4 comments about The Ultimate Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars: Identification & Values.

1. I only wanted the book to identify and price an old cookie jar I have, so I really can't give much of a review, but I was dissapointed that the book didn't have more info (only the price) on my cookie jar.



2. The "Ultimate Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars" by the publishers of the old Cookie Jarrin' Newsletter, Fred & Joyce Roerig, I found a pure pleasure to peruse for weeks. It displays, in some of the finest photography of all the cookie jar books, many of the cookie jar classics. Along with smile fetching standbys (ABC Coffee Pot, McCoy Cookie Cabin, Twin Winton Sheriff Bear, etc.) are a feast of the best jars from the best producers.
   From American Bisque are the "Flashers", Little Audrey, Herman & Katnip, Baby Heuy, along with Umbrella Kids, Davy Crockett ((both) and Mohawk Indian (Little Mo). Brayton's Goose Woman, Maid and Ring Master are there. There's a picture of the old Brush Pottery Building along with their rarest including: Hillbilly Frog, Little Red Riding Hood, Hobby Horse and Puppy Police. On to California Originals there's their fun standards (Scarecrow, Little Red Riding Hood, Rabbit on a Stump, etc.) to their greats such as Snow White, Pinocchio(s), Bambi and the full color Woody Woodpecker. The section on McCoy is always fun with the Roerigs and this one does not disappoint. It begins with a full page Tony Veller and goes on to charm us with Two Kittens in Low Basket, Multicolored Leprechaun, Frosted Christmas Tree, Hillbilly Bear, Cookie Tug, Drum Majorette, two varieties of the Train Engine with Smoke, and a smorgasbord of their most popular jars. Again with Metlox there's the best of their regulars and a good mix of their "hard to find" jars including Ferdinand Calf, Flamingo, Mammy Scrub Woman, and Little Red Riding Hood. The Twin Winton chapter displays the entire Collector's Series, Shaggy Dog, and a good selection of their standbys. Conspicuously absent is any description of the Twin Winton Company. There's actually more dialogue on Don Winton in the Hirsh section than there is under Twin Winton. Treasure Craft's section focuses on their U.S.A. made jars with the exception of three jars made in Mexico. Even so, most of my Treasure Craft favorites are included.
   Among others there fun sections on Dorrane of California, Abingdon, L.A. Pottery, Cardinal, Maurice of California, Hull (including thier impossibly rare Little Boy Blue), Maddux, Roseville, Helen Hutula, RRP, Sierra Vista, NAC, Regal China and Shawnee. Among current producers/importers there's Clay Art, Vandor, Enesco, Fitz & Floyd (although their Table of Contents says Fritz & Floyd), and Lefton. Surprisingly missing here are Vandor and Warner Brothers. The "Unknown/Miscellaneous" section is only 2 pages long. Also absent are any of the studio producers (J.D. James, Corl's Kilns, The New Rose Collection, Happy Memories, Austin Curtis, Star Jars, McMe, etc.).
   To cover what's missing in the book would require several more pages. But the selection of cookie jars is what it is; the Roerig's opinion of what are the ultimate cookie jars and I enjoyed every page. There are updated prices that are as good as I've seen. Overall the jars covered are done so well that it's truly agonizing that the great producers are gone (McCoy, ABC, Twin Winton, Metlox, and on and on).
   I give the book my highest rating within the scope of what it strove to achieve. The jars included and the jars left out are a study in what the Roerigs are about. Always an interesting journey.



3. Great book for the cookie jar collector. The book will help you place a value when getting ready to purchase a cookie jar for your collection.



4. This fourth book by the author is very disappointing. Is a re-hash of the older books with no new jars featured. The newer manufacturers are completely ignored. The jars featured in this book have already been featured in the other 3 books. Price values seem low and anemic.

5 comments about The Fostoria Value Guide.

1. Quiz: What is the size difference between a cookie, cracker, pickle, and a pretzel jar?
   
   Don't know? This book won't help. Many of the listings lack physical measurements, cutting the value of the book in half. This is particularly crucial when looking at stemware and bowls. Unless you carry a measuring cup with you, the capacity in liquid ounces in some listings won't help either. Means you'll have to lug around the other books, defeating the purpose of having a separate Value Guide.
   
   The book seems quite complete otherwise, and has clear pictures/drawings of most patterns so you can verify price tag accuracy. No substitute for a pattern identification book, since that is not the purpose of this book.



