2 comments about Dore's Illustrations for Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso".

1. Sure, Homer's Odysseus may have known the ways of many cities and the minds of many men, to say nothing of various monsters and enchantresses, but he had nothing on the reader who follows Ariosto's assorted heroes and heroines through the rollicking, raucous, kaleidoscopic, chivalric-epic world of "Orlando Furioso." The prospective reader of that massive opus may turn for an overview or foretaste of its attractions to this comprehensive pictorial treatment by consummate illustrator Gustave Dore. True, Dore may sometimes be thought to slight the satirical, tongue-in-cheek, and light-hearted aspects of the poem in favor of its epic sweep and moody solemnity. But his is a worthy visual accompaniment to one of the most astonishingly rich and splendidly entertaining masterpieces in all of world literature, and to its imagination, romance, sensuality, and adventurousness he certainly does full justice.



2. This book contains a treasure of very atmospheric and detailed scenes. Doré's masterly use of superwide pespectives is an open invitation to explore his detailed and scetched people, landscapes, castles, heroes, battlefields and romantic situations. The illustration settings cover an area as huge as old europe with an ocassional touch of Asia. A particular delight are the morphed human-animal creatures. This book is great for just diving in and imagining yourself in these bizarre environments. enjoy !

No comments about Frankoma and Other Oklahoma Potteries (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

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1 comments about California Pottery: From Missions to Modernism.

1. This colorful and enjoyable book makes a strong case for the importance of California's commercial potteries in drawing on the state's unique cultural heritage to introduce dramatic new colors and styles to the United States. The book is easy to read and filled with interesting facts, with beautiful color photos on almost every page. I was fascinated by pictures of pottery from the 30's, side-by-side with the handmade folk pottery on which the designs werte based. This is a must for any serious pottery collector! Note that the book parallels an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The author, Bill Stern, was the curator for that exhbition.

5 comments about Exquisite Mayhem.

1. If you like wrestling! If you like people twisted in knots! If you like black and white images! This huge, heavy book is for you!! It's campy! It's cool! It's fun to look at! This book is a piece of wrestling history! It's not only got great photography and images from the past but it's a kick to see some of the old-time wrestlers. It's a time when "wrestling" was not part of the mainstream but more of the "underbelly"! It's where WWF, WWW and all the "W's" originated from. No...it's not for the kiddies...there is a lot of female nudity due to the pic's of female wrestlers BUT it's all part of the fun. If you have a coffee table that can hold this "monster" I would highly reccommend it.



2. This is a very high quality book with terrific photos; it's so heavy that you may have to reinforce the glass on your coffee table before placing it there (just kidding, but it is very heavy). Many of the photos are obviously posed, but they're exciting anyway. There's lots of nudity, some full frontal nudity, so some parents might not want to leave this out where the kids will find it (I think that was the complaint of one reviewer who didn't actually spell it out). The well endowed cover model is adult film star Seka, who doesn't appear in any different photos in the book. There's even a couple of boxing photos in here, incuding a striking photo of an exhausted looking Sugar Ray Leonard. A fine mixture of erotic photos in a wrestling setting.



3. No one visits my house without spending a nice chunk of time flipping through this book and saying, "do you think she's hurting her?"



4. Make no mistake about it--- the palmellenic balance of overt sexuality and aggressive pop culture pathos is a vehicle that is best expressed in the apartment house wrestling craze that took pro wrestling magazines by storm in the 1970s. It mixes well with the presence of pro wrestling, combining the posed Amazon criteria with the bloody pop-sport that has since evolved into the World Wrestling Federation.

   Apartment house wrestling is a widely underrated chapter in the modern art world. In this monumental work, photographer Theo Ehret brilliantly poses the female warriors in such a still manner that they are obviously not actually engaged in combat. These fictional combat poses would look ridiculous on their own, but Ehret brilliantly derails the silliness by bringing out dynamic facial expressions on his models; the grimaces of rage and angst on the scantily clad women are simultaneously haunting and sensual. It is a mix of halted action and living Hellenic
   desire that Ehret delivers in seemingly infinite doses.

   Ehret distances himself from his brilliant visual existensial declaration by denying an active interest in his subjects; he claimed that both the pro wrestling and female combat photos were merely work assignments. Perhaps this is part of his statement: to capture erotic passion through the lense, place it in sensational pulp magazines, and then add a touch of performance art by portraying himself as a blue collar artisan who has numbed himself to the potential pleasures of sensual expression. Is this possible complex mix of photography and performance art a cry against the religious right's mockery of our progressive culture? Or could this be a literary hammer that pounds a nail of truth into the soul of the cowardice that is all too present in modern art.

   An odd addition to this fantastic ocean of voyeurism is the popular essay on professional wrestling by Roland Barthes. While entertaining for its day, they could have used an essay that stands the test of time. Pro wrestling has changed since Barthes penned his pseudo-philosophical essay, but missed his tegmental strike into the art's depth. The publishers of this book would have been wiser to print the modern pyrrhonic rants and scribblings on pro wrestling that was penned between 1978 and 1980 by New York sports historian Captain Lenny Dauber.

   This oversight does not take away from Theo Ehret's brilliant photo essay. This work is both a feminist cry of victory as well as a societal cry to break the chains of enslaved victims of religious judgment.




