2 comments about Ethnic Jewelry: Africa, Asia, And The Pacific.

1. I wanted this book to inspire me, not necessary be an historical reference book. It did what I wanted, and so this is a happy customer. It is an oversize book, and the photos are nothing short of stunning.



2. Magnificent photos of ethnic jewelry. On a par with The Splender of Ethnic Jewelry, but the text is not as detailed.

No comments about Mueller's Overview of American Compacts and Vanity Cases.

1 comments about Nineteenth Century Cameos: A Price and Identification Guide.

1. This really is a wonderful addition to the unfortunately small number of sometimes iffy books on cameos currently available. Though it generously contains 134 color plates and is so well presented, I only wish it was longer. Thankfully, it does not waste your time with photos of junky, mass produced modern cameos. These are all important, Georgian and Victorian cameos, fine examples in hardstone, shell, coral, tortoiseshell, lava, jet, jasperware and ivory to train your eye toward picking out the very best at high-end antique venues. The author, a London antique jewelry dealer, has a website, (rowanandrowan), which contains many beauties, if you want to see more. This is a book I will often enjoy browsing through, especially since I am not wealthy. Price guides are notoriously undependable, especially for one-of-a-kind, rare items, and the location of your find can wildly affect the price you can expect to pay. This book is not a price guide, though it occasionally includes a price in UK pounds. (Many of the cameos are privately owned or in museum collections that you might not easily visit, but are of a high-end type occasionally still found in odd places, estate sales and auctions by the avid cameo hunter.) It depicts primarily Greek and Roman mythological subjects in very clear color photos with concise overviews of the myths and identifying information. Additionally, there is a small collection of portrait cameos that does not include, thankfully, the ubiquitous, anonymous ladies' heads. These are portraits of famous Victorians, Lord Byron, Florence Nightingale, and a Victorian portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots. Of interest to me are wonderful, deeply carved ivory portrait cameos of the poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the novelist, Elizabeth Gaskell. There is a short 2 page section referencing eminent carvers who signed their cameos in an effort to differentiate their work from real antiquities. If I could wish for anything, it would be for the author to expand her book in the future with even more examples of the lovely and unusual cameos that have passed through her hands. I recommend this book as a small indulgence to serious fine cameo collectors. Antique Collectors' Club books can be depended on for quality information and wonderful color photography.

1 comments about Georg Jensen Jewelry (Published in Association with the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design and Culture).

1. My family has collected Georg Jensen flatware and jewelry for many years and we have been to many shows. There are so many pieces in this book that we have never seen the likes of before - the inventory of images in this book is staggeringly complete and we were so impressed with the quality of the book that we not only gave it as a gift, but purchased a second copy for our own library. Compared to other books of this level (e.g. those by Janet Drucker) the price of this book makes it a must have for anyone interested in Art Nouveau silver, the metal arts, or the Jensen collector.

2 comments about Christie's Twentieth-Century Jewelry.

1. After long period of waiting sell announced that they did not , and could not get book. My answer, don't list it for sale then till you have it physically.



2. An excellent overview of styles and the people who made them over the last 110 years. An outstanding reference text.

5 comments about A Treasury of Beaded Jewelry: Bead Stringing Patterns for All Ages.

1. A variety of patterns gives a good overview of beading and the many different looks you can achieve.



2. An excellent tool for creative beading!



3. I really liked this book. I dot this book near the beginning of my beading career and find that I still refer to it regularly to refresh my memory on beading methodology. It is an easy to follow guide that has easier projectss for beginners, as well as more time-consuming and difficult projects for the more advanced beader. I love these designs, and one design can be used over and over in different bead colors. As you become more comforatble with them, you can make your own variations and build upon what they have shown you. I definetly recommend this book to everyone interested in jewelry beading.



4. This book has easy to read diagrams. The projects start simple and expand into a more complex types of projects. (daisy chains to wide bead woven laces) Great for any beginner!



