No comments about Football Basketball & Hockey Price Guide (Football, Basketball, and Hockey Price Guide).

4 comments about Stangl Pottery.

1. Helpful for ID'ing pottery, not good for values, it's very out of date. Very good for Art Pottery, the shape guide at the back is helpful. Overall I still consider this the "bible" of Stangl.



2. The main disappointment in this book is that most of the photos were in black and white and poor quality. The book is overpriced for the level of information given and useless photos. The books by Robert Runge run circles around this one- hands down!



3. Whatever information I gleaned from this book, I had to work very hard to obtain. Firstly, the type is so small, it is dificult to read across the columns fron the item to the value without the aid of a straightedge for guidance. The larger, hard bound books are much easier for us with aging eyes to read! And the values are so old they are now unrealistic and are of no help.

   I found it very confusing to use this book, as it is almost arranged alphabetically, but then has groups of items taken from categories that make sense and lumped into hodgepodge chapters with no apparent reasoning. Several dinnerware patterns can not be found in the dinnerware chapter, but are in three other non-related chapters! In several places you are referred to other sections or chapters, but those sections don't exist. Also, the text makes reference to items that are not described or pictured, and there are pictures of pieces that are not described or listed in the text.

   While the book may be helpful to some, to me it appears to have been hastily put together by someone who either didn't care about or fully understand the subject. I purchased the book for more information on the Stangl North Carolina Stoneware, but that chapter was left completely out! I am greatly disapointed and would sooner recommend someone to research values on Ebay before purchasing this book.




4. This is a great book for background and information on Stangl pottery. Serves as an excellent resource by providing market value to individual pieces. A must for the online auction bidder.

5 comments about Space Toys of the 60's: Major Matt Mason, Mighy Zeroid Robots & Colorforms Outer Space Men.

1. As a child of the 60's growing up in England, I was exposed to a lot of American popular culture and toys.
   "Major Matt Mason" and "Zeroids" were some of my favourites. This book gives me an excellent reminder not only of what I had, but also stuff I never saw or even knew existed!
   This book is well produced with magnificent colourful photos, but they are let down a little by the matte paper used for the pages that dulls their brilliance. Also, some images suffer from "the jaggies" caused by low resolution of the originals.
   Likewise, the layout and text is often jumbled and there are some annoying factual errors.
   Also, if the author had a rudimentary knowledge of 50's Hollywood monsters he would have recognised the inspiration for many of the Colorforms Outer Space Men.
   Apart from these minor annoyances, this is the book I have been waiting for, for almost fourty years!
   "Space Toys of the 60's" is worth every cent, even if only for the photos of the magnificent package and box art!
   Those colourful boxes are always the first thing to be discarded by young hands too eager for adventure in space!



2. This oversized, full color paperback is not a glossy coffee table book. Neither is it a collector's price guide. Instead it's an impassioned and informative discussion of three collectible toy lines: Major Matt Mason (Mattell's Man in Space), Colorforms aliens and my favorite, Ideal's Mighty Zeroids.
   
   I read and learned a lot about the other two toy lines, but I used this book when buying a Zintar Zeroid on E-Bay (for only thirty times the original price of $5, which shows how rare they are). Before that I read the book over and over, looking at the photos and dioramas from catalogs. Gillam even includes pre-release pictures from wholesale toy guides of what these toys might have looked like, as well as extensive photos of alternate versions.
   
   Interest in Matt Mason has never flagged, and Zeroids are once again coming into their own in the world of retro toys (see the Zeroid movie link under Robot Links at alivingdog.com). They represented a high point in Ideal's Motorific line of cars and later boats and cleverly ran on the same replaceable motor. Anyone interested in these three lines, or the history of toys, or just taking a trip down memory lane will enjoy this inexpensive and captivating book.



3. A Collector's Guide to Major Matt Mason, Mighty Zeroid Robots and Colorforms Outer Space Men. Veteran collector and author James Gillam details the story of toys inspired by NASA ventures into space.
   
   SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's could have been the Major Matt Mason collector's dream come true. However, be warned that the quality of the paper and the image quality of the photos is not very good. I wish the publisher had done a much better job and creating some high quality images that I would want to look at over and over again. Looking at these pictures, as a substitute for expanding my collection, is not fullfilling.
   
   All in all though, being the ONLY book out there right now with any information on Major Matt Mason, this is a pretty good book. At leaset it has photos of all of Mattel's Major Matt Mason - Man in Space figures, vehicles and buildings with detailed descriptions, construction and instruction sheets, product catalogs, collector's reminiscences, prototype information, and company histories.
   
   If you can find a used copy for around $5 it's worth adding to the library as a reference.



4. I bought this book on ebay from the author and I am very happy with it. It is loaded with pictures of each space toy and has nice text. Some toys are shown in their original package. Best book I have bought in a long while.



5. ...than this "Time Machine" that Mr. Gillam has produced. He left no stone unturned. Covered ALL details and variations very thoroughly. I discovered 3 OUTER SPACE MEN in my attic and a Scorpio in my basement. When I was looking for a reference guide to these 60's Spacemen, I coincidentally saw "SPACE TOYS OF THE 60's" on EBay. I said it, you'll say it: "That's how I would have done it!"

3 comments about Cubs Journal: Year by Year and Day by Day with the Chicago Cubs Since 1876.

1. This is quite an ambitious book, as it covers the history of the Cubs from 1876 through early in the 2005 season. The book touts itself as a day-by-day history of the Cubs, but that doesn't mean it's simply a dry recessitation of mere box scores or pages of statistics. Instead, author John Snyder has put together a collection of memorable dates and games from each of the Cubs' many seasons.
   
   Sprinkled in between the game highlights are little factoids that don't otherwise fit neatly into the chronogical format. These factoids offer everything from analysis of various Cub trades to changes at the ballpark to details of games that the overview leaves out. Very often they are the most intriguing parts of the book.
   
   The book makes for great reading, whether you're a veteran (and long-suffering) fan who wants to reminisce about days gone by or for younger fans who want to get a thorough primer on Cubs lore. Considering the dearth of truly comprehensive books on Cubs history, this book should find a place on every fan's shelf.
   
   Having said that, the book is not without its flaws. The highlight dates definitely make for a good idea, but occasionally it's unclear that the games the author has chosen are really the ones that the fans themselves would have considered the most memorable at the time. He appears to have a fondness for highlighting games which have high-scoring innings. Other times it is not so clear why a particular game has been chosen to be spotlighted, such as this random entry for August 18, 1983: "A three-run homer by Jody Davis accounts for all of the runs in a 3-0 win over the Braves at Wrigley Field. Ferguson Jenkins (8 2/3 innings) and Lee Smith (1/3 of an inning) combined on the shutout." Okay, that's interesting, but what makes this game stand out? In contrast, Snyder fails to mention the June 2nd game of that same seaon, when the Cubs turned a rare triple play against the Pirates.
   
   One weakness with the day-by-day approach is that the whole is often no more than the sum of its parts. One may come away feeling like he or she didn't really get the full picture of the themes, characters, or pennant race of any given season, leaving you wanting more.
   
   A more serious criticism is the great abundance of factual errors throughout the book. Dates and statistics are often wrong. Let's hope that prior to the second edition the publisher carefully scrutinizes the book and cleans it up.
   
   Despite the various criticisms, this is still an essential read for Cubs fans.



2. I placed this order on Dec. 8th feeling good that it should be no problem getting this by Christmas. Well here it is Jan. 16, 2007 and I am still waiting for this item. I have even spoke to the company and told them I was still waiting for it and they re-sent it, but to the wrong place... not even in the same city. I am not very happy and I will never do business with them again and I would advise anyone else to beware and would advice them to go some place else.