2. I found this book very confusing and difficult to use. There are very few colored pictures, and what there are, are not labelled. I would not recommend this book. There has to be a better Fostoria book than this. It also does not have everything that was made in a pattern. You would have a real hard time identifying many Fostoria patterns using this book.



3. There are those who impulsively and passionately buy books on antique and collectible glassware, those who systematically purchase such books for their usefulness, and those who wait for that rare wonderful book to add to their collection. Milbra and Emily, Mother and Daughter, have written a book for ALL of you. Grab your purse, your wallet, your checkbook, your credit card. We're going shopping!

   Why this book, you ask. The shelves are full of reference books. True enough. There are bigger books, books that have more pictures, books that are hard bound and updated every year. You already have those books. Buying THIS book is like buying a piece of Fostoria- crystal, colorful, wonderful to touch, full of history, something from which you must tear your eyes, something you don't want to put down, something valuable.

   Each of the 206 numbered pages has a treasure for you to find. No where will you find more information on the value of your Fostoria pieces. No where can you find references to the 4 previous books so lovingly and gorgeously produced by this team. With this book you have a way to access all 4 previous books in any way you choose.

   From Acanthus, Etching 282 to York, Cutting 707 (almost A to Z), The Fostoria Value Guide is where you find what you are looking for. One hundred years of production by the greatest glass company this country will ever see. What are you waiting for? Need more information? Okay.

   Worried that THE Guide is organized just by etchings or cuttings? Leave your worries behind you. Categories (alphabetically) are imbedded in the treasures, so if you want to look up "Jugs and Tankards", you'll find them after Jubilee and before Juliet. Got a collection of "Figurals"? Find them after Fifth Avenue and before Finger Bowls. Starting a collection of Centerpieces? You'll find an entry just before Century, which kindly redirects you to "Bowls, Centerpieces, and Console Bowls". Have an unnamed blank? Look under "Blank". Collecting an unnamed etch? Look under "Etch". It doesn't get any better than that.

   Still not satisfied? Okay, you've got a beautiful pitcher, which your Aunt Wilma left you. She called it Meadow Flower, you're sure. But there is no listing. What to do? Meadow Rose is close, look there, is that it? Page 109 in THE Guide. You know she got it in 1937, when she was married. That's right, it was made then according to THE Guide. Not sure? THE Guide tells you to look closer in Stemware, page 87. Convinced? Now call your insurance man. That pitcher is worth a lot more than what your Aunt paid for it. How about $350.00 today?

   Still need more? Hard to please or just a discriminating book shopper? How about 16 pages of photographs, advertising, and catalogue pages you haven't seen before. How about an alphabetical guide word at the top of each page, just like a dictionary, so you can move around quickly and easily through the pages? Milbra and Emily aim to please, and they've hit the bull's eye.

   I know you're convinced now. You've seen plenty of other value guides- lifeless, cryptic, colorless, limp, incomplete, poorly bound, an after thought. Who needs them? With this choice you'll enjoy a beautiful, friendly book.

   See you at the store. Or if they are sold out (likely), see you online. You won't go wrong. Have Milbra and Emily let you down thus far? Not even close. Love their books, love them, love Fostoria.




4. This beautiful new book is a worthy companion to the other 4 books in the Crystal for America series by Milbra Long and Emily Seate! It is artfully designed and cleverly organized, so you can quickly find updated values for any Fostoria glassware covered in the four preceding books. Colorful page borders and plenty of illustrations, many in color, make this book easy to use, despite all the numerical information it offers. There is even a section of new information on Fostoria tumblers! This book does not replace the other 4 books -- you need them for indepth information on pieces and patterns, but it is a masterful presentation of updated value information.



5. This is the book I've been waiting for. It puts all the patterns into one book I can carry with me. Since it's in ABC order, patterns are easy to find, and there's picture of a piece or design to jog my memory with each pattern. Lot's of good data packed into one book, plus all the color makes it fun. A must have for Fostoria collectors!

5 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia Of Fiesta: Other Colored Dinnerware, Post86 Fiesta, Laughlin Art China (Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta).

1. I am brand new at collecting Fiesta Ware. I really enjoyed this book. Great pics. It has been a wealth of info for someone new like me.



2. This is the third book in this series I have purchased by these authors. I like the book a lot.



3. One of worst of the newer "collector" books out there. There isn't even a color chart with the names, you need to deduce them by flipping through all the pages and guessing at collections of variuos colors and doing a process of elimination. Fakes are mentioned, and the author says "you'll know them when you see them". Thanks alot! All the marks aren't even listed. What about newer peices versus old?
   
