5 comments about Standard Encyclopedia of Opalescent Glass: Identification & Values (Standard Encyclopedia of Opalescent Glass).

1. Excellent reference guide. I am totally happy with the book and wish more books where as complete.



2. great book! i'm just starting glass collecting and doing most of my buying on ebay. this has been such a great guide for me. more often than not if i look up an item i find it in this book. a really nice collection of pieces.



3. The fourth edition of Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile's Standard Encyclopedia Of Opalescent Glass updates identification and values and is a recommended reference pick for any library serious about glass collecting. Color photos of the glass pieces abound and pack in plenty of detail.



4. Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile has put together a superb
   book on Victorian opalescent glass that covers a large
   amount of victorian opalescent glass made by glass
   manufactures such as Dugan, Northwood, Jefferson, Buckeye, Albany, etc., that was made during the Victorian Era (1890's
   to 1910's). This book shows the different lines manufacture
   by the above glass makers and is very informative and an great reference for those who are novices to the experts. This book is a must, for those who collect victorian opalescent glass.
   No opalescent glass collector should be without this book.
   If you collect victorian opalescent glass, you should definitely purchase this book.



5. Outstanding beautiful volume with 240 pages featuring full true-to-life color photos of these glass collectibles. Adjacent to each photo is an informative paragraph about the item. Concise and easy to use. The price guide is at the end of the book, keeping the body of the book clutter-free. Everyone interested in this collectible will enjoy owning and using this book.

5 comments about Chairs: A History.

1. No one who has seen my home would expect me to have anything to do with a furniture book. But some perceptive friend gave me this book and now I get it! Under Ms. de Dampierre's tutelage, I have grown to understand how pieces of furniture are a reflection of the times in which they were created. This study of chairs is no less fascinating than any great work of art history and the author does an incredible job of detailing changes in social and political currents which impact the design and use of each chair in her exhaustive chronology. As importantly, the pictures are beautiful; the book is worth buying for them alone.



2. Florence de Dampierre has produced what will certainly be not only the definitive guide to the chair itself but also a witty and learned look at how modes of communication in differing cultures governed the kind of furniture people invented for themselves. The scope of the book is huge, ranging from the cradle of civilization in Mesopotamia and Africa to the chair as modern art. I recommend it highly, both for serious collectors as well as anyone who has ever thought twice about the provenance of the place they've just sat down in. The book is copiously and beautifully illustrated, so it makes a lovely gift.



3. In this fascinating book, De Dampierre brings a fresh perspective to world history by describing it through one of the most ubiquitous items in our daily lives: chairs. In doing so, she has produced a highly enjoyable read for both the sophisticated antique collector and the general student of history.



4. A very well written book with lovely and truly beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended!



5. I have read Chairs; A History and find it to be fasinating from two view points. One is that it is more than a history of furniture, it is a social history of the people who sat in the chairs and their times and their culture. Secondly I will retain it for years as one of the most complete reference books on the cultural periods discussed. Finally it is beautifully illustrated and written and should be in everyone's library.

2 comments about Goldmine Standard Catalog Of American Records, 1950-1975 (Goldmine Standard Catalog of American Records).

1. What a letdown! While this book purports to cover the period 1950-1975, I was sadly disappointed to find that it completely omits one of the most important musical influences of that period, DON COSTA, who was a noted arranger-conductor, master of the 12-string guitar, a performer in his own right, and a man who influenced the careers of many well-known performers like Frank Sinatra, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, Johnny Mathis, Ferrante & Teicher, Paul Anka, and the list goes on. Don Costa's fabulous arrangements have appeared on labels such as ABC-Paramount, Columbia, Mercury, United-Artists, and his own label, DCP-International. Don Costa was a true musical genius and as such, he was hired to be the musical director of a major Boston, MA radio station when he was only 15 years old!... One can only wonder what other important performers or facts were left-out of this book, and such omissions only serve to cast doubt on the seriousness of the data that did manage to find a place between the covers of this publication!



