3 comments about The Faberge Case: From the Private Collection of John Traina.

1. Mr. Traina's book about his incomparable collection is a masterwork of photography, reproduction and scholarship. The crystal clear and remarkably close up pictures of the three hundred or more cases in Mr.Trania own passionately gathered Faberge masterworks gallery make the objects themselves almost palpable. This book is also welcome for the subsidiary essays, with the sole exception of a rather sour personal note by Mr.Traina's ex- wife, Danielle Steele. As a work of art about a long lost era of grace and elan and terrible contrasting poverty and violence, The Faberge Case makes many of the forever lost emotions and dramas come to life in a most vivid fashion.



2. This is a BEAUTIFUL book. The cases are works of art. It's amazing they didn't go blind making them!



3. This sumptuous volume of amazing color photographs showcases the largest collection of Faberge cigarette cases in the world. Objects ranging in style from fokeloric or rococo to modernistic and even sexy are included in this book, pointing out that the most utilitarian object( although hardly of vital importance to the average Tsarist Russian) done by the most decadent of jewelers would be a masterpiece in miniature Mr. Faberge would be astounded at Mr.Traina's obsession with these politically incorrect objects. He would also hope that the owner of so many casas would at least be a smoker and use the casas once in a while.

5 comments about The Galaxy's Greatest Star Wars Collectibles Price Guide 1999.

1. A very nice book with lots of basic information about lost of different Star Wars collectibles (you name it, and it's probably in there). There are lots of full-color sample pictures, but you will not see pictures of EVERY item in a given category (i.e., all action figures). My favorite part of this book is that it actually provides a brief description of every single trading card and sticker (and there are about 1000 vintage cards and stickers... and a lot more new ones, which it also describes). Card prices are broken down by full box, empty box, unopened pack, just wrapper, complete set, and each individual card. Figure prices are included for just about every possible card variation, as well as for a mint/complete loose figure. The bad news is that the prices for the action figures and trading cards (that's mostly what I collect) are often far too high. I don't remember buying or selling for such high prices either before or after this book was written. Finally, I don't think you need both this book and the 2000 pocket size edition by the same author. If you want more detail, go for this larger edition. If you want something that travels well, go for the pocket edition. They are basically the same book, you just have to decide if you want detail or portability (keeping in mind that the prices quoted in both are probably far too high).



2. THINK AGAIN! THIS BOOK IS VERY HELPFUL IN IDENTIFING WHAT YOU HAVE. BUT...IF YOU LOOK THRU THIS BOOK AND THINK YOUR GONNA MAKE A KILLING ON EBAY, THINK AGAIN! THATS WHAT I THOUGHT. ITEMS ARE ONLY WORTH WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY AND MOST OF THESE PRICES SEEM HIGH. ACTION FIGURES AND RARE ITEMS ARE PROBABLY MORE "IN SYNC" WITH THE STATED MARKET VALUE THAN ALL OTHER ITEMS.



3. I have recently goten back in to collecting Star Wars stuff, and found the book very helpful in finding items that I never knew existed. With the popularity of online auctions, some of the prices are not really reflecting the "market value" of some of the items, but it does give you a baseline to work with. It explains things in an easy to understand way, and won't lose you if you aren't a hard core collector. There are a lot of photos to help out.



4. This is a very good book. I bought this book last year, and even though there are a few photo errors, (a few pictures had incorrect titles), this book is complete and the content far exceeds any little flaws you can find. This book shows prices of pratically every Star Wars item ever manufactured, from Star Wars paper bathroom cups, to Star Wars bed sheet. From posters, pins, magnets, to action figures, movie theater promos and tons of foreign Star Wars items, this book has it all complete with prices and color pictures. Buy it, you wont go wrong.



5. Great Book, color photos were excellent, a hand full of photo title errors, but overall great book. Detailed listings covering every posible Star Wars item, and prices.

5 comments about Queen Anne Furniture: History, Design and Construction.

1. I agree with all the other reviews and can't really add much, except to say the photos are many in magnificent full colour, and he even has photos of incomplete pieces which is great for seeing how they are put together (I am specifically thinking of the easy chair). He does not stick to strict Queen Anne but covers the subtle variations such as the Gaines chair (one of my favourites) ... this book is a true gem and since receiving it I can hardly put it down. A great resource and would make a fantastic present for someone interested in woodwork. Queen Anne furniture would have to be near the pinnacle of woodworking but with this book it seems reachable.
   
   Truly excellent.
   
