2 comments about Rainbow of Jewelry.

1. The photos are stunning but the chapters are predictable, like in Mrs. Childers' 3 previous books. Why not explain a bit more about the other Haute Joaillerie Houses like, Mellerio dits Meller, Buccellati, JAR and their distinctive and highly original styles. Maybe an idea for the next edition? The photos of European royalty and their US "counterparts" are very nice and one recognises certain highly publicised items like, for instance Jackie O's famous "moon"-earrings and Princess Diana's tiara. All in all, a nice book for a nice price if it's merely (very) easy reading you want.



2. This book is a wonderful feast of photos of the worlds best and most famous jewelry - including profiles of some of the owner's such as Jackie Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana, etc. One of the most beautiful books on jewelry that I have encountered.

   Caroline

No comments about The Faberge Imperial Easter Eggs.

1 comments about Chatelaines: Utility to Glorious Extravagance.

1. This edition includes hundreds of photographs/illustrations/period advertisements/commentary, many in color. The photographs are excellent, the text extremely well done. With this enjoyable read, you will save yourself much research and hunting. We utilize it as a resource guide. Joy Melcher, editor-in-chief Civil War Lady Magazine.

3 comments about Amazing Gems: An Illustrated Guide to the World's Most Dazzling Costume Jewelry.

1. With a huge background in costume jewelry, I was looking forward to this book. The information in it was great with makers and designers I had never heard of, that made me very happy. I was NOT happy though with the 'size' of this book, it is VERY small. The photos were wonderfull when they were close up enough to see detail, but most of the photos of multiple pieces or sets were too small to see any detail. I would suggest this book for the information and details about designers, but not really for the photos.



2. This is one of the most amazing books written about vintage costume jewelry. The examples shown are ones most collectors can only dream of one day owning. The photography is fabulous, and the jewelry is world class. This compact book is easy to take anywhere, and more interesting each time you pick it up.



3. This book by Dena Farnetti Cera has the most fabulous color pictures of jewelry spanning from the early 1900's thru the early 70's. Every single page is packed with insightful information on the designer, construction, craftsmanship, identifiable marks, and date of jewelry piece. Some of the examples in here are truly exquisite. A must have for any serious jewelry enthusiast to hardcore collector/dealer. It is very easy for one to peruse thru - whether you are looking for a particular designer/ manufacturer or style - you are sure to find it. It gives you a taste of many different designers. It is well organized & written - the picture quality is superb. The only thing it is lacking is prices. For someone looking to identify & educate themselves it is a Must Have! If you are trying to value your pieces - and need a price guide - this book does not offer that. Overall, this would be an important book to add to any costume jewelry library!

1 comments about The International Blade Collectors Association Price Guide to Antique Knives.

1. Since the collecting of antique knives (defined as those no longer in production and made before 1970) has developed in the last thirty some years, there have been many reference items published from the pioneer work of Robert L. Mays and others who reprinted original manufacturer's sales catalogs to those who have made detailed check lists of one or more long defunct products. One of the major criteria for collecting is that there must be enough surviving specimens to make a market. Thus, exceeding rare in numerical terms private brand and hardware wholesaler brands are not as highly desirable as the products of quality makers such as Remington, Winchester, and Case, who have made millions. Since knives were mostly bought to be used, not collected, the survival rate of these is high enough but not too high, especially in desirable condition. This book covers the field for the beginner but is still useful for those who collect other than the big three mentioned and want to know how to get started. It covers the history of manufacturers and the various brands they made. There are useful chapters on grading, on how to behave at knife shows, and how to spot fakes. The several editions of the work have stood the test of time. Specialists will need others. The listings herein are enough to get one started on a fascination hobby.

4 comments about Jet Jewellery and Ornaments (Shire Library).

1. I returned this book so I might not be a good person to review it.
   
   It was VERY expensive for a very short almost pamphlet on how Whitby England made it's Jet!
   
   I wished to learn about Victorian Jewelry, not about the factory....
   
   I don't recommend this.



2. I sell Victorian jewellery, have collected books on the subject for years. This is one of the best. Helen Muller not only shares her wealth of knowledge, of history and of the process of making jet jewellery, but she also makes it clear that this antique jewellery is truly an art form. Her illustrations, factual and meaningful information and life-long collectiohn make this a must-have book for any dealer or collector



3. I sell jet, as well as Amber, and highly recomend this book to all my customers. Helen Muller covers mostly antique Jet, of course, but also covers the imitations that were popular at the height of Jet fashion.

