackles next. A great read that I couldnt put down after starting.

Sveglia Italia! Articoli di difficilissima reperibilità sul mercato interno arrivano regolarmente in tempi ragionevoli ed a prezzi inferiori, spedizione compresa, di quelli pretesi da rivenditori nostrani. "Ahi, serva Italia, di dolore ostello, nave sanza nocchiero in gran tempesta ........" . Il libro? Ogni appassionato del genere ne conosce autorevolezza e valore.

This book is NOT the Ultimate Barbie Doll Book. I could not find a single collectible Barbie Doll which I posses from the years it describes it covers when I purchased it. Description of the dolls covered should really be more detailed for collectors who are new to the industry. In addition, there is no option to select from Amazon if the item described does not meet your needs, you simply get a refund, minus shipping as a user error...Not too fair in my opinion.

This is the best Barbie identification book out there. It's useful to identify those thrift store and garage sale dolls and their outfits. Each item is also described with identifying marks, etc. I have owned this book since it came out and it's the one I go back to the most, for complete Barbie information.

I love my new Ultimate Barbie Doll Book. I still have my first Barbie Dolls from the early 60's along with Ken, Midge & Skipper. I have over 100 dolls and found them all in this wonderful book. The photos are beautiful. The Barbie novice to enthusiast will truly enjoy this book.

I mainly purchased this book to remember some of my childhood toys- I wasn't expecting the detail and page after page of pictures that made me interested in collecting Barbie's as well-

This thick hardcover book has colored photos of each Barbie both in the box and then a close up of the face. The Barbies are presented in chronological order by year by doll type- so i.e. Barbie from 1950s til 90s then Skipper from 50s-90s, then Ken, etc.

The book also has friends of the infamous Barbie and Ken couple; many of which I have never seen or heard of!

If you are looking for a nice photo array and price guide of Barbie and Friends. Truly the "Ultimate" Barbie book.

Mr. Muldavin's book is a very attractive, entertaining and informative work. It is a pleasure to browse, with colorful 50's style illustrations as well as a generous sprinkling of color photographs of some of the records themselves and their vintage art jackets. The pages are of a slick, sturdy weight paper which will hold up well under a lot of thumbing through by the reader. It begins with a very interesting introduction which includes an explanation of codes and abbreviations used within, the purpose of the book, various types of children's records, what "vintage" means, information on children's record labels, a most interesting history of the "Golden Age" of children's records, and much, much more. The meat of the work is a well-organized discography of thousands of 78 rpm children's records from the 1940-50's with their disc ID numbers, song titles, artists, year, and estimated value. This book covers in an eye-catching way everything you didn't know you wanted to know about vintage children's records.

Peter Muldavin's COMPLETE GUIDE TO VINTAGE CHILDREN'S RECORDS provides a catalog of values paired with color photos for almost 13,000 records on over 450 labels. Many entries are unique to this reference, which offers a nearly complete listing of vintage children's records, primarily in the 78 RPM and early 45 RPM formats. The comprehensive coverage for nearly all 78 RPMs in the USA can't be beat.

Now readers of all ages can see for themselves what Internet-savy record collectors have known for years--that there is nobody else with author Peter Muldavin's depth of knowledge on the subject of childrens' records from the prime years of vintage vinyl.

My husband is an avid vintage vinyl collector. From the moment I first heard about this book, I knew we needed to buy it. And we were not disappointed. When the book finally arrived, we were flabbergasted by its quality. THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO VINTAGE CHILDREN'S RECORDS is a gorgeous book from it's cover art to the meticulously designed, full-color inner pages. The publisher obviously spared no expense. The result is a book everyone (not just record collectors) can enjoy, a book so sumptously packaged it can take its place among your favorites on the coffee table. A comprehensive research tome disguised as a handy collector's catalog, it is jam-packed with valuable information delivered factually but with an irresistable touch of whimsey. One wonders if this is due to the delightful nature of the subject matter or due to some special characteristic of its author, who is aptly dubbed the Kiddie Rekord King.

Buy this book and leave it on your coffee table for your friends and family members to enjoy!

