3 comments about A. Glenn Mandeville's Alexander Dolls 3rd Collector's Price Guide (A. Glenn Mandeville's Madame Alexander Dolls).

1. I am just getting back into collecting Madame Alexander dolls. I have been collecting Barbie for the last 10 years and had a MA collection which I sold about 2 years ago. I think this is a great book with an extensive list of dolls. The only thing keeping it from getting 5 Stars is that there are not that many style numbers. For instance, there are so many Spain & Mexico dolls, I can't really tell which I have, by looking at this book. Maybe the next book, he'll list style numbers. Otherwise, I think it's great.



2. As this author of this book, I am thrilled to present the reader with up to the minute pricing and identification. For over seventy years, the Alexander Doll Company has spelled magic to children and adults alike. This edition is unique in that it lists individual dolls that collectors desire. Store specials and one-of-a-kind dolls are also highlighted. I hope you enjoy reading this book with the same enthusiam that I had writing it! A. Glenn Mandeville



3. If you're interested in Madame Alexander Dolls then this book is a MUST HAVE. It's organized and easy to read. It's a book for the beginner or the long time collector it's that good. I would highly recommend this book.

No comments about Identifying German Chinas, 1840s-1930s.

3 comments about Timeless Treasures: The Charm and Romance of Treasured Memories.

1. The pictures and content are wonderful. The book takes you back to simpler more sentimental times.



2. I am sure that we all have wonderful memories from our childhood. After reading this book, I started thinking about all the wonderful memories that I also had from childhood. I also started keeping a memory journal, so that I could pass it down to my children. I feel that it is very important to let them know that I have many special memories from my childhood, and it has helped to understand why I want to make memories for them. I think that if we want to help change the world we have to start with our own children. I LOVE the way Emilie shared her memories through the book, and what she is doing to make special memories for her grandchildren.



3. If you have come to the point in your life to do some reflection then your heart will relate to this book from cover to cover! Life has many things to offer, but few of these things are lasting.In Timeless Treasures, Emilie Barnes, reminds us to value things as they remind you of the people you love and/or are related to. Where your treasures lie truly tells us much about ourselves. This book will delight the heart and soul of every person who has come to know that true happiness and contentment in this life to be found in the memories of times shared with others. This is a book to ponder again and again. This book is one for the coffee table. It may just cause you to reorganize the things you use to decorate your house so that it becomes a true home for your heart.Emilie has touched my heart yet again!

No comments about The Cocktail Shaker: The Tanqueray Guide.

No comments about American Gunsmiths.

5 comments about Baby Boomer Comics.

1. Comic book publishers are happily discovering a renewed interest in just about every title from the 1960s, and are repackaging those yellowing old comics in just about every format you can think of -- from expensive glossy hardcovers to inexpensive b&w omnibus editions.
   
   The publication of this book is not only evidence of that trend, but in fact evidence that BABY BOOMERS COMICS' author, Craig Shutt, had a lot to do with sparking the renaissance of the glorious old Silver Age comic books. Consider: When Shutt began writing his column for COMICS BUYERS GUIDE, back in the early 1990s, the comic book field was obsessed with "grim 'n' gritty" heroes-turned-villains, ridiculously overendowed "bad girls" and an almost complete lack of humor. Through his regular "Ask Mr. Silver Age" columns, Shutt was able to remind readers -- many of whom were born well after the 1960s -- that there used to be a lot of plain old goofy FUN in the comic books, whether it was the backward-thinking and -talking Bizarros, the cross-dressing Jimmy Olsen, Spider-Man's frequent costume catastrophes, and of course the trend for which the Silver Age is best known: talking gorillas. Shutt made it cool to love those old comic books all over again. Is it any coincidence that nowadays you can buy complete collections of those Pop Art and Go-Go Checked classics off Amazon or in any bookstore? I think not.
   
   With this book, Shutt proves once and for all (as if there was any doubt) that Silver Age comics were not only good, but good for you.



2. Sure, there are more expensive hardcover books on comics out there that treat the medium (and themselves) very seriously. But this book is a welcome relief from that pseudo-intellectualism. It's fun to read and enjoy the author's encyclopedic knowledge of the comics of our youth. Excellently illustrated. This one's a keeper - buy it.



3. Being a member of that tiny subset of us who were nurtured on the "funny books" of the sixties, this book was simply a delight. It's not really a scholarly treatise on this time in the development of this mass media, but it is a fond celebration with not a little influx of sardonic wit. I looked forward to each new smile chapter after chapter forced upon my visage.



4. I liked this book mainly due to the twists and turns of plots many years ago, that often puzzled me. I even sought out collector's copies of the comics he mentions in his book. Craig is easy to talk to, too, so go ahead and email him.>>>



5. This book is about the most fun you can have with 1960s comic books without actually sitting down and reading them. Mr. Silver Age has a sly-but-respectful style of relating the silliness and fun of some of our favorite superheroes from that time. It's a style that works even if you aren't familiar with the origial stories themselves.

   The book is lavishly produced with color reproductions of funnybook covers and appropriate comics panels on every page so you know exactly what the commentary is referring to. My only complaint with the book is that some of the reproductions are too tiny for this silver ager's eyes to see, but that just leaves more room for the copy!