3. In Cubs Journal: Year By Year & Day By Day With The Chicago Cubs Since 1876, historian and sports enthusiast John Snyder has written a 720-page, in-depth, definitive history chronicling the Chicago Cubs baseball team from its inception in 1876 down through the 2004 season. Enhanced with a profusion of photos, sidebars, statistics, and anecdotes, Cubs Journal is organized by decade, with each section featuring an informative summary, team and player statistics, and highlights of great games, a statistical overview, and day-by-day breakdowns. In addition to anecdotes, each date also includes a hitting and pitching highlights and so much more than a simple box score. The Cubs Journal could well serve as a template for similar sports club histories in baseball or any other team sport. Every dedicated Cubs fan will want their very own copy of John Snyder's Cubs Journal!

1 comments about Personal Antique and Collectible Inventory.

1. An important book that has a place for photos, descriptions ( such as markings, history, when and where acquired, cost, etc. ) for your own reference and/or insurance purposes. Unfortunately, it is now out of print and hard to find !!

2 comments about The Sander's Price Guide to Autographs (Sanders Price Guide to Autographs).

1. Sanders are THE experts in autograph pricing and have been for years, this edition had chapters on matting and framing your collection, with web sites to get tools and materials, also a chapter on internet auctions and watching out for forgeries which are prolific on the web. If you collect autographs, this book is a must!



2. I waited a long time for this new edition to come out and it is a whopping 700 pages but, it spends half of its content lamenting the loss of the original author who died last year and reprinting articles I have from earlier editions. The names were updated abit but the prices still seem inacurate. A disapointing end to a once prolific career for the author.

No comments about A. Glenn Mandeville's Madame Alexander Dolls: Price Guide (A. Glenn Mandeville's Madame Alexander Dolls).

No comments about The World of Barbie Dolls.

5 comments about Collectible Mice.

1. I just received this book, Collectible Mice, as a gift.  This is the best book about mice figures --some serious, some fanciful --that I have ever seen.  It is pleasant reading with a great bibliography and superb photos.  I wish the book were twice the size; it is one of the most enjoyable collector books I've read in years.  Eschen should write a sequel.



2. Don't miss this book. It's a winner. This work is so entertaining both the amateur as well as the seasoned collector will derive great pleasure reading and viewing the great photographs. You dare not miss a word. Atypical, odd, comical, extraordinary and life-like pictures fill the pages (over 300 pictures) with these remarkable figurines. The author and the book each deserve five stars!



3. Best book I've read in years that provides collectors with a visual guide, some great photographs, and history. These photos show some realistic and some whimsical figurines. They are made of glass, diamonds, gold, silver, Vienna Bronze, and porcelain, etc.

   The author has written a book that makes identification, dates of manufacture, material, artist, and country of origin easy and enjoyable to read. Anyone who collects anything will postively enjoy this collection. The book and author Eschen deserve top honors!




4. Best book I've read in years that provides collectors with a visual guide, some great photographs, and history. These photos show some realistic and some whimsical figurines. They are made of glass, diamonds, gold, silver, Vienna Bronze, porcelain, etc.

   The author has written a book that makes identification, date of manufacture, material, artist, country of origin easy and enjoyable to read. Anyone who collects anything will positively enjoy this collection. The book and author Eschen deserve top honors.




5. I have been a collector of mice for quite some time and I was very happy to see a reference guide on the subject published. The author does an excellent job of covering a wide variety of types of mice collectibles and photos are excellent. My only qualm with the guide is the lack of more common mice antique mall / store finds. Most of the items that are illustrated in the book are items that most likely would be found on eBay. I have worked with the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall in Omaha for six years and have very rarely seen the items that are in this book. If you are a mouse / rodent collector, this is an obvious must have book. My thanks to the author for bringing this great hobby into a published form!

2 comments about Collector's Guide to Camark Pottery: Identification & Values (Collector's Encyclopedia).

1. I was very disappointed in the book. The author goes on and on about the History of Camark, but very little information about the various glazes used. Sorry I bought it.



2. Mr. Gifford writes an interesting & comprehensive history of Camark (I live in Arkansas, where Camark was produced). The book features many colorful pages with fair pricing of the items. I learned quite a bit from this book. I'm a new collector & found this book to be quite helpful to me. I have already recognized a piece of Camark I bought for $10 to be worth about $60! That's worth the price of the book!