   Some Encyclopedia, more like ramblings of a collector. The medium green issue is already covered by others, the book mentions it everywhere but gives very little evidence of it (maybe the author has medium green envy?).
   
   Not worth the bargain price spent on it. Certainly not a reference book.
   
   p.s. I give other collector books 5 stars, so I'm not just a grump.



4. I just received the 10th edition copy of Collector's Encyclopedia of Fiesta, and other related items. The new layout and design are exactly what this edition needed to set it out above the previous ones. It seems the forward is a bit lengthy. Each page is framed in the turquoise color. The new pictures are numerous!! And for those who collect New Fiesta (produced since 1986, the pages for this are expanded to include up thru Scarlet and quite a few of the pieces produced thus far in color pictures. I rate this book at 4 stars for one reason. I feel the prices are inflated and out of line. Yes, there will always be some "rare" items at high prices. There are a fair share of pictures that are the same as previous books as well.



5. The title of this book "Fiesta" can be a little misleading to the novice or seasoned collector. Beyond actual Fiesta and Fiestaware by Homer Laughlin the author's detail company history by delving into Harhequin, Riviera, Mexican lines, Kitchen Kraft, even promotional items and advertising.
   
   For Fiesta identification pieces the pictures and Plate descriptions are very good. Pictures, specifically are very clear and concise while the page quality is excellent. In particular, this book will provide a very wide range of history and the wide variety of products offered by Homer Laughlin Co. over many years. Although the title suggests a book on Fiesta, this portion is limited.
   
   If your looking for price comparisons or rule of thumb the book is weak in this department, it does not effectively handle all colors preferring to provide information strictly on the "hot" collector pieces such as 'medium green.' Of course, prices quoted in books are strictly "guides" as the internet, antique malls and live auctions mix up values on a weekly basis. Current research and personal perspective will be the true guides for market value at any given time.
   
   Fiesta is covered in the first 73 pages of this book (pre/post 1986) and then moves on other topics or products produced. This book would be a fine starter for the novice but additional resources will need to be added for a complete library on Fiesta and Fiestaware.

4 comments about Florence's Big Book of Salt & Pepper Shakers: Identification & Value Guide.

1. Book was a big hit with a growing collector - some shaker's categories could be expanded upon with more detail and photos - but overall a success...



2. This was the first book I bought on Salt and Pepper Shakers. I didn't find it helpful at all. Unless you just want a collection of S&P books, don't waste your money.



3. The book has tons of pictures. Some of the sets shown are not "true" sets. It is a great book to get a general idea of all the many themes of salt and pepper collecting. High end and low end are all well represented. It was fun to see sets I never knew existed that I would like to have. It gave me more stuff to look for in auctions. It's always fun to add to collections!



4. The monetary valuations of Salt & Pepper Shakers in this book are virtually useless to either a collector or seller. I have never seen a book so totally unresearched on both pricing and product description. The majority of the photos of the S&P's do not describe the material utilized in their construction, so one is left wondering if they are looking at plastic, metal or other material.
   No person interested in Salt & Pepper collecting should buy this as their first book. If you do, you'll be in for a big surprise when you try to buy an S&P that has been valued in this book for $12, but is belling for $48.
   For the more seasoned collector, it does have some decent pictures, but is more or less a rehash of better produced S&P Collecting books.
   If you've been collecting S&P's for over 6 months, you'll realize that this is a piece of utter tripe; execpt for the photos of the S&P's.

No comments about The Collectible Teapot & Tea Calendar 2009 (Wall Calendars).

5 comments about 300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles.

1. Just received my second copy (replacement copy) of "300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles" and it also is missing pages 401-432 and has duplicate pages 433-464. That makes two books missing the same pages.
   Otherwise the book has a lot of information.



2. I bought this book about a year ago, I saw a lady using it at an auction bidding on kitchen items. The next day I ordered this book and it has been my guide ever since, with so many kitchen items out there, fakes and repros, it's good to have a helper to guide you thru a maze of online auctions and fleamarket finds.
   The description are accurate, there are plenty of pictures, the index and glossaries are very well organized, it also gives marks, how the items have changed over the years, who made them, where when and how they were used. I love it.



