1 comments about The Care of Fine Books.

1. I wish everybody had the enthusiasm for caring for books that Jane Greenfield does. Too many are classic, valuable tomes thrown into used bookstores and decimated over time. This book is an excellent guide to caring for your books, and making them valuable over time.

5 comments about Antiques on the Cheap: A Savvy Dealer's Tips: Buying, Restoring, Selling.

1. This is a great book. Informative, practical, concise and easy to follow directions for restoring all types of items. I wish I'd had it years ago.



2. THE BEST BOOK TO OWN. INEXPENSIVE AND PRACTICAL ADVISE ON HOW TO CLEAN AND REPAIR FRAMES,SILVER, BRASS (THE ONLY PLACE I'VE SEEN BRASS CLEANING THAT WORKS) TRUNKS, POTTERY, AND LAMPS. YOU DON'T NEED A WORKSHOP OR ART SUPPLIES TO USE MR. MCKENZIES' RECEIPES FOR REFURBISHMENT OR REPAIR. NO COLORED PICTURES, JUST DRAWINGS, IT'S THE TEXT THATS WORTH THE PRICE OF THE BOOK. IF YOU CAN READ, THINK, AND FOLLOW VERY SIMPLE DIRECTIONS, THEN USE THE PRETTY COFFEE TABLE BOOKS FOR INSPIRATION AND THIS BOOK FOR REALIZATION. I USE IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER.



3. This is the most helpful book I've read that in very succinct style tells how to buy, fix up, and possibly resell antiques and other second hand stuff. If you love "shabby chic", but can't afford the prices, this book will make it easier to achieve that look. This book is not for people who worry about getting their hands dirty.



4. I bought an antique camel-back trunk that needed lots of restoring and didn't know how to start. My friend recommended this book, and I am so glad I bought it. Not only did it give step by step on restoring a trunk but it also had a refrence page on suppliers for trunk parts. I highly recommended this book to anyone who needs to repair trunks, lamps, pottery and frames. The furniture repair section was sort of brief; I would have like to see more on this topic.



5. Don't let the title fool you - this is NOT just for antique dealers. As someone who is interested in antiques, but who doesn't have a lot of money, this has been a great primer on how to pick items and how to clean, fix and generally improve the the things purchased. Instructions on marbelizing, sponge painting, rebuilding lamps and stripping and refinishing furniture are all easy to understand.

5 comments about The Gold-Plated Porsche: How I Sank a Small Fortune into a Used Car, and Other Misadventures.

1. I was a bit mislead by the title of this book, particularly the part of the title: "...How I Sank a Small Fortune into a Used Car...".
   
   The Amazon review states that the author spent $60k on his car, whereas the author repeatedly states he spent $70k on his car restoration. This discrepency isn't really the issue, what I was hoping for was some description of what exactly the author bought and spent $70k on during the restoration. I am planning on restoring a vintage Porsche myself and was hoping this book would shed some light on various pitfalls I may want to avoid.
   
   Of the 20 or so chapters in this book I'd say about 15 were dedicated to personal stories about the author and his illustrious career, and only 5 chapters to stories actually related to the Porsche he restored.
   
   After reading this book I feel like I got to know the author quite well but not his Porsche. It was a delightful series of stories and I did enjoy the book, yet it wasn't what I thought it was going to be. I found the cover and title of this book to be misleading.
   
   Not a bad book at all, just not what I was expecting.



2. Wilkinson is a true character and he spins his experiences in restoring a pseudo-classic Porsche 911 (okay, to a true Porsche nut they're all classics) into an entertaining tail. He's an amusing cross between Tim Allen's character from Home Improvement and that uncle your parents don't talk about much because of the nutty things he's done. Strangely these characteristics endear you to him and as a pilot and aircraft owner I enjoyed (and frequently cringed at) his diversions into his experiences as a pilot and aviation editor. Speaking of this the book is rich with diversions into other aspects of his life tangential (or not) to the car project. For some this adds a lot and in general I enjoyed these but I could see where some might find it too fragmented and distracting. Overall though his series of life experiences, including those directly related to the books primary subject matter make for a fun and interesting read.
   
