3 comments about Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900 (Standard Catalog of Us Tokens, 1700-1900).

1. Put on your reading glasses and your back-brace! This updated volume (4th edition) is huge, heavy, and filled to the brim with small print and b/w pictures...but those are necessary evils considering the breadth of information covered in this book. I wondered if the $35 price would be justified and I suppose it is. There may be easier ways (e.g., on-line) to find information about individual tokens, private merchant coins and cards, commemorative US coins, campaign tokens, as well as territorial gold and silver, but for serious collectors of early American exonumia or anyone trying to identify or establish the value of an unusual US coin, this volume is indispensable. I only wish my eyes were better! I'm glad I bought the book. Beyond its usefulness as a field guide, it is chock-full of interesting historical information and trivia, making it a very cool resource for anyone curious about how commerce, politics, and territorial expansion took place in colonial and post-colonial times. It also covers the Civil War era and after, up until the turn of the 20th century. Collecting these rare coins can be a gratifying hobby. Many of the coins are quite affordable and all are interesting snapshots of the mindset of our forebears. Also, by using this guide one might discover that the weird coin or faded store card found in Grandpa's sock drawer is a unique treasure which could yield big "bucks" (an exonumia term: buckskins were used as currency in the colonial period) at the next coin show or in an online auction. I gave the book 4 stars only because there are no color pictures, even though the details of coins are often easier to see in black and white. If there were color plates, however, I might not have been able to afford to buy this book.



2. Catalog was rec'd promptly and in good condition. Contents are everything we thought it would be.



3. This is the absolute best reference book for collectors of United States Tokens and exonumia. The detailed pictures make identification easy and the index works extremely well. This is a must have for any United States coin/token collector. A++

5 comments about Occupied Japan Collectibles: Identification & Value Guide.

1. I bought this book for OJ S&Ps, but the section on S&Ps is relatively small in comparative to the total book. If one collects anything OJ it will be of interest & value, but the S&Ps in the book are found in many different S&P collector books.



2. 
   I collect older (collectible) MADE IN JAPAN and OCCUPIED JAPAN items and therefore I have quite a few books on the subject(s). This book is not complete but quite helpful. Photos are nice.
   
   Many different volumes have been written on this subject. Infact, I own many other books on this same subject.
   
   When "Occupied Japan" collectibles were issued there were sooooo many different items sold, that it would be impossible to include all of them in just one book. The author tried and did a good job though.



3. while the author gives many photographs, she lacks identifying marks for the items and in my opinion, is not correct on her values. however, she explains her process in the beginning.



4. Great value. Book was new and cheaper than market prices. The shipping was fast. I rate this transaction AAA+++



5. This identification guide to occupied Japan collectibles covers everything from dishware, teapots and salt shakers to toys and figurines, providing an excellent mix of small color photos for identification and accompanying values and history. Occupied Japan Collectibles is an essential acquisition for any interested in collecting items from occupied Japan.

2 comments about Instant Expert: Collecting Prints (Instant Expert).

1. Leila Lyons' book is an interesting and informative explanation on the world of antique orginal prints. Having known nothing about antique prints before, I felt like this book has well prepared me for buying and collecting antique prints. The book talks not only about the various print processes, artistic movements, and print values, it also provides the reader with most invaluable advice - to collect only what you love. I find this emphasis on personal interest and hobby to be a refreshing take on the otherwise exclusive antique industry, and Ms. Lyons herself gives examples of prints costing as little as $27 to as much as $27,000, so that there are prints at every price range, making them accessible to many people.
   
   Her writing style is refreshing as well, with little quips of humor and charming anecdotes - I read this in a single sitting, and felt compelled to learn more about antique prints, and to go looking for antique prints myself.



2. I became interested in collecting prints knowing relatively little about the market or why original antique prints were relevant in the art world. This book -- a clear, comprehensive, and fun overview of printmaking processes, periods, and artists -- provided me with the knowledge and I confidence I needed to begin my own collection. Now I can approach an auction, a flea market, or a gallery knowing what questions to find an original, not a reproduction, and one worth the money I pay for it. By reading this book, I've been able to develop what Ms. Lyons calls the "educated eye." My educated eye helps me to select prints not only for their aesthetic value, but also for their intrinsic value. Even if you aren't a serious collecter, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in history and the visual arts. You can learn a good deal about the artwork that essentially served as the pre-industrial revolution photograph; long before we could snap a picture or google images, artists were painstakingly engraving images of species, places and people, to share with the world.
   
   Aside from its fascinating material, the book is well organized, easy to follow, comprehensive, and even funny. I highly recommend it!

No comments about The 2006 Commemorative Stamp Yearbook (US Postal Service) (Commemorative Stamp Yearbook).

