No comments about Stone Vessels of the Cyclades in the Early Bronze Age.

No comments about Adrien Dalpayrat (1844 - 1910): French Ceramics.

No comments about Wedgwood Ware (Shire Library).

No comments about The Fast.

No comments about Homer Laughlin China: 1940S & 1950s (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

No comments about Robert Barry: Some Places To Which We Can Come 1963-1975.

1 comments about The Figure in Fired Clay.

1. Betty Blandino's new book, The Figure in Fired Clay is spectacular. The collection of gorgeous photos alone make it a very thumbable coffee table book, but--make no mistake--it is more than that.

   Blandino reviews the history of the seemingly universal tendency of people all over the world to take a lump of clay and mold it into a recognizable figure. Many of these artefacts come from civilizations of which we have no other surviving record. I loved the section on the earliest clay figures, and also the wonderful photographs of the work of contemporary ceramicists, many of whom were quite new to me.

   Betty Blandino is a distinguished potter herself, and this is what brings this book to life. As she says in the Foreword: "Nothing but a small lump of soft clay accompanying these paper pages could have allowed those who have not used it to understand and feel the pleasure of this tolerant, flexible material as well as appreciating the wilfulness of its character."

   I highly recommend this book if you are interested in pottery, and/or the human form, and perhaps like me have not seen how these two interests go together.

1 comments about Cowan Pottery and the Cleveland School (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. This is the best book concerning a single pottery company that I have ever read. The scholarship, research and photography set this book apart from all other similar books. Not only is there an exhaustive history of Cowan and his company, but the material concerning the Cowan artists (many of whom have had outstanding careers apart form their work at Cowan) makes this an outstanding contribution to the history of the arts and crafts and early art deco movements.

1 comments about Portmeirion Pottery.

1. The book is presented with excellent history and interesting personal history of Susan Williams-Ellis and her family. The photos are very helpful and interesting and now I am collecting older Portmeirion while adding at the same time to my Botanic Garden dinnerware. This book is now on my coffee table for reference and for others in my home to enjoy. I highly recommend it to antique collectors as well as those with a passion for Portmeirion.

3 comments about The Art of Lorenzo Sperlonga.

1. If you like erotic pin-up, sci-fi, or fantasy art dealing with realistic images of beautiful women, (and a great rendition of Spiderman and Vlad, the infamous impaler) this is the book for you. Not only are the paintings photo-realistic in many instances, but they are imaginative in their settings. There are many great artists of this genre to pick from, but this book is a little different in that Lorezno Sperlonga shows you he is not trapped in any box. There is something for every kind of pin-up art lover in this sleek volume of his work. For real art fans, Lorenzo lets you see his progression over a period of years and he is nothing if not improving with every brush stroke. I love this rather unassuming artist and the work he has put together here. I highly recommend this collection to any fan of erotic fantasy art. And by the way, not every painting is a nude rendition and yet even those that are not have great impact. There is even an endearing painting of a raccoon on the last page where he thanks all of the people who have helped him along the way. A must have!!



2. In the world of erotic/pinup art, Lorenzo Sperlonga is a true master. In a field loaded with some extremely talented artists, Sperlonga is one of the very best, drawing and painting some of the most beautiful women ever put on paper. This 104 page, full color collection from SQP collects some of the greatest works from the Italian artist. Sperlonga was "discovered" by Kevin Eastman, publisher of Heavy Metal and co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Eastman was blown away by the lush, detailed, photo-realistic quality of Sperlonga's work. What I love about him is how diversified he is, being able to cross-genres from standard pin-up-style art, to fantasy, sci-fi, and horror with relative ease. He infuses his works with eroticism and an enticing wit.
   
   Take a piece called "Angel Baby" showing a rather beleaguered blonde angel, sitting at a table drinking Jack Daniels with a cigarette burning in an ash tray. It's a fantastic piece providing tremendous fodder for conversation regarding its interpretation. "Come out and Play" features identical twin sisters, armed with aluminum baseball bats, ready for action...and I doubt it's baseball they're in the mood for. "Welcome to Hell" features scream queen, and Eastman's wife Julie Strain (damn but that man is lucky" along with the Porcelain Twins, as the official door greeters in Hell. This was taken from a Heavy Metal cover.
   
   "The Mirror" is a tricky, creative painting as a topless woman dries herself off after a shower, and yet in the mirror, you only see the towel, seemingly hanging in mid air, as the woman casts no reflection herself. Sperlonga takes a stab at pop culture with "Hannibal's Revenge" showing Jodie Foster as Agent Starling, clad in a straight jacket and locked in a padded cell.
   
   One of my favorite paintings in the entire collection is "The Mummy" showing a gorgeous mummy who has just returned to life. The use of light and shadow in this piece is just flawless. The way the light shimmers off the walls is mesmerizing. Lizzy Strain (half-sister to Julie) models for "Lizzy Goes to London" standing with an assault rifle in front of the Union Jack, flipping the bird. Buxom Anna Nicole Smith poses in a see through top, sitting on a pool table, in a painting entitled "Saloon Kitty."
   
   The book provides a sketch, pencil and ink section and Lorenzo takes you through the creative process from rough draft to completed paintings. A comprehensive index gives a thumbnail of each piece including the name, medium and model name. Contrary to the other review, I will tell you that the book is printed on high quality, slick, glossy paper and is just a beautiful book. My highest recommendation for the Art of Lorenzo Sperlonga!
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



3. I like Sperlonga a lot, and this is a very nice selection of his work. However, this is a magazine and not a paperback. The cover and pages are very thin. SQP has just not put together a book with quality paper. If you can find the hardback on the web it is better though pricey.