4 comments about Extraordinary Exhibitions: The Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head, The Whimsiphusicon & Death to the Savage Unitarians (Broadsides from the Collection ... from the Collection of Ricky Jay).

1. This book is a fascinating collection of antique advertisements for entertainment acts ranging from the whimsical to the bizarre. The broadsides themselves are surprisingly readable and Jay's commentary illuminates the subject matter in a way that sheds light on multiple facets of the social context the broadsides existed within. It's an art book, an intriguing work of history, a compendium of the bizarre, a chronicle of advertising techniques, and a unique stage door view on just exactly what humans will define as "entertaining".



2. If you ever have a chance for a collector to show his collection, you run the risk of being terribly bored. Unless you yourself collect stamps, coins, thimbles, Hummel figurines, or Corvettes, you are unlikely to sympathize with the delight the collector takes in his hoard. Ricky Jay is a fascinating man; he is a master magician, a historian of show business (especially of novelty acts), and an actor in David Mamet's movies. He collects something few others do: showbills for the jugglers, magicians, animal acts, ventriloquists, and other eccentric and novelty performances through almost four centuries. Don't worry, it is far from boring. Around eighty of his specimens are on display in a large format book, _Extraordinary Exhibitions: The Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head, the Whimsiphusicon & Death to the Savage Unitarians_ (Quantuck Lane Press). The broadsides are funny and beautiful, and Jay's learned and enthusiastic commentary about each one is on the page facing each specimen. It is all thoroughly entertaining, and like any show advertising, the posters make you wonder if the acts are really as described. There is so much verbal and graphic hyperbole on display here that a bit of incredulity is only sensible, but still: who, if confronted by an announcement for Signor Cappelli and his Learned Cats, with assurances that after he introduces his cats to the audience, they will "beat a drum, turn a spit, grind knives, strike upon an anvil, roast coffee, ring bells, set a piece of Machinery in motion to grind rice in the Italian manner with many other astonishing exercises", who, I say, would let incredulity overcome a wish to get a peek at the show?
   
   Let me just take the three displays mentioned in the subtitle. "Wonderful Remains of an Enormous Head" were on display in London around 1840, and it was, if the description is to be believed, truly enormous, eighteen by seven feet, and weighing 1,700 pounds. What the head was, we do not know; one observer said it was likely that of a whale, and another said it was an obviously gigantic bird, fish, or lizard. The Whimsiphusicon had one of those fanciful names showmen of the 19th century enjoyed. It is advertised on a playbill for the ventriloquist Christopher Lee Sugg in 1816. Jay says, "Sugg, like a number of early magicians, was a proponent of theatrical neologism used to entice, or more likely confuse, the public." Indeed, Sugg explained on the playbill that the device was also dubbed "The Wandering Melodistical" and was a "Pill to Banish Melancholy," but it is safe to say he didn't give any secrets away until the performance. "Death to the Savage Unitarians" is on an Argentinean bill from 1842, and does not refer to the members of the religious sect, but to the country's Unitarian political group who favored a liberal rule of law and a strong central Argentinean government. They opposed the dictator Juan Manuel Rosas, and probably the phrase was included by the publicist who had drawn up the bill to ensure it would not offend the dictator. It caps an ad for "Robert and His Wife" who did magic and juggling, including "the new trick of the ceramic plates that will very much please the spectators" and "the lovely balancing act of the two dogs dressed as a Marquesa and a Marquis."
   
   There are scores of other playbills for acts in this beautifully produced book that shows some astonishing curiosities, well annotated by the erudite collector himself. It is full of jolly whimsy, for every act depicted is shown at its best, even though it might be promising more than it could actually produce. There is a taint of regret, here, though, on every page. As the playbills frequently remind us, the like of these productions will never be seen again. Oh, how I would love to see Daniel Wildman, for instance, the first and foremost equestrian apiarist of two hundred years ago, who rode his horse standing up while five swarms of bees covered his face, swarms which would thereupon alight on specific locations the performer designated by his command.



