2 comments about The World of Wade Figurines And Miniatures (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. I'm not a Wade collector but needed to research a 1950's figurine given to me by my aunt. I couldn't find anything like it on eBay, so I ordered this book. Within minutes of opening it I had found my piece and enough information about it to list it successfully for sale. As with any reference book on antiques and collectibles, the values must be treated with skepticism since prices change with shifts in collectors' interests. But for basic background information, including illustrations and dating of backstamps, it is excellent.



2. I love the Wade Whimsey figurines, but I was flying blind until I got this book. I am now a much more informed collector. I highly recommend this book to any collector.

4 comments about Boys Uncovered.

1. Cute guys but like most books in this genre the title misleading suggests more erotic pictures than you will actually find. Most of the guys are wearing briefs. You can see about as much on prime time television. But again the guys are cute...just don't expect a grand erotic experience.



2. I found the book to be both interesting, in the portraiture of the youthful male body, as well as presenting the "genre" in keepng with 'good taste'.



3. I never received this item and it has been back ordered ever since.



4. What a wonderful book. The photos are beautifully executed and the men are just...shall we say?...uh....PERFECT. There is a sensuality to the pictures that can give the view pause as he flips through this volume's pages. This book would make a great gift; a gift for someone else, or, if you are prefectly self-indulgent, for you!..Go For It!

No comments about Hardstones: The Gilbert Collection.

No comments about Goshka Macuga: Sleep of Ulro.

5 comments about Haviland China: The Age of Elegance (Schiffer Book for Collectors With Values).

1. While the written information contained within is remarkable in its' breadth and detail, and the publication certainly has a good "hand" on the current market, the publication fails sadly in its' photographic quality.
   
   Certain patterns colours are corrupted in the printing process. A notable example of this is on page 181, Figure 390 "Dinner Plate Chambord Pattern". This plate in fact has a soft green tinge to the entire plate and the edge is a teal / blue. It is not a red pinkish colour, which is how it is represented.
   
   This is a significant misrepresentation of the appearance of the article and there are a series of errors in the publication of a similar calibre, and it reflects badly on what is fundamentally a good publication.



2. Nora Travis is one of the leading experts on Haviland. I love the quality of her books, and have found the photographs professional, and the content informative and interesting. While researching my book: LIVING WITH LIMOGES by Debby DuBay, I again sought out Nora Travis' work for information on Haviland Limoges. She is an expert in the field of Haviland and I recommend this book to all who need information on the subject or for those who enjoy beautiful coffee table books.



3. I don't consider myself a collector of Haviland; I bought this book to get a toehold in this world while searching for replacements for my mother's turn-of-the-century pattern.

   This book is organized in such a way that someone new to this area can understand the basics types of pieces, identify the various markings and get some idea of reasonable values. Did I mention that it also looks good on the coffee table?




4. Nora Travis' book includes photographs of the usual and unusual pieces of Haviland porcelain which makes it a well rounded book for the amateur and serious collectors. It contains many beautiful "art" pieces, and the values are right on target. A lot of work went into this book, and it shows. The photos are really great as well. We, Keith and Thomas Waterbrook-Clyde, are the authors of a book on Limoges porcelain, The Decorative Art of Limoges Porcelain and Boxes.



5. Haviland China, one of the most collected Limoges producing companies, comes to life in this very informative book. Not only does Ms. Travis includes a Haviland family tree in this book, but also a history of this wonderful family legacy.

   Beautiful color photographs enable us to enjoy some of the very rare pieces produced beginning in 1895. The price guide for these pieces are right on the money, and the signature guide makes piece identification easy!

   As a serious Haviland collector, I never go to an antique store or show without it!

No comments about Shaven Angels 2.

No comments about Raku (Ceramics Handbook) (Ch).

No comments about Grandma's Tea Leaf Ironstone.

2 comments about Mr. Big: Third World Studio.

1. Images are arranged by color rendition, instead of by model: Black & white (b&w) to page 64, then color through the end at page 128. Ron, also known as (aka) "Outlaw," for example, is on pp. (pages) 12-13 in b&w and in color on pp. 65-67 & 100-101. There is no text after the Introduction and no captions identifying the models. In case you are wondering if any of your favorite models are included, I also recognized Angelo, Barry, Clayton or "Clay," Francoise, Mack, Mario Albert, Mark, Mickey (cover), 'Rone, "Sputnik," "Taurus," Ty aka Jack, Vic and Warren. A lot of others are shown, but I do not know their names. Many of the photo's have been circulating for years on the Internet, which is where I associated their names/aliases, but the 'net pictures have usually been degraded as cropped, thumbnailed, low resolution, etc. I was glad to see the picture of Clay(ton) in the book, although in black & white, because the color image that has circulated on the 'net is stretched sideways and the book's image is the first time that I have seen the picture without distortion. On the other hand, some of the photo's I have never seen before; to me, I think the book would still be worthwhile even if I had seen all the photo's before. Overall, the photo's are usually not cropped, often showing too much background, but better too much than not enough. The emphasis is on full, frontal nudity. Some rear views are shown, but are usually given lesser importance as one of two or more photo's on a page, instead of a full page. Likewise, there are only a few portraits without full nudity, front or rear; I did not add any portraits as Customer Images (being suitable without nudity) because they are not as representative of the book's content as much as the cover. The publisher's website already shows "sold out" for this title, so do not wait any longer if you want a new copy, as stock at the U.S. distributor in New Jersey may be all that remains. The South Africa (.za) Janssen website also shows a "2006 Preview" thumbnail of a sequel, "Mr. Long," with Francoise on the cover, calling it "...the final continuation," but ISBN "to follow."



2. A welcome contrast to the overly studied and glamourized coffee-table porn books of late, this book contains images from the notorious seventies underground erotic quaterly.
   edited from a unique series of magazines that featured the Mythic sex appeal of seemingly ordinary black men. Produced during the height of the black exploitation period, these images may be hard to look at during our current P.C. times. However, as a historical artifact of seventies pop culture and sexual liberation, it's an interesting item. The complete lack of sophisticated art direction is precisely it's strength. The garish interiors and un-polished men are period perfect. This work did not share mr. mapplethorpe's ultra refined visual taste and obsessive eye for artistic details. Museums and galleries were not the intended targets......it was all about arousal. Direct and immediate....for anyone who had a particular fondness for a specific type of ebony brother.

1 comments about The Chintz Collectors Handbook.

1. Very good! It is a good guide of chintz manufacturers, patterns, and shapes, particularly of Royal Winton. Alphabetically organized. Detailed descriptions of patterns. Interesting price guide.