3 comments about Rosenthal: Dining Services, Figurines, Ornaments and Art Objects (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. The book is not bad but isn't great either.The text is ok,the system of determining the year of production according to the mark is very good,but pictures do not include the best figurines,eg The girl with pearls, etc.



2. I found the book difficult to navigate.It does show many pictures but really misses the mark as far as information in regard to values and descriptions, the information was rather sketchy and incomplete in many areas.



3. This is the best Rosenthal book available in the English language. It has many photos, explanations and a complete list of marks and model numbers. Most of the information is taken from the extremely rare German book 100 Jahre Rosenthal (100 Years of Rosenthal).

   Highly recommended.

3 comments about R. S. Prussia Popular Lines: Identification and Value Guide.

1. My interest in R.S. Prussia porcelain was kindled recently by researching a chocolate pot that had belonged to my great aunt, leading to my discovery of Mary Frank Gaston's scholarly and fascinating first and second books on the subject, now out of print. Regrettably, I have been unable to locate a copy of her Third Series book. But I was hooked--and a quick perusal of "Popular Lines" immediately compelled me to purchase this volume. I have been amply rewarded. Historical material from the earlier books has been carried forward and updated, along with indispensable information on mold and pattern identification and an educational chapter on fakes, repairs, and reproductions. Estimated values are helpfully provided in the caption for each illustration. Not only does this beautifully illustrated volume supplement Gaston's earlier books, but it serves quite admirably as a stand-alone reference for the novice. A highly enjoyable, key feature of this edition is the grouping of illustrations by decoration, such that one can view, all in one place, a variety of different items that are similarly decorated. A cautionary note: this volume concentrates solely on R.S. Prussia, so that E.S. and other allied marks illustrated in the earlier books are omitted here. The serious student of R.S. Prussia might want to acquire the entire series of Gaston books. In summary, this handsome and informative reference work on R.S. Prussia porcelain serves as an excellent distillation of, and supplement to, its predecessors.



2. This book provides lots of great color pictures, not only of R.S. Prussia items but of the marks. It also has a section on reproductions. This is a very well done resource.



3. If you don't have Gaston's Vol 1-3 (now out of print), this is a must buy. Sadly, it is limited to Reinhold's red mark items (both marked and unmarked)and contains no new molds or decorations. A change of format for a Gaston book as items are divided by decoration rather then type of object. Values are with each photo, a nice change! For the experiences collector there is nothing new, but if you don't have the first three books by Gaston, you will find much to appreciate in this volume. Avid "red mark" collectors will enjoy having so much,all in one source.

2 comments about British Tea and Coffee Cups, 1745-1940 (Shire Library).

1. A very nicely done brief discussion of British teaware, mainly cups and coffee cans. The text is short but informative. The pictures are excellent, well selected, and clearly reproduced, with useful captions. Good on handle types. My only objection is the price which is steep for such a very short book, though I feel it was worth it to me because of the fine pictures which I will continue to refer to.



2. I found the book (40 pg. pamphlet) to be an abbreviated, superfical treatment of the subject. It has limited pictures and text. Perhaps the book does not satisfy my novice tastes, but I have difficulty identifying a constituency to which this book would appeal. If you are looking for a thorough treatment of the subject, try Jim & Susan Harran's book, Cups & Saucers - Identification & Values. Sorry to have wasted my money.

1 comments about The World of Wade Ireland (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. A must for all wade collectors, very informative and great pictures.Wade Miniatures: An Unauthorized Guide to Whimsies, Premiums, Villages, & CharactersThe World of Wade Figurines And Miniatures (Schiffer Book for Collectors)The World of Wade Figurines And Miniatures (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

4 comments about Shelley Tea Ware Patterns.

1. Great book. Very helpful, I was able to find info on patterns that I had not been able to find before.



2. this book is easy to browse through, wonderful colorful pictures, a lot of informative and helpful material



3. Though a little expensive, this book is a "must have" resource for any Shelley collector. As an avid collector myself, I use this book on a daily basis and have found it to be 99.99% accurate on patterns and descriptions. It does appear that the dollar value placed on items may be a little high, but that may be due to the fact the author lives in England and her values in pounds need to be "translated" into current dollar equivalency. Highly recommended resource for a Shelley collector!



4. This is a great reference book for Shelley china collectors. It shows pattern shapes, pattern numbers and color photos of the hundreds of Shelley tea sets. Great for a beginning collector or for someone who wants
   to catalog their collection. Also,it gives the history of the Shelley company from 1860 to its end in 1966. I like this reference book the best of all the Shelley books I have collected.

3 comments about Chinese Export Porcelain, Standard Patterns and Forms, 1780-1880: Standard Patterns and Forms.

