5 comments about Painted Porcelain Jewelry and Buttons: Identification & Value Guide.

1. Wow, what an informative, helpful book if you have any interest in vintage jewelry or hand-painted porcelain. Wish I had some of the pieces featured here....



2. I read the reviews on this book prior to purchasing it. I also noted the reference to another book: LIVING WITH LIMOGES and I purchased it. Of course I compared the two. LIVING WITH LIMOGES is FANTASTIC and has an entire section on WEARING YOUR LIMOGES that is informative, professional and has fabulous photographs of thousands of hand painted pieces. The quality of Living With Limoges is much better than this book Painted Porcelain. I personally don't like paperback books and Painted Porcelain is a paperback. I thought I would enjoy both but my recommendation - don't bother spending the money on paperback reference books -- put your money toward the better book.



3. I love this book!! I also love Debby DuBay's book: LIVING WITH LIMOGES! Both authors "brooch" the subject of hand painted jewelry, buttons, brooches, hat pins, etc.!! A must for the collector.



4. The author has a wealth of information! (Too bad the publishing company made this a poor quality product, and a soft cover book. No justice to the content!)I love hand painted buttons and brooches and received this book and LIVING WITH LIMOGES which has a section on such, over the holidays. The two books have provided me with much information.



5. Dorothy Kamm's Painted Porcelain Jewelry And Buttons pairs gorgeous large color photos with a value guide to painted buttons and jewelry. The primarily-floral designs are gorgeous and are accompanied by the latest values.

1 comments about Masterpieces of Costume Jewelry (Schiffer Book for Collectors With Value Guide).

1. This book has some wonderful photographs, and lots of jewelry you won't see anywhere else. It covers many designers that are overlooked by many jewelry book authors. There is a lot of information in this book, making it as good for reading as it is for picture viewing.

No comments about American Silver at Winterthur (A Winterthur Book).

No comments about The Elegance of Old Silverplate and Some Personalities.

4 comments about Accessorizing The Bride: Vintage Wedding Finery Through The Decades.

1. Accessorizing the Bride is one of the most detailed and comprehensive coffee-table books I have ever seen. The author is meticulous in her description of each garment and article. The top-notch photography brings detail to life. This book is a must read for collectors, historians, or anyone interested in the evolution of wedding apparel.



2. Norma Shephard's book is a beautifully nostalgic tribute to the wedding fashions and trends of generations past and present. It is as delightful as it is informative.



3. Sentimental,enlightening and gorgeous. I especially liked the non-traditional wedding gowns and bridal stories.



4. Readers may find it difficult to believe that author Norma Shephard has such a magnificent collection of wedding accessories. And then to see them photographed so beautifully is almost beyond the realm of imagination. But it is true. Most artifacts exhibited in Accessorizing the Bride, Vintage Wedding Finery Through the Decades are part of the Mobile Millinery Museum's Wedding Collection and yes, she did all the photography in her tiny Burlington, Ontario studio.
   What makes this coffee table book so fascinating? It may be the detailed pictures of fabrics, styles, hues, beads, sequins and lace. Or it may be the memories and dreams that it ignites as we flip from era to era and maybe for the first time experience what grandmother or greatgran or even her mother may have worn on her wedding day.
   If a bride-to-be is lucky enough to view this book before she's selected her gown and accessories, it may help her decide about a veil, train, headpiece, waistline or hemline.
   And for the many ladies who donated or loaned gowns to the Mobile Millinery Museum's Wedding Collection, the book takes on a magical quality of pride and appreciation to know that their wedding finery is being admired all around the world.
   What Shephard shows she also tells and her apparent wealth of knowledge goes beyond fashion. Between the lines of real-life stories, anecdotes and progression of style, she subtly integrates the social history of women's movements, traditions, issues and advancements.
   Collectors, historians, curators and fashion aficionados will devour this tome of information and illustration, but Accessorizing the Bride, Vintage Wedding Finery Through the Decades offers more than that. While many wedding books feature gowns of celebrities, this issue credits everyday women like you and me with the ability to select, design or create that special gown for that very special day.
   Whether chosen as a reference or as a keepsake, this is one high quality coffee table book that will be opened over and over for second, third, fourth and more perusals.

