5 comments about Master Pieces: The Curator's Game.

1. Stimulating book - took me back to days as an art student. Enjoyed very much.Purchased as a result of borrowing the book from the local library.
   Excellent.



2. Thomas Hoving was the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a decade (1967-77). He presents the humble public with this shining book/game with obvious love and appreciation of its contents.
   
   He starts off by recounting how every week during the long coffee breaks at the MET, a select person would bring in photographs taken of certain details from various famous (and not-so famous) works of art. It was then the pleasure of the art buffs in the room to discern just where it was they'd seen those images. There were easy details, there were mind-bending details. They came to call this the "Curator's Game."
   
   Equally as entertaining are Hoving's assorted thoughts and interesting side-notes on the works. He never shies away from providing his own opinions. For instance the clue from a Renaissance piece on pg.28 reads that the artist's women "had a softness that his rival Michelangelo never achieved."
   
   The first half of the book has all of the details along with their respective clues. You'll find angels and men, dogs and instruments as it winds down to incredibly difficult background images. The second half houses all of the paintings from which the details were taken along with a brief description and examination of them. And don't fret, if you fear you won't be able to find them all, Mr. Hoving has been kind enough to provide us with an answer key.
   
   As has been written by others, this would make a wonderful gift. It also proved a great way to pass the time on a rainy day. Recommended for my part.



3. Former curator of the MET introduces us to the "classic" curator game of showing small samples (pieces) from famous works of art and trying to determine the artist and name of the piece. The curator who won (the master of the days pieces) would get a free cup of coffe for the week. We only get the satisfaction of knowing our art. Along with the satisfaction though is the honing of your art identity skills and an overall increase in your awareness of art. From Giotto to Hockney the 'test' covers 57 masterpieces from 700 years of western art. The pictures are used more then once so you really need to know your art to get them all right. The end of the book has a quick bio and review of the masterpiece.
   
   My only complaint would be the book is a little small, Hoving talks about using the book to study the details of the pieces yet some of the pictures are only 2x3 inches, makes seeing the detail tough.
   
   Strongly recommended for anyone interested in western art. As this book assumes a basic knowledge of art, I would not recommend for an art novice looking for an intro to art.



4. This is a wonderful book for art buffs and and novices alike. As Hoving says in the introduction, it's based off of a game that curators often played together at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each identification "challenge" comes with a brief biography of the artist and unusual fact/perspective on the piece or its depiction, and the book's unique format helps me remember (and want to share) everything I learn. It's great for dinner parties, long car-rides, or just curling up with on your own to sharpen your eye for art. It makes the perfect gift-- I'd recommend it to anyone!



5. Pick up this book for fifteen seconds and you won't put it down. It immediately got me involved with its "curator's game" of showing small details of great art-and then challenging me to match the details to a famous artist and the complete painting. Where had I seen those haunting eyes before? What story is being told by the reflections in the small mirror? When you turn to the complete paintings in the back of the book, and see how the piece fits into the masterpiece, you learn a lesson that will stay with you for a long time. The lesson: Look carefully at all parts of a painting instead of just standing back and admiring the work as a whole. It's true that "God is in the details," so this book encourages you to relish and delight in those details.

5 comments about Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years: Identification & Values (Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years).

1. I love this book. It's colorful and informative. It was much cheaper than the book store. It arrived in excellent condition.



2. This book goes everywhere with me! I've bought a lot of reference books, and it's definitely one of the best.



3. THIS BOOK IS NOT ONLY A NECESSITY TO USE TO KNOW THE VALUE OF ANTIQUE GLASSWARE, IT SO INTERESTING JUST TO BROWSE THROUGH WITH ALL THE COLORFUL GLASSWARE AND ITEMS YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS AND SOME I'VE NEVER SEEN. I'VE REALLY ENJOYED LOOKING AT THIS BOOK OVER AND OVER AGAIN.



4. An excellent resource superior to their book on Oven Ware. I would highly recommend. Lots of pictures and values.



5. I have been using Florence's books for research and pricing. What a world of help and knowledge!!!I recommend this book for those, like me, who are new and need a helping hand and guidance as well as for those who have been in the business for years. My thanks!!!

3 comments about Cartier.