   In one small book you learn a *lot* about genuine Jet, and you also learn the one thing I have had to explain more times than I care to recall: Just beause it is antique doesn't mean it is genuine Jet! Jet was imitated as soon as it became popular, and many of the antiques (and valuable in their own right as antiques) are not genuine Jet. This book explains what many of the imitations were, and how to determine if it is Jet, or imitation.

   Absolutely gorgeous pictures of carved Jet, and imitation Jet jewelry, with a lot of interesting facts about the Whitby England Jet carving center.

   A must have addition to the library of antique jewelry colectors, flea market merchants, and re-enactors. This book is *required reading* for anyone looking to purchase genuine Jet for ritual purposes as well.




4. Helen Muller provides a welcome service to collectors of antique jet jewelry. Her short but very concise survey includes a history of English Whitby jet (the kind that most Victorian mourning jewelry is made of), and its manufacture. She also offers hints about distinguishing authentic jet from its lookalikes. The book contains many black and white photos of representative types of jet jewelry and collectibles. A must for the collector of jet and mourning jewelry.

5 comments about Bakelite Bangles: Price & Identification Guide.

1. This is absolutely the most comprehensive book about Bakelite bangles. The photographs are gorgeous and it tells you all about the history of Bakelite, how to test for authenticity, and care for your bangles. I just look at the pictures for pleasure. I feel I am a more informed consumer when I look at estate and antique sales.



2. I have recently amassed quite a collection of bakelite, having started collecting lucites, and branching out to the more sought after famed vintage phenolic plastic we all know and love as Bakelite, and all the other manufacturer sub-names it was produced under. I bought a few references recently, but none have compared to Karima Parry's wonderful "Bakelite Bangle Price and ID Guide".

   First thing you will do is eat up all the eye candy this nice large and attractive volume has to offer, and after you finish drooling and wishing, you can read all about the different types of plastics, their history, chronology, and how they differ. Ways to identify the difference between Bakelite, Celluloid, Lucite and how to spot newly worked "fakelite" as well. The author is very knowledgeable and is also willing to share her knowledge with other collectors of this engrossing hobby. I look through this book so often, and find myself reading a different section each time, and sometimes just admiring all the wonderful shots of some of the most gorgeous coveted pieces in the bakelite realm. Karima also shows a nice section on lucites as well as celluloid, so you can get a good idea of these pieces when you might be lucky enough to find one, or consider buying.

   I have had the personal pleasure of talking to this author, and she is a wonderful insightful person who took the time to answer all my questions and share her knowledge with me, and I am that much wiser for that, and buying her book. I currently have 3 plastic jewelry references, and hers is by far the best.

   For anyone interested in collecting bakelite bangles, other vintage plastics, and gaining a nice working knowledge of them as well as a chance to see the most gorgeous pieces as examples, this book is indispensible. The only thing I would change is the price guide, since it is unfortunately hard to use this to price. I would like to see the dimensions and all the other pertinent information, on the page with the items and not in appendix form at the back. Otherwise, I highly recommend it as a must have for your bakelite reference library.




3. absolutely loved the huge volume of beautifully photographed bangles. wonderfully written, definitive guide. i was amazed at the loveliness of the photos considering this is a paperback book. i really couldn't expect better quality in a hardback book. a great buy and a must-have for collectors of all levels. karima parry really knows her stuff and it shows. and the price guide really helps. some of the other books i've looked at overinflate the value. she gives a realistic range, from what i've seen in buying vintage bakelite over the years.



4. I gave this book as a gift to my sister (and fellow bakelite lover.) It was the hardest thing to do! I wanted to keep it for myself. Karima has filled a niche in the bakelite market with her web-site and book. Easy to read, great pictures and VERY imformative! I highly recommend this book to all bakelite lovers. You will refer to this book over and over in your quest for the next great bakelite treasure.



5. This is by far the best book on Bakelite that I own. (I own every Bakelite book that is currently in print, and several that are out of print.) The hundreds of photographs of Bakelite and other plastic bracelets are colorfully crisp and clear, and the captions are informative and well-written. The text is intelligently organized, and covers quite a bit of information that has either never been addressed or has been incorrect in other books (a hot pin DOES penetrate genuine Bakelite, thank you Karima! ) The sections on Bakelite lexicon, including color names, are especially welcome. The author knows everything on this subject and has presented it wonderfully. If you will own only one Bakelite book, this is the one.

5 comments about Queen's Jewels.

