5 comments about A History of Costume.

1. This is one of my favorite costume references. The pictures and illustrations whet the appetite for more information. This is particularly the case for me regarding the ancient oriental costumes. I wish there were more plates and more written historical and construction details. Still looking. The price is right and here is a solid beginning resource.



2. I enjoyed this book and found it a great reference for dressing my dolls in period costume



3. This is a decent overview of costume history from the Ancients to the mid 19th century with authentic resources (statues, portraits, extant costumes, pictures) as well as some original illustrations (be cautious with those and cross-reference, especially with women's garments and periods where the shapes are linear and the sides and bust are flattened--Kohler tends to round things out and represent the bust in a more rounded, typically 1860's style). It also contains a few patterns that are minimally useful (lack or proportion or instruction, etc.) except to understand the anatomy of the garments and how the pieces might fit together. No color pictures, but enough illustrations and primary resources to contribute to an overall sense of a period in costume history.



4. This book gets a lot of use in my collection. My aim is creating authentically reproduced garments. This book contains rudimentary layouts for garments, with measurements. It also has a satisfactory brief overview of written material. Not only for the various periods, but also for different regions during a particular period. This book would be a good quick reference for a re-enactor trying to start character developement.



5. As it covers all eras, from ancient to present, mainly the western world, I believe that it does a great job.
   Patterns are great, and useful.
   The description of each era is great.

5 comments about Everyday Fashions, 1909-1920, as Pictured in Sears Catalogs.

1. I am doing an inventory for a museum collection and found this series of books very helpful, as Sears was actually very 'up to date' with the French (and Hollywood) fashions of the eras. Sears would come out with affordable copies of the latest and greatest, so this fashion repository is a perfect one as it not only covers the more elegant fashions which are easier to find, but includes day dresses, work garb for both men and women, bathing suits and children's as well.



2. This book is an excellent resource for studying period fashion. Unlike so many period fashion books, which focus on evening wear or the clothing of the wealthy, this book gives great examples of what the general population wore every day. It will be extremely useful to costumers and fashion students.



3. This book provides a comprehensive series of illustrations that immerse you in the world of fashion from this era. It is authentic and beautifully laid out, and depicts numerous costume items from the early 20th century, though mostly focusing on women. The pictures depict everything from dresses to shoes, hats to gloves; the women's hairstyles, makeup, undergarments, and overall looks give the reader the most authentic possible view of fashion and the aesthetic ideals of the time. The catalogue also shows the prices and features descriptions that include fabric and color. There are some pictures of men's and children's fashions. This book is thorough and unbelievably beautiful. The whole series of Sears catalogue fashions by decade is amazing. I recommend them all!



4. Thru illustrations created for the Sears Catalogs of the early twentieth century, clothing--functional, extravagant, glamorous, practical--is reproduced for visual inspection. Great for research, for curiosity seekers who wish to know what our foremothers wore, or in the case in which I used it, this is a perfect reference book to give to a dressmaker to let her see an example of an outfit you'd like to have made. An great book!



5. I am totally hooked on this series and hope Dover continues it for 1899-1909 and the '50s and '60s, as well. Note in this volume that the brilliant folk at J. Peterman have copied some of the c1913 skirts in their mail order catalog (I now own two, and they're gorgeous). Thank you, Dover, and thank you, J. Peterman!

4 comments about Joey Green's Incredible Country Store: Potions, Notions and Elixirs of the Past--and How to Make Them Today.

1. This is a fun book to own.It is a blast from the past for so many of us.I checked this out from the library and knew I had to own it myself.
   This book is a great read and has lots of information .



2. About: Recipes, facts and history about famous and nostalgic products.
   
   Pros: Interesting, easy read, short chapters. Includes resources and bibliography
   
   Cons: Writing can be repetitive. Brand names are used ad nauseam, which leads me to wonder if Mr. Green was being compensated by the trademark owners.
   
   Grade: B



3. This is a fun book with all kinds of trivia, stories about forgotten favorites (Erector Sets) and hard to find goodies (old fashioned candies). It has a huge variety of home recipes for lotions, soaps, balms, antacids and more and the recipes appear to be fairly simple. It's light, full of photos and easy to read.
   
