5 comments about Jade.

1. I study Jade Culture of the Orient and I use this reference for the good bibliography, and illustrations. It is an attempt by the now defunct 'Friends of Jade Society' to compile a comprehensive reference on jade and ancient and historical jade cultures from all over the world. For most of the world it is reasonably accurate, but unfortunately the Chinese section concerning jade has more errors than a freshman essay. This is even more embarrasing since most of the book is devoted to Chinese jade culture. A more detailed list and discussion of these errors and problems is available upon request.



2. From this heavy tome, you will learn how artists "let the jade speak to them" before carving wondrous works of art. The properties of jade are perfect for carving because its molecular structure is tightly bound. Jade can suffer great detail in carving without cracking or chipping.

   Jade is either nephrite or jadeite. Cheaper substitutes are bowenite and serpentine, so the buyer must beware.

   Keverne takes us on a jade "trip around the world" from the Pacific Rim to Mesoamerica. The latter finds are a great mystery, because no known source of jade in Central America is currently known to exist. The photographs in this book are tightly focused and glowing. Keverne continually displays his expertise in his subject. He includes an excellent index and bibliography. Like David Grimaldi's thorough book on amber (Amber: Window to the Past), this book is the authority on the subject of jade.




3. From this heavy tome, you will learn how artists "let the jade speak to them" before carving wondrous works of art. The properties of jade are perfect for carving because its molecular structure is tightly bound. Jade can suffer great detail in carving without cracking or chipping.

   Jade is either nephrite or jadeite. Cheaper substitutes are bowenite and serpentine, so the buyer must beware.

   Keverne takes us on a jade "trip around the world" from the Pacific Rim to Mesoamerica. The latter finds are a great mystery, because no known source of jade in Central America is currently known to exist. The photographs in this book are tightly focused and glowing. Keverne continually displays his expertise in his subject. He includes an excellent index and bibliography. Like David Grimaldi's thorough book on amber (Amber: Window to the Past), this book is the authority on the subject of jade.




4. Extremely great book on the subject of jade. Book even includes the very rare today "Wyoming Jade"...should be a book devoted to that subject.



5. Jade, by Roger Keverne, is a complete review of all the jades, all the deposits, all the mines, the history, (and with jade this is a long one.) the lore, the geology. Jade features a collection of articles by contributors from around the world, most members of the FRIENDS OF JADE, and all experts in their fields. Whenever I need to seek an answer, a representative photo, in short, anything in jade, here it is, in one book. If you are interested in jade, to sort out the truth from the rumors, the real from the fake..... this is THE jade book.

No comments about Ancient Luang Prabang.

No comments about Scorched Art: The Incendiary Aesthetic of FlameRite Zippos.

No comments about The Desktop Aquarium: Just Add Water! (Mega Mini Kits).

No comments about Olmans' Guide to Golf Antiques & Other Treasures of the Game.

1 comments about Dictionary of American Hand Tools: A Pictorial Synopsis (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Bought this book for my father, he was impressed with the great illustrations and text. Nuff said.

No comments about Tools: Working Wood in Eighteenth-Century America (Wallace Gallery Decorative Arts Publications) (Wallace Gallery Decorative Arts Publications).

No comments about Beechcraft Staggerwing (Flying Classics Series).

5 comments about Ty Beanie Babies Winter 2001 Collector's Value Guide.

1. i received this book thinking it was going to be in good shape. when i received this book it was wrote all in. for the same price i could have bought it new.
   poor service



2. The good folks editing the reviews here at Amazon have told me in no uncertain terms that my reviews should focus SOLELY on the product itself. Comments on merchandising are entirely unwelcome, at least according to some editors here. In reference to my comments on a similar product I've been told "Your review of the Collector's Value Guide has been removed from our database, as it is not a critique of the book in question. It is not clear from reading the review that you have read the book you commented on." How one comments on the quality of a "book" like the Ty Beanie Babies Winter 2001 Collector's Value Guide, which is almost exclusively about merchandise and exists solely because of marketing, without commenting on merchandising of the products I don't quite know. (To prove I've actually "read the book", hopefully I'll be allowed to tell you that the products considered in this tome are small stuffed animal [some imaginary] toys with heart-shaped paper tags on their ears known as "Beanie Babies". I'm not at all sure that I'll be allowed to discuss these legume-namesaked infants further, though.)

   But I'll give it a try: Having read the Ty Beanie Babies Winter 2001 Collector's Value Guide, by an anonymous author, I can say that I was extremely disappointed. True, there were lots of good pictures, and tons of characters, but character development was extremely limited. The plot was completely incomprehensible to me. Whoever this mystery author is, he or she is far more obscure than James Joyce ever was! Talk about sound and fury signifying nothing! I can't help but think that another author would have done so much better with this material. Now, I don't want to give away the ending or too many "plot twists", but I was disappointed to find that as soon as the reader gets interested in a particular character, that character disappears ominously (or in Beanie Baby parlance, " is retired"). I'm not at all sure that younger children should be exposed to such a frightening prospect. Older children may be able to get past these concerns to see the essential theme of the book in a positive light as the continual renewal of life. But frankly, I'd give this book a miss.




3. I do not really use this as a price guide, because let's face it, most of the common Beanies are only worth as little as 3.00. But it is a good color picture guide, and you can use it for knowing what's out there. There were so many 2001 releases, I couldn't keep track of them online. So at least I can go through the book and mark which ones I have, and which ones I want. I want to get all the cats, at least!!



4. I love beanies, they are so cute like my little dog teddy. Unfortunately, sometimes he is not so cute and he eats my Beanie Babies. But at least teddy didn't eat this book, I don't know what I would do! My dog is so cute, I wish that I could find a Beanie Baby that looked like him.



5. With each page having a space to put your bought price and market value (some filled in) this book makes it easy to organise the value of your collection. It includes Ty Buddies, the Mc Donald's teenie beenies the beanie kids and of courde, beanie babies. Being the most recent, it includes the new zodiac babies. Each page has colourful photos of the toy, the poem in its tag. its release date, retirement date and birthdate.

   But wait there's more!! Found at the back are sport's promotion beanies, spotting counterfeits, tag generations and a list of beanies by their birthdays. Thank goodness its got a good index..........

3 comments about Contemporary Studio Porcelain.

1. This book gives a thorough and knowledgable insight into working with porcelain. The many fabulous photos are inspiring and the artists have been generous in sharing their methods and recipes. I have found this book to be an excellent addition to my resources and know I will keep referring to it throughout many years.



2. A treasure trove of information, techniques and examples of the best in porcelain today. Excellent for the collector as well as those working in this demanding medium. The photos are breathtaking and Lane knows what he is talking about. This is the latest edition of what is clearly a labor of love.



3. I feel that this book helped immensly with my work in porcelain, it helped me to understand its qualities and form better. The book is well written and very helpful, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.