5. This is a very slender book, only 34 pages of photos and instructions. Seven pages of colored photos, including the cover, show an average of six projects per page, making a good number of projects to choose from. All of the designs use seed beads and other small beads strung on thread, with simple clasps added to the ends. Instructions are not included on how to add clasps, so you'll need to learn how to do that from another source.

   The designs include a wonderful variety of necklaces, bracelets and earrings, ranging from sweet and delicate to large, complex, and dramatic. The cover photo gives a good idea of the variety of projects inside, and even if you just find a few that you want to do, it would be worth the low price of the book.

   The instructions are okay. They are written in paragraph form, which makes it difficult to find your place again when returning to read them. I'd prefer the instructions written as Step 1, Step 2, etc. to make them easier to read, but the drawn diagrams showing how the thread passes through the beads are very good; they are large and easy to follow.

   One little problem is that none of the instructions tell you on which page to find the photo of the corresponding project, so you have to look through the book to find it. To solve this, on each instruction page I wrote the page number on which to find the appropiate photo. Otherwise, I think this is a very good investment for people who like the intricate work with seed beads.

5 comments about Collecting Costume Jewelry 101: The Basics of Starting, Building and Upgrading (Identification & Value Guide).

1. Brief Description of Book
   This book lives up to its name and is a great gift for someone you may know who is just getting hooked on buying vintage costume jewelry. It would make a great companion gift to a fabulous vintage piece. This book Collecting 101 is a bit basic for absolute beginners only.
   The core thesis of the book is G-U-I-D-E an acronym that stands for:
   * Is the piece in Good condition?
   * Do U Like it?
   * Is it a good investment?
   * Is the piece designer signed and is it well designed?
   * Are there extras that make it more interesting?
   These questions are posed to help the buyer select good pieces at whatever price point they are starting to collect at. The author explains her GUIDE concept quite concisely and uses it throughout the book.
   
   The author suggests four designers that beginners should collect Trifari, Coro, Kramer and Weiss. She recounts a little history about each of the companies, shows photos of their marks and recommends pieces to purchase. For example she suggests Trifari from the 50's and 60's because it is plentiful, available in excellent condition and not too expensive. The author uses a lot of photos to illustrate these sections
   
   The next portion of the book is arranged the alphabetically and cameos 130 designers. Each profile contains a little company history, marks, signature look of a designer and recommendations of pieces to buy.
   
   In the next chapter there is a section called "Marked by Style" on identifying unmarked jewelry. A little more than a beginner skill in my opinion but an interesting section to ponder nonetheless. She focuses 75% of her energy on Juliana, the remaining 25% on Eisenberg, Dorothy Bauer, Hattie Carnegie, Goldette, Haskell, Hollycraft, Sarah Coventry, Schauer, Schreiner and Weiss.
   
   The remaining chapters cover:
   * Upgrading your collection
   * Repairing and Cleaning
   * Cataloging a Collection
   * Storing and Insuring a Collection
   
   Over all the advice is quite sound, the G-U-I-D-E principle should be followed it will really help anyone avoid unfocused buying.
   
   Quantity of Illustrations:
   There are more than 750 total illustrations in Collecting Costume Jewelry 101. There are color photographs, original advertisements in color and black and white. The photos are clear and focused.
   
   
   Quality of Illustrations:
   
   Comments: The items selected are not riveting I think that they are pedestrian. Maybe that is because this book is pitched at beginners. However I feel that the selections should be inspirational and exciting. This is why the top shelf pieces in a book such as "A Tribute to America" are always fun to look at. I felt the items pictured were what the author could get permission to use. Which leads me to the inclusion of Christmas tree jewelry! There are too many Christmas trees in this book. And I like Christmas tree jewelry.
   
   I have one very pointed example that illustrates my low score on the illustrations. The author devoted 3 pages to Miriam Haskell. In my opinion these are not good representative pieces, they are what was available to include. There is one pair of beaded earrings, a necklace with gold chain and a wood pendant that looks like it was made in shop class to me, several strings of beads, a pearl necklace that is not photographed close enough to generate any excitement and a pair of gilded earrings. I may sound harsh here but the wow factor of buying Miriam Haskell is not expressed in these photos. Feel free to disagree!
   