Let me say at the outset that I'm not really -- yet -- a children's record collector, but I am a fan of the wonderful and imaginative art that graces so many of the covers. And the older I get, the more the songs, stories, and fables themselves touch my heart in ways that complex adult materials can't. I discovered this guide by accident while trying to find a particular song from my childhood. In the tradition of Schroeder Publishing's Collector Books, it is a very impressive work. Collectors will find not only values for a vast number of records, but also insightful information on the various labels. Hundreds of jackets and records are illustrated in color. It's fun just to flip through. The love and enthusiasm that Mr. Muldavin clearly feels for his hobby are infectious and he shares his expertise fully. Highly recommended!

One of the fondest memories I have from my youth is that old, suitcase style record player where I would play records for hours. I used to have a lot of old kids records and would dearly LOVE to still have them. My favorite was an Batman LP from the 60's that came a comic that retold Batman's origin. Collector Books is always ahead of the pack when it comes to publishing great niche books, and they've released truly the ultimate book for fans and collectors of children's records.

The Complete Guide to Vintage Children's Records is a remarkable book and a journey through a wonderful era of nostalgia. The Author, Peter Muldavin is a lifelong collector of children's nostalgia items and this book came about out of pure necessity. There simply was nothing else out there on the market. Now, the focus of the book is on 78 rpm records and not 45's or LP's. It's important to point that out as what most people are going to encounter in garage sale or flea markets is going to be LP's or 45's. Muldavin is concentrating on the era of his childhood, the early baby boomer years when 78's were prevalent in the 40's and through the late 50's.

Muldavin provides a very detailed and entertaining history of childrends records which highlights the Golden Age of kids records from 1946 - 1956. This includes a top ten list of record companies who produced children's records which includes Golden, Victor/RCA, Decca, Capitol, and Mercury. He also covers unique packages such as shaped or die-cut records, picture discs, filmstrip records, etc...All highly collectible today! There's also very valuable information about identifying and dating records, grading, and buying and selling. This truly is one-stop shopping for the Kid's record collectors.

Perhaps the most important section of the book is the 80 pages dedicated to label notes and identification. Here, Muldavin lists the hundreds of different label producers along with information such as distributor, content, subsidiaries, record size, color of label, date range, and miscellaneous notes. For example, Blue Ribbon records was a division of Mercury Records producing general children's entertainment records in the 1950's on 6", 7", or 10" vinyl. Over 450 different labels are noted.

The guide portion makes up the 300 pages plus of the book. It lists records alphabetically by label brand, beginning with Action Records and ending with Young People's Records. The guide is done in a grid format listing the main title, Disc #, artist, year, and values for both G/VG and EX/NMT grades. In all over 13,000 records are listed in the guide with hundreds of clear color photos included. In here you'll see pictures of records such as The Travels of Babar, Astro Boy, Mighty Mouse in Toyland, Jerry Lewis the Noisy Eater, and Uncle Milty and Donald Duck...what gems!

One of the best books I've seen yet from Collector Books...gorgeously illustrated and thorough. The perfect Baby Boomer companion!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This is by far the best edition of the Beatle record price guide to date. The collaboration of Perry Cox, Frank Daniels, and Bruce Spizer is a home run. It's very well organized with many photos. If you're a collector or a seller you need this book!

This is an excellent book for any serious Beatles collector. Perry Cox really knows what we, as Beatles fans, want in a book. A lot of nice photos and useful and interesting info. Definitely a must have!

Now, let's face it; you won't be carrying this price guide with you to garage sales. No, this will be the reference book that stays at home. And what a book it is! Similar in size to Bruce Spizer's record books on the American Beatles' releases, this baby is published in a hard-cover format on nice glossy paper. The color photos are wonderful for fans to view the items, and the whole book is entertaining as well as informative in terms of accurate prices. Some of the color on some pages seemed to have a purplish haze to them, but hopefully that is remedied on new issues. Overall, a top-notch job by Perry. Now, Perry, what I would like to see from you is a price guide on international pressings. Maybe concentrating on the UK and Japanese pressings since many of these are collectible. Also, tell Bruce he's not done yet. He may have called his last book "Swan Song" as a way of saying goodbye, but I'm sure many fans, including myself, would like to see him tackle all of the British pressings.

