2 comments about Jewelry Handbook: How to Select, Wear & Care for Jewelry.

1. Another well written, fantastic book by Renee Newman. This book is profusely illustrated with wonderful color photographs and the author writes very clear and informative advice on how to wear and select jewelry. Very useful tips on how to properly care for jewelry are a must to learn. Before acquiring more jewelry, reading this book would greatly help to understand jewelry in general, along value and fashion trends. Truly a great book!



2. Respected gemologist and the author of eight outstanding guides on the subject of gems and jewelry, Renee Newman combines her years of experience and expertise with a gift for writing to provide both jewelry professionals and interested non-professional general readers with an informed and informative guidebook and manual on selected just the right jewelry to match a lifestyle, a budget, and even a body type. Profusely illustrated throughout with color photography, the "Jewelry Handbook: How To Select, Wear & Care For Jewelry" lays out clear, concise, step-by-step instructions on choosing jewelry that flatters and which will endure in both value and tenure. Readers will learn how to properly decipher stamps on jewelry mounting, how to make jewelry versatile, how to care for, clean, and protect jewelry, and perhaps most importantly, how to get good value for the money invested in the purchase of jewelry. The "Jewelry Handbook" covers both the benefits and the drawbacks for various setting styles, mountings, chains and metals (including gold, silver, platinum, palladium, titanium, tungsten, and stainless steel). Before buying their next piece of jewelry, readers would be very well advised to read and rely on Renee Newman's "Jewelry Handbook".

1 comments about Cuff Links.

1. Normally this book is printed on top quality paper with extra photos. You sell paperback. WHY?

1 comments about Forties And Fifties Popular Jewelry.

1. Great guide for selling or collecting. Great photo's.. Great Price

4 comments about Plastic Bangles.

1. Love, Love, LOVE this book! The photography is awesome! Gives some good testing methods to identify which type of plastic. When I was reading the book, I discovered I personally have several pieces in my own collection that were illustrated. And no, they're not worth hundreds or thousands but rather just a mear $20, but I'm happy just the same. :-)



2. There are several things about this book that puts it in a superior catagory. It's not only the photography, which is stunning, but the in depth information throughout the entire book. Different plastics were always a source of confusion for me but the explaination of just what the plastic was with a photo next to it taught me so much.
   
   I agree with John's (reviewer below) assessment of pricing. I believe he was referring to self-serving pricing of which some authors are guilty. These prices are realistic and from what I see in the market place, prices that people are paying. This book has taught me to do my research.
   
   The book is beautiful, well thought out and extremely well written. A must in the library of any serious bakelite or vintage plastic collector.



3. I bought this book because I wanted to know something more about bangles, which I love and have been collecting for a while. I always wonder if I am being over-charged or "told a tale" about a bracelet from dealers at flea markets I go to or in antique stores. After reading this book, I can ask intelligent questions and have found that I am treated with so much more respect. In addition, the pictures are gorgeous. I actually leave the book out as a coffee table book when I am not using it.



4. Finally, a concise book on the identification of all the plastic bangles out there. As a dealer, I am always trying to explain to my customers how to differentiate between one bangle and another. Now I just tell them to buy the book. The pictures alone speak a thousand words.
   
   Would I agree that there is an area of subjectiveness regarding pricing? Absolutely. But there is also a realistic price or perception as to what people see in a piece. In my experience, people are only willing to pay what they believe is a piece's value. Anyone can put a $500 price tag on a Diane Von Furstenberg bracelet, but that doesn't mean that it will sell.
   
   As a dealer, I'd rather my customers have a realistic price guide as opposed to a self-serving "off the charts" price. All in all, I found the book to be helpful, exceptionally well layed out, beautiful in presentation, and worth every penny.

5 comments about Queens' Jewels.

1. This magnificent book is so finely put together. The information is fascinating and the extraordinary photos are printed with such high quality. The author has created a work of art in itself.



2. Hi
   I'd be interested to know which typos, grammar errors and careless proofreading you found in Queens' Jewels.



3. A feast for the eyes, of course, but so many typos, grammatical errors, and careless proofreading should never be permitted by any publisher, much less one with such a distinguished subject. Were there no editors?



