5 comments about The Best of Barbie: Four Decades of America's Favorite Doll.

1. Reading that this is a collection of photographs of dolls in a Barbie museum, I was immediately excited. I expected to see photos of mint, museum-quality dolls. To my horror, when I received the book I discovered that what it contains is not museum quality but mediocre quality (at best). To have a full-page glossy color photo of a doll with an incorrect hairstyle and rubbed, flaking face paint is downright criminal! (Where are the Barbie police when you need them!) And to another reviewer's assertion that this will give you a better understanding of levels of grading, that would only be true if there was any acknowledgement that these dolls aren't mint. To me this is the most egregious error -- that nowhere is there any indication that these dolls are anything less than perfect examples. After all, they're in a museum, aren't they?
   
   There are many books with glorious photos of mint Barbies. This is not one of them. There are also great books with detailed descriptions of how to grade a Barbie. This is also not one of those. If you know what a mint Barbie is supposed to look like, you'll just find this book sad. If you don't, don't mistakenly think you'll learn anything from this book -- except possibly how to make a quick buck off a bunch of unsuspecting collectors.



2. As a collector of vintage Barbie,(with an extensive supply of most Barbie reference books), I was thoroughly disgusted at not only the author, photographer and editor, but publishers need to reevaluate whether 'greed' will bring more customers back to them in the future. Most publishers are well aware that publishing a reference book on vintage barbie will MAKE THEM MONEY and more than likely bring out the masses who are looking for a good reference book, but lying about the contents and writing a glowing review on the book, when it isn't, won't bring us back a 2nd time. (You may pocket our money once, but not twice). The book was a mess from beginning to end. The history of the doll and identification was marginal at best, and at worst, just plain INACCURATE. Grammar and sentence structure was grade school at times. The photos were bizarre and scary, (not something, I would want an aquaintance to pick up and look through) if it was on my coffe table... There are a lot of Barbie reference and collecting books out there, steer clear of this one, especially if you're just beginning to delve into the vintage dolls, you'll be turned off real quick.



3. I disagree with another reviewer that all photos should be of mint dolls. This book captures a wide range of Barbie's -- both through the years and through various conditions. As a collector, I find it helpful to see the less-than-perfect dolls. It gives me a far better understanding of different levels of grading. If you are a serious Barbie collector, I feel this book is a "must-have" in your library.



4. First off, potential buyers should be aware that this is a coffee table book and definitely not useful in any way for identification purposes.

   Most Barbie books have hundreds or even thousands of color photos but the quality isn't exactly award-winning. Photos are often badly lit, too small, or even grainy. So it was with great joy that I opened this book and saw large full page stunning color photographs of vintage dolls.

   Unfortunately my joy was quickly dampened as I noticed that somebody forgot to hire a stylist for the dolls. The photos are so magnified and clear that it's impossible to ignore the flaking face paint, the messy hair, and the stained clothing. "The BEST of Barbie" ??? Not by a long shot!

   I am thankful this book was a Christmas gift and I did not shell out money myself for it. It is SO disappointing to see crystal clear photographs of vintage dolls in a Barbie book only to have those photos ruined by dolls in crummy condition. Apparently all the dolls pictured in the book were culled from one collection. I'd hate to see the dolls that didn't make the cut!

   I am not a doll snob (I buy dolls from the Goodwill and fix them up myself) but if a book calls itself "The BEST of Barbie" then I expect to see mint dolls in crisp clean outfits.




5. While this book has some interesting photos from this one collection, it has photographs of anything but the "best" examples of the various Barbies--especially the vintage dolls--some of them are down-right scarey looking with running, gouged face paint, chopped off hair, examples of ponytail dolls without ponytails, mis-identified dolls and a hodge-podge of information and misinformation. If I were a new collector, this book would be of little help in learning what a particular doll should look like--it's easy to find played-with dolls that are all mussed up--the hard part for a new collector is knowing what the doll should look like when learning to gauge authenticity and condition--this book seems like someone was assigned to write a Barbie book and they did it--but that someone was not a collector or authority.

5 comments about Batman Masterpiece Edition: The Caped Crusader's Golden Age.

1. This truly is a masterpiece of a masterpiece of a kind. That didn't make since what so ever but I don't get paid to make since... well acutely I don't get paid at all, I'm just some poor guy who has to much free time. If you excuse me while I mope... why God why? I'm so useless! And alone! Oh sob!!! OK I'm done. Hello I'm Joshua Dave Mathewsband and I'm here to recommend "THE MASTERPIECE EDITION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF BATMAN"! It's kind of pricey but I got it on sale last year for 20$, but if you do find it, it is well worth the money. It comes with the first Batman comic book (it's a reprint) and three other exciting stories of the worlds most famous detective. Although I should worn you that it is not the first Batman comic you see it's the first Batman comic book. Now it's my turn to boar you some history, you see Detective Comics wanted a man named Bob Kane to make a super hero as big as "SUPERMAN" and he did. His name was "THE BAT-MAN" now "BATMAN"! And he appeared in Detective Comics magazine #27. It was only a little six-paged comic that showed the world a strange man who dresses as a giant bat and fights crime. They put one short comic of The Bat-Man in their magazine once a month. They had made a lot of comics of The Bat-Man until Batmans first comic book ever came out. To read the reprint and more of The Bat-Man as in Detective Comics magazines I sagest you buy "BATMAN ARCHIVES VOLUME 1" it has the first Batman comic and 23 other ones, including the introduction of Robin the boy wonder see my recommendation for that product to learn more. Otherwise get "THE MASTERPEIECE EDITION OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF BATMAN"! or get them both.