for many many years,perry cox and bruce spizer have done thier best to uphold great quality items on beatles reference subjects.
they have finally started to do it in a very good way by showing COLORFULL scans of every capitol or apple product you can think of is the united states.
perry worked his butt off on this book.
why am i giving it 4 stars instead of five?
one reason.
nothing is included from canada(he gives credit to another book on that subject)which would have really been helpfull on the capitol issues..but spizers books covers canadian lps and 45s.
also bootlegs are missing..and many times there were infamouse ones that would make a good fan laugh ..like "how do you do it" on the swan label which was never released but would have been a hoot to see here.
knowing this book was never intended to show boots it is forgivable but two or three pics wouldnt have hurt.
other than that,there are guides to show you what lps were issuerd on what label variations and finally some good pricing.perry has been a seller of beatles records for many years and in this book he shows you just how incredible the beatles were to not only groove to,but to collect.a MUST for any beatles fan or collector!
also other formats are finally addressed and treated with respect(reel to reels and 4 tracks especially!)

This 6th edition from Mr. Perry Cox & Frank Daniels continues the long tradition and reputation of Perry's top price guides with the highest degree of research, knowledge, sources and listings available anywhere!

First, I give my strongest praise and congratulations to the co-authors (Perry and Frank), along with additional kudos to Mr. Bruce Spizer who contributed the Foreword, layouts, editing and publishing in this beautiful edition (and yes, I own most of his incredible "labor of love" books surrounding The Beatles records). These gentlemen are what we collectors consider "The Source" when it comes to being specific, detailed, precise and answering the tough questions that come with collecting what I consider "the greatest music memorabilia of all time".

Secondly, I would like to take a moment and get personal about Perry Cox and what he means to me in this business. I have done business with Perry since the early 1980's (when, at that time, I was just a young sailor in the U.S. Navy and spending as much of my extra money on my #1 passion - Beatles records and memorabilia). Perry immediately befriended me and has been more of a "mentor" and a "personal confidant" during these 25 years of our friendship. He has yet to steer me wrong or not provide the tough answers throughout all these years and I greatly admire his passion, dedication and genuine love for the hobby more than anyone else that I have had the pleasure of sharing this excitement with in this hobby. I remember back in the 80's and most of the 90's when I would receive Perry's "mailer lists" that he religiously mailed out to those of us on his distro list. Receiving those lists in the mail has long been replaced with the technology and real-time convenience of the internet (specifically Ebay), but I will never forget what those first 15 years were like when we couldn't see the items and relied on Perry's specific details on each item for sale in his mailer list! Times they were a-changin'. Regardless of the resources, Perry has always been top-notch and quickly became my favorite source (which he remains to this day). I have since retired from the U.S. Navy after 21 years service and now live in the Tampa area - but I still email Perry whenever those technical questions need to be answered (or merely for his advice on items I am considering for my personal collection). Bottom line is that I give my full and unconditional recommendation (without hesitation) to any source that Perry endorses in this hobby - and his price guides are legendary among the amateur and professional collectors alike - across the board! Thank you Perry for your deep friendship over the past 25 years my friend.

Next, I would like to humbly thank both Perry and Frank for recognizing me under the "Acknowledgements" section in this price guide. It is a labor of love for all of us and all I can say (after all these years collecting and sharing knowledge, experiences, etc.) is "How cool is it to have your name inside the actual book of your favorite lifelong hobby?" It is a dream come true and I am touched for that recognition! I have had the unbelievable fortune of meeting all four Beatles in person throughout my life, along with being stationed in London for two years with the U.S. Navy, and having my name mentioned in this book completes a long journey for me (for a little boy from Flint, Michigan who originally watched those "four lads from Liverpool" tear it up on that black & white television while dancing with my mother and older sister)! Little did we "Flintoids" know that we would also be treated to our own hometown heroes just six years later from "Grand Funk Railroad". Imagine that...