   He's clearly an individual for whom there is no substitute for hands-on experience and the process is more important than the end goal. He articulates well what he's learned and, while the book is not bogged down with technical details, he discusses enough of these to keep a gear-head reasonably happy. No one would restore a car using this book as a manual but there's definitely something here for the technically inclined.
   
   All in all it's a pretty easy and light read and a lot of fun. Perfect as a weekend read for the Porsche fan but with, I think, much broader appeal than that (general car nuts, pilots, those interested in 60's civil disobedience, etc.).



3. Before I even opened the book, a question came to mind. Why buy a Porsche? I have a number of buyer's guides and when I read them I am amazed that the company is still in business. How can they survive selling a car which has a leaking sunroof for 20 years??? German engineering is good, why can't they fix that quickly? Anyway, one buys a Porsche because it is a PORSCHE! That is what I got from the book. I did wished he had talked more about the car than other stories but the man obviously has a very full life.
   Those cars have quirks and need a lot of care. If you are going to buy one, don't spend all your money on the purchase of it since you will need a lot for maintenance. Learn to be a mechanic too. If you want a reliable automobile that won't need to be the center of your attention, buy a Toyota. What is the fun in that? This book helped me see more what Porsches are about, PASSION!!!!!!!



4. I really enjoyed reading this book. There are probably a ton of readers and car-nuts out there who can sympathize with Wilkinson's view while laughing at the way it is told. The Gold-Plated Porsche is a fantastic read.



5. In reviewing a few of the other reviews, it seems evident that there are two split camps with varying degrees of appreciation for Wilkinsons 'Gold Plated Porsche'. The book centers around the purchase and subsequent restoration of a Porsche 911 and the author skillfully introduces his own memoirs with several chapters of a chequered and adventurous past. The book is a great account of the authors mechanical apptitude blended with a self-depreciating sense of humour creating a very entertaining and worthwhile read. Personally I deeply enjoyed it and 'The Gold Plated Porsche' ranks as one of my favorites in the motorhead section of my library. Intelligent, funny and a light hearted read.

5 comments about The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New: A Simple Repair Manual for Book Lovers.

1. Boy, was I disappointed with this book. The Author certainly took advantage of a good title, because that is all you will be buying. I didn't count how many times "the jury was out on this one." The only thing I got from this was a list of home remedy supplies and I still don't know what I am suppose to do with half of them. Since then, I have typed in google "how to clean old books" and have come up with the exact same information and more. This was a complete waste of money, especially when you add in shipping charges. Good luck!



2. The backcover blurb reads "Here at last is a short, simple, inexpensive guide to book care and repair." Amen! While this book, as other reviews suggest, may not be ideal for rare or leather-bound books, it is great for the mundane volumes of any book collection, or for experimentation purposes, if you're a neophyte repairer. Their advice for removing old price stickers, e.g., is excellent and easy and less harmful than the use of a fingernail. In addition, the advice comes with a charming dialogue about dogs the authors have owned and loved, and the dogs' contribution, or lack thereof, to the book owning and cleaning process. I have thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it as a first step toward book repair mastery. Just don't try it on your Gutenberg Bible!



3. This breezily written guide to repairing books (and many other aspects of book buying and collecting) is a good introduction to its topic for the casual collector. The writing is extremely clear and simple, and the authors do not give advice on more advanced repairs in which you might do damage to the book. It is more of the "how do I get the price tag off the jacket?" or "what do I do about a dirty fingerprint on a page?" variety. And that IS helpful.
   
   At some point, the reader becomes aware that the book is no longer talking about book repair but about various topics that become less and less related to the original topic: how to store books, how to handle books, libraries, book borrowing, and so on. I found this somewhat entertaining, though it does not fit into the book's putative topic, as given in the title and subtitle.
   
   The authors write in a style that is very informal, with many references to their own lives and experiences. This makes the book easy to read, and it is generally not overdone so much as to become cutesy-wutesy. However, the authors' constant references to dog, including the most far-fetched analogies between book care and dog care, did become tiresome. No matter how much the authors love dogs, they should understand that most such references are not actually useful and that some readers may be cat people--or even just book people. However, the effect of this was not to impede understanding; it was simply annoying a few times.
   