   Lots of trivia spread throughout, fun quizzes, and wry observations from Mr. Silver Age Craig Shutt make this the most funnest book about the beloved comics of my youth I've read.

   Thanks to Krause and the Comics Buyers Guide for publishing this. When's Vol. 2 coming out?

   --your pal, Hoy

1 comments about Railroadiana : The Official Price Guide For the Year 2000 and Beyond.

1. I expected a superior book because the Knous's background is so impressive on the subject of railroadiana. But I was surprised to find that it was not only a superior book but also a beautiful book as well. The pictures make identification of valuable objects much easier than with just text alone. And they make the book such a pleasure to browse through. Definitely destined to become the definitive book on the subject. I recommend it highly.

5 comments about Brilliant Rhinestones: Vintage & Contemporary Jewelry from the Ronna Lee Collection : Identification & Value Guide.

1. I received this book as a gift and found the prices to be very high several years after publication. As the title says it is from the Ronna Lee Collection. Pictures are fair to good. Again as with the Coro book more pictures should have been placed on a page. Pictures of low-end rhinestone bracelets with 2 dead stones are shown for a value of $120-$150. If you want to see someone ones collection and compare it to yours maybe this would be of value otherwise pass on it.



2. I found this book to contain a beautiful collection of rare vintage pieces. To put down a book of this caliber displays an absolute absence of taste and appreciation of the collector, and the collected. Touche, touche!



3. I'm surprised to see this book has received such poor ratings because though I agree with other reviewers that it has its flaws, I don't think it is a bad book at all.
   I bought this book at the bookstore without first looking up any reviews online. At the time, I had to choose between Aikins' book and one other book that had better photographs and a sleeker look. The Aikins' book won me over because most of the pieces are dated and they are photographed in their entirety and on their own. There is nothing wrong with focusing on a portion of a necklace or photographing a piece surrounded with props, but I also think it is important to be able to see what type of findings were common at a particular period in time (although the backs of earrings and brooches were not photographed for this book).
   Most of the jewelry in this book is from the 1940s to 1950s. There are a few from the 1920s and earlier and a couple from the 1970s and 1980s. I like the variety of necklaces, bracelets, pins and earrings the author shows in this book. In fact, every time I open it, I seem to find a new piece that catches my attention even though I have read the book from cover to cover. This is not a book for those looking for historical references and explanations about the different styles and trends in jewelry fashion. For that, I would recommend such books as C. Jeanenne Bell's "Answers to Questions About Old Jewelry". "Brilliant Rhinestones," on the other hand, is more adequate as a visual reference for those who want to familiarize themselves with the "look" of a variety of pieces of vintage rhinestone jewelry.



4. I got the book "Brilliant Rhinestones" as a gift several years ago, and I thought at the time that the prices were way, way off - I've never seen such high and uneven prices for costume jewelry. Plus, the book's written content is extremely amateurish and, frankly, irritating in the extreme. Well, to spare my good friend's feelings I didn't share this opinion with her - told her the book was great. So, what did I get for my birthday this year? Yikes!!!!! The next edition, (20th Century Costume Jewelry) even more irritating than the first!! I bear no ill will towards the author, I'm assuming the publisher reeled her in to do another book (this stuff is kind of like the old "vanity press", isn't it?) and is counting on the book to sell just because these books are hot right now. But beware - this latest book has prices for modern jewelry that is absolutely, totally based on fantasy (for stuff you can load up on at Goodwill)and the prices for real vintage jewelry is also way off, about like her first book.



5. I purchased both this book and the sister companion, 20th Century Jewelry and felt that it was on my list of one of the worst photographed books that I have seen. There are two others by this same publisher that are lackluster in photography. Little information about the jewelry history is included in both books. While I appreciate all that the author has going for her (no doubt the other review was written by her husband), a little more attention to photography detail would have made this book much more enjoyable. I felt that the prices were a little over inflated which is a shame for both books because gorgeous jewelry is featured, just lousy photography to show them off.

5 comments about Tomart's Price Guide to Johnny Lightning Vehicles.

1. This is a great resource for JL's up to 2001. Good history of the company from the original topper era to the Playing Mantis era. A must have resource for anyone collecting Johnny Lightnings.



2. This wasn't for me, I gave it to my husband for his birthday. He loves it. Likes the pictures and likes how you can see the value of the cars as well as the Johnny Lightening Whites. He also uses it as a check list to mark off which ones he has already collected.



3. i'll give my review after i received the item .
   many thanks
   
   
   ari



4. This is a slick and attractive book, and I suppose great if you're into collecting the modern Playing Mantis Johnny Lightning cars, but there's precious little here on the original vintage JL cars: only two pages of photographs. At least you get a picture of each of the original cars.
   
   So, my three star rating probably reflects my disappointment both in the descriptions I read here as well as the book it self. It's almost useless to me as a vintage JL collector.



5. This book is everything I expected and more. Being a true J/L fan I appreciate the descriptions and color photos. One thing I noticed is it needs to be updated some what. But its an excellent resource if you are into selling,buying,or trading!!!!

1 comments about The Complete Encyclopedia of Knives: A Comprehensive Guide to Knives from Around the World.

1. This is not a complete encyclopedia or a comprehensive guide to knives. Contains no indication as to values. One can find all the information within this book with a little internet research. I would strongly advise against purchase.