As for the 6th edition of "The price guide for The Beatles American records", I would like to echo some of the wonderful comments from Mr. Robert York of Tacoma, WA (scroll through the reviews and you will find his detailed analogy of this new guide). I agree that it is very fitting that this book is the same size and lines up beautifully on the bookshelf with Bruce Spizer's books (not a coincidence I assure you - these gentlemen do all the extra work to ensure high quality products from start to finish). This new guide also has more colored photographs and layouts than I've seen to date and it is absolutely gorgeous. It starts out in the inner cover with many of the single (45's) in their respective picture sleeves in bright colors - and ends on the back inner cover with all 24 American Beatles' albums (in order of release) all in color as well. Everything in between these covers is simply magic and very nicely laid out! I am a stickler for detail and for making things "make sense" and this book does exactly that. One of my favorite things is the color-coding throughout the book. The authors got it right and made this very easy to use for all hobbyist - and the outer edges of the pages are actually color-coded so that the user can go right to the appropriate section he/she is seeking (without having to thumb around and find things aimlessly). The guide is broken down into sections, starting with Beatles singles and EP's, then Beatles albums, George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best and George Martin, Apple, Dark Horse Records, Compilations, and ends with Vendors (and those who paid to be sponsored in this publication).

I would also like to add that just before the color-coding starts in this publication, the authors have compiled some of the most important pages that will benefit collectors ten-fold (these pages are priceless, trust me). They have added sections on introduction, Market Analysis, Beatles records worth $1,000 or more, Grading records (very important especially for newcomers in the hobby), Acetates and Test Pressings, Promotional Records and Markings, Sealed Albums (which I have been involved in with Perry over many years), Capitol Inner Sleeves (nice explanations on what sleeves go with which albums, etc.), Records from other countries, Capitol-Apple Labelography (these are truly valuable pages here because it is so detailed and collectors need to become aware of all the differences on these labels), Capitol-Apple Tapeography, Pressings of "A Hard Day's Night" on UA (this is not testable, because 99% of us would fail the exam), Beatles U.S. Discography (you'll love this section and is perfect for "quick reference" or when creating your own personal spreadsheets, discography, or collections), and the last item in these white pages before the color-coding starts (and perhaps among the most important of all) is the "How to read the guide listings" section. This section specifically educates the reader on the Spizer Identification Number (which Beatles author/historian Bruce Spizer developed this numbering system for identifying items pictured and described in his books on The Beatles American records). This numbering system is quickly becoming popular among collectors and I would not be surprised if Mr. Spizer's system will one day be the universal standard for identifying all Beatles' American records (I have almost finished numbering my own personal collection with his numbering system and it just makes good sense)! Again, those white pages (pages 1-43) are some of the most valuable and educational sources that you will ever find on collecting Beatles American records (the price guide is worth its price for this information alone, not to mention pages 45-316 "the meat and potatoes" of the entire price guide).

Lastly, I highly recommend this price guide to everyone interested in gaining knowledge on Beatles American records, their history, how to identify exactly what you have, and it is simply the top-notch book available anywhere on this subject. A superior book cover-to-cover and I am so impressed with various elements throughout this guide. It takes the reader on a journey itself and you will experience the roots, growth and unbelievable spectrum that The Beatles records went through from the start to present day. After traveling through these pages several times I found myself in many different stages of my life, in retrospect, thinking about where I lived when a certain album was released or what girl I was sharing those moments with, etc. An incredible 5-star book which should be owned by all Beatles hobbyist (I own three myself and had to ensure I got the low serial #'d edition in the slipcase signed by all three gentlemen mentioned above). Purchase the guide, you'll be amazed at the weatlth of knowledge, perspiration, inspiration, dedication, and how cleverly laid out it really is! "I read the book today, oh boy..." and Perry, Frank & Bruce "made the grade". Cheers!

If you have some old, vintage and classic Cameras, This book (ALL WHAT YOU WANT) to start.. [Highly Recommended]

This book has awesome coverage of makes and models although the amount of information given of a particular classic (e.g., Hasselblad) seems thin. I guess I'm saying an encyclopedia is needed.

