Collecting Books

(From the back)

Vintage clothing has suddenly become the "hot" collectible becasue it is so many things for so many people - historically interesting, amusingly entertaining and, for those with discerning taste, incredibly chic and wearable. Sheila Malouff's Collectible Clothing is an armchair shopping guide to a century of wearing apparel of every type for men, women and children. Every vintage fashion item pictured is currently priced. And Malouff includes valuable tips on fabric care, beadwork, restoration, even how to make money in the collectible clothing business. With more than 600 photographs in black and white and color and a comprehensive index, this easy-to-use guide will be an instant hit and an enduringly helpful reference for everyone interested in clothing with a past.

I don't feel useful to type 1000 words here, anyone reading this book will understand all the passion than enameled ware can arouse, and all the work produced by the authors to show so numerous and beautiful pictures. These everyday utensils has been used during decades in so many worlwide houses, but how many housekeepers did realize as much it was difficult to produce ? Who knows the differences between circa 1800's and 1900's items, how to recognize an entirely handpainted pattern from a silk-screen printing just enhanced by hand, or how to get sure than this is a complete coffee jug or unfortunately a coffee biggin without its lid ? A good advice : just read this book, then keep it where you're sure to find it again immediately

This is an extremely comprehensive guide to glass shoes. I love that the pictures are so clear, and the descriptions make it easy to identify important distinctions among the various shoes presented.

I'm boycotting Amazon because I just learned (after purchasing this book) that they're the only online bookseller left that is selling dog fighting and cockfighting magazines and videos. These magazines advertise the sale of fighting animals and cockfighting weapons -- sales made illegal by federal law.

I understand freedom of speech, but although I find those products "objectionable" (Amazon's word) and disgusting (my word), the issue is that the First Amendment doesn't protect companies advertising illegal contraband, and that's exactly what the magazines sold by Amazon are doing. I urge you to contact Amazon and ask them to stop selling these products. Thank you.

James David Davis did an excellent job of putting together information for the novelty phone collector. Great pictures along with clear, concise information make this book a must-have for anyone who collects novelty phones. I refer to this book almost daily! It's very well thought out, with different chapters and categories which make it extremely easy to use and reference. It covers not only working phones, but also phone collectibles, such as miniatures, and toy phones as well. With the limited amount of reference books out there geared toward the novelty phone collector, it is very refreshing to not only have this book available, but also have it written by someone who is himself a novelty phone enthusiast. I am looking forward to his next book.

This book is filled to the brim with hundreds of pages of plastic ware from the 30s to the 60s. Goldberg gives us photos of everything from plastic toothpicks to appliances. He includes everything you can think of: barware, bowls, canisters, cookie jars, clocks, containers, flatware, glasses & tumblers, napkin rings, picnic items, refridgerator dishes, salt & pepper sets, utensils, even watering cans!

There is a large section which covers dinnerware, with over 25 different manufacturers, including a nice section showing various backstamps. He includes a bilbliography, value guide (which may not reflect current online auctions prices), and a short history of plastic as it was introduced to America. My only quibble with this book is that I wish the photos were a little better lit, they are a little dark in some sections. But all in all, a valuable reference.

This book is a must have for anyone interested in collecting any of the numerous shapes and/or patterns of pottery made by Vernon Kilns. I won't repeat what's said above in the book description or product details, but I will add that many years of obvious painstaking research has culminated in Maxine Nelson's 4th book on the subject.

I had no idea what a challenge it would be to complete a collection of dinnerware in just ONE of the patterns ("Gingham", a green and yellow plaid design) that was made. Even with this book in hand you will never be 100% sure of all the pieces that exist in whatever pattern you're attempting to collect. In my opinion, the "not knowing" is part of the challenge that only serves to make collecting this truly versatile line of wares that much more fun, interesting, and rewarding.

By the way, this book has 320 pages, not 192 as listed above. Sadly, this book is already out of print. However, at the time of this writing quite a few copies are still available.

If you're a fanatic, you'll want to find copies of the newsletter "Vernon Views" printed from 1981 through 2003 by Pat Faux and Nancy Scadeberg, but we'll save that for another time...

A good amount of information on the manufacturers and artists responsible for a multitude of collectible lines. Includes a comprehensive listing of who offers member benefits for the increasingly popular Collector Clubs. Page after page offering immediate access to official item numbers, issue year and quantity, original issue price and the all-important current market value. Take one of these with you on your next trip to an antique mall. No longer will you pass on great bargains because, "you just didn't have any idea what it was worth".

this is one of the best guides I have found that has all of the price values on all of the different items that I collect. It is very easy to use and find the different values you would need to keep your collection up to date on its true value. A great 5 star rating...

As amazing as it sounds, some of the most valuable memorabilia regarding black history in the United States demonstrates some of the most horrific examples of racism. In particular, any material related to the practice of slavery is valuable. To quote Montgomery from page 41, "Evidence of slavery is scarce and expensive, forcing collectors to find more creative and affordable sources for slavery era material. "
There are fourteen chapters devoted to specific forms of memorabilia. They are:

*) Slavery
*) Local history and genealogy
*) Politics and civil rights
*) Military history
*) Music and entertainment
*) Sports
*) Art
*) Photography
*) Books, magazines and documents
*) Spirituality and religion
*) Education
*) Business, economics and careers
*) Lifestyle and popular culture
*) Racism

Each chapter begins with a short list of the more valuable items in that category. For example, the list for the art chapter is:

*) Books and journal articles
*) Exhibition catalogues
*) Prints
*) Posters
*) Commercial art
*) Jewelry
*) Combs
*) Baskets
*) Textiles, quilts and sewing collectibles
*) Clothing with African motifs

This book was very instructive in an area of collectibles that I knew nothing about. I of course assumed that old articles had value, but had no idea which ones. If you are someone involved in collecting, this is certainly a book you should read. I regularly go to sales and see people buying up unusual items for their collections or to sell to others for their collections. Now I also know what to look for.

Well written book. Good price. Lots of useful information for identifying different patterns. Would have liked more information on fake reproductions.