2. This boxed set is great reading for comic collectors and caual readers alike. The book gives a lot of information on The Dark Knight's early years and shows us what the creators were thiking when they originally developed the character. In additon. the collector's action figure is a great display or play peice and depicts the golden age version of the character. Unlike the Superman or Wonder Woman MEs, the 9 inch Batman figure is articulated and nicely detaled.he even has a golden age batarang to fling at his "foes"... You won't regret picking this masterpiece up!



3. This is a beautiful, if unnecessarily oversized and pricey, package. It consists of a large reinforced cardboard box containing a softcover reprint of Batman #1, an abbreviated hardcover version of Les Daniels' Batman: The Complete History, and a great 9" Mego-style Batman figure, with cloth outfit and the best head sculpt I've ever seen, recalling his first appearance in Detective Comics. The box lid opens like a book, and the arrangement of the items within is very nice, giving them maximum visibility. This great display, however, causes the box to be about twice the size of what it needs to be. And because of its large size, is it really necessary for it to be priced so high? While it looks impressive, this material is honestly not worth the retail price



4. This is truly and exceptional collection for fans of the Dark Knight. The replica original comic is wonderful to read and is beautifully nostalgic. The hardbound Daniels'"Golden Age" is the perfect companion but the standout of the group is the 8" mego-like figure based on the original Bob Kane Batman of detective comics. This is absolutely the best Batman figure ever produced and is incredibly accurate in detail right down to the purple gloves. This certainly is a must have for any true disciple of the Dark Knight



5. A very nice, if pricey, set. The repro of the first Batman story is wonderfully reminiscent of those oversized reprints from the '70s -- but actually neater because it's the same size as the original. The abridged history of the caped crusader is a nice intro for anyone who doesn't own the other, more complete history book by Les Daniels (a highly recommended purchase, by the way). However, the best reason to get this is, of course, the 9-inch figure representing Bob Kane's original version of the Bat. Of all the Batman figures released over the years, this one has the best cape EVER! It's worthy of the ever-present billowing capes we've seen in the comics throughout the years -- it really can cloak the figure in darkness. COOL! As I say, though, the only drawback is the price for this set. Look for it on sale...

2 comments about The Official Price Guide to Kiss Collectibles.

1. I was surprised at how thorough this book was - not dissapointed at all.



2. But where are the Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer action figures?
   Also, the Mark St. John wig that was on sale during the Animalize tour?

No comments about Warman's Elvis Field Guide.

5 comments about An Illustrated Guide to Gas Pumps: Identification and Price Guide.

1. While I would like to see more real pics, the drawings do a fine job of identifying the various pumps. Think the glossary could be expanded to include more terms. All in all, I am glad to have the book in my library.



2. We were very disappointed with the book. We were hoping it would have pictures of old gas pumps and how they should be painted. All it shows is old gas pumps but most are black and white and seem to be drawings instead of actual pictures.



3. The book was done very well. It was a great help to me in getting started in the collecting of Gas Pumps.



4. This is an excellent book to provide information, model identity and value of old gas pumps. We have used this book to identify and purchase many pumps. It goes with us on every exploration. I highly recomend it to anyone interested in buying old pumps or just haveing a interest in them.



5. This book has been a great help to me for identifying and costing pumps that I might want to add to my collection. Nothing published to date even compares.

5 comments about Marilyn Memorabilia: Putting a Price on the Priceless Performer.

1. This book is the ultimate must have for any fan, collector or movie buff. Clark Kidder has done an amazing job gathering together new & old, rare & popular and foreign & American Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. The book is full of luscious photos. Many of the photos are in color. Each item is detailed and is given an approximate value. The book includes values on: magazines, books, dolls, plates, posters, statues and countless other items. The book is well made with thick paper and easy to read text. If you shop on Ebay or antique shows or just want to know the value of your Marilyn collectibles you will need this book. Thank you Clark! CHERYL



2. Beautifully illustrated and indexed a true "must have" for all Marilyn Monroe "afficionadoes" and serious collectors as well.
   I truly enjoyed perusing through this book and appreciated how Mr. Kidder gave a thorough "overview" of Miss Monroe's career, "photo modeling" thru her "starlet" years thru her very brief "super stardom". The author also presents a biographical overview of the Stars'life. All in all, really loved this book. Of notable mention,Mr. Kidder's first book, (Marilyn Monroe Collectibles: A Comprehensive Guide to the Memorabilia of an American Legend), co-authored by George Zeno, was their first as well as successful effort on this subject.