4. This Vincent Meylan's "Queens' Jewels" makes an interesting read. It did a good job on the English aristocracy/monarchy. The same applied to the French, the Scandinavian, and the Russian overlords. Its chapters were well-grouped and well-sectioned: thus making it easy for readers to select whatever interests them with great ease.
   Sadly, little effort was made as to improve the quality of the included photographs. Also, some of the information which Mr. Meylan presented were flawed. And, the details of some royal treasures, (particularly those of Italy, Austro-Hungary, Netherlands, Spain, and Portugal) were scanty.
   Overall, this is a good book (if one ignores its pardonable errors and omissions).



5. The paper used to print this book is of better quality thant the text. The "research" Mr. Meylan has made, at least in the case of Spain, is simply inaccurate. On the other hand the book doesn't make any reference to such important treasures as those of the Dutch and Portuguese Queens. Finally, the quality of the photos is poor in many cases.

No comments about Turquoise Jewelry.

No comments about 7000 Years of Jewelry: An International History and Illustrated Survey from the Collections of the British Museum.

No comments about Generations of Jewelry.

3 comments about Cameos: Classical to Costume.

1. It definitely should have been better! Pictures and info lack any real knowledge of the subject, and often times just had wrong information. Very disappointed. A big book with little value to me.



2. Expectations of visual and historical information for this expensive book should be high. But exceptionally poor photography and lack of any rigorous understanding of the history of jewelry and design in the text from these authors rate this book a tepid two stars only. It should have been better, coming from this antique specialty publisher, since it is a facinating subject, and there isn't much available in print.



3. I have had this book for the past year and have been a cameo collector for 25 years and this is my favorite book of all my collectors books ,I use it nearly every day to chech things out or to just browse and wish.It is very informative and the pictures are clear .I highly recommend this book to any cameo collector ,

2 comments about Jewelry and Metalwork in the Arts and Crafts Tradition.

1. This book is much better than many Schiffer books because it is a good way to compare and contrast the interpretation of the Arts and Crafts style at the turn of the 20th century. We are currently going through an Arts and Crafts revival with the available abundance of Mission and Prairie furniture knock-offs.
   
   We learn from this book that the current revival is limited to the style of New Yorker Gustav Stickley who, in 1892, was inspired by the English designers William Morris and John Ruskin. Stickley favored simple linear lines in his furniture. The Arts and Crafts movement had many variations, evolving from a backlash against the rise of industry and mass-production. The movement emphasized pride in fine handcrafting and workmanship, attention to detail, and rejection of Victorian stylings having little artistic integrity.
   
   As applied to jewelry, the Arts and Crafts movement took on different interpretations depending upon the designer's location. In France, some jewelry tended toward the grotesque. Following a different muse, Lalique's jewelery was themed on nature, such as insects and flowers.
   
   In Sweden, Georg Jensen's silver jewelry sought classic new shapes. In the US, Tiffany used multi-hued glass in his jewelry designs. In Ireland, there was a Celtic revival in jewelry. Ancient Celtic designs such as swirling, swerving, symmetrical knots were Arts and Crafts "naturals."
   
   Precious stones used in Arts and Crafts jewelry include gold, enamel, opal, amethyst, diamond, garnet, and pearl, particularly baroque pearls.
   
   If you are interested in the Arts and Crafts movement, this book will give you not only an idea of how the design was applied to jewelry but also to architecture, furniture and accessories, and clothing.



2. The Arts and Crafts era is without a doubt one of the best periods in jewellery history.This really was the period were people used there own creative instincts,were being original,true to the craft and not subscribing to a mass produced fashion/style e.g art nouveau,etc etc.It was also the forefather of modern jewellery design.This book is the prized favourite in my collection of jewellery books,before I bought it I had read it in the library countless times and it can be reread again and again.The best part about it was that it referenced so many obscure and unknown designers and jewellers,who have not been give due credit for the amazing work they produced.It is beautifully illustrated and ispirational and is interesting because most 'jewellery history' books only concentrate on the movement itself and feature traditional jewellers who became part of that movement.This is the first book Ive read were most of the jewellers are artists or creative groups making jewellery.Alot of the information in the book is impossible to find even online!I've looked.Very well done and researched, worth every cent.Also recommend Artists' Jewellery - Pre-Raphaelite to Arts and Crafts; by Geoffrey munn if you love this era.Though this book is the better of the two, but both are invaluable.