No comments about Art Nouveau Domestic Metalwork, New Edition: From WurttembergIische Metallwaren Fabrik 1906.

No comments about Quick & Easy Wire Jewelry.

2 comments about A Connoisseur's Guide to Antique Jewelry (Connoisseur's Guides).

1. I really enjoyed this book. The pictures are beautiful. It is not a reference book however



2. For the collector who dreams of owning some of these exceptional pieces this book is one to dream with... if you're someone just looking for information and approximate prices on Grandma's old jewelry you'll be let down. This is a coffe table book... beautiful to look at but lacking in substance.

5 comments about Christmas Pins Past and Present: Identification and Value Guide (Christmas Pins).

1. I purchased this book along with Christmas Tree Pins/O Christmas Tree and since I rated that book a "5", I am rating this book a strong 4. While the pages are a bit thinner in weight (but still of good quality), the photos are excellent with the pins presented nicely. And, even though the number of pins featured are fewer, this book also includes santas, angels, reindeer, wreaths, and other seasonal pins which makes this a good addition/companion to my library.



2. Ms. Gallina has done impressive research. Her pictures are well done, in color, and carefully organized by designer and theme. Her captions are descriptive and the values are clear.



3. This somewhat small book was extremely helpful to me in identifying the values of some recently purchased Weiss candle Christmas Tree Pins. It has also shown me what pins do not carry such a high value.
   I would love to see more books like this one for holiday jewelry.
   I would highly reccommend this book to anyone interested in Vintage and New Christmas Jewelry.



4. Very enjoyable book with great history of the designers of today and yesteryear that made Christmas Pins. Good color pictures with a price guide that reflects today's prices. If you are a new pin collector this is a must have at a reasonable price. If you are a seasoned collector you will enjoy reading about the short histories of your favorite designers.



5. This book by Jill is one of my favorite books, and not just because my own jewelry is included. Jill's wonderful photography showcases a wonderous variety of this collecting category. I doubt there are very many collectors who don't have a least one Christmas tree pin in their collection. And truly, it is very likely that every single woman who loves jewelry has at least one tree pin for holiday wear. This beautiful book is a perfect addition to any vintage costume jewelry reference library, for collectors and dealers alike. And it may even convert non-collectors! Thanks Jill!

5 comments about Brilliant Rhinestones: Vintage & Contemporary Jewelry from the Ronna Lee Collection : Identification & Value Guide.

1. I found this book to contain a beautiful collection of rare vintage pieces. To put down a book of this caliber displays an absolute absence of taste and appreciation of the collector, and the collected. Touche, touche!



2. I'm surprised to see this book has received such poor ratings because though I agree with other reviewers that it has its flaws, I don't think it is a bad book at all.
   I bought this book at the bookstore without first looking up any reviews online. At the time, I had to choose between Aikins' book and one other book that had better photographs and a sleeker look. The Aikins' book won me over because most of the pieces are dated and they are photographed in their entirety and on their own. There is nothing wrong with focusing on a portion of a necklace or photographing a piece surrounded with props, but I also think it is important to be able to see what type of findings were common at a particular period in time (although the backs of earrings and brooches were not photographed for this book).
   Most of the jewelry in this book is from the 1940s to 1950s. There are a few from the 1920s and earlier and a couple from the 1970s and 1980s. I like the variety of necklaces, bracelets, pins and earrings the author shows in this book. In fact, every time I open it, I seem to find a new piece that catches my attention even though I have read the book from cover to cover. This is not a book for those looking for historical references and explanations about the different styles and trends in jewelry fashion. For that, I would recommend such books as C. Jeanenne Bell's "Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry". "Brilliant Rhinestones," on the other hand, is more adequate as a visual reference for those who want to familiarize themselves with the "look" of a variety of pieces of vintage rhinestone jewelry.



