2 comments about Collector's Guide to Ashtrays: Identification & Values (Collector's Guide to Ashtrays).

1. This second edition, 288 page, 8 1/2 x 11" softbound book has more than 2,000 beautiful, full color photos. There is a very complete index for easy reference. Year 2000 values. An informative introduction and history of the topic is included. Major topics range from functional ashtrays, advertising, novelty to ashtrays from the past and ashtrays without a country. There's plenty of information on pottery and porcelain, glass, metal, plastic, marble, soapstone and wood. Every kind of ashtray from alcoholic beverages to educational to world's fair. Add this book to your collectibles collection. You'll enjoy it and find it very useful.



2. A valuable price guide for anyone collecting ashtrays or for an antique dealer like myself wanting to learn more about what I offer for sale. Arranged by sections shown in the front of the book. Sections include Funtional Ashtrays, Advertising Ashtrays, Novelty Ashtrays, Ashtrays from the Past and Ashtrays without a Country. Plus an index by company names in the back. The book has 287 pages. Beautiful color pages throughout. Prices for 1999 shown on same page as pictures. No having to turn to a back page for each item to see a price. Some real surprises of what qualifies as being called an ashtray. What I had sold at one time and thought was a handled vase, this clever author noticed what I had overlooked; an indentation on each side for a cigarette! Besides pictures, basic identification and prices are all easy to figure out which one is describing which picture. There is a basic description for each sub-section. In section one under Glass Ashtrays there is a page of terms like a dictionary with a short definition. For example: Amberina: clear and translucent, shading from light amber to ruby red. Section one alone is divided into Pottery & Porcelain, Glass, Metal and one sub section that includes Plastics, Marble, Soapstone and Wood. Under the Pottery & Porcelain section are 9 sub-sections. If you have never owned a price guide before when you see this one you will want all future guides to be as well done and as easy to use as this one. If I were going to write a price guide I would hope I could write one as useful as this one! A real value for the price. Far better than I expected when I ordered it sight unseen.

5 comments about The Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 36th Edition (Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide).

1. This was an excellent, informative guide which gave prices for just about all the comics published in the United States. It also had pictures of the comics and factual information and added knowledge to the collector of comics. In my opinion, it's a the "bible" for comic collectors!



2. This is a good price guide, seems to be realistic, covers a large array of issues, very comprehensive, I would recommend this to anyone. I used this over a decade ago and thought it undervalued things some, but with time comes wisdom I guess, seems to be as accurate as can be hoped.



3. the better comic book price guide ever.



4. Overstreet is certainly the book to have when trying to access the value of your collection. I only regret that they removed the grading system from this book and have moved to endorsing commercial companies to do this for you. Wizard only care about what is hot right now. All in all, this book is your best bet but alway remember, something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.



5. Iv'e had several Paperback Overstreet Guides and after moderate use pages tend to come loose from the binding and the book becomes worthless as a resale not to mention trying to keep it together. The Hardbacks seem to hold up much better and are more desirable as a collector item. For the additional price I find it is worth going with the Hardback version. I have never found Amazon.Comm to offer the Hardback and I don't know why??

2 comments about Puffkins Collector's Guide, 1999.

1. I definitely agree the guide is wonderful, but incomplete! I found it very useful and informative. The problem is over half the Puffkins I have are not in it! (That's the reason I only gave it 4stars, rather than 5!)



2. I had recently ordered and gotten the 1999 edition of the Puffkins Collector's Guide from CheckerBee Publishing,thought it was a good guide and hoped that they "did it again" by putting out a new edition of the Collector's Guide for 2000. I had also thought it was about time they did it since I had noticed that there were SEVERAL new Puffkin releases and retirements since the last guide was published

1 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of Heisey Glass 1925-1938/With Price Guide.

1. I referred to this volume when I was trying to identify some signed pieces of Heisey glass. The authors have done a beautiful job of describing the history of the company, and the developments of patterns and processes. Most of the photographs are in black and white, but this does not detract from the value of the book because the Gallery section contains beautiful color photos which clearly identify the exquisite colors of this magnificant glassware.
   My main concern lies in the fact that the listings of individual pieces in the pattern sections seem to be rather sparse. I was recently trying to identify three signed pieces of Heisey glass, and although I could clearly identify the patterns of two pieces, The listing did not contain the two pieces I was attempting to identify. I found it nessecary to track them down in other glassware books.
   The person that specifically collects Heisey will find this book invaluable. However, if you want a ready referrence to carry with you to auntique shops and auctions, you may be dissappointed.

No comments about Rockbridge County Artists & Artisans.

2 comments about Collector's Encyclopedia of English China: Identification & Values.

1. Mary Frank Gaston's English China provides identification and values for enamel, oriental themes, and other decorative themed china works. The color photos prove an invaluable aid in the identification process.



2. Collector Books did not live up to its generally fine quality of productions in this guide to English ceramics. The text is awkwardly written, confusing or contradictory in places, and colorless, lacking enthusiasm. Worse, a very large number of the illustrations are seriously shadowed, a most annoying flaw in an identification guide. On the plus side, the range and selection of objects discussed is ample, and the illustrations of marks are helpful.

No comments about Lunch Boxes, Vinyl & Plastic.

No comments about Identifying German Parian Dolls.

No comments about Troll Identification and Price Guide.

1 comments about Pocket Knife Price Guide.

1. The book comprises reproductions of catalogue pages from a number of manufacturers, followed by several pages of price guide information, keyed to the original catalogues. The Keen Kutter information is especially interesting, as it includes the "how they are made" pages reproduced from an old catalogue.

   The book's greatest drawback is that the author provides no explanation how the "price guide" prices were derived. Without knowing whether the prices are based upon catalogue (asking) prices for collectible knives, auction results (realized prices), systematic shopping of shows and antiques shops, a formula, or simply the writer's opinion, a user cannot intelligently use the price guide. A brief note in front of the book explains that prices represent knives in "good condition," not unused and unsharpened knives (considered to be the most valuable), but there is no definition of the grade "good."

   Worth the price, for the old catalog information, a great aid in identifying and dating knives.