   Overall, a good, short introduction to this topic that is easy to read.



4. As a Librarian who specializes in Preservation Management, I found this book somewhat appauling. I found it to be full of factual errors. Many of the cleaning and repair procedures described in this book would actually do more harm than good in the long run - while book tape, rubbing alcohol, homemade paste, and Elmer's glue might seem like harmless substances, these items will break down over time, yellowing, cracking, and damaging your treasured book. The bookbinder's motto is not as these misguided souls profess "Don't make it any worse", but rather "Don't do anything you can't undo". Readers of this book will come away with just enough knowledge to do some real damage! If you're unsure of your methods, you're better off leaving your books alone! If you're really interested in learning book repair, there are many manuals written by trained professionals who actually have some idea what they're talking about.



5. The Care and Feeding of Books Old and New is a lovely little volume that provides the novice book repairer with all the information they need to make minor repairs on damaged books. The authors do an excellent job of describing the tools needed and methods to be used, and are very clear about what sort of damage should be tackled only by an experienced book binder. The repair of loose pages and broken hinges are covered, as well as what to do about a stinky book.
   
   I believe this is an excellent book for any bibliolater (defined by the authors to mean anyone with an extravagant devotion to books) to have on their book shelf. With the dust jacket in a protective cover, of course.

3 comments about Good Things from Tag Sales and Flea Markets (Good Things with Martha Stewart Living).

1. I know Martha Stewart has had bad press lately but her ideas are still pretty cool (plus this book was from a few years ago). I'm having a blast with this book because I love to go antiquing and looking for stuff to make things with. Granted, you may not find the extact items she uses but you can certainly find the same general items (e.g. egg cups, button covers, vintage fabrics). I really like how the book is laid out in terms of glass, textiles, etc. Also, she has tips for caring and cleaning different types of items which is great since you generally need to clean things that you find at flea markets etc. The ideas are all really neat and really they are easy to do. Five stars all around from me. The ideas I've gotten from this book have really spawned my creativity to make other sorts of things too. Lots of fun!



2. Try Second-Hand Style: Finding and Renewing Antique Treasures or Decorating With Flea Market Finds or Flea Market Decorating (Better Homes and Gardens Books). I love these three books.



3. I have never seen some of those things available when I've done some scrounging, but the ideas to use them are pretty interesting. My favorite is the linen cabinet made from the shutter doors; you'd have to see it to understand what I mean. Having met a man who is into collecting, I thought we could use it, but so far, not. Thumb through it, see if it's for you.

5 comments about Antique Tractor Bible: The Complete Guide to Buying, Using and Restoring Old Farm Tractors (Motorbooks Workshop).

1. This is a good all-around tractor book with a lot of historical tidbits about different makes of tractors. If you are interested in one particular brand/style etc..., this may not be the book for you. If you simply like tractors, and enjoy learning reading general information about antique tractors, then this is a good addition to your book collection. It offers information on a few interesting and not so typical tractor types.



2. Whether you're a seasoned mechanic or a neophyte who doesn't know which end of the wrench to hold, Spencer Yost's Antique Tractor Bible is a comprehensive guide to buying, using and restoring antique tractors. There is enough information here, so even if you don't intend to do your own work, you'll know how things are done and why. Additionally, the author shows how to use your antique tractor and equipment. This book is not model-specific, and the author touches on many different tractors. This is a major new resource work that will become indispensable to antique tractor owners. I wish the photographs were in color, which is a minor complaint in light of the wealth of information presented.



3. This is a good all-round reference for restoring antique tractors. You expect a good discussion of "how-to" information on restoring old tractors. The book has that and many illustrations to help you understand particular repair techniques. Yost has included useful tips on nearly every page. These tips cut to the heart of the topic he's explaining. He also has a useful section on how to choose and operate your old machinery. A section on shows, demonstrations and pulls helps you find a way to show off your new pride and joy. Among the more useful information is a good section on further specialized references for particular tractor brands, and several pages listing parts sources for old machinery. Old-timers in the restoration business will appreciate the references, while beginners will benefit from basic explanations that more technical manuals assume you already know.