   I picked it up for the recipes but have found it kind of hard to resist. I recently read it out loud to my husband on a trip to the ER -- trying to distract him and keep us both awake while we waited for him to be admitted (he's fine now). After we got home, he swiped it and is reading it himself.
   
   If you like places like Cracker Barrel's old country stores, you'll really get a kick out of this book!



4. I was very pleased with my purchase, and the timeliness in receiving it.

5 comments about Vintage Halloween Collectibles: An Identification & Price Guide (Vintage Halloween Collectibles: Identification & Price Guide).

1. This is a wonderful book filled with photo's of vintage Halloween collectables. Divided into sections giving great descriptions and approximate current values. What a great resource for novice or seasoned collectors! Glad to have this as good reference.



2. An excellent reference book. Price fluctuations in the market make the price guide portion of this, as with any collectibles book, simply a guideline only, to be use for comparisons only. This volume is excellent at showing you what you have and don't have. Well written descriptions with excellent photographs. Adds to the fun of collecting, sets you up to look for items you have not yet found. This book also tells you if have found something good or just plain ordinary, collectible or not. If you are a serious collector, you might want this book available to you on your treasure hunting trips. Useful year round. Another thumbs up from us.



3. I bought this book at the same time as Timeless Halloween Collectibles. They're definitely companions.
   
   This book is larger. The colors are less vivid than "Timeless" but there are so many more of them. I couldn't be more delighted with the volume and the clarity of the images.
   
   I like the detail of the old time decorations that I remember but find them unaffordable. This book easily satisfies the joy of reliving times gone bye. There's something for everyone.



4. This book tells you what to look for (and what to avoid) in the facinating world of vintage Halloween collecting. The photography is great, and the prose is informative and entertaining. Even if you're not an avid Halloween collector, the "haunting" images from these bygone days are truly works of art, full of whimsy & fun. For the serious collector, the price guide is an absolute must have.



5. So far this is the best book I've found on Vintage Halloween in the sense of information, layout and the broad spectrum of items covered. It is evident that Mark Ledenbach is truly passionate about his collection. The photos are high quality and well laid out. The information is thought provoking and facsinating to any Halloween enthusiast. I do wish there were more item information regarding usage or other interesting tidbits, however this book does give the reader what it promises.
   A must have for the Halloween aficionado.

No comments about The Official Price Guide to Clocks.

1 comments about Form & Function: American Modernist Jewelry, 1940-1970.

1. What a book! Just when you think you know our American Jewelry Modernists, Marbeth gives us her second book and so much more to appreciate. Her indepth knowledge of their lives and the delish jewelry photography makes one wish we owned them all. For decades without knowing about these Marvy Modernists, I have shared their passion for manipulating metal in my own primitive manner, never knowing that one day they would be introduced to me and their work would bring me such joy in the form of Marbeth's Modernist Movement Jewelry books. Collectors of vintage and contemporary Made in USA signed studio jewelry this, Ms Schon's second, is a must addition to any jewelry book library! Own it and enjoy!

3 comments about Great Fashion Designs of the Victorian Era Paper Dolls in Full Color.

1. I love a lot of these books and when I add another one its such a treat..Once again..fine quality.good paper quality,fine coloring.I use them in paperdoll/altered art ,and decoupage.they are perfect for my needs..B.W.



2. Tom Tierney's illustrations cover a 60 year time span when what we would consider "too much", was never enough when it came to embellishing the clothing of a fashionable woman. As eye candy, this is excellent. As a reference, this book is very helpful in establishing the lines and silhouettes of the various decades. As always, the colors are brilliant and the styles are faithfully rendered.
   
   The source of most of these illustrations are famous portraits, magazines of the day, and later photographs of fashionable women. Charles Frederick Worth started the practice of showing clothing on real people, as opposed to miniature costumes worn by fashion dolls, and his work is generously represented, along with a number of other designers, all of whom might have been overlooked by a lesser researcher than Mr. Tierney.
   
   Since there are a multitude of refernces including printed and photographic material that cover the 1890s, I can understand why those fashions would merit an entire book of their own, so I am not troubled by the absence of the decade of the 1890s.
   
   This book serves to provide an excellent overview of how womens' clothing evolved during the Victorian Era all the way up until 1900.



