Collecting Books

This guide is a must for beginning hobbyist to get an overview of why coins are exciting to collect. It belongs in every public library and is a must gift for the new, young, or more advanced collector.

I got his for my grandson. It is really a nice way to begin to learn about coins. My brother, which is a long time coin collector said he would like to have one. So this coin book is good for the beginners and the seasoned collectors.

Carlton Lake has written a superbly readable book of eleven of his actual exploits in search of manuscript works of French literary and artistic giants (roughly from 1890 to 1960). Each chapter is a separate mystery to be solved, sometimes lasting many years, and sometime ending in revelations that radically altered the way in which the authors (e.g. Paul Valèry) and artists (e.g. Henri Toulouse-Lautrec) are viewed.

The setting is almost always in France, usually in Paris, since that is where Carlton Lake lived for many years, during which he wrote as the Paris art critic for the Christian Science Monitor. He amassed a collection so vast that it was eventually transferred to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, where he served as curator of the collections that researchers now flock to see.

The book reads almost as a who's who of major French authors and some artists, giving intimate glimpses of their lives. For anyone familiar with French authors and artists of the period of Carlton Lake's interest, this is a wonderful gem.

This book is simply the best. I enjoyed every page of it, and found myself mesmerized by all the information contained in the book. I was hesitate on buying the book because of the price, but was pleased to say that after reading the book very quickly just one time, I went to a yard sale and picked up two books for 50 cents each, and they are worth more than 50 dollars for each one. You can't go wrong in getting this book. Trust me.

This is a beautiful book the Barbies are wonderful!! The information content is interesting. This is truly a book for Barbie lovers who like myself cannot afford to buy all the Barbies that we love!

I don't collect Barbie dolls -- I collect books on Barbie dolls. And Jane Sarasohn-Kahn's books are my all-time favorites.

"Contemporary Barbie" showcases Mattel dolls from the eighties to the present, in more-or-less chronological order. Thoroughly researched and beautifully photographed, this is the best book on the topic of Barbie dolls. "Contemporary Barbie" is more of an artistic exploration of Barbies than a collectors guide, but this edition contains new, revised information about the dolls issued and their market values. I keep this lovely book on the table, and even non-Barbie-lovers can't resist picking it up and thumbing through it.

"Contemporary Barbie" may disappoint some because it only covers dolls made in and after 1980. But the last twenty years has been a rich period in Barbie history, done justice only by this fabulous book.

Get excited! This is not a fluff book! Bringing her experience as a columnist for a fashion doll mag, her passion for the dolls themselves, and a wealth of contacts in the world of manufacturers, doll artists, and collectors, Beth Owens gives us the most comprehensive reference on the world of fashion dolls at the turning of the century. With emphasis on those "stars" in the ascendancy at this moment, and with a nod (but not much more) to the 11 1/2 inch former ruler of the doll universe, Beth explores the genesis, history, and development of the modern fashion doll, which is primarily the interest of the adult collector (or the child inside of one!) Written in an elegant and eloquent style, and lavishly illustrated with photographs of beautiful little "ladies of fashion" , this book will, I expect, become the standard reference for this genre of dolls. Several of the many superb photographs illustrate new dolls just coming onto the market, for such is Beth's "connection" to the doll world that she can discourse comfortably on even the newest developments. In addition to reams of information, she offers guidance on beginning and refining a personal collection, and shares her own development as a connoisseur of the fashion doll today. Beth is truly mad about her subject, and has such a fresh and enthusiastic approach that I yearned to be able to invite her to my house to ...play dolls!

Fashion doll collecting is not only a hot new trend, it can also be big business as the selling and trading of these items often involves major bucks. The ultimate hobby guide for those who have a penchant for these pretties is "Contemporary Fashion Dolls" by Beth Owens who is an avid collector and former contributor to trade publications.

There is a broad range of images in these dolls, all the way from the cute pop-eyed trolls who were popular in the 1960s to America's sweetheart, Barbie, to Franklin Mint representations of Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn Monroe to the top of the line exquisitely formed and clad Madame Alexander creations.

Dolls, we learn, had been relegated to the realm of children's toys until the mid 1900s. It was then, following a surge of interest in eighteenth century European dolls, that the United Federation of Doll Clubs was formed. An imprimatur had been placed on grown-ups playing with dolls.

As the number of collectors grew so did the demand for Barbie as she was among the most accessible and affordable. Some savvy business folk gave her a glamorous wardrobe, imaginative accouterment, a best friend, Midge, and a handsome boyfriend, Ken.

Although many try to rival the vaunted Madame Alexander dolls none have succeeded. We read: "The most influential force in the proliferation of fashionable dolls was Madame Beatrice Alexander, who would irrevocably change the course of fashion doll history. Throughout her doll-making career, Madame had an intense passion for fashion and her creations were exquisitely and stylishly dressed in the finest fashions available."

And fashion doll history is still changing as dolls reflect us and our lives continue to evolve. As the author asks, will there be a "Casual Friday" doll?