No comments about The Complete Illustrated Guide to Stamp Collecting.

5 comments about Stressfire II: Advanced Combat Shotgun.

1. "Stressfire II: Advanced Combat Shotgun" is a book on equipment and techniques. Massad Ayoob explains the difference in Chapter 24, and writes that "Stressfire II" is a book of technique-not tactics.
   
   I was fortunate enough to read this book when it first came out in 1992. One concept that hit me in the face was that the shotgun was "heavy artillery." I have a military background and I had to shift mental gears; the heaviest police weapons are the lightest military weapons. Shotguns are devastating on unarmored personnel in the open at short (hand grenade) ranges. Between pages 15 and 30, Ayoob provides a series of photographs showing what the shotgun does to human bodies and 7-yard shot patterns. The problems of shotgun retention when the bad guys try to take your gun away are addressed. Shotguns are more prone to malfunctions than the military rifles and pistols I deal with-the recommended "immediate action drill" for a jammed shotgun is dropping the gun and pulling your pistol. It won't always be an option-many people have only a shotgun, no handguns! In that case, the hand-to-hand combat techniques (using the shotgun as an impact weapon) may come in handy; they're based on military bayonet fighting techniques. In my experience, the two most-common shotgun malfunctions are short-stroking the pump gun and failing to pick up a shell from the magazine (fixed by pumping it again) and running the magazine dry (reloading fixes that). Sometimes the shot shells just hang up-which takes a few minutes to fix. Ayoob's recommendation to use a secondary weapon-even if that's simply using your shotgun as a club-makes sense in the split-second world of hand-to-hand combat. "Stressfire II" also has tips on using cover (protection from bullets) and managing the shotgun's stiff recoil. On the latter, Ayoob recommends the 20 gauge autoloading shotgun-or the then-new low-recoil "tactical buckshot."
   
   The equipment recommendations are still valid, even if some of the guns Ayoob mentions are only available second-hand, on the used gun rack. One thing that wasn't available when this book was written was an efficient white light mount for the shotgun. The gun-mounted light is for target identification and to dazzle the target-I'm sure that Ayoob teaches proper management of the shotgun-mounted light in his shooting school. "Stressfire II" is a textbook on techniques and equipment. I recommend going to a shooting school-but read the textbook first and know your equipment before going. Your school should teach both technique and tactics. "Stressfire II" can help you choose your school by showing you what techniques work and what doesn't.



2. Solid information on use of the combat/tactical shotgun. Follows the same concepts set forth in the original "Stressfire" handgun techniques.



3. Practical guide to improving shooting technique by using the stress of combat or competition situation. Where most advocate trying to overcome stress Ayoob realizes this is not always realistic.

   A highly respected police officer and shooting instructor Ayoob know of what he speaks. I found this to be one of his best written. I have been able to get quite a bit out of it to improve my shooting and hope to see more improvement with practice of his methods.




4. ...this is the best of what is out there. However I found many of the discussions did not live up to the title's name. It was simply a review of basic shotgun handling with a light touch to introductory tactics and addresses the homeowner/civilian and left out the police/military folks. Also like others he seems to fixate on the Remington 870 to the point of addressing the double feed jam which is highly unlikely (but still possible)in the Mossberg 500 since the shell trays that feed the live round to the bolt operate exactly opposite of each other. Ususally the round on the Mossberg drops to the ground.

   On page 145 he talks about the StressFire Star and references photo's that you do not see until a few chapters later on page 193/4.

   On page 158 he addresses two methods of operating the slide pump when wounded but leaves out "jacking" the firearm up vertically while holding the slide then rapidly moving the slide down and back up using the momentum of the firearm to do the work.

   There is not much out there on combat/tactical/defensive shotguns. Overall I enjoyed the book and respect the author and recommend you buy it but be aware that is somewhat dated in what accesories are available.




5. Stressfire is an excellent follow up to Ayoob's In the Gravest Exreme. In Stressfire, he covers practical methods of all aspects of gun fighting from drawing from the holster to confrontations on stairs. He takes the best of several styles and blends them into a cohesive style that anyone can use. What I liked in particular, he justifies to the reader why he does things differently from others. He points out the strengths and weaknesses of different styles and allows the reader to pick what works for him.

   I recommend this book to all those who carry a gun for defense.

5 comments about Collectors Encyclopedia of Hall China.

1. A lady I know worked in Halls china in East Liverpool Ohio, she loves looking at the book and telling stories about the plant and the time she worked there. She has a lot of the china and I find myself collecting it. This book is a great help, and I am very thankful to have found it.



