3 comments about Ultimate Doll Book.

1. 
   I would consider this book a coffee table book. Why??...Because the photos are like the larger photos used in basic coffee table books. Nothing wrong with that, but this book just skims over the various doll categories. Thus, it is a basic doll book with lovely photos, & great for beginner doll collectors.



2. Doll collectors and fans will find Caroline Goodfellow's Ultimate Doll Book to be a fine, colorful guide showcasing more than 400 dolls ranging from 18th century simple peg woodens, to 19th century French fashion dolls, down through today's Barbie & Ken. Chapters are packed with color images and even more important, provide portraits of the dolls clothed and unclothed along with identification tips based on structural details. From rag dolls to baby dolls and national dolls, this is packed with insights.



3. And she says:

   This is a good visual reference book, especially if you are a collector of dolls 100 years old (and older). The beautiful wood dolls on page 10 are from the late 1600's - I think a museum would have something like that, but not me. The book is divided into 11 chapters, based on the material the doll is made of, or unusual subject matter such as who they depict. The funniest page is called Patriotic Character Dolls, with all the photos depicting Political Figures (men) from 1890-1918.

   The text is somewhat sparse, but the photos are stunning. It seems that every page has color photos on it, making this a good buy for an "art book". As an amateur collector, I do not feel that the information in the book is adequate for me to identify a valuable antique from a reproduction.

   There are interesting suggestions for restoration, so this book would be a good addition to a museum curator's reference library if your museum has old dolls to display.

   This book is for adults, and its reading level is too advanced for children under 12.

5 comments about American Dollhouses and Furniture from the 20th Century: With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book filled my burning desire to know everything about dollhouses & furniture from the last 50 years. There are no gaps of missing information or omitions of important items in this detailed and comprehensive book. Quite a relief after seeing an army of inadequate collector books flood the market. I'll have hours of fun reading this. My only complaint is some of the photos are dark or of poor color quality. I want to view these things in their full glory.



2. This book is jam-packed with useful info, great pictures, and a very enjoyable writing style. I found myself constantly saying "I had that -- I remember that -- my friend had that one!" The book has been my constant companion ever since it arrived. What's more, it has sparked a new interest in collecting the old tin litho houses from the 50s and 60s -- items I had all but forgotten when I moved on to 1" scale wood miniatures. Thank you for a truly remarkable book, one which many of my friends will be enjoying, too.



3. Zillner has actually answered burning questions I've had on dollhouses and their furnishings. This is by far the BEST reference I've seen in 25 years of collecting. I highly recommend the book.



4. Informative, well written, well illustrated. If you're a collector, this book is a great reference.



5. After searching for a reference book of this type for many months, I finally discovered this book through the internet. I have over 50 collectible reference books in my library and this one I would rate at the very top. A comprehensive, beautifully photographed, helpful reference guide.

2 comments about Barbie Doll Collector's Handbook.

1. This book was great. It's concise, and provides very useful information for Barbie doll collectors. Excellent book to read especially if you're new to Barbie doll collecting.



2. The information of a large book and handy for its size

2 comments about Barbie the First 30 Years 1959 Through 1989: An Identification and Value Guide.

1. I've had this book for years and look at it often. the European dolls pictured are not seen in most other guides . I wish some of the photos were better and that the color was more true to life in them but I can't fault her research or her doll knowledge. I don't know this author like I do Jim or Michael or Joe so this is a legit review and not done out of kindness but the guys i mentioned are top notch too and don't need friendship reviews either



2. There's not a lot of printed information in this book, it's mostly pictures, but I absolutely LOVE this book. The pictures are great, & they come in handy if you need something to refer to, say for auction information (buying or selling). I highly recommend this book if it's pictures of vintage items you're after, you won't be disappointed!

1 comments about 12 INCH FIGURINES: Soldiers of the Second World War (Histoire & Collections: Action Figures and Toys).

1. I reluctantly gave this book 4 stars because of the English translation. Want to turn your GI Joe into a museum piece? The Fort Lewis (Washington state) Military Museum has many 12-inch figures on display to represent soldiers of different eras. "Second World War And 12-Inch Action Figures" is a how-to guide on turning 1:6th-scale action figures from Dragon, 21st Century, and Blue Box Toys into museum minatures. I have a minor complaint about the American soldier shown on pages 64 and 65--the sling on his M1903 Springfield rifle is attached to the stacking swivel instead of the forward sling swivel. I can't gripe much--the original GI Joe made the same mistake with the M1 rifle! Another minor glich is calling a 75mm recoiless rifle (page 4) a 57mm recoiless rifle. Even so, the advice on modelling tools and techniques and the photos and descriptions of the finished figures made for an entertaining read. I may even be able to use some of these techniques.

3 comments about Dolls and Teddy Bear Department : Memorable Catalog Pages from the Legendary Sears Christmas Wishbooks of the 1950s and 1960s, Volume I (Doll & Teddy Bear Department).

1. 
   Just as the previous commnetator stated, this book does not contain all the SEARS Wishbook catalog photo from the 1950's-60's.
   
   However, since I only purchased this VOLUME ONE, it could be that VOLUME TWO had more Sears catalog photos, ---those not shown in this Volume ONE.
   
   I still enjoyed this book though, for it's historical value. As also stated by the previous commentator, this book is not really a DOLL & TEDDY BEAR Value book, but rather, it is more a book that compiles some of the 1000's of Sears catalog photos from their CHRISTMAS Catalog.



