No comments about English china and its marks.

1 comments about Taylor, Smith and Taylor China Company: Guide to Shapes and Values.

1. This book was very helpful to look for age and value of old china that I had inherited from my grandparents

1 comments about Sotheby's Concise Encyclopedia of Porcelain.

1. This is a narrative history of porcelain, lavishly illustrated. It covers only porcelain, not other forms of ceramics. It focuses on wares that I would consider exclusively museum quality. The illustrations are gorgeous. The text is gracefully written and thoroughly informative. Although it is not arranged topically as a real encyclopedia would be, it does have a marvelous glossary at the end that is an education in itself. With the caveat that this is a narrative not a topical reference, I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about If dishes could talk.

1. Recently I did an exhibit highlighting my museum's collection of glass and china. Before I began, I admit I really didn't know all that much about china. As I searched our research library for books on the subject, If Dishes Could Talk by Mary L. Jackson caught my eye.
   
   Published in 1971, Jackson's overview of old china covers dozens of companies, providing the reader with a history of each one, as well as representative photographs of key patterns and important pieces. I was able to match several pieces in our collection to examples in this book.
   
   To create my exhibit, I first surveyed what we had in the collection. Whenever I found a company listed in the collections records, I turned to If Dishes Could Talk to see if it was included. Only a handful were not listed in her book, and they were rather obscure companies that I had not heard of either.
   
   The first chapter introduced the concept of Chinese Export Porcelain, which was among the first pieces of china used in Europe and America. Jackson creates an appropriate historical context for the companies she discusses in subsequent chapters.
   
   For my research purposes, chapters on Wedgwood, Spatterware, Majolica, American Belleek, and Haviland were particularly useful. Jackson provides a detailed explanation of the British Registry Mark, instructing the reader on how to decode its many symbols so you can date your piece of china.
   
   If you are hoping to delve deep into any one company, then this is not the book for you. It is more for someone who is curious about the china, or the novice collector who is trying to create a collecting focus. My exhibition was more of a "showcase" of the museum's collection, with a brief history of the companies whose ware is displayed. I was not looking for a tremendous amount of information on each company, so Jackson's book was ideal for me.
   
   I would have liked to see some color photographs, if only a few plates in the center of the book. Everything Jackson included was in black and white. Sometimes it is easier to identify a maker or pattern if you can see the piece in color.
   
   As with any work that is 30 years old, you can only trust it until the date of its publication, meaning when the author says "today," she means "1971" and not "2006." If you are interested in the more modern story of any of these companies, you will need to do additional research. But as a historical resource, this is a great book!

No comments about Ravilious & Wedgwood -The Complete Wedgwood Design: The Complete Wedgwood Designs of Eric Ravilius.

1 comments about Japanese Porcelain 1800-1950.

1. A large format book with about 45% of the numerous illustrations in color, this work presents specimans of the full range of styles; Arita and Imari, Hirado, Kakiemon, Nabashima, Kutani, Satsuma, Kyoto-Satsuma, Seto and Nagoya. A wonderful resource for dealers and collectors.

2 comments about Collector's Guide to Luray Pastels U.S.A..

1. The Meehan's book remains the "Bible" for all collectors of this fabulous pastel dinnerware of the late 1930's - early 1950's. Highly recommended!



2. I just received this book. One of the better "Pottery Collectors" books I've seen. The pictures are wonderful, for easy identification. The descriptions are very precise. Only a very small portion of this book is Lu-Ray Pastels. The rest is of all the other TS&T (Taylor, Smith and Taylor) pottery. The price guides are very comparable to what I've seen of pieces on the market.

1 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Occupied Japan Collectibles (Series I).

1. I cannot say enough good things about any of these reference books. My husband and I have learned so much from this material. I will not even purchase a piece until I find it in one of Gene's books. The pictures are beautiful and each piece has an updated value from 1999. What more could and OJ collector want. I would recommend this to anyone who is a serious collector of Occupied Japan. The investment for the book is worth it a thousand times over.

1 comments about Celluloid Treasures of the Victorian Era: Identification & Values.

1. Having had the chance to borrow a friend's copy, I soon found that I had to have one of my own. The photographs of these wonderful boxes are stunning and makes me wish I could have one of everything in this book. The price guides are accurate and the general information interesting.

No comments about McCoy Pottery: Wall Pockets & Decorations : Identification & Values (McCoy Pottery).