1. After reading this book and salivating at the photographs, I'll NEVER lust after anyone else's jewellery again. Apart from the sheer magnificence of the stones and the settings, the provenance of the pieces and just how they happened to be in the possession of the various members of the royal family, is completely fascinating. It's also a very interesting look at the social mores of the various eras. In Queen Victoria's time, she tended to wear more modest jewellery, much of which had a sentimental value to her, and so the ladies of the day tended to follow her example. In the following reign, that of Edward V11, the upper classes of the day followed the example of Queen Alexandra, who was a beauty and who dressed lavishly in her own particular style, which was followed by ladies of the court and which featured high necklines, decorated heavily with diamonds and precious stones. In the following reign of a very rigid George V and Queen Mary, the court seemed to be bolstering the idea of an unapproachable royalty, above the touch of scandal and to foster this idea by literally covering the Queen in jewels from head to toe. Today's monarch jewels up only on the most formal of occasions, but it's thanks to her and to the Queens of the past that this amazing collection has been built up over the years to amaze and bedazzle lovers of beautiful jewellery everywhere.



2. Field has produced an excellent balance of text and pictures and has done an exceptionally thorough job of documentation. I was fascinated by his descriptions of how the jewelry was modified over the years to accommodate the fashions of the day and the taste of the current owner. The only reason I did not give this 5 stars was due to the pictures. Most are black and white (for obvious reasons), however some were of very poor quality, and very few taken with the intention of displaying jewelry. There was one delightful story of a gift to the young Princess Elizabeth, a necklace and bracelet, which the Queen now refers to as "my best diamonds". But do we get to see the diamonds? No, the only available picture was a distant news photo of the young Princess sitting at an angle and the jewels nearly impossible to see. For Princess Diana fans, don't bother buying this book. There are less than a half dozen images of Diana, and nothing you haven't seen before. And just a reminder, this is her personal collection. You won't see any of the crown regalia.



3. Leslie Field's "The Queen's Jewels: The Personal Collection of Elizabeth II" is a splendid, splendid book in every way. Field has gathered together hundreds of important photographs (of the nearly half million she saw altogether) of Queen Elizabeth's jewels. These are shown both in their cases and being worn by various monarchs, and we see how different royal family members have altered the look or the purpose of pieces as fashions and times changed over the years. Field has complemented these photographs with her outstanding, meticulously researched text. Even if you purchase the book mostly to drool over the photographs, you will end up being both captivated and educated by the accompanying text.

   Field begins the book with the ascension of Queen Victoria to the throne. Because of the Salic laws passed by the House of Hanover in 1833, Victoria was prevented from becoming ruler of both the United Kingdom and Hanover. The kingdoms were split for the first time in well over a century. Immediately, King Ernest of Hanover--an uncle of Queen Victoria--demanded his share of the royal jewels, arguing that since the kingdom had been split, so must be the gems. Victoria disagreed, and the argument went on for two decades before finally being settled in favor of Hanover. Subsequently, Victoria gave up several important pieces of jewelry to her uncle's descendants--but was already well on her way to amassing an important collection.

   Victoria was the first British monarch to make clear that some pieces belonged to the Crown and were for use by any Queen to follow her--and that some pieces were her personal property, and hers to dispose of as she saw fit. British monarchs have followed in her footsteps ever since and although Field showcases many sumptuous Crown pieces in the book, the bulk of what we see are the Queen's personal pieces. And what a collection it is!

   The collection is vast and jaw-droppingly beautiful. Field wisely divides the book into types of stones, from diamonds and pearls to emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, turquoise, and more. We see everything from parures
   (i. e., complete matching sets of everything from necklaces to brooches to rings to earrings and more) to necklaces and tiaras which were gifts from other governments or from such quaintly named organizations as "Girls of Great Britain and Ireland" to pieces designed by Prince Philip expressly for his wife.

   Among the many stand-outs in the book are:

   - Queen Elizabeth's three-carat diamond solitaire engagement ring, designed by Prince Philip for his wife and set with a handsome diamond taken from a tiara belonging to Philip's mother (p. 85);

   - The Godman Necklace, which had been bought by an English naturalist in the 1890s while on holiday in Bavaria. His daughters, many years after his death, wrote to the Lord Chamberlain saying that they felt they owned jewelry once owned by Empress Josephine of France and that the Queen might be interested in it. Although it turned out not to have been of this provenance, it was undoubtedly a stunning and valuable piece, showcasing seven large emeralds and three smaller ones, and surrounded throughout with an encrustation of diamonds and platinum filigree (p. 95);

   - The Cambridge's Lover's Knot Tiara, shown being worn by the Duchess of Cambridge in 1818, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz in the 1890s, Queen Mary in 1926, Queen Mary again in 1935 (this time without the upright pearls which originally adorned it), Queen Elizabeth in 1955, and Diana, Princess of Wales in 1985. This is powerful testimony that good design and fine jewelry are both timeless (pp. 113 - 115);

   - Queen Mary's "Rose of York" bracelet, which is a breathtaking ruby and diamond pendant which was eventually turned into a bracelet (p. 143).

