3 comments about Royal Doulton Series Ware (Vol. 4).

1. Even though the item description clearly states 112 pages, I apparently didn't read it closely enough & was very surprised when this "booklet" arrived!
   
   Perhaps the information contained in this small booklet is difficult to find elsewhere, but unless you are specifically a children's nursery rhymes series collector, this book is a waste of money! Had I seen it in a bookstore, I would have passed it by unless it had been on sale for $5-$7 MAX.
   
   If you do collect primarily nursery rhyme Royal Doulton, it "might" be worth the investment, assuming you're having difficulty finding the info in more comprehensive volumes. That is not the case for me, so I was very disappointed!



2. Being new to the world of Royal Doulton, I am so pleased to have found this series in the Central Library in Wellington, New Zealand. However I was unable to purchase in this country and after some attempts in the UK, went exploring on the internet. I am now the proud owner of the 3 of the volumes - albeit missing Volume II (Vol.2).

   Being a new collector of Doulton ware, I didn't want endless information about the product(s), just enough to have a good understanding of dates, times, periods, production,design and marks. All of this is available in these easy to read, easy to handle books. I am really thrilled with them and know that I will enjoy them for life.

   Thank you for taking the time to read this and I sincerely hope that you enjoy this series as much I do.

   Jo-Anne
   Wellington




3. If you want to collect Royal Doulton series ware, I consider all four volumes in this series a "must have." I like this book because of the detailed photos -- the author goes way beyond just giving you a taste of Royal Doulton. If you only have one or two pieces of series ware, this book will help you identify them and let you see the whole spectrum of items that would complete your collection. While a terrific reference, this book is not a price guide and no prices are included. The only thing I wish this book had was more color photos. The china is so beautiful it deserves more color. That is the only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars. Louise Irvine really knows her Royal Doulton - this book looks like a labor of love to me.

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.

5 comments about Detecting the Fakes: A Collector's Guide to Third Reich Militaria.

1. Covers basic information on detecting fakes. If the pictures were in colour it would help a lot more as some fakes have different colours. Overall an alright book for beginners. There are a lot more higher quality fakes out there that this book doesnt cover.



2. Great tool for collectors. After the book I found out I had at least one fake. Great help when look for other pieces for the collection. Pictures and diagrams and explations what to look for is a must.



3. Since there is no other book on the market which provides such essential basics to becoming a knowledgeable collector I rate this book very high. If you intend on getting into the fun of collecting Nazi era memorabilia this is the first book you should get your hands on. Don't buy anything until you read this book. Chances are if you take this book with you when your looking for Third Reich Militaria you will at least end up with an original and not a fake. Without this book it's buyer beware.



4. If you are going to collect 3rd Reich militaria this book is a must. The biggest drawback is the lack of short glossary explaining some of the terms and how to determine certain kinds of metal. For example: if an item is made out of "tombak" how do I differentiate that from zinc or aluminium. All photos in B&W, color would have been nice. All this aside this book seems to be the best book on the market on the subject.



5. This book is a very helpful guide for helping to separate the fake items from the real ones out there. The hundreds of pictures included in the book wonderfully illustrate the points made in the text. The "Miscellaneous Regalia" section could have been larger and more inclusive but what is included gives good examples of how far people will go to forge items, especially written documents. The book should be very helpful to anyone who purchases it and will be indespensible for the beginning collector.

No comments about Boyds Tracker Resin: The World's Most Complete Boyds Guide.

No comments about How to Make Money Out of Antiques.

No comments about The Gilbert Collection at Somerset House.

No comments about Gordon's Print Price 2001.

No comments about Gordon's Print Price Annual 1998 (Serial).

2 comments about Lind's List Camera Price Guide and Master Data Catalog 1996-97.

1. This book is extremely useful to camera collectors of more recent equipment. There are few pictures and the prices are often way off from present sale prices, BUT many cameras (especially from the 1950s to the 80s) are covered here that are not mentioned in any of the other camera guides. This makes this work unique and very useful. The spread sheet format takes some getting used to, but it allows a great deal of information to be given in a small amount of space. I use my copy daily, along with my McKeown's. I hope they issue a revised edition.



2. This camera catalog is essentially useless unless one is interested only in basic camera prices and basic cameras. Any camera catalog that contains information about single lens reflex cameras but excludes technical and price information about accessory lenses for those cameras, as this one does, might just as well not exist.

1 comments about Miller's Antiques Checklist: Art Nouveau (Miller's Antiques Checklists).

1. This is a tiny book packed with information. Every collectable category of art nouveau is clearly listed with the key artists and what to look for to determine value for the various objects. It is a great guide for the auction house and the online auctions.