3. The greater part of the nineteenth century women's fashion is covered by this book. One sees the charming bell skirts mutating into bustles and finally the hourglass figure. The colors are brilliant and the dolls are based on Queen Victoria and Empress Eugenie (although, for some unexplained reason, the latter doll has blonde hair even though Eugenie had dark hair).
   I especially liked Tom Tierney's selection of a great variety of costumes, including sportswear, daywear, evening wear and ballgowns.
   The one flaw with the book is that there is a sudden gap from 1888 to 1900. I think there was no need to feature 6 costumes from 1900 alone, while the entire 1890s were unrepresented.

1 comments about Children's Fashions 1900-1950 As Pictured in Sears Catalogs.

1. I've truly enjoyed this book as I'm in the process of writing my own novel and needed a good source for period clothing. This book gave me some great ideas on how styles were designed for one of America's most famous catalogs, Sears. Also has great pictures of hats/bonnets. What's even more fun is how much stylish clothing cost in those days! A definite recommendation!

5 comments about Preserving Your Family Photographs: How to Organize, Present, and Restore Your Precious Family Images.

1. Since I love photos old and young, I really enjoyed this book. It is important that we save what we have regardless of importance at this moment. I believe this book is a good way to learn how to handle our photos carefully so our descendants will have the joy to go through our photos.



2. Does an excellent job of organizing and establishing time lines for photos. Very glad to find a copy.



3. Taylor may give readers a good place to start in their efforts to preserve family photographs, but offers information that is both contradictory and vague.

   She gives a basic explanation of the "enemies" your photographs are facing, even breaking down information on particular types of photographs, tintypes, Polaroids, etc. But does not bother defining some basic terms in the glossary such as lignin. Nor are many of her suggestions for which supplies are appropriate specific enough. Eg., what kind of brush should I use to clean photos? I know that Nylon brushes are probably not soft enough for treasured photos. Even worse she says polyethylene is a bad material to store your photos in, but a few pages later suggests using polyethylene freezer bags for freezer storage of items.

   Taylor includes lengthy lists of resources for, and more information on preservation. But some of the web addresses she lists no longer exist.

   While she has some good suggestions for long-term storage of photo collections, I would not recommend this book to anyone trying to learn about photographic preservation.




4. For me, studying old photos is one of the more fascinating aspects of family research, even when I'm not related to any of the people whose faces appear. The military uniforms, hats, parlor furniture, automobiles, urban scenes, and especially the faces and their expressions, are like a kind of time travel, allowing you to peer back into someone's past. Taylor's previous book, _Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs,_ investigated that process. But how to protect the photos you already have tucked away in albums have so future family members will get the same pleasure (and information) from them? And how to rehabilitate those you discover to whom the years and the elements have not been kind? This time, the author outlines the steps you can take to see that your photographs have the best chance of survival and describes the methods conservators and restoration experts follow when the task becomes too much for you. She also guides you through the process of creating a meaningful scrapbook of archival quality, discusses the use of computer enhancement and electronic archives, and points out the legal aspects of posting photographs on a web site. Most of the chapters end with checklists and answers to frequently-asked questions, and there are many sidebars and brief marginal comments regarding further reading and useful Internet resources on the subject. Keeping in mind that the technical aspects of photographic restoration and preservation continue to evolve rapidly, this is an excellent beginner's guide and reference handbook.



5. Mama won't take your Kodachrome away, it is time and the elements which are attacking your treasured family photographs. Your Polaroid snapshots are fading as you read this. Those "magnetic" photo albums with the adhesive pages are gassing your family pictures to crumbs. Your digital images may not be viewable by your great grandchildren. But don't give up hope - take action. Maureen Taylor's "Preserving Your Family Photographs" tells you how to take charge and protect your family's photographic history. "Preserving Your Family Photographs" shows you how taking some simple steps now will slow down the aging process of your photographs. And its doesn't require a chemistry set. The book further discusses how and when to choose a professional conservator, concerns about digital photography, how to organize your collection, and even how to safely place your treasures in a scrapbook. This book takes up where "Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs" leaves off. After you've identified your family photographs, "Preserving Your Family Photographs" tells you how to keep them for generations to come.

No comments about Warman's Civil War Weapons.