   Wish that author would write some more on other periods (ie ALL other periods from early medieval to modern). I would not hesitate to collect them all.



2. In all my experience with fine woodworking I haven't had the pleasure to read a book that is as exquisitly written as the pieces within it. This book is a must for the serious furniture maker or collector, or anyone who wants to learn more and appreciate this magnificent craft. How did I miss this one?



3. In all my experience with fine woodworking I haven't had the pleasure to read a book that so well written that it is as exquisite as the pieces within. This book is a must for every serious furniture maker or perhaps collector who wants to learn and appreciate this magnificent craft. How did I miss this one?



4. Recognizing that Queen Anne furniture is one of the timeless and most beautiful designs, I realized, on starting my first project, that I hadn't the foggiest idea of the history, the elements, or the construction techniques of Queen Anne furniture. This book has it all. The sections on history and the making of the cabriole legs in themselves make this book a "must have," both for the collector and for the cabinetmaker. To top it off, there are scaled plans for several projects, and some time-saving techiques for construction. If you get only one book on Queen Anne furniture, this is the one.



5. Norman is obviously as incredibly talented an author as he is a cabinetmaker. I couldn't say enough about how great a job he did with the content of this book and drawings. I only wish he would write another one for each of the 18th century styles( Federal, Chipendale, etc) This is definately the bible for 18th century reproduction cabinetmakers. Please write another one Norman!

5 comments about Skipper: Barbie Doll's Little Sister.

1. This book is absolutely wonderful ! I have been able to complete many outfits using this book for reference. Well-written, detailed photographs, and concise descriptions are only some of the many features of this book. I enjoyed seeing all the rare products as well. Thank you for a fantastic book !!



2. Not just strictly a "doll" book, the authors have gone out of their way to include information and pictures on foreign skippers, color/design variations of the outfits, furniture and cases, and prototypes of what *could* have been! Besides just showing a picture of each outfit and the average price value, there is also an item-by-item list so that no yo-yo or hair curler will go unaccounted for! This is a great resource for fashion collectors; a few of the outfits are even shown on the dolls so we can see how great they look in them! While this is a great book, it stops at the year 1978, so it's not aimed at contemporary Skipper collectors. :)



3. I have found this book to be a very valuable tool in identifying the correct and I stress correct components of Skipper, Todd and Tutti outfits. It is very informative, easy to see even the smallest items, and very well structured. I highly recommend this book.



4. What little material available on Skipper isn't anything close to the tons of information here. All the outfits are beautifully photographed, and there are so many rare and unusual items. I really enjoyed seeing so many outfits dressed on the incredible dolls. If you buy this book, you're going to see that lots of Skipper stuff is just as wonderful as her big sister Barbie's.



5. Finally! A book for Skipper collectors! What a great book. Very informative, fantastic color photographs, also an up to date price guide. Includes photos of lots of hard to find items including cases and licensed products. It's also wonderful to be able to see pictures of foreign issue dolls and outfits as well as rare doll and outfit variations. This informative book has made collecting so much more fun!

2 comments about Barbie Doll Collector's Handbook.

1. This book was great. It's concise, and provides very useful information for Barbie doll collectors. Excellent book to read especially if you're new to Barbie doll collecting.



2. The information of a large book and handy for its size

5 comments about Marilyn Monroe: Cover to Cover.

1. This thoroughly unique and enjoyable approach to the documentation of Marilyn's career is a comprehensive collection of magazine covers from all around the world, featuring her throughout her career. The whole is an eclectic gathering of photos highlighting her metamorphosis from unknown young model to luminous superstar.
   
   Although many of the more well known American covers are absent, there is plenty here to satisfy! The variety and sheer number of colorful covers is impressive. The memorable quotes that accompany so many of the covers capture the essence of her endearing personality without being an actual biography, and the timeline is a good but brief overview of many of the important events in her life.
   
   Although I am not an avid collector of MM memorabilia, I'm sure the pricing information would be valuable to those who are. I found comparing the various values to be very interesting reading. I can only imagine the painstaking work that went into identifying each of these photos and determining the worth of each cover.
   
   This would be a welcome and unique addition to any MM library - highly recommended!



2. This is an unusual outstanding picture book.
   
   Marilyn in unforgetable pictures.
   
   Thank you!



3. I absolutely loved this book! It was fantastic. Marilyn Monroe was such a beautiful, talented person and this book definitely shows it. The pictures are sharp and bright and the captions are wonderful. The variety is nothing short of impressive. I highly recommend this "coffee table book" to any Monroe fan!



