1 comments about Hard Times Tokens 1832-1844.

1. If you are a Hard Times Token enthusiast or simply wish to find more about your own token like me, this is the Bible. It is an easy to read guide with quality photos of coins that are roughly life size. Throughout the book one can find references to many experts in the field of Hard Times Tokens. However, I can find no suggestions in the book as to where those of us go from here when we find that our own Hard Time Token is not included. Perhaps I can find some of the experts through the internet?

2 comments about Tiffany Desk Treasures: A Collector's Guide Including a Catalogue Raisonne of Tiffany Studios and Tiffany Furnaces Desk Accessories.

1. This was a nice clean book in really good condition...just as advertised. I am pleased with it's condition and with the speedy delivery.



2. Collaboratively compiled and written by Tiffany experts and appraisers George A. Kemeny and Donald Miller, Tiffany Desk Treasures: A Collector's Guide is an informed and informative history of the wealthy American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) and his especially crafted desk sets, as produced by Tiffany Studios and Tiffany Furnaces between the late 1890s and 1933. Full-color photographs showcase memorable works of art, while the "reader friendly" text accessibly describes the pieces' histories and subtle nuances of their creations. A superbly organized and presented history for Tiffany antique collectors (it also includes a Catalogue Raisonne of Tiffany Studies and Tiffany Furnaces Desk Accessories), as well as a gorgeous book for connoisseurs of fine art to simply page through, Tiffany Desk Treasures is far more inexpensive than (and the next best thing to) owning a personal Tiffany collection.

5 comments about 2004 Standard Catalog of World Coins: 1901 - Present (Standard Catalog of World Coins).

1. I just started collecting Oriental coins. This book is a great teaching and identifiying aid. Tells you how to find the date, denomination, and ruler on Chinese coins (and others). I suspect that some who have been collecting for a long time may find it lacking in some areas, but for me it is just what I needed. I would recommend it to anyone interested in collecting coins from around the world.



2. The Standard Catalog of World Coins is undoubtedly the best selling coin reference book and a vital reference material for all collectors. The book is certainly not perfect however, and although it is a must-have publication for all those who collect coins from all over the world, there are several mistakes and omissions.

   Keeping track of prices is also very difficult and I suspect that in some cases at least, the price quotes come from the application of a general formula (data, mintage, denomination, metals used etc), rather than the international or local market itself. This is not much of a problem if you are only interested in identifying your coins or get a rough estimate of their value, but keep in mind that the prices included are certainly not accurate. The coin market is so volatile that it couldn't have happened any other way.

   Should you buy the 2004 version (or 2005 for that matter) if you already own a previous one? Since i live in Europe, the recent currency change had a tremendous effect on coin collecting and the euros were first included in the 2004 edition. Therefore, the answer is yes, as i will probably be buying the 2005 edition too, which will contain many commemorative euros produced in the mean time. If there haven't been any radical changes in the coins you are interested in, maybe you should keep the old one for a couple of years before purchasing a new one.

   In general, the Standard Catalog of World Coins is a comprehensive Catalog, which -despite its flaws- is indispensable. Major points of concern are the black & white pictures, and the huge size of this monster that really should move to the digital age and come on a CD. Of course software piracy is a key issue, but this media would realy help collectors access the content.




3. Not perfect, but MUST have.
   (unless you have a previous edition :)



4. This animal is good for pointing out many coins that may be missed in the smaller magazines and at trade shows. However it is a catalog, about the size of a phone book and with so few advertisers that they are negligible.
   
   There are no fancy color pictures just coins and lots of them divided into countries; so many coins that it can make your head spin if you are not searching for a particular theme. The shallow part of the book is the depth of time.
   
   This version came out before the Euro however I am collecting Notgeld and trade dollars.
   
   When I write reviews I look for a stumper or two. Well this book passed. I looked up the "Wailbligen 100". Sure as shoot'n there it was with an explanation and references to Porcelain coins.



5. No question, this is the best, if not the only reference, for someone, whether collector or dealer, desiring a worldwide comprehensive volume of twentieth and twenty-first century coins. If it has been issued since 1901, you'll probably find it in here (though a few issues get overlooked and later included, but that is not a major flaw).

