2 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Barbie Dolls and Collectibles.

1. I have a substantial collection of reference books about Barbie doll and her world, but I simply COULD NOT do without this book! It is the most complete, chronological breakdown of Barbie & family dolls and that I have found. This book, in combination with Marcie Melillo's "The Barbie Book", will help the beginner and even the advanced collector to identify just about any Barbie family doll from any early (60's & 70's, primarily) era. It even goes into detail about dolls offered in successive years, and the differences in their manufacture, so that, for one example, you can tell to WHICH year your specific Growin' Pretty Hair Francie, a doll offered over a few years in the early 70's, belongs. The text accompanying the many, many photos is succinct and easy to understand, and while many photos are in black-and-white, there are quite a few pages of color photos as well, which detail much of Barbie's clothing across those early years. Well-executed, altogether. One might expect just such an excellent guide from Sibyl DeWein, who was a major player in the Barbie collectibles world until her death just a few years ago. I bought the book because she was a name of such renown & had written it (with a co-author/collector), and I was and am pleased to have it.



2. This is a must for anyone who collects vintage Barbies and related items. It contains information and prices from the first Barbie starting with 1957 to 1976. It has all marks from those times. Also, pictures with information each year, which dolls were released and what clothes they were wearing. They have a year by year section, with information on other Mattel dolls, Ken, Midge and other rare ones. This is the most informative Barbie book I've read.

1 comments about Turn-of-the-Century Farm Tools and Implements (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. In 1898 Henderson and Company created an illustrated trade catalog advertising tools, fertilizers and gardening equipment: this reprints a very rare volume which will intrigue social historians and any with an interest in early American history. Many an antiques collector will also find this useful, including over six hundred black and white illustrations of farm tools.

4 comments about The Book of Fine Linen (Book Of...).

1. Linen was once an elegant showing of a family's wealth. This book is filled with the history of linen. It is throughly documented with detailed indices. Translated from French, the details provided and pictures are glorious. Turning the pages is a true historical lesson in how linen was created, embellished, and used during times past. The use of lace and embroidery is stunning. I marvel at the complexity of the designs and when I sit with my needle and thread under a magnifying glass and high powered lamp I am in awe of the early needleworkers toiling away without the assistance of these tools. The book soothes me and transports me to another time. This is one of my favorite books in my personal library.



2. This seductive book is more than an excellent history of fine linen. It is a sensuous and seductively, elegant book! The author, Francoise de Bonneville give the reader more than a lesson on the history of textiles. She presents us with some of the most extrodinary examples of bed linens, tablecloths and napkins. Apart from the excellent section on the social history and care of fine linen, she presents detailed information about the various types of linens used, fibers, color, and weaves. The must sumptous commissions were the set of bedsheets created for American Heiress Barbara Hutton. These pink sheets were made out of silk and trimmed with point de Paris lace, fouteeen inches wide, Which was made by d'Porthault & Co. Examples of the two major Italian linen firms, Frette and Pratesi are also well represented. I agree with my fellow reviewer. This is an excellent gift for a bride; but don't be surprised to learn that men would be just as likely to buy this book as women. It is worth every Dollar!



3. This book, written with a forward by the Porthaults (who better to comment on fine linens?), is wonderful and I highly recommend it, price notwithstanding. This book is translated from the French and inlcudes: a history of linens, from chintz to damask; a glossary of embroidery stitches and styles with notations of illustrations throughout the book; and photographs of the finest linens in the world (including many made by the Porthaults). This book is very large and would make such a lovely gift for anyone who collects linens or who does fine embroidery.



4. This book, translated from the French, is beautifully beguiling in its phrasing. Relates the history and techniques of the production and embroidery of exquisite linens. Photographs are handsome and even the dust cover is worth framing. Makes a great reference book as well as entertaining reading. One of my all time favorites

5 comments about Aprons: Icons Of The American Home.

1. As a quilter and vintage fabric lover I found this book to be a beautiful feast. The photos are large and clear, all aprons shown are displayed over period dresses, or on their own. This book is fabulous for collectors, or people like me that love to recreate vintage designs. I hope aprons come back, but even if they don't I will still wear them. This book is very timely, and it does deserve five stars. One word of cation, it isn't a pattern book, there are no projects, or patterns. It is simply aprons, in all their glory. A great coffee table book!



2. This book is full of large, colorful photos of many beautiful aprons. It is also filled with pertinent information for anyone interested in vintage aprons. Reading it makes me feel "home again." I've been an apron collector for years, and I had the opportunity to view Ms. Cheney's apron exhibit in my town's museum recently. It was fabulous! This book is my new favorite! Thanks, Ms. cheney!



3. Aprons & Icons is for vintage clothing fans and for those who have a warm spot in their hearts for the unsung heros of the wardrobe. Documenting everything from groovy '60's styles to early 1900's workaday models, the book is well researched and beautifully presented. It makes a great gift. Each time I open it I discover something new.



4. I just loved Joyce Chaney's book, Aprons:Icons of the American Home. It is the only book to date on the history of the american apron. The photographs are beautiful and the content is complete. Every page brings a memory of mom, grandmother or an aunt. This is a must for anyone interested in american icons, aprons or vintage clothing.



5. This book will take you back through vivid memories of aprons for cooking, home, and just fun. It also inspires a fashion sense because these aprons are timeless and fit today's world as much as yesterday's. Thank you Mme. Cheney for a great book and one that fills a void in the history of fashion and textiles.