4. Now in a revised second edition, Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover by Clark Kidder is a unique collection for the fans one of Hollywood's best known personalities, as it features full-color illustrations of numerous magazine covers that showcased this talented actress and American heartthrob. Each picture offers a brief caption or memorable quote (often by Marilyn herself) about the picture, as well as the average selling price for good condition copies of the magazine. Marilyn Monroe: Cover To Cover is a very highly recommended resource for celebrity memorability collectors in general, and Marilyn Monroe fans in particular.



5. Clark Kidder has done it yet once again. His magnificent Marilyn Monroe magazine collector guide " Cover To Cover " is lavishly illustrated with gorgeous Norma Jeane covers from around the world. This book is very helpful for Marilyn Monroe collectors. I have been collecting Marilyn Monroe Memorabilia since 1991 and everytime one of Clark's great Marilyn books come out I learn so much valuable information. This book gets my highest recommendation. Simply delightful and is a definite must have referance guide for any serious Marilyn Monroe collector. Clark Kidder is a Marilyn Monroe Super Collector and his work promoting the hobby of collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia has done wonders for the hobby. Two Thumbs Up!

5 comments about Christmas Ornaments: ReCollections.

1. The knowledge the authors have on Christmas collectibles is massive. They are historical,and humorous. I bought the first book when I started collecting pixies and learned so much more from them about trim, authenticity and why people started decorating the way they did from the early 1900's through the 60's. This book is lovely, but their other book is better. I hope they write a third.



2. This is a such a fun little book! Warm holiday memories, lots of humor and beautiful photography. I thoroughly enjoyed every page! The best gift book you will ever find for a vintage/antique ornament collector.



3. Even if you're not particularly sentimental about Christmas, the images and recollections of the authors are a delightful experience. The photos and graphics are charming and magical, obviously done by people who truely love the Christmas season. Anyone can appreciate the vintage flavor of this little gem.



4. Charming and nostalgic, giving us a glimpse into the history of holiday adornment. A great stocking stuffer!
   
   Debbie Elliott



5. This book brings back so many great memories of Christmas and decorating the tree. It was so much fun reading and looking through every page for ornaments that we might have had on our trees over the years and seeing the many different kinds of ornaments. It is a book that I will spend much time reading and viewing for many, many years.

5 comments about B. J. Summers' Guide To Coca-Cola (B J Summer's Guide to Coca Cola Identification).

1. I recently had the opportunity to review another company's Coca Cola collectibles book, they too a well respected publisher of antique and collectibles books and there's no doubt about it, the B.J.Summers Sixth Edition guide has got that one beat hands down. This is a thoroughly beautiful book. Hardcover, thick, glossy stock pages, and fantastic photography highlight this book.
   
   The introduction provides legend keys to the condition as well as the source of the item's value which I think is very important. Summers lets the reader know if the value came from a collector, a completed auction, a dealer, or the author himself. The book then presents 46 different item categories, everything from signs, bottles, calendars and trays, to more eclectic items like Jewelry, no-drip protectors, and ashtrays. There's also a miscellaneous chapter for items that don't fit into one of the other 45 categories.
   
   I was absolutely fascinated by the number of items pictured in the book. With nearly 300 pages and as many as 10 items pictured per page, there are literally thousands of different Coke items pictured. The signage is simply fantastic, particularly those featuring celebrities such as Eddie Fisher and jazz musician Lionel Hampton. In all there are 82 pages of signs alone. Does it picture EVERY Coca Cola sign ever made? Of course not, but what book does? Still even if you have one that isn't pictured, you should be able to find one similar that you can use as a basis for value.
   
   I really enjoyed the section on coolers and those bright, red coolers of days gone by. I remembered the old Coke cooler we used to have back in the early 70's. Like a lot of people, I love the Coke Santa items, especially those great ads by Haddon Sundblom which look great framed and are still very affordable today.
   
   The problems are few and minor. The categories could have been laid out in alphabetical order but instead there seems to be little rhyme or reason to the order. That said, it's still a truly wonderful book that will delight collectors or just plain fans of nostalgia.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



2. This was a very helpful and informative guide to Coca-Cola collectibles. I would highly recommend it to any serious collector. Full of valuable information.



3. We have quite a few old Coke signs and none were in this guide. We were disappointed to say the least.



4. Pros: Extensive selection of signs and cardboard items with lots of nice colour photos throughout. Many items in this book aren't in Petrettis, so it makes a good companion. All up I am happy with this book and use it regularly to price and check items.
   