   The problem is that, with the endless stream of non circulating coins being issued by governments (and in some cases, "governments" needs quotation marks. As does coins.), Krause is being forced to fit more and more into a volume which has already reached its limits on size, thickness, smallness of print, and thinness of paper. Something's got to give. Unfortunately, what has given is that the valuable reference material (such as original prices for coin sets) has vanished from its pages.

   Maybe it is time to put the junk, like Marshall Islands and similar ilk, into a second volume which, like the pre-1900 issues volumes, gets updated only every two years or so. Or put on a CD-ROM.

   Fact remains, though, this is an indispensible reference book for the coin collector and dealer. And mostways, it is pretty good.

No comments about The Green Guide to Antiquing in the Midwest.

5 comments about Official Price Guide to Classic Video Games: Console, Arcade, and Handheld Games.

1. This book is lame. I got into the arcade collection hobby about a year ago and have really dove into it headfirst. I am a member of a lot of the collector message boards and go to auctions and arcade events near my home. The price guide seems a bit out of wack. I don't think you can price guide an arcade. I have seen Ms. Pac-mans go from $250 to $1650 and Kung Fu Master games go from $200 all the way to $1000. The price ranges are so large it doesn't make sense to price guide these. It all depends on how much someone loves a game... Auctions skew the prices a lot, so do people on ebay that overpay. The guide lacks a lot of games I see out there. Waste of money. Want a price range, go on ebay and craigslist and message boards.



2. WOW...What can I say? This book was a trip down memory lane. Each page brought back fond memories of playing video games in my parents' basement. Sadly, I lost my Atari 2600 in a stampede. I still have most of my game cartridges though and they're still lots of fun! Mr. Ellis' book is well written and a must have for anyone who loves collecting the Atari game software of the 80's.



3. What an incredible reference guide. With the collectible video game market still in its infancy, I honestly didn't expect to see a book like this for at least another decade. Then, as I was chuckling to myself while staring at it in a bookstore, it hit me: "Holy Energizer Dots! It's a huge reference to the entire video game industry!!! So I grabbed it, absorbed it, and continue re-reading it to this day. Chock full of history, images and master lists of cartridges and consoles, this one book will both enlighten you to the scope of the video game industry as of today, and also serve as a GREAT tool when you start shopping online auction sites like eBay. I used it to buy my Atari 7800 system, and I was pleased to know I didn't pay more for it than it was worth. That would not have been possible without this book. I'd like to think of a negative thing to say about this book so readers won't think I'm biased. Ok, I wish I had a hardcover version becasue this one is going to fall apart soon from opening it up too much!



4. Three thousand dollars for a rare Atari cartidge? Who would have guessed that the stuff we discarded from our youth would now be part of a cottage industry consisting of collectors, auction houses, classic arcade repair shops and book writers.
   
   I consider myself an serious collector, (Ooh, how arrogant!) of serious toys. And Ellis' work is one of those rare "how to collect" books worthy of a double purchase. One to keep fresh and clean on your book shelf and one to dog ear, mark up, and spill coffee on. My working copy is permanently on watch next to my PC.
   
   Don't be misled into thinking this is a minor work because the book's price is so reasonable. The historical summaries alone are worth the cost. As a begining collector of classic arcade games this book is the best place to start. You could not go wrong in assembling a fine collection at reasonable cost by following Ellis' recommendations to the letter. The chapters are arranged so as to allow collectors to skip those areas in which they have no interest.
   
   Negatives? Only one, too big to carry around. A pocket guide would be great for auctions. And an electronic version (Palm?, Pocket PC?) with easy to query price look ups would be even better. Hey Random House are you listing?



5. You don't have to be 40 to read this book, but if you are it will certainly cover every video game you've ever played while growing up. Having been to a few auctions myself, the charts and tables in this book have easily saved me the cost of the book on just one machine. A very handy reference if you're just getting started and invaluable if your wife thinks your hobby is getting too expensive. It's easy to get caught up in the bidding, and this book will help you find that line that says "you're paying too much for that machine."
   
   After you get your new toy home, I've found that some tend to fizzle out after about 2 months. This is where the online resources listed in this book come in handy. They are a gateway to the community of Classic Arcade Collectors and you will find that these collectors are eager to help you get your machine back in working condition.
   
   I look forward to a sequel that covers more of the post-classic era as this section of the book has sparked a hunger for more information on these newer treasures.