2. This is one of the best price guide books for American records. Due to its detailed information and clearly organized listings, it surpasses all previous publications in its scope and usefulness. It adds artists not previously mentioned in past price guides but does omit artists on a somewhat arbitrary basis. Why Getz and not Gillespie etc.? For the artists it does include, much hard work is reflected in the thorough discographies which list reissue information and pressing chronology with great accuracy. Obscure artists with limited product are, as is common with books of this type, omitted. For the money, this is the best book. Only Osborne's Rockin Records covers more ground, but in less essential detail.

4 comments about Victorian and Edwardian Fashions from "La Mode Illustree".

1. Fashions are compiled chronologically and the fashion plates are very detailed. Many plates don't just show the front of the models, but they also show the same posed women from the back. One of the main things I like about this book is that it's not just all formal wear. There's also a lot of day wear being featured which helps in understanding the lifestyles of Victorian and Edwardian ladies (albeit the privileged class). This book is simply a beautiful resource and should be included in every Victorian/Edwardian fashion-lover's library.



2. "La Mode Illustree" was to 19th-century fashion mavens what "Vogue" and "Elle" are today, with its gorgeous color and B&W line illustrations of the latest in fashions for men, women and children. Joanne Olian, former curator of the costume collection at the Museum of the City of New York, has painstakingly assembled a huge collection of the finest illustrations showing beautiful ladies' fashions from 1860 to 1912, with almost every year getting at least one page (though, as another reviewer mentions, some years unfortunately aren't examined in much detail). Every illustration is full-page and accompanied by a paragraph or two of text, generally taken directly from the original description of the item in LMI. Nobody who is at all interested in fashions of the late Victorian and Edwardian periods should be without this book!



3. This book is one of the most comprehensive, well-done and complete guide to both Victorian and Edwardian fashion I've ever seen. Although the illustrations are black and white, they are surprisingly well done (most costume design books don't detail hair styles, patterns, etc, but this one does.) I recommend this book as a very accurate guide to the period for researchers, costumers or fashion enthusiasts. The book, along with fantastic illustrations, includes a summary of the times and fashions and a very helpful glossary. Also it is much more than any other book I've seen--- it included SEVERAL fashions for each year and several different occasional wear layouts. If you are curious about this period, you must buy this book. I only wish they had a similar book for every period!



4. I was leery of ordering this book, because most of the books that claim to illustrate both the Victorian and Edwardian eras merely skim over the Edwardian. But I was pleasantly surprised.

   The book covers the years 1860-1914 and gives equal (or slightly superior) coverage to the Edwardian and pre-WWI years. The illustrations are large and detailed, allowing for very good views of the trimmings of the garments, and the smaller rear views of many garments are invaluable to the recreationist. Also included are period captions describing the intended uses of the garments (tea or opera, for young girls or women "of a certain age"); these are both interesting and very helpful for the self-educated costumer. The selection of dresses, coiffures, hats, parasols, coats, lingerie, nightdresses, and children's clothing is well chosen and the garments are lovely.

   My only complaint is that a few years are either entirely skipped, or skimmed over: 1866, 1872, 1875, 1878, 1883, 1893, 1899, and 1911. However, the existing material is excellent and very useful--I wholeheartedly recommend it.

5 comments about Red & White : American Redwork Quilts & Patterns (Volumes 1 & 2).

1. A wonderful two volume source of Redwork information. The author's knowledge and private collection enhances the work in volume I; volume II provides patterns for the vintage Redwork (penny square) patterns. I highly recommend this resource for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating method of embroidery that originated many years ago.



2. Book came in great condition, on time, and worth every penny. It's filled with many old patterens and lots of history, a pleasure to read. If it's Redwork you enjoy , then order this one.



3. I found these books to be very informative and interesting. I would recommend them to anyone interested in Redwork Quilts.



