No comments about Understanding Miniature British Pottery & Porc..

No comments about Kenyan Pots and Potters.

4 comments about The Penny Bank Book: Collecting Still Banks Through the Penny Door.

1. While I mostly collect mechanical banks I do have some interest in still banks. This is the book most often referred to by collectors and sellers alike on E-bay or other auction sites regarding size, rarity, and price. The first sections deal with care and reproductions, followed by illustrations of still banks from manufacturers catalogs. Then comes a color section on banks followed by an appendix. There are several drawbacks to this book. The $49.95 price for a book published in 2000 is high in my opinion. Secondly, many of the banks are photographed together rather than individually so you really don't get that much detail. You also do not get too much information on each bank.



2. Great book for the collector. Better than the earlier editions in that it has the prices listed with the pictures instead of in the back of the book.
   Still the same banks that were in the earlier editions though.



3. I was at an auction and five out of the six banks there were listed in the book.



4. The Penny Bank Book is a pictorial and value guide to collecting banks. Containing both good pictures and approximate values, it is the most comprehensive bank collecting book available at this time. It is a must for any serious collector. This is the guide I keep in my car to advise me.

No comments about A.C.A.D.E.M.Y..

No comments about Tall Ships: Gary Hill's Projective Installations (Quasha, George, Gary Hill's Projective Installations, No. 2.).

3 comments about Murano - A History of Glass pb (I Piccoli Di Arsenale).

1. 
   Murano Glass, often called Venetian glass is made on the island of Murano. The glassblowers were forced to move their factories to the island by the Venetian Republic in 1291. The reason being that the factories represented a fire hazard the buildings of Venice. The glass blowers and their families soon became the leading citizens of the island, some even being allowed to wed into the blue-blooded families of Venice.
   
   One of the things that made the glassmakers of Murano so important was that they were the only people in Europe who knew how to make a mirror. There craft was so closely guarded that they were not allowed to set up in business anywhere outside the Venetian lagoon, to do so, they risked being killed in the night for their troubles.
   
   The book covers all this type of history and the development of the glass process through the ages, from Roman times up to the present day and there are some fine illustrations of the art of the glass maker. There is still a thriving glass industry on the island and many homes throughout the world will have a piece of Murano glass sitting on a shelf somewhere, even though the owner may not know its place of origin.



2. This book is good for reading on the train to work. And also to date, possibly identify, a piece of glass you have. But not the type of book it is advertised to be; A pocket Reference Guide. Rare and one-of-a-kind items are interesting, but what ordinary person would ever see those in person? Or anything even similar? We thumbed through it at the shop and laughed the whole time.



3. The book is about glass and how the Murano island glassmakers became the world leaders in the field. It's chock-full of facts, names, and dates -- maddenly without citations for the most part, and a very limited bibliography to boot. There are some irritating omissions -- for example, just how long WAS the forced vacation originally? When was it first legislated? As overviews go, it is fantastic, but it's not going to be a complete work on the subject.
   
   It covers:
   * a general world-level history of glass
   * how glassmaking moved from Torcello to Murano
   * how glassmakers lived and legislation regarding their vocation
   * cristallo development and other artistic techniques (including enamelwork)
   * how Murano's golden age began, and its subsequent downfall and decline
   * glassmaking's rebirth in the modern age
   * some information about modern Muranese works
   
   There are a lot of color photos here that will, I am sure, satisfy any glasswork fanatic. It's a tiny little book, smaller than a paperback novel, but there's a lot of information here. Just don't go into it thinking this is going to be some scholarly paper with tons of citations. It's a popular history with the goal in mind of making people more interested in Murano glass.

1 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Pickard China: With Additional Sections on All Chicago China Studios.

1. This book is almost as Wonderful as the Beautiful Pickard China! If you've never touched a piece of Pickard China or read this wonderful book, then you're missing so much! It's a Must Have Book that's packed full of Lovely Photos, as well as some of the history behind this Beautiful China! Go get yourself this book, Ya Hear!

1 comments about Redware, America's Folk Art Pottery.

1. This is a good basic guide to Redware, written by an archaeologist (and how many collectible pottery books can boast of an author with that background?) as well as a collector. Those interested in beginning or adding to their collection of Redware will find the sections on rarity, pricing and condition of items to be of special interest. Full-color photos of various items (with values) make this one a treasure trove!

1 comments about Encyclopedia of Porcelain Enamel Advertising: With Price Guide (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This is a very good book for folks starting out in collecting porcelain signs. There are hundreds of photos and it gives you a good idea of the variety of what exists and what to collect. Prices listed are now out of date.

2 comments about Ceramics in America 2005 (Ceramics in America).

1. "Ceramics in America" is a wonderful publication. For the first volume of this journal, it is very well put together. The journal has lots of information on ceramics made and used in America. It is very helpful to those who are not very familiar with American ceramics.



2. This book is a must-have for ceramics enthusuasts! Having worked with historic ceramics for several years, I was familiar with many of the authors selected to write for the first "Ceramics in America" monograph. As much as I eagerly anticipated the work, I was not prepared for the level of excellence which has been achieved here. This volume contains cutting-edge ceramics research, illustrated with the latest in pottery technology and documentary history of the field. I was particularly impressed with two articles highlighting pottery techniques: the submission by Don Carpentier and Jonathan Rickard on annular or "dipt" wares, and also the work of team Michelle Erickson/Rob Hunter, who demonstrate early English slipwares production. This is yet another triumph for the Chipstone Foundation, who has successfully sponsored Luke Beckerdite's "American Furniture" series for years. This book is very highly recommended for archaeologists, collectors, curators, and other material culture specialists.