1. I have to say that for my appraisal library that Schiffer publications are some of my favorites. This one actually by Herbert Peter and Nancy Schiffer is an excellent source of information.
   
   Beautifully done with easy to read text and loaded with b/w photos and a smallish section of color images. The writings are smooth and though done with a scholars hand never come off as pretentious or diffucult to understand. I wouldn't recommend this to someone if they were looking for lengthy text about the social, geographic or dynasty history of 18th -19th century China. Its a good guide for those who need relevant information and need it now. Highly recommended for the beginner as well as the more advanced collector or dealer.



2. I own several recent Nancy Schiffer books on Japanese porcelain that are of the highest quality in every regard; layout, printing, very clear close-up color photos, and with informative captions relative to the piece being illustrated.
   
   Based on this experience I purchased this earlier book and now regret it.
   
   The cover of this book is very misleading as to the contents.
   
   The pictures are mostly black and white, taken at a distance, out of focus, and poorly printed.
   
   This book is of little help when learning Chinese porcelain because the main attributes that educate are the subtle color variations used in the enamels and the base form which is not shown at all in this book.
   
   Also, the captions of the photos do not provide specific information such as dates, kilns, etc.
   
   The majority of this book is devoted to Rose Medallion when there are countless other decorations the Chinese produced during the era this book covers.
   
   Finally, the type face and printing used in this book is most primative, amateur, and unpleasant.
   
   I highly recommend you do not buy this book unless you have low expectations and are mainly interested in Rose Medallion dinnerware.



3. I have used this book as an initial guide in my collecting of Rose Medallion and other Chinese Export Porcelain. Very good basic source.

5 comments about The Official Price Guide to Collector Plates: Seventh Edition.

1. I was extremly disappointed because this book is over 10 years old so it is too outdated to find current market values of collector plates. It did contain other useful information about collecting plates so if you just want to learn about collecting plates this is a good book. However if you want to know the market values for plates you have this book is useless.



2. Book arrived timely in condition stated. Thanks for the prompt service
   
   hjm



3. I was not happy with all the items marked NA(not available), RI(recent issue), etc. The book, in my opinion, is not up to date & has very little value to someone who wants to price out their collection



4. This book is one of the few out there that is of any value in regards to Collector Plates. Although it doesn't always give you an indication on todays current price, it does tell you what the issue prices was, and gives a guideline as to whether the plate is now worth more than what was paid for it, the same, or less. I deal in Collector Plates personally and as a business, and I do use the book as a reference tool pretty often. I do recommend this book as a general guideline to those interested in collecting or selling plates.



5. This book is a great reference for plate collectors. Although an update is probably due, the book still offers information that holds in today's market. After pricing and selling some 200 collector plates, I have found the prices in the book to be "on the mark". Don't hesitate to add this to your resource collection.

No comments about China and Glass in America, 1880-1980: From Table Top to TV Tray.

4 comments about Antique Santa Claus Collectibles.

1. David Longest's handbook Antique Santa Claus Collectibles arrived too late for Christmas mention but is a year-round reference for any avid collector of Christmas ornaments, figurines, and decorations. The focus is on Santa Claus alone, narrowing the choices and allowing for plenty of color photos paired with the latest identification guides. Any collection offering narrowed specialty focus - particularly holiday references - will find this a key title.



2. This book is great. The background text is very informative, yet keeps Santa fun. The book contains a wide variety of items covering many years. I found both the pictures and prices helpful. I'm always very happy with Mr. Longest's books.



3. As the author of this book, I wanted to explain to readers its purpose.
   This book is filled with photographs from many personal collections around the Midwest and also includes background information as to the history of Santa Claus and Santa Collecting. This is my NINTH published price guide for Collector Books, and I have been an author with the same publisher for 25 years. I have never written a response for any of my other books on AMAZON but have been a loyal customer since its inception. Since the very FIRST review was from a purchaser who gave this product a very low rating but did compliment the pictures...I wanted to respond. This book is a general overview to Santa collecting and was intended to be a reference for new collectors, general antique dealers, and people just interested in Santa antique collecting. It is not the ULTIMATE guide to Santa antiques...I am not sure any guide could ever be that. Just know that I spent many months on this project and gave it my best, including personally doing all the photography. Readers who know my work also know that I don't produce "one star" efforts. Thank you for reading this review!



4. Photo's in book are very good, however the description of the individual Santa's are poor and the values presented are very inflated. Would not recommend the book.

1 comments about Ravilious & Wedgwood -The Complete Wedgwood Design: The Complete Wedgwood Designs of Eric Ravilius.

1. I am disappointed that the book is so brief. It left me craving more information.