4 comments about Collector's Guide to Costume Jewelry: From Strass to Van der Straeten.

1. I love this book and have found it a great resource for my costume jewellery business.It helps to train your eye to recognise the different eras and designers and provides interesting historical detail that I now pass on to my customers. Price guides are notoriously hit and miss (the prices are either way too cheap or totally unrealistic) but this book actually teaches you things that anyone can apply to buying, selling or collecting costume jewellery. Pretty pictures too! Read and enjoy!



2. I bought this boook largely as a result of reading the other reviews.... What a big mistake. This book is TOTALLY useless for anyone interested in antiques and collectibles. It has no prices. It shows no makers marks. Identification is only possible by looking at individual pieces??? If that is the case then this book should contain thousands of items and run into several volumes. This book may be of passing interest to the art and design crown, but has no practical use for the collector. One of the worst books I have ever bought.



3. This is a really fun book to read if you're into costume jewelry. Has some good practical advice too.



4. This is one of the few books I have seen that includes both stunning color photos and informative text about early "paste" jewelry -- the "costume" jewelry of the pre-1910 Edwardian and Victorian eras, made to look like real gems. There is also a wonderful section on art nouveau, again in great color. About half the book focuses on more modern costume jewelry, but anyone who loves older pieces shouldn't overlook it!

No comments about Museumsfuehrer Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim / Guide to the Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim.

No comments about Starting To Collect Antique Jewelry (Starting to Collect Series).

2 comments about Avon Collectible Fashion Jewelry and Awards (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. When a person purchases a book at the book store, they may thumb through the pages to judge the qualifications of the book, the authors, and whether it fits their need or not. I am slowly learning who the good authors are in the collectible field to know whether to purchase their books on-line or not. This was definitely not the case with this book nor another book I purchased by these authors. I wanted an Avon book to help me identify and describe the collectible Avon Jewelry that I have found at various estate sales, and thought this book could help. I was definitely mistaken. Anyone can state, "Christmas Tree Pin with red stones, circa 1990" as stated on page 62, instead of Avon's description of "Victorian Tree Pin" with the actual date of 1992. Or on page 39, authors wrote "Abolone (sic - spelled wrong) set includes necklace with 14-inch silver metal chain, silver bracelet trimmed with gold, and ring set in silver, circa 1990s," when there is nothing gold or silver about the set, except maybe washed in gold or silver, but definitely not true silver or gold; Avon advertised this set in their 1975 catalog, much earlier than 1990s. Then, the last straw for me is the beautiful set that Avon sold in 1971 (page 37); even though the authors got the date correct, they simply ignored the title to the set, but instead wrote, "pearl and gold set" when this set is Avon's "Evening Creation" set. Did the authors do any research? I think not. Will I ever be so stupid as to purchase another one of their books? No way! I would resale this book, but I don't want another person to be as disappointed as I was when I purchased this book on-line; not to mention that at the same time, I also purchased their waste of writing book entitled, "Sarah Coventry Jewelry."



2. Any reader inevitably judges a book through his personal tunnel vision. My own tunnel vision is costume jewelry so I was disappointed that information and illustrations on Avon realia occupied so much space to the detriment of the costume jewelry. I bought the book because I needed information on Avon jewelry which appears with increasing frequency at estate and garage sales. Although the photography was excellent as in the authors' Sarah Coventry book, I think that attempting to cover such divergent topics may have been too much of a stretch.
   Even dilettante collectors such as I want as many pictures to increase their familiarity with collectible name brand jewelry--especially with manufacturers whose products are not promoted in magazines or newspapers or department stores.

1 comments about Vintage Compacts & Beauty Accessories.

1. Schwartz has written a fine book for collectors of compacts. She has written much more history of the different makers than Mueller's two books, and she has a nice selection of compacts not seen in other compact books. She also has a large amount of advertising that feature compacts she doesn't have pictures of. These ads are great resources for finding compacts that aren't easy to identify or seeing uncommon patterns and designs. If you want more text discussing the history of compacts, as well as some luscious color photos, then this book would be a welcome addition to your shelf.

4 comments about Faberge Eggs Imperial Russian Fantasies Poster Book.

1. While in Moscow, we were able to see the traveling exhibition of Faberge eggs and pick up this book. The exhibition itself was stunning - the individual settings were chosen especially for the particular egg, the accompanying commentary intriguing, the lighting spectacular.

   The only thing that compared to the eggs themselves was this book which is one of the best of its type. It is large and the photographs and descriptions lush. One is transported back in time to the days of Tsars and Orthodoxy and the now disappeared Russian craftsmanship. This is a must for your coffee table.




2. This book is amazing! The oversized photos are mezmorizing. I am a collector of the small egg charms used in the Czarina's Maria Feodorovna's necklace. I was thrilled to see photos of many of the egg charms I own. I love this book!



3. I couldn't ask for a better Faberge book. Exepting those by my freind Geza Von Habsburg.



4. An exquisite book, large format. Beautiful color plates. If you get one book on Faberge for the quality of its plates, this is it.

2 comments about Costume Jewelry Variations: A Collector's Identification and Price Guide.

1. I echo the previous review. I bought the book last year and was very disappointed. I felt as if I got ripped off. The quality of the book was poor. Images were bad and blurry & black and white. There is no rhyme or reason for the book to even be printed. It did not add anything to the information out there on costume jewelry. Save your money.



2. I have about 40 books on jewelry and this is the absolute worst one I have ever seen.........what a waste of money! Half of the pictures are so out of focus that you cannot see any details on the jewelry, most pictures are in black and white, there are no dates, and any information in this book you can find in almost any other book on costume jewelry. I wouldn't advise that anyone, even beginners to collecting, spend their money on this book.........there are too many good books on the subject! Buy any other book rather than this one.

No comments about Mascot Catalogs.

4 comments about Pearls (Fred Ward Gem Book).

1. It's a small book yet it covers an amazing amount of information on the history of pearls, the environment under which they are cultivated, the buying and caring of the different qualities, and other fascinating topics. If someone is "into" pearls, then this is the book to have.



2. great pictures and interesting information. I enjoyed this book. It packs a lot of interesting information in a small, easy to read, book.



3. This book with 62 pages explains everything you need to know about Pearls. In addition to the knowledge of pearl for a consumer, this book also goes into great details in the trade of pearls. It covers the geographic sources of pearls, the competitive producers, and logical prediction of future market.
   I enjoyed it a great deal.



4. I don't know what impressed me more, the spectacular photography or the effortless and fascinating way Fred Ward helped me understand pearls. He takes the mystery out of buying pearls. I will not buy pearls again without reviewing this book.

No comments about Fans (Shire Library).