   Cons: The book is hoplessely laid out and it can be very hard to find items as it seems there is no logic to the order items are listed or displayed. It seems the entire book is largely made up from the collection of one or two private collections and as such prices can be inflated compared to market values, plus many items are missing simply because these collectors didn't feel they are important enough. As with most other Coca-cola collectors books this one is entirely US centric with very little information on foreign items.



5. *****April 2005 UPDATE: "Could be great" but after seeing the 5th edition, the publisher has taken a book with great potential and flushed that potential down the toilet. What they did was gloss up the paper and make it look old-fashioned (it doesn't work for me, but maybe it will for others), but the huge mistake is that they actually dropped a significant number of items from the book and went overboard hiking up the price values! If you are a serious collector, browse through the 5th edition at a bookstore, before buying it. END UPDATE*****
   
   This guide has great potential, but somebody should do some usability studies on it to make it better. It's a chore finding a specific item. For example, collector trays: I still can't figure out what logic was used to arrange/order them in the book. By title? By name? The index at the back of the book is incomplete and often worthless. For example, there's a whole section on blotters in the front index, but try finding "blotter" in the back index.
   
   Prices are conservative. Unrealistically low in many cases.
   
   There are items that aren't found in other guides, and the color pix are exceptional. I really like this guide, but it has design flaws that need to be fixed.

5 comments about Barbie Doll Fashion: Vol. 2, 1968-1974 (Barbie Doll Fashion).

1. Another great book by Sarah Sink Eames!-Great outfits and pictures-easy to see values-Fun to see how Barbie and friends followed current fashion trends for the late 60's and early 70's-very helpful to any vintage collector!!



2. Great book. Found outfits and the year they came out. Do Recommend if you are into Barbie clothes...



3. If you are a collector, you should have this book on your shelf. Comprehensive, complete, with photos galore. A+++++



4. In Hong Kong, it is not popular to collect vintage Barbie dolls so that it is not easy to explore specific related knowledge. This book really helps a lot. It is a bible for every Barbie collectors!



5. This book and its companion volume, 'Barbie Doll Fashion: 1959-1967', are without doubt the most beautiful and informative books on the market for the vintage and mod era Barbie collector today. They are very well-written, with lovely photographs of absolutely pristine examples of each outfit, enough to make you drool over on every single page!

   'Barbie Doll Fashion: 1968-1974' covers the fashions from Barbie's exciting Mod era, and includes fashions not only for Barbie, but for her friends and family as well. These include original outfits, Pak outfits, Best Buys, Get Ups and Gos, Store Exclusives and every other type of outfit available from 1968 to 1974.

   Each outfit is described in detail, with a photograph showing the outfit and all accessories next to it, laying flat. Some outfits are shown on the doll. The photography is stunning, by far the best of any Barbie book I've ever seen.

   'Barbie Doll Fashion: 1968-1974' isn't just informative, it's a catalogue of dreams to build on, and a fun book just to sit and look at. You'll never be sorry you own it!

5 comments about Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments 2000 Collector's Value Guide.

1. This is the best (if not only) resource to use for Hallmark collectibles. The color pictures are invaluable and the index makes it easy to find what you're looking for. I purchase a new book each year and reference my copy at least 3-4 times a week. The only 'negative' comment I can make is that the secondary market prices on many of the ornaments seem to be quite high - compared to what you can purchase them for on sites such as ebay. But many of them are 'right on' and it gives you a great idea of what is/isn't hot.



2. I have been collecting ornaments since 1991 and this is the best collectors guide I have ever owned. It lists all ornaments with color photos and current value. It even lists very rare expo and hard to find pieces. A must have for collectors!



3. Each year I get a new CheckerBee Value Guide. They are the best - very easy to use and full of good information. Great index in the back to find your ornament if you know the name. The book is divided by years so if you know the year of the ornament - you can look for it's picture. They also have the series all together so when I'm shopping on line - I know what the going amount is for each ornament. It also has a section in the back to list all your ornament by year. A real five star book!



4. This book is very easy to use, and fun to use. It is all stocked up with todate information that todays collectors want.There are color photos of every piece that Hallmark has put on the market.This is a must have for any Hallmark collector.It's also great for a person who is just starting thier collection. This book will tell collectors whats popular and whats not.



5. what can i say i love this book it tells me all i need to know about my collection and it is good incase disaster happens i have some insurance records afterwards