3. This is packrat Linda Campbell Franklin's fifth edition...for many good reasons!
   
   What first seems like a hodgepodge of items to a beginner-collector or student, has a certain logic or shorthand to those in the know, and to those getting acquainted with kitchen collectibles, it's an eye opening education! All sorts of pointers, reproduction alerts and historical notes are placed throughout the book, to avoid being duped by many fakes.
   
   Yes as one reviewer noted, there is scant information on items less than 75 years old, and that's just fine with me..these 890 pages are going to keep me interested and learning for quite a while! The little color section isn't terribly helpful...more smaller photos of items could have been placed in these expensive pages. Still for most of these mechanical items, color is not the key in identification. I'm just tickled to be able to recognize what a peculiar gadget is/was used for! So if someone realistically wants more black and white pictures/drawings, bring them on..and yes there could be sharper photos of some blurry items taken for better clarity in a future edition-it's not a problem for me!
   
   She lists many references for those seeking more information, and addresses to contact specialized collectors or clubs. Well worth the price of admission, alone!
   
   This is a delightful "must have" for the "kitchen curious" and beginning collectors!



4. Seldom is a reference book an entertaining read. Seldom is a good read easy to reference and find information quickly. This book does an excellent job of bridging both worlds. For the casual auction hound or dealer this book is invaluable.

   I liked the book so much I was wondering what to give my mother for mother's day. She's one of those people who either has everything she needs or goes and gets what she needs when she wants it. The idea of giving her this book struck me as a good one. Reluctantly I gave her my copy. She clearly has enjoyed it, she allows me to look at it when I'm visiting. She hasn't been willing to loan to me though.




5. The 300 years of Kitchen Collectibles is sorely lacking in information about the last 75 years of kitchen collectibles. The majority of the book covers what I would call primitive kitchen items. The photos are grainy and lack detail. If you have a kitchen item that you need to identify..this book might prove useful.

5 comments about Collectible Cups and Saucers: Identification and Values (Book 3, Collectible Cups and Saucers).

1. The layoutis fantastic. A person is able to find and see the information they are looking for. Being in color is an absolute necessity. I have read thru the book several times. It is a valuable tool in collection. Thank you very much. Kay Brashers.



2. Too bad someone didn't bother to edit this book - especially as it is a SECOND EDITION! It not only is missing 20 pgs (in the early 100s from what I recall - I sent book back and hope for a refund), it also had 20 duplicate pages! I can't believe NO ONE here who raved about this book noticed this! It's one thing to buy it and get pleaure looking at pictures of someone's pretty cups, but quite another when you are doing research and spending money on books! Checking for brands in the index and not finding a page listed is how I found this gross error! A lot of cups would have been covered on those 20 missing pages. The seller I purchased book from said "it was publishing error and not picked up on reprint" and had the nerve to ask ME to "let him know if I find one that was corrected" as he said all books are like this. Unless the seller is misrepresenting...I say "BOO" to the editors/publishers - no excuse on 2nd edition!)



3. This book is fantastic, beautiful pictures. A pleasure to just look through. Very happy with this purchase!!



4. This book is great for finding different cup and saucer types.
   I would like to have had more information on pottery markings included in the book. Wish the authors had a web-site for questions.



5. The first book I've purchased on tea cup collecting. The gorgeous photos alone taught me a great deal about the art and fun of collecting tea cups. I've enjoyed every page. When the world is so frustrating during the day I can't quite concentrate on reading weightier matters, I pick up this book and lose myself in the gracious and lovely world of tea cup collecting. A big thanks to the authors!

2 comments about The Book of Griswold & Wagner: Favorite * Wapak * Sidney Hollow Ware (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This book took a couple of reads to get the hang of. While the historical essays were interesting, a detailed description of how to use the guide, where the various identifiers could be found on respective pieces, as well as a tone geared toward the lay person could have made this book significantly more useful.
   
   I will definitely take a look at other similar guides if given the chance, but this book will do for now.
   
   Also, while this is the fourth edition, the beginning of the book makes it seem that the prices are only current with the printing of the first edition, which was in 1995 (?). So why weren't the prices updated with subsequent printings?
   
   Overall it's very useful, but I wish I could have browsed and compared at local bookstores.



2. I'm just getting started collecting Griswold cast iron, and I bought this guide recently because I wanted some sort of reference point for assessing cast iron at auctions, flea markets, antique malls, etc. I'm not a dealer, and (so far, anyway) I don't purchase or sell any cast iron on-line.
   