   Of course these are but a few of the many treasures in the book. It is a fascinating read, and a wonderfully complete and detailed account of what is probably the finest jewelry collection in the world today.




4. I was so impressed with and have gotten so much Joy from this book, it has inspired me enough to go ahead and try my first on-line review. When I noticed this was out of print I was very surprised. Even more so when I realized there was also a 1997-revised edition. I am hopeful its simply because the newly expanded volume is getting its finishing touches. With digital imaging technology having come so far since the publishing of the first two editions (87/97), the detail that is now available will hopefully be prominently featured in the next. A unique aspect of this book is the thoroughness of information presented on several different topics.
   The title subject is definitely covered in meticulous detail. Aside from the jewels it really is almost a complete mini-biography of most of the British Royal Family. After all the Men bought jewels too! It is amazing to see an 18th century piece on Queen Elizabeth and be able to trace it exactly from it origin through the centuries.
   The information in text and pictures give a much better understanding of the whole concept of continuity, with many surprises along the way. Tidbits like how Queen Victoria stubbornly refused to return gems that another Royal House insisted it owned. How important Jewels were to Queen Mary, not for their monetary value but because of their family historical importance. Its the little details like this that give you a much more personal understanding of monarchs, without being dishy or gossipy.

   Both the front and back inside covers gives a complete family tree dating back to Henry VII. Inside, thirteen categories/chapters cover everything from Diamonds and Emeralds to Sapphires and Amethysts, explaining who favored a particular kind of gem or style over another. Do not expect a very in-depth education on gems, however you get a great understanding of the history and importance of gems through the centuries as a symbol of power and status. There is a generous amount of color and B&W photos perfectly balanced with the text. Generations of Royals Portraits set-up three or four to a page wearing the same Jewels over scores of decades are some of the picture highlights. I really don?t think you need to be a Royal Watcher to appreciate the images. From all the individuals listed in the Acknowledgments many of them with titles you understand this book was published with the complete cooperation and help of the entire Royal Family. Its the photography that makes you appreciate this. A perfect example of this is the cover subject. A magnificent necklace part of a set named: The Cambridge and Delhi Durbar Parure. Inside there is another full color page showing the complete set, however throughout the book you can see no less than ten or twelve different royals wearing some kind of configuration of it. Including the World Famous snapshot of the late Princess Diana wearing the necklace as a headband.
   You cannot help but feeling like you know the members of the various royal houses a little better after reading a few excerpts. The entire volume gives you an impression that the author truly respects, enjoys and is highly educated on her subject. This is one of the few books that I own, that I know I will never post for sale used. I hope you enjoy!




5. I can't say enough about this book. Leslie Field obviously loves her subject; the amount of research that went into this book is impressive. It is fascinating to follow a piece of jewelry through history from Queen Victoria to Princess Diana through pictures. The accompanying text is informative, but the pictures really say it all in this book.

1 comments about Ethnic Jewelry.

1. The majority of jewelry items in the book are from the British Museum. Experts in the social sciences discuss jewelry traditions around the world.

   The photographs are exactly in focus so that you can study the minutest detail. The book is divided into geographic areas - Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the Pacific, and the Americas. A final chapter summarizes materials and techniques used to make the jewelry.

1 comments about Plastic Jewelry.

1. I am a novice jewelry collector and recently purchased this book as a reference.

   The pictures helpful in identifying types of material and the forward on the evolution of plastic jewelry was interesting. The authors describe some types of plastic jewelry found on the market, inluding natural and synthetic material, including how to tell types by touch. They did not include "feel" for all materials and a corresponding example would have been useful.

   Also, I was looking for more information about bakelite, celluloid and lucite, which are not included in the descriptions as separate types of plastics. They do include photographs of lucite and bakelite items. Further, some of the photographs just refer to items as plastic, which is easy to tell. The difficult part is figuring out which type of plastic the item is!

   Price guidelines seem inflated, but I have seen some of the items sold for the amounts noted. I have not realized these amounts. Also, there is no index.

   Overall , I like the book for photo and price reference, but would recommend a new collector purchase more than just this book for guidance.