McKeown's Price Guide To Antique & Classic Cameras 2005-2006 (Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras)
If you buy and sell classic cameras, you need this book. MUCH easier to find exactly what you have and way more info than the "Blue Book". A real wealth of information. Covers almost all camera body and lens made. Includes all special releases including "dummy" bodies. Info on some movie cameras and camera collectibles. Not much info on accessories for "system" cameras, however has listings for major stuff. Very good index. This book is the best there is out there for camera collectors. And a very good value to boot.

McKeowan's Guide since its first issue has been, and still is, a fantastic tome which is a must for every camera collector. I was astounded many years ago when visiting Leningrad to see that a camera vendor selling old Russian cameras from a small table on the pavement had made a full photocopy for his use! To me it is the best catalogue of cameras ever published and I will continue to buy each update as they become available.

Although ostensively a price guide to cameras and other photo-related equipment "McKeown's" is much more. Over the years this volume has grown to encyclopedic proportions as it updates and adds to its huge inventory. In fact, I find the price quotes to be the least important of its features. Here in one giant volume we get a vast array of great illustrations, camera histories, and specifications. This is the kind of volume that won't let go once a photography enthusiast flips through its pages. Pretty soon he/she will jump to another section, as each entry induces one to look up something else. As the "Guide" takes pains to suggest, prices quoted here are not carved in stone, and various factors ultimately determine the price one pays for such photographic treasures.
I only hope the publishers will avoid the temptation of printing future releases in color, as the black and whites add to the antique "feel" of the book. Though a bit pricey, it's undeniable how much work goes into producing this comprehensive book, and for all the pleasures that this book delivers the price is well worth it!

Brief Description of Book
This book lives up to its name and is a great gift for someone you may know who is just getting hooked on buying vintage costume jewelry. It would make a great companion gift to a fabulous vintage piece. This book Collecting 101 is a bit basic for absolute beginners only.
The core thesis of the book is G-U-I-D-E an acronym that stands for:
* Is the piece in Good condition?
* Do U Like it?
* Is it a good investment?
* Is the piece designer signed and is it well designed?
* Are there extras that make it more interesting?
These questions are posed to help the buyer select good pieces at whatever price point they are starting to collect at. The author explains her GUIDE concept quite concisely and uses it throughout the book.

The author suggests four designers that beginners should collect Trifari, Coro, Kramer and Weiss. She recounts a little history about each of the companies, shows photos of their marks and recommends pieces to purchase. For example she suggests Trifari from the 50's and 60's because it is plentiful, available in excellent condition and not too expensive. The author uses a lot of photos to illustrate these sections

The next portion of the book is arranged the alphabetically and cameos 130 designers. Each profile contains a little company history, marks, signature look of a designer and recommendations of pieces to buy.

In the next chapter there is a section called "Marked by Style" on identifying unmarked jewelry. A little more than a beginner skill in my opinion but an interesting section to ponder nonetheless. She focuses 75% of her energy on Juliana, the remaining 25% on Eisenberg, Dorothy Bauer, Hattie Carnegie, Goldette, Haskell, Hollycraft, Sarah Coventry, Schauer, Schreiner and Weiss.

The remaining chapters cover:
* Upgrading your collection
* Repairing and Cleaning
* Cataloging a Collection
* Storing and Insuring a Collection

Over all the advice is quite sound, the G-U-I-D-E principle should be followed it will really help anyone avoid unfocused buying.

Quantity of Illustrations:
There are more than 750 total illustrations in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101. There are color photographs, original advertisements in color and black and white. The photos are clear and focused.


Quality of Illustrations:

Comments: The items selected are not riveting I think that they are pedestrian. Maybe that is because this book is pitched at beginners. However I feel that the selections should be inspirational and exciting. This is why the top shelf pieces in a book such as "A Tribute to America" are always fun to look at. I felt the items pictured were what the author could get permission to use. Which leads me to the inclusion of Christmas tree jewelry! There are too many Christmas trees in this book. And I like Christmas tree jewelry.