3. I got the book "Brilliant Rhinestones" as a gift several years ago, and I thought at the time that the prices were way, way off - I've never seen such high and uneven prices for costume jewelry. Plus, the book's written content is extremely amateurish and, frankly, irritating in the extreme. Well, to spare my good friend's feelings I didn't share this opinion with her - told her the book was great. So, what did I get for my birthday this year? Yikes!!!!! The next edition, (20th Century Costume Jewelry) even more irritating than the first!! I bear no ill will towards the author, I'm assuming the publisher reeled her in to do another book (this stuff is kind of like the old "vanity press", isn't it?) and is counting on the book to sell just because these books are hot right now. But beware - this latest book has prices for modern jewelry that is absolutely, totally based on fantasy (for stuff you can load up on at Goodwill)and the prices for real vintage jewelry is also way off, about like her first book.



4. I purchased both this book and the sister companion, 20th Century Jewelry and felt that it was on my list of one of the worst photographed books that I have seen. There are two others by this same publisher that are lackluster in photography. Little information about the jewelry history is included in both books. While I appreciate all that the author has going for her (no doubt the other review was written by her husband), a little more attention to photography detail would have made this book much more enjoyable. I felt that the prices were a little over inflated which is a shame for both books because gorgeous jewelry is featured, just lousy photography to show them off.



5. Little information, very inflated prices on low end costume jewelry. Misleading for novices, no information for seasoned collectors. I wish I could sell things at these prices!

No comments about Indian Jewellery - Dance of the Peacock: Jewellery Traditions of India.

4 comments about Cameos: A Pocket Guide With Values (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book is geared towards cheaper (i.e. mass produced shell and glass) cameos and not enough on hardstone or lava cameos. It glosses over technique and history, which are essential to understanding value in the market place. The price guide is useless. The prices seem random and don't take workmanship or the marketplace into account. Is the cameo being offered for sale at a flea market? An auction house? A high-end antique jewelry shop in an urban area? On Ebay? Those are all distinct venues that generate different price points because the customer base is different. I was also disappointed that most of the cameos featured were of average quality and quite common, and not the high quality type that interest serious collectors.



2. This isn't as comprehensive as some other books on cameos but it has short, helpful explantions that augment other books I have on the subject.



3. This book contains photos of cameos made from many different materials, from plastic to shell to glass. But of the 160 pages it contains, only around 30 pages give any information about cameos. The rest of the pages are photos with prices. It really is just a price guide.



4. The book is exactly what it says it is, a price guide. There isn't any history, how to tell what time the cameo is from, what the cameo is made of etc. Not exactly what I wanted but will come in handy for an idea of prices.

No comments about Les Must De Cartier.

1 comments about The Best of Bakelite and Other Plastic Jewelry (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This is a beautiful book! Vibrant color photos of some of the most classic bakelite jewelry ever made. Also some great, unusual things such as school pencils and charms that are rarely seen. Unfortunately, most of us who buy books like these are not only interested in the photos and descriptions but are very much interested in the price/value guides. The value guide in this book is way too non-specific. It gives price ranges for entire pages (or double spread of pages) without giving estimates for individual items or even groups of items. An example: pages 102 and 103, $600 to $1100. Not the bangles on page 102 and the pins on page 102 - just PAGE 102. For someone looking for a beautiful bakelite jewelry "wishbook", this is it! However, if you're looking for an updated book with a usuable price guide this book falls short.

2 comments about Royal Ruby (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. I just started collecting Royal Ruby glass, and this book has been a tremendous help to me. The pictures are wonderful, as well as the descriptions and information about various pieces. The occasional comparisons of similar pieces were very helpful to me in finding exactly what I was looking for. I am very glad that I bought this book, and I recommend it highly.



2. Finally, a glass book where you don't have to guess what the picture is!!!! Each illustration has a caption, telling what the item is, along with the vital statistics. No more flipping from page to page to find out what it is, or worse yet, a picture full of glass and no list or caption. The illustrations are incredible. Not only has the author researched his subject thoroughly, the photography will dazzle you. Thank you Philip Hopper for one of the best depression glass books I've seen yet!!!! I sincerely hope you will write more of these high quality glassware books!!