1. A history and analysis of Cartier : jewels in modern time. The world impact of Cartier's creators. Images of the best neclaces, tiaras, rings and horloges. A piece of art in itself. Very well written. manoel barros da motta



2. This is in my modest opinion the best book about Cartier. Amazing photos with fine text. Much more than the classic coffee table book. Offers insight into the most important periods of Cartier, the designs and the artistic talents of their creators. Biographies of the artists of the famous jewelry house, recent history, famous clients and how the businesses got started. The photos are wonderful; I only wish there were more of them. A MUST!



3. I think that this book is a great resource for anyone who is a jewelry student or just in love with very fine jewelry. While the book does focus more on the lives of the three Cartier brothers, there are many great pictures of their jewelry as well. I think this book is well worth the money.

3 comments about The Skateboard Art of Jim Phillips.

1. I bought this book based on the two other reviews on Amazon but when I received it i was a little disappointed. It wasn't exactly what I expected. I wasn't very familiar with Jim Phillips' art before this book. I own other skateboard art books, but this kind of art is too busy for me. If you're a fan of Jim Phillips' art then I guess this book is for you, but it wasn't exactly my taste.



2. I think there is a big difference between this book and the Skateboard and rock poster book. This book comes with full blown pages of closeups of all of or most of Jim's artwork. I'm a hobby artist myself so I'm really jazzed up about this book. Another book to get that is rather intresting is Disposable which covers different skateboard companies and riders but you will be happy with this book here.



3. Jim Phillips is finally stepping out from the obscurity of his drawing board to take a bow for the countless skating design innovations for which he is solely responsible. The skateboarding, surfing and rock & roll art of the last 30 years was trailblazed by this softspoken and humble artuer and the rest if the world has been playing catch-up ever since. Any skater who grew up riding in the 70s, 80s and 90s had these designs plastered on every wall of their bedroom as well as the decks of their boards. The ripples started in Santa Cruz, CA but have radiated out to impact the art worlds of Europe, Japan and Canada. Check out Jim's other 2 books on Rock Art and Surf/Skate art, too! AWESOME!

3 comments about Vintage Guns: Collecting, Restoring, & Shooting Classic Firearms.

1. A book full of interesting information and beautiful color photos, mainly for English shotguns. Very readable, with the contents arranged in a rather original way. The book needs an alphabetical index at the end.



2. As a dealer who specializes in upper end shotguns, I think I know more than the average sportsman about shotguns... BUT... I was amazed at the ammount of great info in this book. VERY READABLE. If you have any interest in quality side by side shotguns - get it!!!



3. this is an excellent book worthy of any gun book collection; however, it is exactly the same book as Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot. Buy one but not both.

5 comments about The Art of Rigging.

1. Requires a basic knowledge of ship's rigging to be useful; but for the modeller, it is an excellent reference work for specifics of the rigging of various blocks,pendants, etc. it even tells your how to build-up specific types of rigging.
   Not a good primary reference but is good as additional information.



2. The book does not go into great detail, but does give an excellent idea of how square-riggers were rigged. It is more of an historical document than it is a descriptive analysis of how such ships were rigged and should be bought on that basis.



3. I feel this book would benefit a teacher instructing a studient, or an ex-sailor; like my husband. I had to ask for his help. I am re-searching old sailing methods and the Art of Rigging is beneficial for this purpose.



4. This book is brilliant. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the rigging of ships. Perhaps not so useful in the real world today, but full of great information and lots of practical knowledge should you find yourself stranded on a Nineteenth Century bark with no one else who understands rigging. Also beneficial for those who enjoy building ship models. A very excellent volume to have on your home library shelves with which to impress your friends and neighbors, too. Buy it, you won't be disappointed.



5. When you open the pages of "The Art of Rigging," you step back in time over two hundred years. The language herein is that of mariners of the days of wooden ships. You must learn the language to fully appreciate the treasure that is this book.
   The author or, more properly, reviser, Captain George Biddlecombe, Royal Navy, died in 1878. This book, first published in 1848 by another author, Charles Wilson, was based on a rigging manual published in 1794. It was again revised and published in 1925.
   If you are expecting modern terms, word usage, and grammar, forget it! This is the real stuff, exactly as done and recorded by the men of the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
   If you are expecting an easy read on the order of "Dick & Jane and Their Dog Spot," forget it! This book is hard work, even the pictures can be difficult, but it is a varitable gold mine of information if you're willing to dig.
   Here is a quotation that I found particularly opaque until I translated it into modern English: "Burton pendants are triced up by the girtlines, and placed over the top-mast-head, that the thimbles may hang on each side, to hook the burton-tackles in."
   Poetry! I leave it to you to perform your own translation!
   If you believe that there is no gain without pain, this book is for you. If you want your pablum spoon-fed to you, you'd best be advised to buy a plastic model.(...)