No comments about The Great Collections (Modern Custom Knives).

No comments about Louis Vuitton: The Art of the Automobile.

2 comments about Warman's Beatles Field Guide: Values And Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. Bought this for a stocking stuffer for Christmas. My husband, a huge Beatles fan, loves it. My teenage son, another Beatles fan, covets it. If I had known how much they would like it, I would've bought two of them. They are particularly interested in old vinyl records. This doesn't list them all, but it is still a handy reference guide for the items it does list. Note that it only lists US record releases, not the UK records. Though it has its limits, it was a great little stocking stuffer for the price (68 cents plus shipping). Beware that, though this item was advertised by a marketplace seller as "used, like new", it did have a marker stripe across the bottom of the book. Didn't bother us, but it isn't quite "like new" for those giving it as a gift to discriminating recipients!



2. This pocket guide to Beatles collectibles is a handy reference for those wishing to value their own collections or add to them. I learned that my copy of Vee Jay's "Introducing the Beatles" album will not be funding my retirement, since it is in fact a counterfeit. The section on U.S. Beatles releases is useful; clear instructions are given for discriminating among the many variations that exist.
   
   The most annoying feature of the guide is a doltish essay by one Chris Nickson. This uninformed commentator goes on about the importance of "George's" "Baby, You're a Rich Man." You don't have to be steeped in Fab Four lore to know that this is a Lennon-McCartney song. How did this error make it through Editorial? It undermines the Guide's credibility. Nickson goes on to archly dismiss most of the Beatles' music. "Get Back" is "not worth the vinyl." Get this guy out of the 2nd edition, if there is one.
   
   The book's other essays are also superfluous. Why include an article about the Moptops' solo careers when the Guide does not cover albums and merchandise from that period? I wish the section on British LPs, allegedly brief due to space constraints, had been expanded; omitting those essays would have freed up a lot of space.
   
   This book, while not masterful, is nevertheless useful for the many of us who don't know whether we own treasures or trash. Buy it, consult its tables of price information, but don't read it.

3 comments about Children's Picturebook Price Guide, 2006-2007: Finding, Assessing, & Collecting Contemporary Illustrated Books.

1. I just received this meaty (the size of a small town phone book!) guide, and was very impressed with the layout and scope. As a collector (and seller) of quality modern children's books, I have found most price guides of collectible books in any genre to be less than what I wanted in terms of accessibility of the information. This guide, however, starts with well-written chapters on the history of Children's Illustrated books, why and how to collect, how to identify first editions, and many other juicy morsels ("flashpoints" in bookseller jargon). While some of the information might not be new to me, it is presented as a whole which makes sense.
   
   What I did find disappointing was errors in the main body of the book: the price guide, organized by illustrator's name. On just a quick browse, I flipped to about a dozen illustrators whom I collect, and TWO of them had titles omitted from the list. This was surprising to me, since this book was published so recently, and the books are readily available on major online venues. A simple search on the illustrator's name will yield this information.
   
   Of course, any guide of this scope will have small errors. I have only been collecting in this area for the last 6 years, so I hoped the author's combined experience and resources would far exceed what I could reasonably research on my own.
   
   The authors started from scratch in this effort to create a Price Guide for modern (since 1930) Illustrated children's books, and what they achieved is a fabulously accessible guide to the why's and how's of collecting these exciting bits of our collective childhoods. While I did find errors in the price guide, the layout was very well designed and easy to browse or to zero in on specific information.
   
   I hope the book sells well enough to allow for a second edition... and that anyone else, like me, who finds errors, can contribute to making the next edition a much more accurate reference.



2. Children Picturebook Price Guide: Finding, Assessing, & Collecting Contemporary Illustrated Books is a straightforward guide for book buyers and book sellers, featuring current market prices for over 22,000 illustrated children's books, including Caldecott Medal and Honor books that are individually worth over a thousand dollars. Though the majority of Children Picturebook Price Guide is a straightforward price catalog, the first one hundred pages also discuss such topics as how to identify first edition books, particularly Caldecott Medal books and Dr. Seuss books, where to find first edition picturebooks, key factors affecting a book's value, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for serious picturebook collectors, and a very useful guide to booksellers searching for hidden paper gold.



3. Finally there's a book that details the history and reason why children books are a great collector's item. The easy to read format makes my trips to the used book stores, antique shops and yard sales that much more exciting.
   This has been an outstanding reference for me to review my collection, and suggest what gaps I need to fill to better enjoy my collection.

2 comments about Church Vestments: Their Origin and Development.

1. Like all of Norris's books (that I know of, anyway), all works of art are reproduced by hand rather than as photos, so they should be taken with a grain of salt, as usual. He meticulously goes through the various pieces of liturgical garments.
   
   On the other hand, having purchased the book to help me with a historical nun costume, I was disappointed to find almost nothing - just one picture and a few sentences that I could find.



2. This book describes in detail the history of church vestments and their origin in detail.It can be very helpful for church research.

1 comments about Eisenhower - Anthony: Dollars (Official Whitman Coin Folder).

1. Whitman Coin Folders, the industry standard in coin housing, offers another solid coin folder designed to house Eisenhower Dollars from 1971-1978 and Susan B. Anthony Dollars from 1979-1981. Be warned, that the book does not include the latest information on the 1999 release of the Anthony dollars, however, there is space in the book to write them in.