3. This is a wonderful book by a truly genius author. Also, make sure you put Ricky Jay's other books on your list. He has a great mind and his books are phenomenal!
   Harry Monti
   Society of American Magicians
   National President 1999-2000



4. Ricky Jay is a national treasure. He's the head curator of a continuing collection of the curious, marginal, sometimes macabre but always compelling congregation of entertainers who have slipped through the trapdoor of time's stage. His newest masterpiece, Extraordinary Exhibitions, is a catalogue of broadsides heralding some of the strangest performers that ever graced an auditorium or a sidewalk. You'll meet Pietro Stadelmann, a seventeenth century armless dulcimer player. As well as the nameless 27 year-old Angolan "Famous African Hermaphrodite". And a South American trio whose huge excrescences extruding from their chins gave them their stage moniker "The Monstrous Craws". You can sit at the feet of Joice Heth, the 161 year-old former nursemaid of Little Georgie Washington, the marvelous showman P. T. Barnum's first client. There's singing mice, educated fleas and a Rabbi whose demonstrations of his prodigious memory were endorsed by the Pope himself. To paraphrase the immortal Charles Fort, you'll see a procession of the damned of showbiz. And thanks to the wonderful Mr. Jay, they'll walk (and bark, tumble, juggle, catch bullets, arm wrestle, rope dance and eat stones) again.

1 comments about Popular Art Deco: Depression Era Style and Design.

1. Most books about Art Deco rightly cover the fine art aspects of the movement but the authors of this lovely book explore the way commerce used deco styling in mass produced products available on any Main Street. It would be a good few years before an art style was used again to sell things, namely pop art in the mid-Sixties.
   
   Look at the many photographs of everyday items in the book and it is clear that manufacturers copied whatever deco style elements they wanted to enhance the sales potential of their products, at the same time a group of industrial designers where developing America's unique design style, streamline and contributing more elements to be copied, a good example are the three speed lines that popped up on many products.
   
   I think the illustrations in the book are well chosen and they really do cover everyday items in use during the Depression years and nicely the text is broken up with various interesting sidebars like the one on Dolores Del Rio's moderne house or festive season graphics or Deco Mexicana. To compliment this excellent survey have a look at 'Streamline' (ISBN 0811806626) by Steven Heller and Louise Fili, basically a visual book with several hundred examples of everyday graphics. Both books cover so well two exuberant art styles that everyone could share and so were truly democratic.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

5 comments about Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration Of Fun, Food, And Frolics From Halloweens Past.

1. We Americans tend to be somewhat near-sighted in our view of Halloween in thinking that our celebration of the day is relatively a modern fascination. And, in truth, Halloween has boomed in the past twenty years to become second only to Christmas in decorating and celebrating the season. As Diane C. Arkins shows in this wonderful book, however, Halloween has been widely celebrated for well over one hundred years and this book concentrates on what Arkins calls Halloween's golden age from the 1870's to the 1930's. The book is filled with hundreds of vintage photographs, illustrations, and magazine reprints from the period.
   
   Halloween was not the ghoulish, gory holiday that it is today, but rather a day of revelry when people would hold parties for adults as well as children. Throughout the book writers of the times dispense advice, squarely aimed at women, on how to throw a successful Halloween party. We begin with invitations with some classic examples of period artwork depicting pumpkins, witches or black cats. Showing far more thought, as well as sophistication, magazines even gave advice on what to write, often favoring catchy little rhymes.
   
   Halloween decorations became widely available during the 1910's and Halloween Merrymaking presents hundreds of photographs depicting these vintage decorations. Illustrations and photos show various themes of the times. Interestingly, many of these decorations are being recaptured these days by modern crafters. The fantastic crepe` paper and paper Mache decorations are a collectors dream!
   
   Party favors presented to children or adults were staples of Halloween get-togethers in the golden age. A popular idea of the 20's and 30's was "Jack Horner Pies" in which a centerpiece stood in the middle of the table with ribbons pulled to the end of the table, separating it into wedges, one for each guest. Within each wedge the hostess places small gifts or party favors such as fortunes, written in milk on paper so they would be invisible until held under a light, The fortune would hen be placed inside a walnut shell.
   