4. Often it is difficult to get accurate, well documented information on traditional crafts and handwork. Much of that art form was passed down from generation to generation with very little written record. Deborah Harding has done a wonderful job of finding old newpaper and magazine articles on Redwork, as well as fantastic old patterns reproduced here. A friend of mine loaned me this set of books, and I could never bring myself to return them to her, so I knew I had to have my own set!



5. This book would make a lovely gift for anybody interested in textile arts, even for someone with little or no quilting or embroidery experience. The presentation is lovely -- two nicely bound, wonderfully illustrated books nestled inside a snug cardboard jacket. One book features a short discussion of redwork embroidery along with illustrations of exquisitely executed quilts. The other supplies brief instructions (perhaps too brief -- especially the section on transferring the patterns)and a lovely collection of redwork patterns so that readers can create their own redwork quilt. My only quarrel with the book is that a beginner (like me!) might not feel confident with the brief instructions. However, a quick trip to the fabric store to talk to a knowledgable salesperson should dispel any doubts. Despite this small problem, I give the book 5+ stars -- it was great fun to browse through, then to read intently , then to pore over as I selected possible designs for my very first quilt!

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

1. I just finished this book and I found the stories wonderful. This book is obviously aimed it the beginning book collector. It details the adventures of the authors as they began to dip their feet into the world of rare books and collecting. The stories detail the adventures of the authors as they haphazardly jump into collecting books. As a somewhat novice book collector I found the stories both humorous and reassuring. I could see myself in many of the stories. There is a pull to collecting that sometimes overrides good judgment. I highly recommend this book.



2. 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.



3. 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.



4. 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.



5. 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.

1 comments about Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830.

1. This review was written for the jewelry collecting community who belong to the Yahoo Group Jewel Collect.
   
   Title: Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830
   Authors Ginny Redington Dawes with Olivia Collings
   Type of Book: Hardcover
   Average Price: $85.00 in print, available from other sources for less just look around on-line
   In Print
   Pages: 191
   300 color illustrations most are photos but some archival materials.
   
   Brief Description of Book
   Georgian Jewellery 1714-1830 is beautiful! There are hundreds of color photos that hook the reader into the dazzling beauty of ornaments of yesterday. The bulk of the pieces in this book were made during the last 50 years of the Georgian Era.
   Georgian Jewellery is composed of six chapters the first three; Dawn, Day and Night group jewelry by what time of day it was intended to be worn. Tidbit: Coral was the only natural material that was considered acceptable for all times of the day and night. The remaining chapters group jewels by their purpose: Love, Death and Eternity. A note that is the English spelling of jewelry I didn't forget to use spell check.
   
   
   Quantity of Illustrations: 300 total including original photos and archival images
   Comments: Score: 10
   
   Quality of Illustrations: Most illustrations are color photographs by Tom Dawes, the author Ginny Redington Dawes husband. He has a steady hand and a wonderful eye for jewels. Most of the photos are large so there is a lot of detail. Many times there are one or two photos to a page so the pieces look as if they are close to their true size. I see two shortcomings in this book. One, there are only a few photos of the reverse side of the pieces. Since many readers will not have the opportunity to handle Georgian pieces first hand those photos would have been a great aid to help positively identification. The second shortfall is that there are no measurements of the pieces so it is impossible to determine how large or small they are.
   There are also a number delightful of archival paintings and etchings that show how the jewelry was originally worn.
   
   Score: 10
   
   Quantity of Information: 10
   Is the information thorough? It is hard to say but I sure learned a lot reading Georgian Jewellery.
   
   Score: 10
   
   Values Listed (Prices):No
   Score: NA
   
   User Friendly: Yes, includes an index
   Is the book easy to read and follow? Yes it is. It is written in a readable style not too chatty and not to dry. I found it very interesting and have referred to it a number of times since I purchased it.
   Score: 10
   
   Average score: 10
   
   Is this book a must have? Yes. If you are interested in jewelry history this is a must have.
   
   Overall comments: Buy it!

2 comments about Super Heroes: A Modern Mythology (Studies in Popular Culture).