3. This book is a must have if you are a Marilyn collector or even just a fan. Not only are there thousands of listings but, there are thousands of pictures too! This book is the perfect tool to start you on your way to collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia. There are tips given by the author such as using the internet to find items, how to spot an original & much, much more!
   You will refer to it again and again. I highly recommend this book. It's a purchase you'll be glad you made!



4. Awesome guide! The best as finally been put out for a reference price guide on the best ever movie star MARILYN MONROE! Even she would be amazed I bet! Terrific job! Thanks for all the hard effort in making it! All worth it!



5. This brand new, year 2002 224 page, softbound book is sure to delight any Marilyn Monroe fan. There are more than 3,500 items shown, and plenty of useful information on collector clubs, buying on the Internet, and insuring your items. You'll find a wealth of informative text included, along with a complete index to make item location easy. Over 500 large full color photos are shown. Fan clubs and collector sources are listed. It is the most up-to-date, comprehensive price and I.D. guide available. Every type of Marilyn collectible is shown in this book. Add it to your library.

1 comments about His Master's Voice Portable Gramophones.

1. Dave Cooper has produced a valuable reference work about the portable spring-motored HMV gramophone (phonograph), and a quite beautiful one at that. This is not a subject that has been treated before with such lustrous detail. The story begins in the mid-1920s and finishes as late as 1960 or so (perhaps later if one considers models manufactured in India). All of the models have been illustrated or photographed with their respective color and other model variations (my favorite is the De Luxe Model 101 with crocodile leatherette exterior). Very useful information is detailed for each model, such as mechanical or stylistic variations through the production histories, which make it easy to date your own machine (my red 102 is from about 1950, it turns out). And some very unusual machines are illustrated as well, made for Asian markets or special orders.

   The only flaw I can find is the included CD, somewhat of a gimmick, but one which had potential, including British and American pop music from the 20s-30s. The transfers, unfortunately, are not good, a combination of being over-filtered and having unfortunate distortion (perhaps worn records were being overcompensated-for?).

   Anyway, buy it for the book. And you can't beat Amazon's price.

3 comments about Forever Lounge: A Laid-Back Guide to Languid Sounds.

1. I was thrilled when I first came across this book, someone finally did a price guide for the kind of LP's I was collecting. Unfortunately the book didn't turn out to be all I was hoping for when I bought it. It is useful as a discography for the artists listed and seems very complete in that respect but I wish it contained more and better examples of classic LP cover art and more biographical information on the artists. I suppose this may be asking too much from a price guide type book. But even as a price guide this book seems a bit off. Although there are exceptions, almost all of the records are listed as being worth $3-5 or $7-10. Now as a collector I think it would be great if record dealers would adopt this as their official pricing guideline, but if you are buying these type albums anywhere besides your local thrift shops you are probably forced to pay more than that for these records, sometimes a LOT more ( at least that has been my experience). In fairness, I guess it wasn't too long ago that you could pick most of these records up for under a buck almost anywhere, but original LP's of lounge and space age bachelor pad music seem to be going for premium dollars these days and a recent price guide should more accurately reflect that. BOTTOM LINE on this book...Should you buy a copy if you are into this type of music? Yes! by all means. While this book does miss the mark a bit (in my opinion) there is precious little information published about this type of music and this book is one of very few available on the subject. While I was initially somewhat dissappointed when I first read the book I have gone back to it on numerous occasions to look something up and I am glad to have it on my shelf. The discography type information alone is worth the price of the book and there is a bunch of other pertinent information included which is also useful (websites, etc.).Most of the book is taken up by the price listings but I did enjoy reading the text that is there and found it informative as well. Now if I could just convince my local record dealers to sell me those Esquivel and Three Suns albums at this book's prices.



2. This volume is cleverly as composed as the best of lounge entertainment



3. Anticipating a great catalogue and price guide for lounge music, I was somewhat disappointed in this publication. Too much page space is given to the discography and price listing and too little to a beautiful presentation of the covers which are so essential to this style of music. All the good stuff(photos and text) inhabits verticle strips on the edge of the pages. The covers are poorly printed with a dull look. The pricing seems pedestrian and not detailed enough. Too bad because the list of artists is large and largely accurate. Sort of a 70% effort.

2 comments about Beckett Pokemon Collector Price Guide (Beckett Pokemon Collector Price Guides).

1. I think that the Beckett Pokemon Collector Priceguide is the most helpful Pokemon guide book out there. It has price guides for every Pokemon trading card, even Japanese. It also includes a list of all the Pokemon, including 151-251. The book also has updates on the latest in Pokemon news, cards, games, and the most popular Pokemon. If you are looking for a good guide to Pokemon, this is the book you are looking for.



2. this book on pokemon is the largest, most complete source you'll ever need for all U.S. and Japanese Pokmon trading game cards--With up-to-the minute information on new releases,it has helped me in my trading and finding out what cards are worth something or not.A excellent book

No comments about Collector's Guide to Barbie Doll Paper Dolls: Identification & Values (Collector's Guide to).