No comments about Identifying Avon Jewelry.

1 comments about Christmas Tree Pins: O Christmas Tree (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This is an outstanding book on Christmas Tree Pins. It is a comprehensive book covering many of the lesser known as well as those major manufacturers and designers we all recognize.
   The photos and "paper stock" are excellent--a quality publication. I bought this book along with "Christmas Pins, Past & Present and enjoy them both, but if you can only have one, this is it.

No comments about Discoveries: Diamonds and Precious Stones (Discoveries (Abrams)).

1 comments about Miller's: Jewellery: Antiques Checklist (Miller's Antiques Checklist).

1. It covers antique collectible jewellery from 18th century to modern, gives plenty of details on styles, materials used, hallmarking and things to look for when buying. For each category (i.e. Art Noveau brooches) it gives one representative item in picture and description + estimation of value, and several similar ones (different craftmanship or designer than the main example) but without the value (which bugged me a little). If it also offered a comprehensive table with all/most info arranged in one place, for quick reference, it would be perfect.

3 comments about A World of Earrings: Africa, Asia, America (Ghysels Collection).

1. I approach this book purely as an artist seeking inspiration for my own jewelry designs, and for this I give A World of Earrings five stars. The photography is beautifully clear and sharp, offering precise detail under excellent lighting. The jewelry pieces are shown quite large, allowing you to see all the details. It is true that the descriptions are placed in the back of the book, and it might be a little inconvenient for some to flip back and forth between photos and descriptions, but I actually applaud this design decision because I prefer to see the jewelry itself without distracting blocks of text. As an artist, not a jewelry historian, I have to say this book fulfills all of my expectations and is well worth the price.



2. The book is beautifully illustrated with full color photos that are exceptional in quality. I think it would have been helpful to show how some of the earrings are actually worn, either on a mannequin head or a real person. One other feature I found inconvenient was the location of the descriptive text , which is clear at the back of the book, instead of under or in back of each illustration. The reader has to keep flipping back and forth between the full-sized photo in front and the text at the end. However, it still provides a good general survey of ethnic earrings from Africa, Asia and the Americas.



3. ...as with the other volumes published thus far about the Ghysels collection (World of Rings, Splendor of Ethnic Jewelry), one is left thirsting for an accompanying volume of scholarship. Broad introductions to the regions represented and short captions relegated to the end of the book are what we're given instead, often without dates for the pieces shown. A gorgeous and inspiring visual resource- still one of my favorites on ethnic jewelry, for the sheer beauty of the pieces included- but a bit frustrating to the jewelry historian.

1 comments about From Satan's Crown to the Holy Grail: Emeralds in Myth, Magic, and History.

1. I found Diane Morgan's book to be a fascinating blend of history, minerology, and the magical, mystycial, and medicinal properties attributed to this marvelous gem. If you would like to know more about these subjects, I heartly recomend this very interesting, humerous and highly readable book.

4 comments about Diamonds: A Century of Spectacular Jewels.

1. Penny Proddow and Marion Fasel have done it again! "Diamonds" is a spectacular overview of some of the most famous, infamous, and downright jaw-dropping diamond jewelry ever made. Those who are interested in a gemological history may be disappointed, as Proddow and Fasel concentrate solely on mostly modern diamonds set into jewelry--but those who salivate over the treasures of luminaries from Queen Elizabeth to Elizabeth Taylor will be delighted with this book.

   Proddow and Fasel have done their homework and provide the reader with a lengthy history of the diamond and its stature in the jewelry world. From the beginning, it was considered rare, unusual and much to be treasured--and its status as such ensured that it would be used in only the most elegant, important, and imaginative jewelry. We learn of the origins of the famed Tiffany setting for diamonds. This was a prong structure which supplanted the formerly popular bezel setting by exposing the pavilion (bottom) of the stone itself, thereby allowing more interplay of light and sparkle. This seemingly simple approach ended up establishing Tiffany as one of the world's premier jewelers. We learn about the freedom jewelers felt during the Art Deco and Art Nouveau periods--the freedom to approach jewelry as art and not just dull commissioned pieces from nobility. We learn about the way Jackie Kennedy wore several diamond pins in her hair during a 1960s trip to Paris to SUGGEST the appearance of a tiara--without the royal associations of an actual tiara.

   Proddow and Fasel have done their homework in providing splendid photographs of both well-known and rarely-seen diamond pieces. The book is particularly strong in showcasing nature-oriented jeweled pieces. Particular stand-outs include:

   - An astonishingly beautiful butterfly brooch from the 1890s, in which the butterfly's body is made of a diamond and a ruby and the winds are enormous carved and etched diamonds (p. 20), not to mention a diamond and platinum butterfly brooch in which actual butterfly wings are encased in rock crystal (p. 32);

   - An actual lion's paw seashell in which diamond tentacles climb the shell's grooves and set off the gleaming coral color (p. 87);

   - An enormous Cartier snake necklace commissioned by Mexican actress Maria Felix in 1968 and featuring over 2,400 diamonds on one side. The other side was done completely in colored enamels, making the necklace reversible (p. 112);

   - A tortoise compact made from a real tortoise shell and pavé diamond head, feet, and tail (p. 130).

