5 comments about Anchor Hocking's Fire-King & More.

1. Author/Photographer Gene Florence has produced a fan-tastic book for the Fire-King novice or afficianado. Just a warning, though: This is a 1998 book. The gain in collectibilia and accessibilty wrought by the Internet, along with standard inflation, has rendered the pricing rather dicey to rely on.

   If you are a Boomer, this is most likely the stuff of fond memories of your Momma's kitchen. Just looking at the picture of the Jane Ray Jade-ite platter (who knew that that was our hamburger cook-out platter's formal name?) makes my mouth water! On page 7, there is a reproduction of an old Anchor-Hocking ad: "Not a single item on this page costs more than 69 cents." Those were the days! It's come a long way! Reviewed by TundraVision, Amazon Reviewer.




2. This book has more than paid for itself in helping me recognize fire king and genuine old glass.

   Until I purchased Gene Florence's book, I used black & white reference books. Those are useless to me.

   This wonderful book has helped me determine if shaker lid and fireking flour piece went together (did not-flour shaker originally had a flat shaker lid the color of the writing on side not silver aluminum); if the "yellow" plate in a fire king design was old (was not (did not come in yellow) - but that yellow piece was made from fire king mold - one step up from out and out reproduction); and whether or not my 10 pieces of bakeware (some with lids) and marked Fire King were rare or reproductions. On the 10 piece baking set, I ended up e-mailing Gene Florence, and he responded that my piece was not rare - or did it even appear anywhere. The pieces are selling Very slowly - so they must not be very special.

   The book is difficult to understand how to match pricing & pictures at first, but well worth the effort. I am comfortable with the process now.
   
   If you collect or sell fire king - you need this book!




3. For the most part this book is an excellent resource for identifing Fire-King glassware and I would recommend it highly along with all of the author's other books. I own them all! As a specialist collector of the Anchor Hocking Early American Prescut pattern (10000pcs), I must say that I feel that some of the Prescut items listed are somewhat rarer than the book would suggest. There are also quite a few more items available in this particular pattern than are listed. I view the book's section on Prescut as another of this well known author's courageous attempts to chart previously uncharted waters and I'm sure that subsequent editions of this book will include course corrections.



4. Another winner for Gene Florence. Wouldn't be without his books. Beautiful, color pictures on nearly every page. I have read this book and all of his others over and over again.



5. This is my first purchase of reference material for my new hobby of depression-glass collecting. I found the pictures to be exellent, and the price guides informative, although a bit awkward to use at times. His comparisons of similar items are helpful, and the book is worth purchase for the pictures alone. Hope to compare it with the Kilgo book someday.

No comments about Avon Collectibles Price Guide: Most Popular Avon Collection (Bud Hastin's Avon Collector's Encyclopedia).

No comments about Tiffany Stained Glass Windows: 16 Art Stickers (Fine Art Stickers).

1 comments about American Cut and Engraved Glass: The Brilliant Period in Historical Perspective.

1. This is a beautiful book that has exquisite B&W photos of cut and engraved glass. Of particular interest is the historical information about the glass industry, as well as the fascinating text on the step-by-step process of making and cutting glass. If you are looking for an informational book about the cut glass industry, I would recommend this one. If, however, you are looking for a book that can be used as a guide when purchasing or selling cut glass, this is probably not the best resource. There were particular patterns I was searching for from a New York based glass company that were not mentioned in the book. In fact, of the approx. 60 patterns this company made before it closed in 1933, only one is referenced.

1 comments about The Best of Modern Swedish Art Glass: Orrefors and Kosta 1930-1970.

1. Friedman's love of glass Swedish comes thru very clearly. A labor of love, the book is a must for collectors of Swedish glass.

No comments about Collector's Guide to Glass Banks: Identification and Values.

No comments about Wheeling Glass 1829-1939: Collection of the Oglebay Institute Glass Museum.

3 comments about Perfume Bottles for Purse and Dresser: From Czechoslovakia, 1920s-1930s.

1. Wonderful just what I wanted to expand my knowledge now that I am a member of IPBA. Colour plate are beautiful and so much information.



2. This is absolutely the BEST book available on Czech Perfume Bottles. The variety shown is astonishing and the designs are beautiful. Color photos show bottles and details. Good research and historic information. I found more than I expected and am delighted with my purchase!!!



3. A beautiful book to look at (the photos are amazingly detailed) & facinating to read, even if you are not a collector. This book will transport you to another (more elegant) era.

5 comments about Standard Encyclopedia of Pressed Glass: 1860 - 1930: Identification & Values (Standard Encyclopedia of Pressed Glass 1860-1930).

1. The 5th updated edition of a pressed glass classic continues to be a 'must' for any avid collector of the medium: it covers glass companies, shapes and patterns, decoration definitions and insights on table glass factories, and more, blending in history with the latest values and collecting trends. Color photos on every page make it easy to identify pieces, while accompanying descriptions comment on cuts, names, pattern development, design modifications and changes, and more. Simply packed with detail, any authoritative glass collecting collection needs STANDARD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRESSED GLASS 1960-1930.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. Would that it were otherwise! The fact is, no other commonly available reference is as handy and easy to use; and while the pictures leave much to be desired, this book has more useful color pictures than any other. It has helped me become familiar with the most common EAPG patterns, but since I know it's full of mistakes I don't accept its information uncritically. I wish the authors would clean up their many sloppy errors in future editions, even as I look forward to the book's expansion. This book is helpful, but I use mine alongside McCain's vastly more authoritative, reliable work.



3. Some of the reviews of this book surprise me. I have seen similar negative comments written about these authors on separate web sites, and no doubt the comments here are by the same people. My experience with this book is this....the main appeal to this book is that there are literally hundreds and hundreds of patterns identified, and by using the photos in this book, I've been able to identify pieces in my collection that I previously could not. Certainly I wish there was more information and detail written about each pattern...this book lists maybe a line or two about each pattern only, with no to few comments about reproductions. So, I use this book in conjunction with other pattern glass books (Reilly and Jenks, Warman's, etc) to get the most comprehensive picture I can. Some of the pictures are not super clear. Compared to other books which don't list many patterns at all and then do so in black and white or hand drawing, I'll live with it. I would imagine photographing the detail on clear glass isn't easy! I guess I'll summarize by saying that while the book is not perfect, it certainly takes a good stab at trying to organize information and photos of hundreds of pieces of glass from the turn of the century. Are there errors? Probably! But with all the fires in these glass companies over the years I am sure no one has the truth about everything.



4. Suppose you do not know much about glass. You probably won't know a whole lot more when you've looked at this book. Some of the pictures do not show the pattern. There are numerous ones, ie.; caprice, chestnut oak, star & thumprint, etc. that are taken at poor angles, or poor lighting or whatever and are just indisctinct. I was looking for a pattern on Cathedral and that is shown on a bowl that has the pattern going underneath. No way can you see what the entire pattern looks like. In the front of the book, they describe the shapes of the glassware. They list 20 shapes, but in the price guide, they list many more. What is the difference between a milk pitcher and a pitcher? a tumbler and a goblet? What size and shape is a sauce? What is a wastebowl? They never show or describe the bottom pattern. No explanation is given as to whether this is important, distinct or has no effect whatsover. I have no more knowledge of the patterns on my glass than I did before.



5. I have been buying and selling pressed glass for 30 years
   and I can agree with reviewer 'a reader' totally. I have read 3
   other books by this writer and consider them all as incompetently done as this one.

No comments about The Corning Museum of Glass: A Decade of Glass Collecting, 1990-1999.