1. In Superheroes: A Modern Mythology, Richard Reynolds does an excellent job of dissecting some of the origins of the superhero genre. Beginning in the 1930s and 1940s, he lays bare some of the prevailing ideas and iconography and puts superheroes in context. Reynolds also does an able job of analyzing The Dark Knight Returns and Alan Moore's Watchmen, as well as certain superhero origin stories. This book's only disappointment comes from the fact that his analyzes of superheroes' mythic origins don't go far enough - those looking for explicit comparisons to assorted mythic pantheons or full-throated examinations of how superheroes fall into legendary templates (except those of the Joseph Campbell variety) will be disappointed. However, an excellent and important read for anyone interested in comic books.



2. This book forever changed the way that I read superhero comics. Reynolds discusses the factors that are present in virtually every superhero comic since Superman was created. Some are apparent (devotion to justice, secret identitities), and some are subtle (lost parents, accountability only to one's own conscience). Virtually all factors are recapitulations of the developmental struggles of the primary audience of these comics: adolescent males. Reynolds continues by illuminating the grand, mythical nature of the comic-book universes, all stories blending into one vast "canonical" story, each comic becoming part of a larger continuity. This continuity shares several features of classical mythologies, which Reynolds explores in depth, citing the X-Men, the Watchmen, and the Dark Knight Returns series (among others) as evidence. Read this, it's great.

3 comments about Fostoria American Line 2056 (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Book was in pristine condition and helped me find what I was missing from this pattern



2. Fostoria AAmerican Line 2056 is a real neat book and I have really enjoyed looking it over for the idea of finding the pieces that I have and looking for additional pieces and the price listed for the pieces is a real help.
   The pictures are fantastic and the descriptions are good. I only wish that I knew how to measure the pieces of glass to match their measurements.It's great to have the individuals to share by allowing photographs of their collections to help us beginners. Such treasures!Thanks for a job well done to the author, Leslie Pina, Ohio.



3. This book is wonderful to look at and browse through! It has a great deal of information and MANY full color pictures. It is a delight to be able to see so many well photographed pieces in one volume. The price ranges are listed right with the picture and descriptions, so it is a quick and easy reference. This is a good book for those that are in search of a moderately priced volume for their personal reference, as well as for the dealer.

   Note: the author, Leslie Pina, has many other volumes on glass that may be of interest to you.

5 comments about Victorian Fashions Coloring Book (History of Fashion).

1. I loved the idea of a "Victorian" coloring book. The detail was terrific. It was a gift to a childhood friend who I used to sit and color with.



2. I just purchased these Dover COloring Books for my mother and she loves them. The detail is out of this world and the variety of colors you can use are only limited by your inagination. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!



3. This book contains 45 fashion illustrations from 1837 to 1877. Lots of ladies' evening wear, walking costumes, 10 outfits for children and even some dogs are included among many other.
   
   Some of the illustrations are really well done and detailed. However, many of them feels little bit too quickly drawn. Almost every fashion outfit has also some backround - like seashore, garden or room. I agree with the reviewer who thought this book would be better without. Many of these backrounds are really hastily made and actually make whole illustration to look quite chaotic.
   
   However, if you are into this period and you like coloring, I guess you would enjoy this book. It offers nice acitivity for hours.



4. My wife can hardly lay her coloring books down. She has this one on Victoreian fashions and several others, and I am sure she will be ordering more when these are completed.



5. This book is a great treat to anyone interested in Victorian fasion. Or fashion at all, for that matter. I loved coloring it and just imagining life in Victorian times, what with the whalebone corsets and all that! Couple drawbacks: 1)There are a number of pictures with a lot of black already in them. For example, men wearing black suits are already blacked out for you. If you don't mind that, ignore this drawback! 2)Each picture has some background, some more than others. Some of the backgrounds are so complex, the fasion seems almost secondary, which to me is a definite no-no since I bought the book for the fashions, not the landscape! Other than that, this is a fantastic coloring book, with hours of relaxing fun for the coloring and/or fashion enthusiast in your life.