   This book is an invaluable and instructive guide for anyone who loves diamond jewelry and appreciates the imaginative flights of fancy it inspires in its creators. Highly recommended!




2. The book is nice for people who would like to know a bit more on diamonds in general. If, however, you would like to have in-depth details of this fabulous gem, then there are much better quality books, like "Diamonds", second edition by Eric Bruton, or the GIA provides some nice books; Lord Ian Balfour has written an outstanding work on "Famous Diamonds". All in all, "Diamonds: a Century of Spectacular Jewels" is a nice coffeetable book, but then, if its just the pictures you like, why not buy a copy of "Magnificent Jewels" by Christie's, these sales are held twice a year, both in New York as well as in Geneva (Switzerland); and the photos (not to mention the prices - before AND after the sales!!) will take your breath away!



3. The highlight of this book, strangely enough, is the text. It explains how jewelry styles changed throughout the century in an interesting way. Unfortunately, the photographs weren't as good; they didn't accentuate the jewels very well and were sometimes slightly out of focus and grainy. In the chapter on pink diamonds, many of the photographs make the diamonds look gray. Throughout the book, diamonds described as canary yellow look like white diamonds. In general, the beauty of the gems were not captured.



4. An intelligent text and very handsome photographs. Trouble is, far too many of those photographs are in black and white whereas for the asking price, this book should be a feast of color. For the passionate diamond-lover, it's still a treat, but be ready for mounting frustration as you turn pages and increasingly wonder what these gorgeous things REALLY looked like.

1 comments about Jewelry of the Stars: Creations from Joseff of Hollywood.

1. So little is written about this remarkable designer that it is great to have so much information in one source about Eugene Joseff. The photographs recording his designs are invaluable to costume jewelry aficionados and collectors. Joseff's contribution to film-making is unique and , until now, practically unsung. Movie stills, photos from the Joseff archives and photos produced for this volume provide a valuable record of his prodigious and truly remarkable output.

   Why the publisher doesn't assign an editor to clean up much of the amatuerish, gawky prose is beyond this reader's comprehension. While one does not expect erudition in a "collector book", one should not have to endure irrelevant and uninformative captions, homespun drawings and corny typefaces. Many of the photos are poorly planned, using strange props and odd angles which interfere with seeing the jewelry. The poor editing and the poor layout prevent me from giving a higher rating. But if you are a costume jewelry collector, especially of Joseff, you have to have this book.

No comments about Shamelessly, Jewelry from Kenneth Jay Lane.

5 comments about Lea Stein Jewelry (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. Lea Stein Jewelry is a very special book for any one who might find Lea Stein's designs of interest. The book is outstanding. The information about how her work is manufactured on the first few pages is very informative. The photography is exquisite and I recommend this book to beginner collectors and all other collectors of Lea Stein's gorgeous jewelry.



2. I am thrilled that I found this terrific book. I do believe that it is truly informative and enjoyed reading the method of how Lea Stein produced her wonderful jewelry with the help of her husband. The photography was super full of a vast amount of Lea Stein's design. A book I will always treasure.



3. "Lea Stein Jewelry" is a coffee table book containing 180 pages of colour photographs of the jewellery of Lea Stein, with 2001 values. Other than the picture captions, there is very little text throughout this book. As far as I am aware, this is the only book available that is dedicated to Lea Stein jewellery, so if you are contemplating starting a collection, this book is a must. However, people who have already started a collection of Lea Stein jewellery are likely to find this book to be lacking.
   
   Although this book provides photographs of a large number of Lea Stein's pieces, it is incomplete (I have seen several pins that are not included in this book) and no indication is given as to the full range of colours and styles each pin was produced in (many Lea Stein pins were produced in a wide range of colours, and in some cases embellishments, such as rhinestones, were added). It also lacks an index, making it very difficult to find any one particular item.
   
   This is by no means a comprehensive catalogue of Lea Stein's work. Nevertheless, as I said before, it's the only book available on the topic, so until something better comes along, this is it.



4. I was disappointed with the content of this book. I expected to learn about the history of how the Stein's layering process came about. Also, certain popular pin styles were left out completely. The photography is
   beautifully done, however.



5. Lea Stein Jewelry is a thoroughly researched beautifully presented book. The photography and design of this book is outstanding. There are hundreds of photographs of Lea Stein's wonderful necklaces, pins, rings, earrings and bracelets. I was not aware that aside from jewelry, Lea Stein also created jewelry boxes, dressing table mirrors, cigarette lighter holders and other gorgeous accessories. When I discovered that finally a book about Lea Stein had been published, I ordered it immediately and it has proved to be even better than I hoped. I shall never tire of looking through it.