   As a final note on the illustrations, I am reviewing the first edition of this book. According to the publisher Collector Books a second edition should be available soon. They promise 200 new photos and updates on the price guidelines that are included in the first edition.
   
   
   
   Quantity of Information
   Range of Information offered:
   For the most part this is a good concise book to check for information. If you are looking for in depth information on a particular designer you should probably look at a more specialized book. For example there are entire books on Haskell, KJL, D &E, to name only a few designers.
   
   Is the information thorough?
   The information provided seems to be thorough and remember this is a book for beginners.
   
   Values Listed (Prices) Yes
   Are they helpful or realistic? The prices are being updated for a new edition
   The prices are based on what one might hope to get in an e-bay auction.
   Comments: Based on the prices sometimes I want to be buying and other times I want to be on the selling end of the transaction.
   
   
   User Friendly:
   Is the book easy to read and follow? yes
   Is there a table of contents and index? yes
   Is information easy to find? yes
   
   
   Is this book a must have? Only for your friends who are just beginning to collect costume jewelry. I think Costume Jewelry 202 is a vastly superior book and I would recommend that (again).
   
   Overall comments
   If I had this book many years ago I would have avoided buying stuff I just didn't need. I would have made wiser purchases and would have a better collection today.



2. I actually bought her 2nd book (202) before buying this one (101) and while I treasure my 202 guide much more than this first one (because I'm not a beginner) - I think it is a fabulous book to have for those starting out. With a lot of fake WEISS and other great designers' jewelry being reproduced and sold as the real thing today (especially on eBay), it's a good guide to have that shows a fair amount and variation of these favorite popular designers' pieces. This will help the beginner collector possibly know a fake when they see it. Not all that shines and sparkles means it is the real thing or that it's collectible. I believe both her books should be bought together but the 202 Guide is definitely the very best there is (because it shows so many patents). I particularly like the fact that both of these books are done in sturdy paperback because if they were hardbound, they would be so heavy given how big they are. Lots and lots of colorful pictures! Well done!!



3. Found this book to be very helpful at my jewelry shows. Has lots of pictures and information on vintage jewelry and numerous designers. Does not go into great detail, but gives enough good information to be helpful. Because the information is listed in alpha order, my customers find it helpful when looking up specific designers or styles. This book is great for beginners and old collectors alike.



4. This book along with the "202" book by the same author are "must have"s for costume jewelry collectors, buyers and sellers. I can't rate them highly enough.



5. I learned many of the basics overtime and searching the internet. It is great to have so much information in one book. The photos are excellent and I would recommend this to anyone starting a collection. Great do's and don'ts.

3 comments about Illustrated Guide to Jewelry Appraising, 3rd Edition: Antique, Period, and Modern.

1. Maybe you think the fine art of jewelry appraising is one of determining value alone - but there's so much more to the skill, as Registered Master Valuer and jewelry historian Anna Miller reveals in Illustrated Guide To Jewelry Appraising 3rd Edition: Antique, Period & Modern. Her updated, expanded new third edition combines case studies and typical valuation challenges with key documents to aid in the pricing process, instructions on how to do a narrative jewelry description, a methodology for research, and much more. Loaded with practical, technical data, Illustrated Guide To Jewelry Appraising should not be missed by any serious jewelry collector.



2. As advertised, no problems whatsoever!



3. Anna Miller, in her recently updated version (9-99) of "The Illustrated Guide to Jewelry Appraising", gives a novice or a professional some expert information in this edition. The concepts and principles section alone is worth the price of the book, but her book also covers everthing from making the "correct identification" to tips on the appraisal document itself. Also included is supplemental info. on antique jewelry, estimating values and appraisal narrative, plus weight estimation formulas for unusual diamond cuts. I would suggest her book to anyone with an interest in appraising or anyone who has the need to understand the process of jewelry evaluation.