   I really like this guide, since it's descriptive, inclusive, and has photos and illustrations which are more than sufficient for determining what you're looking at when you're standing over the vendor's table. The major complaint that I've read about this guide is that the prices haven't been updated. That's true - it says right in the front of the book that the prices were gathered in 1995, even though this is the fifth edition and has supposedly been revised a few times since. But, I get the impression from what I'm seeing in the marketplace that, whether due to this book itself or due to the market for cast iron, the prices quoted are still fairly accurate for most pieces. At any rate, it still serves as a great relative pricing guide, to tell you how the various pieces compare to each other. People have said that the prices quoted in here are not reflective of on-line auctions for cast iron, though whether they're generally lower or generally higher, I don't know. Since I'm not buying or selling on-line, I can't really comment, but I do know that on-line bidders have a tendency to go haywire sometimes. These seem to me to be accurate prices for antique malls or flea markets, though. A few people have complained about the quality of the photos, but I think that this is a baseless complaint, since the photos and illustrations are very clear and easily sufficient to distinguish one piece from another. The authors even show a few select counterfeits, and do a side-by-side comparison of the genuine piece versus the counterfeit. They also included a nice informative blurb about the history of each company which is represented in this guide, and a list of part numbers for each line which is invaluable if you're trying to tell just what it is you're looking at. I wish I could give it four and a half stars - it deserves the extra half. I'd give it a fifth star if they'd put a little more effort into detailing some of the diagnostic features typical to pans of a specific vintage - I'm still a little in the dark about just which handle is the "old handle" and which handle is the "new handle," given that I've seen at least four or five handle styles on these pans, and I'd like to know a bit more about some of the skillets which were manufactured by Griswold but don't say "Griswold." such as Victors and Puritans, etc. The authors do give full pricing and photograhic information for those makes, but they don't really give any information about why they exist or why they don't say "Griswold" on them.
   
   By the way, this review is mostly focused on Griswold. I don't collect Wagner, Favorite, Sidney Hollow-ware, or Wapak. On the whole, I would say that even though I don't collect these brands, this is a very good guide for Wagner as well, and an alright guide for the other three brands. Favorite, Sidney Hollow-ware, and Wapak don't get nearly the attention that Griswold and Wagner get in this book, but I get the impression that those companies weren't as successful and didn't have quite the diversity of products in the first place that Griswold or Wagner did.
   
   Very pleased.

4 comments about The Bowie Knife: Unsheathing an American Legend.

1. Excellent Pictures and stories. I would like to see more information about the knife makers and markings applicable to each maker.



2. Many knife collectors will welcome this edition to their bookshelves. The high numbers of high quality knifemakers and eager customers in recent years has created a natural interest in the early beginnings of the uniquely American Bowie knife that needs to be satisfied. Mr.Flayderman has heard the calling and has delivered in abundance. There is something for everybody in this book. The quality of documentary evidence is commendable and I even liked the pictures but don't think of this as a coffee table book. There is more here than can be covered in this humble review. The owner of this edition will return to it again and again and will glean yet another glimpse of our American history when the country was young and wild. If knives are of interest to you this book will serve.



3. I purchased this book as a gift for my uncle. It is well worth the money! It is a coffee table-type book with thick heavy pages and LOTS of beautifully detailed photos. His only negative comment when I gave it to him was, "That is a dagger on the cover!" and He knows his knives!! I guess the publisher doesn't know what a bowie knife looks like. If you like bowie knives or know someone who does, this is a perfect book.



4. Excellent book. I was a little leary of spending $80 bucks on a book but than remembered the last time, and did't purchase the "Antique Bowie Knife Book" Glad I did purchase this book I think it is everthing the Antique Bowie Book is and more. Wonderful pictures of Bowie knives as well as alot litature on them also. Nice addition is the actual pitures of people and the knives they carried.. If you area Bowie collector and don't own "The Antique Bowie Knife Book" you will be please with this If you do own it you may not think its woth it since alot of thwe same knives are covered

2 comments about Pyrex by Corning: A Collector's Guide.

1. I was pleased with the book but was not pleased to find it did not have the price guide with it. I was sent a piece of paper stating I could purchase the price guide for an additional $8.95. This was not stated on the description of the book even in the additional information.



2. Although not all-inclusive, this book is an excellent guide for pyrex collectors. Because pyrex is so varied and has been produced for a long time, it is a wide category. This book does a great job of grouping, pricing and identifying what is out there in pyrex.