I have one very pointed example that illustrates my low score on the illustrations. The author devoted 3 pages to Miriam Haskell. In my opinion these are not good representative pieces, they are what was available to include. There is one pair of beaded earrings, a necklace with gold chain and a wood pendant that looks like it was made in shop class to me, several strings of beads, a pearl necklace that is not photographed close enough to generate any excitement and a pair of gilded earrings. I may sound harsh here but the wow factor of buying Miriam Haskell is not expressed in these photos. Feel free to disagree!

As a final note on the illustrations, I am reviewing the first edition of this book. According to the publisher Collector Books a second edition should be available soon. They promise 200 new photos and updates on the price guidelines that are included in the first edition.



Quantity of Information
Range of Information offered:
For the most part this is a good concise book to check for information. If you are looking for in depth information on a particular designer you should probably look at a more specialized book. For example there are entire books on Haskell, KJL, D &E, to name only a few designers.

Is the information thorough?
The information provided seems to be thorough and remember this is a book for beginners.

Values Listed (Prices) Yes
Are they helpful or realistic? The prices are being updated for a new edition
The prices are based on what one might hope to get in an e-bay auction.
Comments: Based on the prices sometimes I want to be buying and other times I want to be on the selling end of the transaction.


User Friendly:
Is the book easy to read and follow? yes
Is there a table of contents and index? yes
Is information easy to find? yes


Is this book a must have? Only for your friends who are just beginning to collect costume jewelry. I think Costume Jewelry 202 is a vastly superior book and I would recommend that (again).

Overall comments
If I had this book many years ago I would have avoided buying stuff I just didn't need. I would have made wiser purchases and would have a better collection today.

I actually bought her 2nd book (202) before buying this one (101) and while I treasure my 202 guide much more than this first one (because I'm not a beginner) - I think it is a fabulous book to have for those starting out. With a lot of fake WEISS and other great designers' jewelry being reproduced and sold as the real thing today (especially on eBay), it's a good guide to have that shows a fair amount and variation of these favorite popular designers' pieces. This will help the beginner collector possibly know a fake when they see it. Not all that shines and sparkles means it is the real thing or that it's collectible. I believe both her books should be bought together but the 202 Guide is definitely the very best there is (because it shows so many patents). I particularly like the fact that both of these books are done in sturdy paperback because if they were hardbound, they would be so heavy given how big they are. Lots and lots of colorful pictures! Well done!!

Found this book to be very helpful at my jewelry shows. Has lots of pictures and information on vintage jewelry and numerous designers. Does not go into great detail, but gives enough good information to be helpful. Because the information is listed in alpha order, my customers find it helpful when looking up specific designers or styles. This book is great for beginners and old collectors alike.

This book along with the "202" book by the same author are "must have"s for costume jewelry collectors, buyers and sellers. I can't rate them highly enough.

I learned many of the basics overtime and searching the internet. It is great to have so much information in one book. The photos are excellent and I would recommend this to anyone starting a collection. Great do's and don'ts.

This book is the most wonderful Encyclopedia about Barbie dolls. It has so many dolls listed with descriptions, prices and pics of the dolls in their boxes. Many pink boxes, OOAK Mattel dolls and collectibles. Pictures are nice, they are from the doll in box, and there are closes on some dolls.

If you need information on Pink Boxes, this book is the best!!! There are a new version 'cos this is not updated, the dolls showed ends on 1999. There are no 2000 dolls or 2001. But there are a second edition, so search for the new edition!

I have looked at many many books trying to find one that would help me to easily identify Barbie. Well folks, this is it! The pictures are wonderful, brightly colored and large enough to see detail. This is a "Must Have" book if you are a collector. (or if you buy used dolls to make up an OOAK) Well worth the money spent. I highly recommend!

I just received the COLLECTOR'S ENCYCLOPEDIA of BARBIE by JMichael Augustyniak. I thought I knew a lot about the value of eachdoll, I sell them and buy them regularly right here on amazon.com auctions. However, I opened the pages of this book and it is fantastic and a must for any serious collector. All the photos are in color, by date, series, it is all in this book. You will be amazed that some Barbies are valued in high 5 figures! I'm so glad I have this reference. Everyone who is interested in Barbie should! END

Maravilloso libro ! , poseo la 1ra y 2da Edicion, y son fabulosos, fotos hermosas y claras, muy bien las descripciones de cada muñeca...,Gracias Micael Augustiniak ! desde San Luis ,Argentina RITA REVUELTO

This book was very informative regarding dolls and values. I wish it would have had more of the "Special Edition" models and values though. Lots of pictures that are a good size for viewing and easy to see.

