3 comments about Murano.

1. I collect glass and books on murano glass. This book offers no new images or knowledge. It is not for the serious collector but would be fine to give a novice as a hostess gift, stocking stuffer etc. It is nothing more than a mere bagatelle. I would suggest paying more and buying a more useful book on the subject of Murano glass.



2. I believe that Mark Doty is one of the world's best poets, and have bought most of his books and memoirs. I bought this for my former wife as a birthday gift. She is not a poetry fan, but loves this book. She keeps it on the table in her waiting room with some other reading materials and tells me she has had eight or ten patients ask where they could buy the book. A treaure trove of stunning photographs and words side by side. Being a published poet, I would call Doty's words beautiful musings on the island of Murano, glassmaking and life. A little gem!



3. I'm not sure what to make of this little book. It is certainly printed well, a requirement for an art book. The closeups of the Murano glass are beautiful. I wish the smaller photographs of the same glass objects in the back of the book were bigger. I got no real impression as to what the glass actually looked like. There must be bigger, more comprehensive books on Murano glass, if you cannot take a trip to the J. Paul Getty Museum, where these treasures are, or in the best of all possible worlds, go to Venice and Murano and see glass until you cannot look at another object.

   The poem "Murano" though beautiful is not my favorite Doty poem. Written for his deceased poet friend Lynda Hull, the poem contrasts the permanence of Murano glass with the stench and death often associated with Venice. "Is this what becomes of art, the hard-won permanence outside of time? A struck match-head of a city, ungodly lonely in its patina of fumes and ash? Gorgeous scrap heap where no one lives, or hardly anyone."

   There is no need to combine pictures and poetry. One usually dominates the other. First class poetry does not need to be illustrated. (I certainly think Mr. Doty is a first class poet; his poems often bring me much pleasure. I'm also of the opinion that poetry should be read, rather than explicated. The good poet always says what we cannot explain very well.) Fine art does not require commentary. Books like this are difficult to pull off and seldom satisfy completely. This one is no exception.

No comments about World Paperweights: Millefiori and Lampwork.

No comments about Miller's: Popular Glass of the 19th and 20th Centuries: A Collector's Guide (Miller's Collector's Guides).

2 comments about Collector's Guide to Paperweights 1840s to 2006: Identification & Values (Collector's Guide).

1. 
   This book endeavors to give the owner a guide to the prices of paperweights, but as the book is American the reader will have to make the appropriate calculations and also take into consideration the American paperweight market against the British. In my own experience, Americans are usually happy to pay more for things than their British counterparts.
   
   On the face of it the book is superb with a myriad of colour photographs showing some of the most exquisite paperweights ever produced, but on closer inspection many of the said photographs have appeared in other books on the subject.
   
   If this is the only book you are ever going to own on the subject then go for it. However if you already own several books on the subject you will probably find that a lot of the material in this book is duplicated in previous offerings. Also the fact that a book that offers pricing information is out of date virtually from the day of publication is another factor to consider. Prices are relatively current at the moment, but for how long. Don't get me wrong, this is a superb book but it is expensive and in some areas repeats information from other books.



2. Recommended for general-interest collector's reference holdings is Mark Pickvet's COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO PAPERWEIGHTS, a survey of identification and values which pairs good-sized color photos with specifications and details for paperweights from the 1840s to 2006. From glassmaker specialties to comments on what makes for value in a paperweight, this is a fine pick.

No comments about Candlewick: Colored And Decorated Lines (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

No comments about Vetri Veneziani: Ohira.

No comments about Mazorca: Objects Of Common Ceremony.

1 comments about Lino Tagliapietra Glass.

1. 
   From the slipcover (rear): "Arte e design nelle opere di un grande maestro vetraio." ... "Art and design in the work of an outstanding master glassmaker." ... [and again in French and German].
   
   This book is written in Italian, English, French & German. There is a 4-page introduction in each and short descriptions of every one of the 91 pieces.
   
   A wide variety of works from 1981 to 1993 are presented.
   
   If you're interested in Lino or glassblown artistic pieces, I highly recommend this book.

2 comments about Wheeling Decorating Company: Identification & Value Guide.

1. This book is an incredible resource for a collecter. Webster's passion for thorough research is evident as he weaves stories about WDC's history into a very practical price guide. He approaches the subject as a storyteller, researcher, curator, and glassware dealer. This reminds the reader of why we get into collecting in the first place; it goes beyond the object and into how the object came to be. Webster's book teaches us about why this glassware was made and encourages us to ask similar questions about the material world around us. He strikes a fine balance between the technical, practical, and personal aspects of telling the story of the Wheeling Decorating Company. This is a most impressive debut and I hope we will see more from this fine author.



2. This book is wonderful. Very informative, well written. I would like to see more on this company.

No comments about Mauzy's Cake Plates: A Photographic Reference With Prices.