5. This is the ultimate coffee table book if you are (a) a fan of the Los Angeles pro wrestling scene circa 1960s-70s and/or (b) a fan of the hot & steamy apartment house wrestling pictorials that appeared in "Victory Sports" magazines during the 1970s.

   Fans who frequented the Olympic Auditorium most likely remember seeing Theo Ehret snapping photos at ringside. The introduction of this book includes an interview with Ehret in which he says that pro wrestling held absolutely no fascination for him; he was a photographer, and that was his job. So here's a wonderful irony, that a guy with no passion for the wrestling industry publishes a book that vividly captures the height of Southern California's pro wrestling heyday.

   The superstars who personify 1970s L.A. wrestling are all here: Freddie Blassie, John Tolos (for those of you who remember the Blassie-Tolos feud, the photo of John Tolos jumpstarting the war by throwing the blinding powder into Blassie's eyes is included!), Mil Mascaras, The Sheik, Superstar Billy Graham, Dr. Jerry Graham, Andre the Giant, Antonio Inoki and many, many more!

   If you are offended by adult entertainment or the erotic apartment house wrestling phenomenon that was hot in the 1970s, this book is definitely not for you. If you are a fan, this is paydirt! These "Pulp Mag" style nude photo essays were all over the magazines, albeit they had those black bars pasted everywhere to cover up the naughty bits. For those of you who ogled these pictorials (while pretending to be offended in front of conservative wrestling fans who thought these trashy photos degraded the wrestling industry!)but were frustrated that the forbidden fruit was blocked from your view, well... the women are here in all their Amazonian glory! This trip down memory lane is also enjoyable as this was before the era where virtually every erotica model had the extensive plastic surgeries so prevalent today. An interesting sidenote for fans of adult cinema, one of the models who frequent the pages of "Exquisite Mayhem" is the legendary Seka!

   If you are a nostalgic wrestling fan who is indifferent or "on the fence" about the erotic nature of this book, the ratio between pro wrestling and apartment wrestling pics is pretty evenly divided. The book is well worth the price. This is easily the best pro wrestling collectible I have found in over five years.

2 comments about Collage Creations.

1. An incredible book. Its filled with lots of pictures/projects for inspiration and is a virtual text book on how to do a ton of techniques, also with pictures. If you ever decide to put it away, it should definitely go in your reference library. We need more of this type book.



2. I purchased this book recently from an area art store. I found it filled with wonderful projects to try using a great variety of techniques.
   
   I like the way the book show and explains the techniques at the beginning. The projects to make, are very appealing and worth making for myself or gifts. Plan on using it often as a reference to techniques.

3 comments about Collector's Guide to Made in Japan, Book 2: Identification and Values (Collector's Guide to Made in Japan Ceramics).

1. 
   I collect older (collectible) MADE IN JAPAN items and therefore I have quite a few books on the subject. This book is not complete but quite helpful. Photos are nice.
   
   Many different volumes have been written on this subject. Infact, I own 3 other books on this subject.
   
   When "Made in Japan" collectibles were issued there were sooooo many different items sold, that it would be impossible to include all of them in just one book. The author tried and did a good job though.



2. Carole Bess White has put together an exhaustive reference work on Japanese ceramics from the early 20th century to today. Her extensive research really pays off in this book, crammed full of photos of all types.

   Bess covers everything from ash trays to water sets, candy dishes to salt & pepper sets, Satsuma to souvenir plates. I especially like the many photos of various backstamps (marks) she provides. The book has over 250 pages of photos, and includes catalog pages from current novelty producers. If you're interested in collectible ceramics "Made in Japan", don't hesitate to buy this book!




3. Book #2 is every bit as good as the first one. NO REPEATS !... and new information on the companies that made these delightful pieces. Color photos, marks and all the information you need. Ms. Whites books are getting like potato chips to me.. you can't have just one!

5 comments about McCoy Pottery: Collector's Reference & Value Guide Featuring the Top 100 Findables (Mccoy Pottery Collector's Reference and Value Guide).

1. This book has many nicely done photos and includes brief information concerning the individual pieces. A good thumbnail guide to McCoy pottery. I would however recommend that you purchase volums #1 & 2, unless you are well versed in McCoy, before you buy this one. I am a beginner when it comes to McCoy and I was looking for more history then I found in this volume.



2. The book had the information that I was wanting and much more. I recommend this to anyone who is interesting in collecting pottery or who is interested in being able to recognize valuable pottery pieces for resale.



3. A must have book for any true Mccoy collector. A lot of true Mccoy out there that is not marked Mccoy and the opposite which is not the real Mccoy.



4. While the book has beautiful photos, it is hard to use as a reference. Unless you know what the piece is exactly it is very difficult to locate in the book.



5. The authors are fitting and devoted source whose familiarity and love about McCoy Pottery shine through. Every collector of McCoy Pottery should and MUST have this book. This book is aimed at all levels of collectors. It has the wealth of information needed to help beginners make sense of things that may initially seem confusing. With its color photographs, lists prices, and careful organization this book will be of use to collectors and buyers in need of a general pricing guide. In light of the fact that there are so few books on McCoy Pottery I am grateful to the authors for their effort and dedication. Thank you!

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