5 comments about The Expert's Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins: Secrets Of Success.

1. This book is EXTREMELY thorough. However, as a newcomer to numismatics, it was a tough one for me, as it seems the author already presupposes a fair amount of knowledge of coin-collecting jargon on the part of the reader (to be fair, perhaps it's my fault for not taking the "EXPERT'S" part of the title literally.)
   
   I highly recommend this book if you already have some basic knowledge in the field. However, for genuine neophytes like myself, it would be better to get the basics from a source geared to beginners first (maybe COIN COLLECTING FOR DUMMIES.) I think this book would then be much more understandable and enjoyable.



2. --
   "The Expert's Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins" is definitely worth reading. It is autobiographical and contains the secrets of his 60 years of success as collector, investor, numismatist, grader, dealer, auctioneer, ANA board member, and author.
   
   Cramming six decades of numismatic life experiences into a single book is tough, requiring mental and spiritual strength. Doing this in a comprehensive, coherent and organized manner is unquestionably a laborious, taxing, onerous, and difficult task. Such a demanding project could only be achieved by the formidable Q. David Bower.
   
   Mr. Bower is one of the most prolific numismatic writers of all time, he has written over 30 books and numerous articles and columns.This is by far the most important of his works and possibly the best ever, the quality of information & wide-ranging content makes it the cream of the crop, flower of the flock, pick of the bunch --whatever you want to call it.
   
   It is full of valuable expertise, candid story telling, dealer & auctioneer trade secrets, smart buying and selling techniques and recommendations, and detailed descriptions of every US coin by type, complete with a close focus on: Rarity, Grading, Quality, and Value of coins. It also includes his recommendations and insights on Conferences, Life & Internet Auctions, Library, Protection and Conservation of Coins, Tokens, Medals, and Paper Money.
   
   Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I Recommend this Book.
   
   See my other reviews.
   
   
   
   Official A.N.A. Grading Standards for United States Coins
   High Profits from Rare Coin Investment
   A California Gold Rush history: Featuring the treasure from the S.S. Central America : a source book for the Gold Rush historian and numismatist
   A Guide Book Of Us Morgan Silver Dollars: A Complete History and Price Guide (Official Red Book) (Official Red Book)
   The History of United States Coinage
   The United States Gold Coin Collection
   Silver Dollars and Trade Dollars of the United States: A Complete Encyclopedia
   The Numismatist's Bedside Companion (The Numismatist's Companion Series)
   A Guide Book of Modern United States Proof Coin Sets: A Complete History and Price Guide (Official Red Book)
   The Inside Story Of The State Quarters (Official Whitman Guidebook)
   A Guide Book of U.S. Commemorative Coins (The Official Red Book)
   Coin Dealer Newsletter: A Study in Rare Coin Price Performances
   American Coin Treasures & Hoards
   Recollections of a Mint Director



3. I read "Gold Rush: How to Collect, Invest & Profit With Gold Coins" by Mitch Battino and Arlyn Sieber (see my review of that book) prior to reading this book by Q. David Bowers. I'm glad I did because while the Gold Rush book was a very big disappointment, it made me realize just how truly good Mr. Bowers book is.
   
   I have to be honest, coin books are generally NOT books that you read from beginning to end and find that you can't put down. This book is an exception - I couldn't put it down and I read the entire book from beginning to end.
   
   Although I've been collecting for years, one thing I enjoyed about this book was that some of those obscure numismatic terms that other authors assume you know, Mr. Bowers will stop and take a sentence or two to explain the term. I really appreciated that.
   
   Plus, where the Gold Rush book failed in the "How to Collect, Invest, and Profit," this book did an excellent job of showing how to do just that. It is not a price guide with outdated prices. It is an excellent reference guide with information that will never get old. This book will still be great 10 years from now.
   
   This book has excellent chapters with hands-on advise and great stories to help explain coin market cycles, determining coin prices and value (not a list of coin prices like other books but goes into things like grading, rarity, and demand), history of the coin market and predicting the rare coin market, techniques for buying and selling, and chapters on collecting advise for everything from gold coins, commemorative coins, to paper money and tokens and medals. The only thing I would point out as that this book sticks to the U.S. rare coin market and does not discuss World coins.
   