No comments about Mexican Silver Jewelry Details.

1 comments about Antique Jewelry With Prices.

1. Doris Snell's large format picture book, "Antique Jewelry with Prices" is perfect for those without the time or inclination to actually READ. Entirely composed of pictures, not always of the highest quality and, absolutely without information other than foot-note sentences identifying the general period of the jewelry featured on the page. Photos are primarily in black and white and could have used some professional lighting to make them crisp. In addition, illustrations apparently taken from old catalogues are included...which would have been very interesting if accompanied by some text. There is a nice Bibliography though. Buy one of those books.

5 comments about How to Buy a Diamond: Insider Secrets for Getting Your Money's Worth (4th Edition).

1. This book is excellent. Information is first rate and very clear. The dimensional data on diamonds is helpful to decide how to buy an excellent diamond over the internet or at a jeweler.
   The book helped me get a really nice diamond at a decent price.
   
   There really are lots of scumbags in the diamond industry ready to screw you so be prepared with this book.
   Seriously, after reading this book you will know more about diamonds then half the "jewelers" out there.



2. Very comprehensive and detailed. The OEM price list is of great help. This book is a must for anyone who's looking at buying diamond.



3. Fred Cuellar -jeweler, prolific diamond advisor, and creator of novelty gem pieces for pro sports teams and corporations- brings his enthusiasm for diamonds to "How to Buy a Diamond", his popular guide to getting your money's worth in carbon, now in its 5th edition. "How to Buy a Diamond" discusses buying diamond engagement rings, but since it assumes you will be shopping for a loose stone, the information is equally applicable to any diamond: rings, earrings, pendants, stones for investment, etc. This book places more emphasis on the process of purchasing the diamond than most diamond guides. Only the first 2 chapters are concerned with the stones themselves.
   
   Chapter 1 addresses the obligatory "4 Cs": carat weight, clarity, color, and cut. In addition to basic information, Cuellar explains the expanded color typing produced by a Colorimeter, shows how color and clarity grades should correspond unless you want an oddball stone with poor resale value, and he comments on GIA's new, looser cut grading system. Chapter 2 is dedicated to "Cost", including price lists for 1/3 -5 carat diamonds, price lists for "buying shy" or buying just under the desired carat weight, and charts for calculating prices of 6-10 carat stones. Cuellar explains why it is difficult to determine what a diamond of a certain color, clarity, and carat should cost without a lot of other information.
   
   There are questionnaires to aid in finding a qualified jeweler and picking a suitable stone. The author highly recommends "bonded" diamonds, warns against the limitations of lab grading reports and buying on the internet, describes enhancement treatments to look out for, and introduces us to synthetic diamonds. Chapter 5, "Tricks of the Trade", details some common ploys that jewelers use to deceive customers as well as some that customers use to scam jewelers or unjustly accuse them of theft. Presenting the dangers of the diamond business from the jeweler's point of view provides interesting insight.
   
   A "Will You Marry Me?" chapter gives trepidatious men advice on how to pop the question -and when not to. This seemed to me like a lot of self-righteous advice on finding Miss or Mr. Right. Fred Cuellar is unquestionably a romantic and a talented salesman. He likes the idea of "true love" and the idea of a diamond as an expression of such. The book has 11 chapters. Those that I did not mention are shorter and perhaps less essential: ring settings, common myths about diamonds, tips on cleaning, advice on trade-ins and selling your diamond. Carat size charts, a glossary, Q&A, and more are found in the Appendixes.
   