2. This is a must have for Hall China enthusiasts. The format is clear and easy to follow. There is so much great information with pictures and pricing info. for a wide variety of Hall China pieces. I carry the book with me whenever I am shopping at Antique Stores looking for Hall China.



3. The edition is as complete a guide for the mian lines of Hall China as you can probably find, however I think the photo layout and quality were better int he previous version.



4. The Whitmyers obviously worked for years and simply produced "The Informative Reference" to the wonderful Hall China Company and its long production of products. If you love Hall China, this is the book that you HAVE to have in your library. Packed with facts, photos, information found nowhere else but in this volume. Through the help of dealers, collectors and friends; they were able to show Hall's artistry and employee craftsmanship at its finest.
   The color photos pop from the pages as the digital up-to-date photo process allows for this volume. It is so wonderful to see so much Hall China and accessories one might never have a chance to see otherwise if it were not included in this book. Hats off to the Whitmyers and all those who allowed them to photograph such fabulous collections.



5. This is one of the best collector reference books I have ever seen. It is laid out in an easy to read and refer format and the pictures are fantastic. It contains well over 100 pages on teapots alone. Descriptions are clear, interesting and well written.

   This is a perfect addition to the Hall China or teapot collector's library.

2 comments about Tactical Small Arms Of The 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Small Arms From Around the World.

1. Questo libro è utile per riconoscere un' arma quando viene vista in un documentario o in un film, le descrizioni sono un po' sintetiche e le foto di non grande qualità. Comunque considerato il prezzo di Amazon, per noi italiani si può acquistare...



2. This book contains some very useful and interesting information about current tactival small arms. However, it does have some significant flaws. This book is black and white but the photos are not good. Many photos (about 40%) in this book are unclear. I had saw these photos in internet. I think that these photos are just direct copies from internet. These photos are just printed by poor computer printer and no professional treatment.
   Many books about small arm are in my collection, but this one is out. I wish it will be better in next edition.

3 comments about Warman's Star Wars Field Guide: Values And Identification.

1. This is perhaps Mr. Wells' best Star Wars book yet. It's cleverly modeled after a the type of field guide used by bird watchers. It's very small (five inches tall, four inches wide, and a little over one inch thick), and contains a great SAMPLE of full-color images on high-quality semi-gloss paper. For example, there is at least one sample images -- and usually even more -- of each card type from the original Star Wars action figure line (Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Power of the Force, Droids, and Ewoks). There are also sample images of most of the new carded figures from the 1990s all the way up to 2004. And that's not all... There are sample images for dozens of other items, too! Vintage examples include loose figures, 12" figures, Topps trading cards, comic books, vehicles, playsets, lunchboxes, glasses, etc.. Newer items include Lego, Hallmark ornaments, and newer trading cards, comic books, etc..
   
   That said, this book is NOT, nor was it designed to be, even close to 100% comprehensive with regard to images (it just gives you a sample image or two of each type of item so you will be able to identify something when you come across it). But, it DOES include fairly comprehensive lists of most items in most genres (both vintage and new), and a pretty reasonable price guide for each item it lists (I'm not a big fan of price guides, but the prices in this book are at least as good as any other I've seen).
   
   It is not the best or most comprehensive Star Wars collectable book out there (if that's what you want, I recommend John Kellerman's Star Wars Vintage Action Figures: A Guide for Collectors). But, that book costs a lot more and you can't and wouldn't want to carry it around with you. This Star Wars Field Guide contains tons of photos and valuable information in a small, high-quality package.



2. this is a great book i love it and its very interesting! Great information and pricing !



3. This book is not as complete as "Tomart's Price Guide to Worldwide Star Wars Collectibles", but it is far more useful as a pure pricing guide than Beckett's "Official Price Guide to Star Wars Memorabilia". It's small (about 4" x 5") but contains over 500 pages, including 250 color photos.
   
   The items are arranged clearly and logically into 20 categories, with brief but useful introductory paragraphs alerting you to important background about each category. A very handy pocket reference tool to carry with you when attending a trading convention, flea market, or anywhere else you're looking to buy or sell Star Wars memorabilia.

2 comments about The New York Times Guide to Coin Collecting: Do's, Don'ts, Facts, Myths, and a Wealth of History.

1. ...and found it to be excellent, it is THE definitive coin book INHO. And is most certainly not short on details. As for the two grading services...they are absolute industry standards, of course they are the ones discussed. To tell prospective purchasers to "get the book from the library instead" is...well I found such advice to be unpleasant.



2. I'm new to coin collecting so I think I'm probably the target audience. Although he covered a lot of ground, I felt it was quite short on detail. For example, he really only examines 2 of the grading services, so I still don't know how all the others compare. I'd borrow it, enjoy the easy to read style, take a few notes, and then spend my money on an other one. Which one, I don't know.