   I own more than a few coin books and this book has shot up to the top of my list as the "must have" book. Whether you are a new or experienced collector or investor (aren't we all really both), you will enjoy and profit from this book.
   
   In the future, when I'm asked by new collectors what is a good book to get, this will be the book I recommend.



4. Very informative, well written guide in investing in coins. The author possesses unquestionable authority on the subject and has a remarkably well-honed ability to write on an academic topic in an exciting manner. He is sharp-witted and enjoyable. The book is very complete and most importantly - relevant and timely. If you wish to invest and collect coins this is a must have guide.



5. This is a must have book for all coin collectors. It discusses the difference between investors and collectors and how one can become the best of both worlds, a COLLECTOR/investor. A wise collector can result in one becoming an investor as an after thought. The book is loaded with coin-related information that is too much to mention here but all valuable. The book has the history of the US instilled as part of the coin information. This is a book hard to put down. I have read many "coin-related" books but seldom find one interesting and informative enought (at least for me, to see my way thru from cover to cover. This book is a rare exception. BUY!

5 comments about Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World.

1. This is very well done and enjoyable. It is a light treatment of the subject prompted by my journey through the Bookman Series by Dunning.



2. Though I found the opening chapters of URTBW greatly annoying (had the two professional-novelist authors of this book really never been to a used bookstore before they moved to the Berkshires? Did they really have no idea what pleasure used/antiquarian/rare books might hold for booklovers?), and the stereotyped description of book-dealers throughout tiresome (nearly every one an eccentric, an ego-maniac, or both; even if true, no need to make the point over and over), in the end I found URTBW pleasurable enough. Sure, it's the lightest of fair. But what booklover and die-hard-haunter-of-used-bookstores wouldn't relate to the authors' exciting adventures? URTBW is neither learned nor particularly well-crafted. But once one gets past the first couple of chapters, it's a good bit of fun. I'm happy to count the Goldstones among my fellow travelers in Booklandia.



3. I really enjoy this series and following the authors on their journey collecting books. The travels and booklore that they share are interesting and enjoyable to read.



4. I discovered this book quite by accident years ago. I was in a used bookstore for a long time, and eventually I shyly inquired about a Limited Editions Club book. It would have been my first purchase of a used book that was nicer - and more expensive - than a new book. The shop owner helped me, and then suggested that I might get a kick of this book. Much like another reviewer, I devoured it in less than 24 hours.
   
   Sometimes, I felt the authors were making me more comfortable in a world new to me. At other times, I felt I was being made fun of, for loving old books, and my willingness to consider paying a lot of money for them. To disagree with another review, I don't think it was mean spirited, but rather the authors candidly reveal their emotions as they evolved during the narrative. Sometimes they felt truly excited, and sometimes they felt a little embarrassed and obsessed. Even scared - as when they first bid in an auction. All book lovers have friends that don't understand the appeal. I love the book because I often feel alone in alternating between those same emotions. Even when the authors came on a little strong, and I wanted to come to the defense of some of the characters, I kept reading. The book pulls you in, even when you might disagree.



5. I first read this book a decade ago, and have re-read it many times since, that's the appeal of this book, especially if you're a book lover or book collector. Reading the Goldstones' adventures as they journey through the marvelous world of antiquarian, rare & used books, I got the feeling that I was going along with them on their journeys, and being a book collector myself, truly empathised with their vacillations on whether to purchase a book or not. In the end, it is a love story: between two people who are brought even closer by their love of books, and for the love of collecting books. Its a warm, funny, and witty book. I look forward to re-reading this book for many more years to come!

5 comments about Miriam Haskell Jewelry (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Let me first say that I have a ton of vintage jewelry in my personal collection and I also sell it in our family owned antique store. I purchased this book and read it from cover to cover. WOWOW, what a great book. So much great information and easy to read. These girls did a wonderful job in the layout of this beautful book. The pictures to say the least are all stunning and really show up great in their book.
   I would recommend this book to anyone that has ANY kind of interest in vintage jewelry. This book really explains how different designers tried to copy the Haskell style. Great reference on how to date pieces and also identify key Haskell style trademarks.
   Thanks for a wondeful book!



2. Serious collectors must have this book on their shelf. Close-up photographs show the jewelry's intricate designs in detail.