1 comments about Antique & Collectible Buttons: Identification & Values.

1. While I'm sure this is a helpful book for the serious and advanced collector, it isn't for the beginner, which I am. I didn't see anything in it's description that would have let me know that, so I wasted my money. I am not a collector and never will be; I'm just a beginner button sorter, breaking up big collections and selling individual buttons, pairs or sets.

4 comments about Diamonds--The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide : How to Select, Buy, Care for Diamonds With Confidence and Knowledge.

1. Antoinette Matlins' buying guides for jewelry and gemstones are excellent, and "Diamonds" is no exception. Perhaps because she is a gemologist consultant, Ms. Matlins excels in anticipating what consumers want to know and makes sure her guides answer those questions. The paucity of color photographs, which are limited to a 12-page insert, may be "Diamonds" weakness. People like to look at pictures of sparkling gems, but the abundant information in the guide is easy to understand without photographs. And photos are probably less essential in a diamond guide than in a guide of colored gemstones, since there are fewer varieties. Many of the most interesting and popular cuts are pictured, so the essential photos are included.
   
   After explaining how to examine a stone through a loupe, Matlins moves on to the meat of the guide in Part 2: There is a chapter for each of the 4Cs: cut, color, clarity, carat weight. Illustrations of ideal cut, different cuts, faulty cuts, and how they affect price are especially interesting. The chapter on color includes discussion of color grading systems and the HPHT process to improve color. These are followed by chapters on diamond grading reports and how that information affects price, and common types of misrepresentation and what you can do to avoid being misled, including discussion of fake diamonds and how to detect them. One chapter is dedicated to comparing prices for round, brilliant-cut diamonds, so that we can see the relative effects of the 4Cs on price. Another chapter addresses color and color enhancement in fancy diamonds, with a retail price guide and sample gem grading reports.
   
   The last 2 parts of "Diamonds" include descriptions of common diamond settings, advice on what to ask when shopping for a diamond, what to consider, and what to get in writing on your bill of sale, as well as advice on finding a good jeweler, gemologist, appraiser, or insurer, caring for diamonds, and a little about the Gemprint diamond identification system. This book provides more detail about diamond cuts, enhancements, and how to detect a fake than Fred Cuellar's "How to Buy a Diamond" guide. Antoinette Matlins' approach is more hands-on, emphasizing the consumer looking at diamonds through a loupe, whereas Cuellar expects that you will rely on machines to analyze the diamonds but offers more guidance on the shopping experience itself -guidance that is inextricably entwined with promotion for his own business, however.



2. A detailed book that gives you a great understanding of diamonds and what affects their value, covers the important facts on diamonds, how they can be enhanced and their simulants. What to avoid, how and where or where not to buy. The scams and how to get professional appraisals. Will give you more knowlage than most high street chain jewelers have. Buy this before buying any diamond jewellery.



3. Without a doubt, this edition is the best buying guide for diamond buyers. Antoinette Matlins knows everything there is to know about diamonds and their purchase. I would buy a diamond from her any day.



4. I have most of Antoinette Matlins books and I give them all five stars. If you are interested in learning about or are planning to buy a diamond for any reason, I would read this book first!!
   I recently purchased the book "Diamond Buying Guide" and had not realized how involved and complicated it is to understand the differences in the evaluation of diamonds. A particular diamond I thought was a great deal before reading this book, however, I learned was not a good deal at all. The purchase would have been a poor investment. Thanks to this book I gained enough confidence and knowledge to explore the diamond market and I purchased a beautiful diamond ring for my wife. I had the diamond ring appraised by a reputable appraiser and I felt even better when she informed me that my purchase was as represented and the purchase was at a very good price. The appraiser was impressed with how much I new about diamonds. I was proud to inform her it was because of this book. The book is easy reading, informative, and was helpful to me. Thanks!