This is a gorgeous book that will delight and inspire. The photos are very beautiful and show the details clearly. The book covers lots of different silver jewellers/artists and their work. I highly recommend it.

Looking for a book on contemporary silver?

If you go to the Web and enter "contemporary silver" in a search engine, what comes up? Not much, right? Go into Amazon.com and look there as well. You'll find just one book: Contemporary Silver: Commissioning, Designing, Creating. Sure, you'll find a few out-of-print books published in Europe, but who has the time to brush up on their German? The authors of Contemporary Silver are Benton Seymour Rabinovitch and Helen Clifford, Ph.D. Rabinovitch is Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at the University of Washington, Seattle, a member of the Silver Society (London), and Honorary Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. He is a longtime collector of antique silver and serving pieces and is the author of Antique Silver Servers for the Dining Table. Clifford has a number of degrees, is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, member of the Silver Society (London), and an honorary member of the Association of British Designer-Silversmiths. She has written and curated exhibitions on historical and contemporary silver.

The two authors have produced a book that is both beautiful and inspiring. Rabinovitch commissioned 62 notable silversmiths from the United States and Great Britain to design and create silver serving pieces in fish-server or cake-slice form. The result is an incredible range of servers in every conceivable technique. From the minimalist to the baroque, from the abstract to the representational, all are meant for practical use, though cleaning some of the more intricate pieces would certainly be a challenge.

These servers demonstrate mastery of the craft, and offer a comparative survey in technique and design between the two countries.

Each of the 62 pieces illustrated (75 have been commissioned to date) has a full description, including materials used, dimensions, and narrative, an artist's philosophy/statement, and brief personal history. Rabinovitch also comments on how he chose each silversmith for the commission.

Within the 160 pages lie chapters on the commissioning process; historical background on servers in the 18th and 19th centuries; silver design in Britain and the U.S. between 1950 and 2000; understanding the collection; the collection itself; and a helpful glossary of terms.

Buy this book!

This is an amazingly comprehensive collection of Cracker Jack prizes, with HUNDREDS of detailed photos showing THOUSANDS of prizes. While this book is a must-have for the serious collector of Cracker Jack prizes, it will delight anyone with pleasant memories of those special prizes.

The accompanying prize lists with descriptive and historical information are presented chronologically, with prizes grouped by series where applicable. An elaborate identification system reflecting the prizes' date, composition, marking, type, size, color, and description is utilized, with estimated value for each prize given.

Searching through CRACKER JACK TOYS for that fondly remembered surprise can be almost as much fun as originally digging for it in a box of Cracker Jack!

After my grandmother passed away, we found a shoebox full of cracker jack toys. It was her special treat for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We took them and mounted them for memory reasons, but this book brought our love of the little toys to a reality of why we loved them as children and the precious value that they have for us today. A great part of our childhood in a great book!

I highly recommend this book. I bought this book years ago when I was just starting my own collection agency and found it to be VERY helpful.. FULL of great information, tips and letters. Ed Halloran certainly knows what he is doing. Anyone wanting to collect more money should purchase this book.

I read this book after starting my new job as a debt collector and it helped me to triple the amount i was collecting the month after I read it. I only read the areas that directly affected my specific job, so I can only speak for some of the book, but what i did read was well written and very informative. A definite for anyone collecting or dealing with credit collectors.

this is what us hard-core cure collectors have been waiting for...a nicely designed, thoroughly exhaustive guide to all things cure (and cure-related). i've actually been able to use this book as a comprehensive, visual checklist for taking inventory on my collection...much, much better than any silly discography. required for any serious cure collector.

Yes, wow. That sums this baby up pretty good! This book, it's large and it will depress you it's so amazin! I've looked through it wholy several times so far and only got it 2 days ago.. Amazing, it contains so.. SO many albums and things i could only dream of ever holding! And the pictures of Robert Smith in there, oh don't make me go into great detail! *slobber drool* Well I'm not going to do the generic thing and say "a great Cure collector item" or "a must-have!" 'cause really it's totally your choice, it's just that I have it, and it rocks.

If you're a collector -- and even if you are not -- this book is a fascinating journey through darners of all ages. The photographs are beautiful, with insightful commentary throughout.

The only comprehensive book on darners. Containes hundreds of beautiful color photographs and precise written descriptions of hundreds of darners of all types, materials and sizes.

Each stamp has a story to tell, and some of the most interesting are from countries that no longer exist. This book provides some history on each dead country. Perfect for those who specialize in this area or for the general foreign collector. If you want to know more about Bechuanaland, this book is for you.

I can't see why anyone would not find this book wonderfully intriguing and a great reference book. I can't say if there are many who are generalist collectors in dead countries, but I am. I consider it the most important philatelic bible (for my own particular collecting interests. ) And seeing that some traditional stamp shops don't have time to help a kid, a novice collector like myself, being able to buy this with ease is another plus. Have been collecting for sixteen years...three-quarters of my life, and this is the book I have been waiting for a very long time. Kudos to Mr. Harding for this book.