   The magazines of the era also offered advice on what to serve for your party and included such forgotten delicacies as Little Goblin Stuffed Eggs and Moon Sandwiches. The book even provides sample menus for different types of parties such as formal, informal, or children's. Next up is the entertainment with suggestions on music and dances and games, as well as advice on costumes. During the 20's and 30's occultism was extremely popular and the book offers numerous fortune-telling and divination games that people could play at their parties.
   
   Finally Arkins reprints several full, vintage articles on Halloween from magazines such as Woman's Home Companion, Woman's World, and Ladies Home Journal. You really get a sense after reading the book just how much Halloween was enjoyed back then without the rampant commercialism of today. This is a nostalgic walk back in time to an era of simplicity and fun. It's fun and educational to see how our grandparents and great-grandparents may have celebrated Halloween decades ago. Highly recommended!



2. Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration Of Fun, Food, And Frolics From Halloweens Past
   by Diane Arkins is a very fine year-round family or community library acquisition illustrating the Halloween celebration of fun, food and holiday partying. This is no repeat history: material from a range of the vintage party guides and magazines that guided hostesses in their party-giving endeavors is presented and showcased in a lively survey of festivities and small color photos.



3. A most thoroughly enjoyable book about Halloween. Wonderfully written and beautifully illustrated it takes you back to a bygone era of Halloween celebratons. A must have book for anyone who is interested in vintage Halloween.



4. I awaited the release of this book with keen anticipation, and overall, find it a delightful retrospective of Halloween celebrations of days gone by. The excerpts from vintage magazines and party guides are charming. My chief complaint lies with the design and treatment of the visuals in the book - they are painfully small. At such a reduced size, they don't allow the reader to fully appreciate the charm of the vintage advertisements, postcards, invitations and photos of costumed revelers.



5. Diane C. Arkins' Halloween Merrymaking: An Illustrated Celebration of Fun, Food, and Frolics from Halloweens Past (2004) offers a poignant but hopeful glimpse back into American high culture and the "Golden Age of American Halloween," which the author locates between 1870 and the early 1930s. Today, many deny that such a high culture ever existed in this country, or, if willing to make such an admission, will tar that culture as "elitist" and "oppressive."
   Yet, at present, Americans everywhere crave a richer, more substantial, and refined existence than the mediocre model that the current popular culture promotes and sustains. Halloween Merrymaking looks back on a time when neighborhood and community, good manners and retail integrity, decorum and propriety, dress and composure, breeding and ingenuity, were all essential and unavoidable aspects of daily American life. Such cultural elements certainly represented strictures in some cases, but the rewards for such discipline was enormous: a thriving, evolving, positivistic, and multi - tiered society that strove to refine and improve itself in any number of ways.
   
   Stressing above all that Halloween in the Golden Age was "hardly a monster's ball by any stretch of the imagination," Arkins focuses on the holiday as it was celebrated in magazines and periodicals of the era, which subtly dictated the civilized manner in which this most anarchic of American holidays was enjoyed by parents and children alike, whether at family gatherings, church socials, classroom frolics, bridge parties, or comparatively chic adult soirees. While children's party treats include the expected cakes, donuts, and candies brightly wrapped in autumn colors, a typical adult menu unselfconsciously suggests Oyster Canapes, Lobster Bisque, Waldorf Salad, and Broiled Squab.
   
   Though the preface states that Halloween Merrymaking is not a "how - to manual" in the traditional sense, the book has sections lovingly devoted to "old fashioned" invitations, interior and exterior decoration, party favors, preparation of the party table, menus, costuming, appropriate music, and suitable games such as apple bobbing, nutshell auguries, tea leaf divination, and other forms of fun and fortune telling that have long roots in British history and folklore.
   
   Though the finest commercial Halloween decorations, party favors, and costumes of the period are featured and emphasized, there are also numerous suggestions for making comparable items from orange, black, and white crepe paper and cardboard, standard kitchen vegetables, and other readily available materials. Ingenuity, enthusiasm, and a happy "can do" attitude are underscored throughout. America was largely an agricultural society at this time, a fact the book reflects in a number of meaningful and practical ways.
   