2. Having gotten your attention, I think this is a fun book BUT the buyer should be aware that it does not represent the complete pages of dolls in each year of the Sears catalogs. If you are doing research on vintage dolls, this book will not serve you well AT ALL. It lists only a few of the dolls pages from the catalog, and it isn't clear what method the author's used to decide which to include and which to exclude. On the other hand if you just want a book for a bit of nostalgia, it is indeed a fun look at dolls from yesteryear.



3. This book is AWESOME!!! I've had it for over a week now and haven't put it down. If you are a doll collector, this is definitely better than the other book "Girls Toys of the 50's and 60's" This book is primarilly all dolls, not kitchen sets, costumes, games, etc.! Although it is in black and white, the pictures are very clear and definitely help in identifying original dolls, outfits, and accessories. I'm going to also buy "Girls Toys of the 70's and 80's", but I wish they also had a DOLL ONLY book for that time period. Anyway, if you collect dolls from the 50's and 60's, this book is just GREAT!

3 comments about Barbie: What a Doll! (Tiny Folio).

1. I am almost 14 and i love collecting barbie i always look at this book because it one of my favorites



2. The book is divided in ocassions, and the fashion that barbie has for each. I has both modern and vintage fashions. But it does not give the name of the fashions or the dolls in the pictures, so if you like it and want to find it , you can't. And in some vintage outfits I saw accesories misplaced or missing. All the book is pictures (well taken, bright and beautiful ones). The introduction is "barbie" talking.
   I would not recomend to buy it, it has no purpose, if you like a fashion you have to buy another book to identify it. It would have been great if the names for the thins where given.



3. This comprehensive book of Barbie's outfits is fun to look at, and I couldn't put it down for hours. If you enjoy fashion, you will never put this book down. This book is well-organized, with sections for evening wear, casual wear, etc. If you love Barbie, I really recommend this book!

1 comments about Dolls: And Why We Love Them.

1. The title and cover illustration of "Dolls and Why We Love Them" compelled me to pick it up. I then could not put it down because the illustrations so beautifully portray why I love dolls. Vintage paintings of children and their dolls fill the pages of this short book with nostalgia and idealistic images of children caring for their beloved companions.

   The text rises to the stories told by the paintings with short prose and poetry sections based on different themes introduced throughout the book. The text is not a deep or lengthy look at why we love dolls, but the sentimentality well reflects the emotional tone of why we love dolls. This quick read is a treasure that will be picked up again and again by those doll collectors who love their dolls.

2 comments about Collector's Guide to Celebrity Dolls: Identification & Values.

1. I thought the book was ok and there were lots of pictures but about 400 not 950 as the other reviewer wrote. I wish there would have been more information, it's mainly a picture book. There's lots of newer dolls but not enough old dolls. Not what I expected. I would have liked to see more background and info on the dolls and characters. It was fun looking through the pictures though. Prices were pretty true, gave a good range.



2. Hot off the presses is this brand new 2002 volume, complete with 224 pages filled with large, full color, sharp photos of every type of celebrity doll. Prices seem to be up-to-date. There are over 950 great photos!! There's not a lot of text, but descriptions are complete. Major topics include, TV stars, movie stars, actors and actresses, musical groups and singers, entertainers, historical figures, sports stars, bibilical characters, circus stars and more. Celebrity doll collectors will be delighted with this soft-bound book. 630

5 comments about Crissy Family Encylopedia.

1. Can't imagine why any collector and lover of fine dolls would not love this great book.
   I can't say enough good things about Carla Cross' Crissy Encyclopedia. Not only is this wonderful book a sturdy hardback edition, Carla's professional writing style will delight seasoned collector's and "newbies" alike and seems to speak most to that little girl in us that first loved and cherished our dolls in childhood. It's diametrically different from the "other Crissy book" so try it out! Carla is an very accomplished author in many fields, and her work is a refreshing change from those "I, me ,mine" typical vanity-press publications. You'll love it!



2. When I buy doll collector books, I try to make sure they have everything I need to know about the doll in them. Sadly, such was not the case with this book. It had many nice pictures, but as far as being complete and usefull, I'd say it leaves much wanting.



3. Hi - Wanted to clarify a question on the Green Eyed Velvet. Some Velvet dolls had Kerry - colored (or other) green eyes substituted in the factory, in place of her usual purple eyes. It is not unheard of for a company to, very occassionally, substitute a different item during the manufacture of a doll. But it was a very rare occurrence, making the doll a rarity. This is what makes collecting fun! On the other hand, many Velvet dolls had eyes that oxidized to a greenish color, but when plastic eyes oxidize, the color is never uniform and the color is not a true, vibrant green - like Kerry's. To determine whether a Velvet's eyes are oxidized green, or are a true factory sbstitution, the eyes has to be taken apart and cleaned. If the eye remains green after cleaning, it is a true factory substitution. The oxidized eyes will become purple again after cleaning. There have been Velvet dolls who's eyes have been taken out, cleaned, and found to be genuine factory substitutions. These are the dolls that the book refers to. Thanks to the Expert that had the question - Carla Marie Cross



4. This is truly a wonderful book for any collector to own. The photos are sensational and the information far reaching. It has many hi-lights such as personal stories, redressing hints and fab M.I.P photos which clearly show all original accessories. It also shows the back of the original clothes cards with the kicky illustrations that had young children clamouring for more. The warmth and humour that flows thru this book is indicative of someone that truly loves and appreciates these dolls and not that of a megalomaniac who thinks they have the only information in the world. This book is a must for any collector.



5. This book has absolutely beautiful Crissy family pictures. I think a new collector would be in awe and an established collector would be keeping their wish list growing! Filled with interesting information too!