3 comments about Collector's Guide to Inkwells, Book II: Identification & Values (Collector's Guide to Inkwells).

1. THE BOOK DOES NOT HELP COLLECTORS OF CZECH BOHEMIAN IRIDESCENT INKWELLS. FIRST, THERE ARE ONLY 8 EXAMPLES IN THE BOOK. THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TOO DARK AND DO NOT CAPTURE THE BEAUTY OR TEXTURE OF THE GLASS. BUT WORSE, THE INFORMATION IS WRONG. INKWELLS CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE GERMAN PATENT MARK, D.R.G.M. ARE LABELED 'AMERICAN." IN ONE INSTANCE, TWO INKWELLS MADE OF THE SAME GLASS ARE CALLED RESPECTIVELY 'AMERICAN" AND "EUROPEAN." THE AUSTRIAN MARK OE.P COMES OUT "DEP." AT LEAST THEY ARE CALLED "LOETZ-TYPE," WHICH IS ACCURATE, SINCE NONE OF WAS MADE BY LOETZ. A GOOD BARGAIN BOOK TO LOOK AT PICTURES, BUT DEFINITELY NOT FOR THE ESPECIALIST.



2. This is Badders' second volume of magnificent color plates of inkwells. This one contains 757 photos, some of which are alternate views of the same inkwell. Those who have Volume one are probably not even bothering to read this review. They ordered this companion book immediately and are at this moment drooling over the beautiful inkstands, looking for those that are similar to the ones in their collection.



3. Badders' book is a pure delight for the collector of inkstands and ink bottles. It has 502 colored plates which will have the collector/reader drooling and upon discovering a match for one in his collection feeling that superb sense of satisfaction only a true inkwell lover can understand.

   Badders has included inkwells of many varied compositions, and unlike the very few other books on the subject, has included the range of value of each item.

1 comments about Toy Shop's Action Figure Price Guide: Price Guide.

1. Action figure enthusiasts will love this new year 2000 book with its 256 pages of more than 500 very large, sharp, full color photos of every type of action figure. Following the nice introduction to the topic, you'll find information and listings, along with super photos of figures ranging from Action Jackson, Batman, Bruce Lee, Buck Rogers and Charlie's Angels, to Spider-Man, Star Wars, Starsky and Hutch, to Wonder Woman, WWF, Xena and Zorro. All of your favorites are here along with current values. You'll love the photos. They're just super. Add it to your library, and enjoy.

5 comments about Christmas Pins Past and Present: Identification and Value Guide (Christmas Pins).

1. I purchased this book along with Christmas Tree Pins/O Christmas Tree and since I rated that book a "5", I am rating this book a strong 4. While the pages are a bit thinner in weight (but still of good quality), the photos are excellent with the pins presented nicely. And, even though the number of pins featured are fewer, this book also includes santas, angels, reindeer, wreaths, and other seasonal pins which makes this a good addition/companion to my library.



2. Ms. Gallina has done impressive research. Her pictures are well done, in color, and carefully organized by designer and theme. Her captions are descriptive and the values are clear.



3. This somewhat small book was extremely helpful to me in identifying the values of some recently purchased Weiss candle Christmas Tree Pins. It has also shown me what pins do not carry such a high value.
   I would love to see more books like this one for holiday jewelry.
   I would highly reccommend this book to anyone interested in Vintage and New Christmas Jewelry.



4. Very enjoyable book with great history of the designers of today and yesteryear that made Christmas Pins. Good color pictures with a price guide that reflects today's prices. If you are a new pin collector this is a must have at a reasonable price. If you are a seasoned collector you will enjoy reading about the short histories of your favorite designers.



5. This book by Jill is one of my favorite books, and not just because my own jewelry is included. Jill's wonderful photography showcases a wonderous variety of this collecting category. I doubt there are very many collectors who don't have a least one Christmas tree pin in their collection. And truly, it is very likely that every single woman who loves jewelry has at least one tree pin for holiday wear. This beautiful book is a perfect addition to any vintage costume jewelry reference library, for collectors and dealers alike. And it may even convert non-collectors! Thanks Jill!

No comments about American Oak Furniture: Book II (American Oak Furniture).

No comments about Millers: Antiques - Price Guide 2006 (Miller's Antiques Price Guide).