4. If you were going to buy just one book about tractor collecting this would be the one to buy.



5. Mr. Yost has done a fine job in researching, exhibiting and explaining the antique tractor hobby. So many details from "why should I be involved in the hobby?" to trailering your newly restored tractor to that favorite show are covered. He answers many of the questions most of us have learned the hard way and does it in such a way as to inspire, rather than to alarm. The book reaches out to one comtemplating the hobby of antique tractor restoration like a friendly, helping hand and performs as a lantern, guiding one through the other wise dark and mysterious avenues sometimes associated with the hobby. Mr. Yosts book is as essential a tool for the beginner, or those of us who have "been there, done that", as that old dog curled next to the shop stove and our grandfather's words of wisdom echoing in our mind as we scrape, clean, bang and paint these loveable machines which are our agricultural heritage. Three cheers for Mr. Yost!

5 comments about Inside the Jewelry Box: A Collector's Guide To Costume Jewelry, Identification And Values (Inside the Jewelry Box: A Collector's Guide to Costume Jewelry).

1. If you are a vintage jewelry collector by hobby or by trade, this book is a great addition to your reference library. The photos are of excellent quality showing necessary detail, and the author, Ann Mitchell Pitman, has done everyone a great service by adding some additional references of websites and organizations available for continued study. If you are an eBay shopper, I highly recommend this book so you can become familiar with the products and know the approximate values when bidding.



2. I had been collecting costume jewelry for over a decade when I discovered this treasure of a book. Immediately, I was drawn in by not only the beautiful photographs and great reference material, but by the author's writing style. She's one of those rare authors that can take the same information (not that she did) as another writer and make it her own. Her great personality and warm generous spirit shine through on every page.
   
   This is truly one of my very favorite books on costume jewelry!



3. This book covers a host of costume jewelry, better than average photos of the manufacturer's signatures or maker's marks (very important if you are a collector!), along with good descriptions and some pricing information. Included in the back of the book are copies of some of the original advertisements for some of the jewelry. Good stuff! I'd recommend this book if you are a collector.



4. Wonderful pictures! I like the way she has some jewelry shown under designer headings while she also shows groups of brooches, necklaces, etc., with various designers together. I especially like the beginning that shows the backs of designer pieces; something you don't get to see a lot in these jewelry guides. It's one of those books you take out on the porch on a nice day and go through page by page from beginning to end (for me, it was like a kid in a candy store), and by the time you get to the end, you feel much more knowledgeable about costume vintage jewelry!



5. The jewelry in this guide is mainly from the author's and apparently her friends' collections. Quite a bit of the jewelry is unidentified by company. The book is strangely organized beginning with around a dozen companies, unalphabetized, followed by sections under the headings of "Quality," "Fruits & Vegetables," "Bakelite, Lucite & Other Plastics," "Parures & Demi- Parures," "Necklaces," "Bracelets," "Brooches & Pins," "Earrings," "Rings & Things," "Pebble Jewelry," and "Guilloche." Under these headings there is no discernible organization. The book concludes with a short section on contemporary jewelry, general information on reproductions and care and repair, thirteeen pages of vintage ads, and some costume jewelry internet web sites. The strengths of this book are that the photography is pretty good and the collection of figural pieces is extensive.

2 comments about Complicated Watches and Their Repair.

1. I don't agree with the last review. This book has to be viewed as a complement, a second volume, to Practical Watch Repairing of the same author. You have to read the first book to fully understand it. If you look at this book as a second volume of the classic Practical Watch Repairing, it deserves 4 stars. It does not cover new automatic movements from the 70s and 80s, but every automatic system used by the industry is documented. Well, if you can repair an ETA or Omega from the 50s or 60s, you can repair a movement from the 80s and 90s. That's my point of view.



2. Not a very up to date book on watch repair. There are also very few pictures/diagrams available. For those wanting to buy a book about watch repair at a beginners level, I'd suggest you look elsewhere.

No comments about Organic Chemistry of Museum Objects, Second Edition (Conservation and Museology).

No comments about Materials for Conservation (Butterworths Series in Conservation and Museology) (Butterworths Series in Conservation and Museology).