   Halloween Merrymaking includes period photographs of parties and costumed partygoers, magazine covers and entire magazine articles (such as 1906's "A Jolly Forest Halloween" and 1909's "Under The Pumpkin Vine At Halloween"), and a wide variety of imaginatively depicted period reproductions of witches, jack o' lanterns, black cats, ghosts, harvest moons, owls, and fairies.
   
   Highly recommended to those seeking inspiration and a cure for cynicism, apathy, and the present third - rate norm.

No comments about Collecting Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts: Traditional Work of the Southwest.

5 comments about The Art of Noir: THE POSTERS & GRAPHICS FROM THE CLASSICAL ERA OF FILM NOIR.

1. The book has an excellent selection of art from the Noir period. I love every single page better than the last!



2. "The Art of Noir" is a big, beautiful book of 338 posters and lobby cards for crime films 1940-1960, plus a handful of later films. All the film noir greats are here, from A-list films to Poverty Row, though not every film represented is strictly "noir". "The Art of Noir" is 14 1/4" x 10 1/8" -too big even for oversized book shelves- but the results are stunning: Hundreds of full-page posters in bold, eye-popping color, along with a handful of 2-page spreads and some 2-to-a-page layouts. I could not overstate how great these posters look, and author Eddie Muller has made them more fascinating with informative captions and short essays. Each poster is captioned with the film's title, year, and studio, the size of the original poster, a brief analysis of the poster's style, and a little about the film.
   
   The posters are divided into six chapters, each with an introduction by Muller. Chapter 1 introduces us to the distinctive styles of different Hollywood studios. Chapter 2 takes us on a tour of film noir poster art around the world, with examples and explanations of how artists abroad altered or redesigned the posters for their markets. Chapter 3 focuses on thematic and iconographic elements in the posters. The icons are guns, racy women, and automobiles. The themes include bad cops, private eyes, and femmes fatales, among others. Chapter 4 showcases posters that feature the prominent stars of film noir, 9 actors and 9 actresses, with an introductory essay for each. The art of Chapter 6 is organized by writer -not only the famed Hammett, Chandler, and Cain, but also prominent noir screenwriters. Chapter 6 features the films of prominent noir directors and cinematographer John Alton.
   
   American and international posters are featured throughout the book. I had not seen foreign film noir posters before, and scrutinizing the posters and comparing the styles turned out to be a source of nearly endless fascination. Foreign artists departed from the bold color and lurid poses of American posters but created art from their own culture's perspective that is no less striking. "The Art of Noir" will absorb fans of film noir or poster art for hours. I am reviewing the hardback edition of the book, so I cannot comment on the reproduction quality in the paperback edition. But the color and sharpness in the hardback are excellent, on slick, white paper. This is Eddie Muller's best book yet.



3. Film noir is a fascinating field with a deserved faithful and ever widening audience. Eddie Muller scored impressively with "Dark City Dames," a study of the women of film noir with intimate portraits of such notables as Jane Greer, Marie Windsor and Ann Savage.

   Muller returns to a familiar theme here and achieves mightily in two respects, with glossy pictures which practically jump off the page at you, giving one a feel for time and place, as well as being a part of the scene, along with a text providing valuable information on the memorable films being showcased.

   San Franciscan Muller is one of the genuine authorities of the genre. He has a real feel for the world of darkness beset by flashing neon lights, smoke-filled bars, detectives in trench coats, and dangerous women.




4. A feast for the eyes! Gorgeous NOIR poster repros and interesting factoids highlight this weighty tome. Fans will swoon, and the casual viewer will have his/her interest tweaked. As a NOIR poster/lobby card collector, this book is an essential library addition, because I need to occasionally check out pictures of posters I'll sadly never be able to afford(!)