3. This is a fantastic resource book for the Vintage Jewelry Collector or Seller. It is wonderfully organized & beautifully illustrated with many large color pictures. The descriptions are concise & precise. Values are given after each description.
   There is also a wonderful & informative section on Identifying & Dating Haskell Jewelry~vintage to present~including clasps & materials. This section also has clear close-up photographs.
   I feel it is an invaluable tool for the serious collector. And well worth the investment!



4. Dealing with jewelry is both to me, profession and hobby. So I also like reading books about the stuff I love, and this one really got past my expectations. It helps getting insight not only in a really interesting branch of the jewelry business, but tells also about the people behind the design. At the same time, the author manages to give a helpful guide to the ambitioned collector of that kind. The book reminds one how much fun it is to create and wear exceptional pieces and tells some stories that are connected with those. The pictures are magnificent. This book is motivation for new ideas and simply fun to read.



5. This book is one of the finest that I have seen. The illustrations are beautifully done. You almost want to frame
   the water colors. There is an interesting history of the
   Miriam Haskell jewelry, and the descriptions of the jewelry are
   well done. I highly recommend this book to any vintage jewelry collector, especially those of you who like the Haskell line.
   
   Carolyn Meadows in Virginia,USA
   Antique13pink

5 comments about Oriental Carpet Design: A Guide to Traditional Motifs, Patterns and Symbols.

1. The book is a very well written vol d'oiseau over modern oriental rugs and carpets with excellent pictures and timely historical notes. Certainly one of the best works available in the field both to beginners and connoisseurs.



2. I've spent years of my life looking for a well-written book on rugs. I've poured hundreds of dollars into recommend volumes, only to be dismayed by their lack of coverage, and horrified by their exclusive focus on tribal rugs. Eiland's "Oriental Carpets" was a joke of epic proportions, and Eiland must be a confidence trickster of notable talent if his book is the benchmark in rug analysis; he must have been paid by the word, as I have yet to encounter so much outright nonsense condensed into the pages of one book.
   
   Quite by chance, I found Ford's book at a local thrift shop. The book was in impeccable condition, so I was keen to give it a chance. What a contrast between his book on rugs and all of the other "scholarly" volumes unnecessarily clogging up the world.
   
   Ford's coverage is not on a global scale-primarily Iran-but his focus on design and construction made for a refreshing change of pace. Ford groups his analysis not by region, but by design; rugs are primarily identified by their design. With this in mind, Ford categorizes rugs by their dominant motifs, i.e. Botah, Herati, Geometric, and Floral patterns. Equipped with this knowledge of patterns, construction, and dyes, it's easy to extrapolate a rug's origins with some degree of reliability.
   
   Ford emphasizes 20th century rugs, as his expectation is that the bulk of his readers will lack the means to collect antique rugs of flawless provenance. In this respect, Ford shines out from his competitors; the book is infinitely useable, as other tomes tend to focus on rugs of the highest pedigree.
   
   Lastly, I was won over to Ford, because he does not over-emphasize one particular design, or one region, over another. Every other book on rugs will heap high praise on rugs from the Caucasus, and consign 20th century curvilinear floral rugs to the lowest order of damnation.



3. This is an excellent book to find all the information one needs on Persian and Oriental carpets. Very informative, and beautiful colour plates.



4. This book has the best information I've found on distinguing one type of rug from another. Many books give information about the major types of rugs...they're a dime a dozen. Ford breaks everything down into what specific tribes and villages weave, and tells us what the weavers use for warps and wefts, distinguishing colors, area motifs and designs, and more.
   
   This book is definitely academic in nature, but this is exactly the kind of fact-filled information I've been searching for. I had thought I would find it in Peter Stone's works, but even Stone's 2004 book on motifs does not come close to what Ford did twenty years ago. I currently own about 50 books on oriental rugs, and Ford's book offers the most comprehensive, detailed information of any of them.
   
   If you want to move from being a novice to becoming a more knowledgeable buyer and rug lover, you will want this book.



5. I collect Oriental rugs and Oriental rug books. This book is not for the beginner, but is meant for in-depth study of the subject of Oriental rugs. As you read you are directed to other pages for study and comparison. This is a time consuming but valuable process. If one wants to really study Oriental rugs this book can elevate you from beginner to a person who is comfortable with the subject and able to talk with experts. I used this book as a self teaching text book and loved it.