This book is put together very well, the index pages in the back make it easy to locate the dolls that you are looking for. I am a beginner and this book was very helpful for me to put a value on the dolls that I already have.

Very helpful for the antiquing "debutante" in the overwhelming world of antiques, including tips for negotiating with dealers, what to look for on certain items, even ideas of what one might want to collect. Definitely worthwhile purchase.

Antique lover I am HOWEVER, knowledge is minus, MINUS! ANTIQUING FOR DUMMIES was given to me as a gift and MAGIC has been created. My brain is now functioning in the antique mode. How proud and delighted I am. I will be forever indebted to having the opportunity to own such as informative treasure. In fact this book will be on my future "gift purchasing" list for my "hard to please" friends. Again, THANK YOU, from Dallas, Texas.

Antiquing for Dummies is a cheerful primer for those of us who were antiques-challenged. Learn what to search for and what to avoid when confronted with the possible pitfalls of flea markets and antique malls. Find out how to differentiate trash from treasure. The text is very readable, filled with puns and mnemonics. A must-read for budding antiques enthusiasts!

I have collected, sold and even appraised antiques and artwork for 25 years. This book is well written, and has valuable insights and tips for the beginning or the intermediate collector. It has very good illustrations, good anecdotes and hints, and is all in all a delight to have and read! I learned a couple of things myself, and have bought copies for my antique collecting friends and colleagues as gifts. I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to gather practical and easy to understand tips and facts from authors and experts who obviously have many years of study and work in the field of antiques, collectibles and fine art. For this price, it is worth more than many of my big fancy books on single topics within the field of antiques or antique collecting. This is easy to read, humerous and fun to read, and offers good basic information on many kinds of antiques and fine art which are being collected, inherited and sold. Bravo to the writers and to Dummies!

Whether you are someone who breaks for garage sales or the serious collector of rare antiques, Antiquing for Dummies offers information, tips, insight and inspiration. Zoglin and Shouse help de-mystify the world of antiques and collecting and leave you feeling like you, too, can confidently and successfully find treasures that fit your lifestyle and needs. The tips on negotiating are especially helpful and I have never seen them appear anywhere else. Zoglin has spent three decades in the antique business and knows what he is talking about. Whether you are interested in antiquing or not, this book provides an entertaining read, and you will likely not look at a teacup or Granny's old desk again without a deeper appreciation of its history.

A must book for anyone who collects or is interested in collecting
Limoges. Debby Dubay is an expert on this subject.

Love this book and I highly recommend this book to collectors at all levels and specifically to hand painted Limoges porcelain collectors and china painters. Debby DuBay's books are absolutely beautiful and are useful price guides and reference books. The best books on the market - don't let the price keep you away from this book.

I met Ms DuBay at a conference were she was the opening guest speaker on turning a passion into a profession and then throughout the week she lectured on Limoges porcelain. Dynamic is not a strong enough word for her! After meeting her I purchased all three of her books on Limoges. I love Collecting Hand Painted Limoges Porcelain because it covers the history of painting on porcelain and the women who had influences in the 19th -21st centuries, the art of china painting using examples from artists who are currently painting on porcelain and then she has a section that covers antique Limoges boxes to vases and another section that provides all of the back stamps. Absolutely wonderful book! I recommend all of her books on Limoges. (I even purchased her Potter book!)

I love all of DuBay's books but this is my personal favorite! As a collector of antique Limoges porcelain and as a china painter - I use this book as a reference source. The unique pieces are fantastic and the information is informative yet interesting. Highly recommend.

Fantastic book for the Limoges collector - I have just begun to collect and this book is a must! I also bought DuBay's Beatrix Potter book - her books are lovely.