5. This book is a must for all film lovers. It contains the most complete collection of film noir posters anywhere. And since the book is "cofee-table" size, the posters are big enough that you can appreciate even the smallest details. The text is also very interesting, giving a short but insightful review of each film. Get this book now!!!!

2 comments about Collecting Disneyana: Identification & Value Guide (Identification & Values (Collector Books)).

1. Let me start right off by saying that "Collecting Disneyana" is by no means a definitive guide on the hobby. Such a book, in one existed, would have to be beyond massive. There has been so much Disney merchandise produced over the past 80 plus years that it would be an impossible feat to catalog it all. Disney was a company who was at the forefront of marketing its characters and as such, there is simply a voluminous amount of material out there. What the book does do very effectively is give a sampling of Disneyana from the past eight decades although its main thrust is with the Golden Age of Disney from the 1930's.
   
   Geared towards the novice or intermediate collector, even long time fans and collectors will find a lot to enjoy in the book, beginning with the hundreds of brilliant, full color photos of rare Disney collectibles. In today's era where things tend to be overly merchandised, you get a good idea of just how popular Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the rest of the characters were back in the 30's. Their images could be seen everywhere...toys, books, salt & pepper shakers, figurines, radios, even on packaging for Noma Christmas lights.
   
   The first 115 pages of the 240 page book are dedicated to these early years. Now this not a typical price guide listing. This isn't about long pages of tiny, hard to read text. There are typically three to five pictures per page and pricing information is provided for each item shown. These include the manufacturer and year (if known) and the value range. The items are enough to make the most seasoned collector drool...there's a Lionel Circus Train, a Mickey bandleader doll by Knickerbocker, a Disney windup balloon vendor toy, and some of the earliest Mickey Mouse watches.
   
   The next chapter deals with characters other than the usual suspects. These include items that bare the image of Oswald the Rabbit, Ferdinand the Bull, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and others.
   
   The final two chapters cover the television years of the 40's through the 60's and a look at modern Disney collectibles. Perhaps the most valuable part of the book, at least for new collectors, is the collector's guide, which contains valuable information about buying, selling, and collecting Disneyana. There's great stuff about how best to store your items, buying on the Internet, and more.
   
   WRITTEN BY TIM JANSON



2. David Longest's COLLECTING DISNEYANA: IDENTIFICATION & VALUE GUIDE will prove an exciting, popular pick for any library catering to Disney collectors. Color photos pack a survey of early to later Disney items, from films and books to figurines, packing in notes on collectible items and their prices.

1 comments about Historic Flash.

1. Although this compilation of tattoo designs was interesting, it was , for me, limited as to the variety of designs pictured. I would still recommend it to anyone who is new to the area of tattoing as a form of art, or wants to get started on deciding what to get permanently decorated with. I think the more you see before getting "inked" the better - it's hard to get it removed once it's there - so take a look at as many designs as you can, maybe even including this book.

5 comments about Christopher Radko Ornaments: Value Guide 1986 Thru 2000.

1. I've found the overall picture layout of the book and the indexes very helpful and well thought-out. However, it is not by any stretch a complete cataloging of the Radko line, as some of the ornaments I'm aware of were omitted. And I'm certain there must be more. Also several pages of the book were improperly cut in the binding process creating short pages. The proofing of the book prior to publishing is also suspect since I've found several problems. Most of the secondary market values are not representative of values I've tracked in the past 6 years in that they way too low.



2. The book itself is fabulous, my mom was totally happy to get it Christmas morning. The book condition was poor. The book was $55 and was in a flimsy package when it arrived. It had dents all along the edges. Also, though there was a huge storm in the Pacific NW, the shipping took an extra 5+ days (without a single e-mail notification I might add.)



3. One of my fondest memories of Christmas growing up in the 60's and 70's was decorating the Christmas tree with the wonderful glass ornaments that my parents had. My mom would constantly remind me and my brothers to be careful with them because they were very delicate, and very old, passed down to her from my grandmother. I got the most reminders because I was the youngest. Now these were not Christopher Radko ornaments of course, but Radko has produced many ornaments that look like exact replicas of the ornaments we had thirty, forty years ago. My wife and I still have many of those ornaments although sadly, many were damaged in a basement flood some years ago.
   