   "How to Buy a Diamond" offers some helpful advice that I have not seen in other consumer diamond guides. On the other hand, no retailer will ace the jeweler questionnaire, no one recognizes color typing, and you will not find diamonds with the kind of "bonded" warranty that the book describes. Fred Cuellar is not a disinterested party. He sells (bonded) diamonds, and he hopes you will buy from him. I found "How to Buy a Diamond" a mixed bag: useful insight, strong opinion, and thinly veiled sales pitch. I liked enough to recommend the book, but sometimes it must be taken with a grain of salt. "How to Buy a Diamond" does not have photos, but its companion web site does. If you would like more detail about diamond cuts, enhancements, and how to detect a fake, including how to examine a diamond though a loupe, "Diamonds: The Antoinette Matlins Buying Guide" is more hands-on and impartial.



4. If you don't know the 4 C's about diamonds, certification, etc. you will be "totally" unprepared to deal with jewlery stores and wind up paying way, way...... too much money for a diamond.
   
   This is a great book. Get a fair deal for your loved one. Get this book!!!



5. I ordered this book before a major diamond purchase. I was able to read it quickly and easily. I was impressed by how well organized and effective it was. I believe that this book prepared me well.
   
   The author provides plenty of support for his clear recommendations. I was suprized at how well he used just enough detail without bogging down. He even has included an extensive diamond price list.
   
   I can't emphasize enough how much the organization of the book made it easier to pick up the necessary information.
   
   Highest recommendation

5 comments about Mexican Silver: Twentieth Century Handwrought Jewelry and Metalwork.

1. For some reason, I thought I was going to get more examples of the work of the major artisans in Mexico Silver but it basically is book of "Hallmarks" which can prove helpful but I really needed more since I just purchased exceptional Mexico jewelry bracelets that date from the 1920s to 1940s. The Hallmarks date from the none eagle period to the eagle period and what they use today.



2. Mexican Silver by Penny Morrill and Carole Berk is the definitive reference for anyone interested in 20th Century Mexican silver jewelry. Not only is it brimming with information on the jewelry, the background biographies of the working life of Spratling, Davis, Aguilar, Margot and many other giants of this industry are well written and a darn good read. After spending several hours reading the book I the expertise that I would have gained had I taken a 3 credit college course. There is a general price guide in the back of the book which, from my experience, accurate and reasonable. The only observation I might make is that there is not as much information on silver hollow ware and decorative pieces. For myself, my main interest is in the jewelry so I was not disappointed.
   
   The Amazon price can't be beat. Before I bought the book through Amazon I had not seen it for less than $60, its list price. I paid less than $40 on Amazon!



3. You have to admire the research that went into this sumptuous volume, also the photos. As a (very) amateur collector, this work, I'm sorry to say, doesn't pertain much to me. Still, I'm happy to have it on my shelf.



4. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Mexican Silver jewelry of the 1930's - 50's. It gives a wonderful overview of the history of this unique craft. It also provides knowledgeable information about which pieces and designers are most collectible, with high-quality photos of many of the best pieces. I started collecting Mexican Silver jewelry 10 years ago out of sentiment, because my mother and grandmother used to wear it. Learning the history of this type of jewelry has made me even more fond of the genre, and has given me the knowledge to collect more valuable pieces.



5. I was disapointed in the book personally.. It's just a great big heavy picture book. (eye candy)
   I believe a collector would appreciate a non vague value guides as well which this book does not have. The value guides are exp: Margot necklaces - 600.00-2500.00+ huh? What is my blue enamel circle necklace worth?? 600.00 or 2500.00?!
   This is a book about a select few mexican silver makers and their life stories. (few pages on unknowns)
   Perhaps a good book to have on a coffee table but that is not what I needed.
   I had hoped this book would help to identify mexican marks I have that can't be found on the internet, all of the silversmiths listed in the book can be and are well documented online. There are personal accounts as well but for the most part this is a coffee table book.
   It is very expensive so I hope I can help anyone looking for exact value guides from buying the wrong book.
   If you like to collect Mexican jewelry you probably should eventually get this book, but as far as a good value guide line for Mexican non-well known Jewelry go else where.

No comments about Gemstones and Their Origins.