   The Radko ornaments have captured the hearts and imaginations of many baby boomers like myself as their popularity and collectibility grows every year. Bangzoom publishers have met the demand of collectors with the first of two volumes covering Radko history. The first volume covers 1986 through 2000, and a second volume, due next year, will cover 2001 through 2006. The book begins with a Radko 101 introduction to the ornaments. What makes them so popular and so collectible is the sheer variety of lines. There are limited editions, various series', charity ornaments for causes such as the fight against breast cancer, special event pieces, store exclusives, as well ornaments geared towards various cultures and ethnic groups. It is this diversity which provides something for nearly everyone who wants to collect the Radko line.
   
   The 300 plus page book is packed with thousands of color photos of the ornaments for each year of release. The guide lists the name of the piece, the size, style number and two prices which reflect the value of a single, loose ornament, and a second value reflecting the price for the set. The book also notes how many of a particular ornament came in the set. The first piece that caught my eye was the first page of the 1986 line with the large, round ornament called "Checkers". This is exactly like ones we had those many years ago. It's so simple in its design yet still so beautiful. There are many great examples of those reflector type ornaments. Those are the ones that have a sort of pushed-in indentation with silvery or other color paint that shimmered and reflected light.
   
   As you page through the book, you'll start to see Radko get more bold with his designs as there were more figural ornaments produced. The line got bigger and bigger with each new year. It has never ceased to amaze me at how much care and detail go into these pieces and go into making them look like they may have been made in the 40's or 50's. The first 236 pages display the regular, year-by-year release before getting into the special series lines like Disney, Sugar Frost Follies, and garlands. The book concludes with a comprehensive index. It's a simply gorgeous book from cover to cover. If you're a Radko collector, or want to start a collection, this book is the place to start.
   
   REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON



4. This book is beautifully done. There is an alphabetical index as well as a numerical index, so one way or another you can probably find what you are looking for.
   The ornaments are divided into "chapters" by year and are listed alphabetically within each year. There are special sections for finials, garlands, and Disney. The original price, the Radko product number and a "secondary market" price are listed under each ornament - which is helpful to a certain extent. Nowadays most people are unwilling to pay the "secondary market" price, so it is just there to make you feel good if you own a special ornament (for example the Partridge in a Pear Tree).
   If I had to list one personal disappointment with this book, I would have to say that I was unable to find some Radko that I own which should have been in here! I was hoping to find a name or number for them but couldn't.
   If you like Radko, and collect it - buy this book!



5. A terrific reference book for anyone who collects, or just enjoys Radko vintage ornaments. Great pictures and just a treat to look through. Good info on each ornament, and this book has helped me quite a bit in evaluating my collection, and pricing some of it for resale. I feel you get alot of information for the money. Can't wait for Volumn Two in September!! Kudos to David Olsen!

5 comments about Antiques of the Future.

1. This book was beautifully photographed, but only one item per page. I was looking for more items, especially items that didn't originally cost a fortune.



2. This is the perfect gift for someone who appreciates great design in everyday objects. Who would have thought these items would become collectable! Lisa Roberts obviously recognized something special before any of us did and I surely hope there is a second book in the works. I have really enjoyed sharing my Antiques of the Future with friends and family.



3. It's a really pretty book. That's all I have to say.



4. A Christmas gift for my mother. She is enjoying it immensely. She said it is very informative, entertaining, and well written.



5. This book has very little information. I expected more products to be reviewed.

2 comments about The Story of Barbie Doll (Story of Barbie).

1. interesting, but in my opinion it could be better with more photos



2. This beautiful book contains over 300 full color sharp pictures about Barbie. It provides an excellent history of Barbie and her evolution. A wealth of information is provided, not just the usual brief descriptions. You'll find out how she was created, how she has changed over the years, fashions, relatives and friends, ethnic and foreign Barbies and how to take care of your collection. Special issues and buyer cautions are included. A beautiful book every Barbie collector and owner should have.