4 comments about Warman's Barbie Doll Field Guide: Values and Identification (Warman's Field Guides).

1. According to my little friend who received this guide as a gift, It is easy to understand, teaches you some very interesting Barbie history, and show great photos of early Barbie, how they progress and their value. She highly reccommends it.



2. This books size makes it convenient to carry around to garage sales or toy shows. But the content could be better, some dolls are depicted with inaccurate prices and some vintage doll's aren't pictured in their proper outfits with proper accessories. So this can become confusing for the beginner collector. However there are "warnings" listed with some vintage outfits stating that Mattel has made a reproduction (these are worth far less) of it. This is a great feature if you are not a Barbie expert.

   A good book for the beginner, but I recommend using this guide along with a larger more detailed Barbie book.




3. What a wonderful book! The Warman's Barbie Doll Field Guide is packed with useful information and great color photographs. And all at a super affordable price. I'm impressed. The book is designed as a take-along pocket guide, yet it's amazingly complete and thorough. It covers six decades of Barbie dolls, provides several hundred color photographs, a history of Barbie, critical identification information, -- including how to identify Barbie No. 1 -- fashion sets, designer dolls and a price guide to more than 1,500 dolls. It's perfect for a gift or for yourself, or even as a gift for yourself. I have several Barbie books on my shelves, and that's where they stay. But this little dynamo is never going to leave my side.



4. First thought upon getting this, it's tiny! I've been waiting at least two months for this book to come out and I was a tad upset that the price guide is not up-to-date. NOTHING that came out in 2002 is in there, nor are any non-collector dolls listed.

   If you need a pocket guide to carry to conventions, it's perfect. If you want something to help you figure out how much to bid on E-Bay, it's perfect. Otherwise, just get it for the vibrant color pictures (No black & white) , which strangly have dolls that haven't even been released yet.

3 comments about Doll Values Antique to Modern.

1. This book is missing antique dolls by certain leading German manufacturers. The book makes reference to a specific manufacturer but does not include dolls of the manufacturer.



2. This is another excellent entry in a series of very useful books. Good basic information on a variety of doll makers, good illustrations. I like the range of values given for dolls depending on the condition, since not all dolls are mint, and there can be an enormous difference between fair conditon and excellent.



3. The 9th updated and expanded edition of "Doll Values: Antique To Modern" is a justifiable best-seller because it is a 'must' for any dedicated doll collector. "Doll Values" nicely pairs clear, small color photos with the latest doll values, offers a starting point for building up a reference library, and helps classify different styles and types of dolls. "Doll Values" is a 'must' for any serious collector - and many a general-interest library holding will also find it an important and popular addition to their Antiques/Collectibles reference collections.

5 comments about Top Dollar Paid: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Stamps.

1. I recently inherited my father in law's stamp collection. My wife wants to sell it, to raise some much-needed money. I bought a current Scott catalogue and determined that one of the U.S. plate block albums is "worth" $350. My wife was told by a stamp dealer that he will only pay about 10% of catalogue value. That would make the album worth $35.
   
   I read Top Dollar Paid. It says that only certain stamps are good investments. Those are the stamps that were already rare and highly priced collectibles when they were first purchased.
   
   In other words, if you go into a stamp dealer and buy a 3 cent stamp for $500 because it is rare, that is exactly the kind of stamp that is a great investment. It is the type of stamp you can leave to your children or grandchildren, and its value will rise as the years and decades go by.
   
   But if, when your father or grandfather was a child in the 1930s or 1940s, or (God forbid) in the 1950s or 60s, he went into the post office and bought mint stamps, plate blocks, or sheets, and had a beautiful and complete collection, all of those old and pretty stamps are worthless. If all you want is the cash for them, use them for postage. They aren't worth a damn thing. If you bought a hot dog in 1963 you wouldn't expect to sell it for $50 today would you?
   
   There are interesting anecdotes in this book. There's the Hungarian boy who hoped to sell Hungarian stamps in the U.S. at a profit. (No way!) There's the author's meeting with Gerald Ford and his stamp collection. There are stories of stamp collection owners who try all the tricks that you yourself would have thought to try, and just where those tricks got them.
   
   I'm glad I read the book. Now I think I'll just add some of my father in law's stamps to my own collection. After reading this book, I would guess that the collection I inherited might sell for $100. Big deal.
   
   The moral of the story is .... your stamps aren't worth a thing. This is the worst investment there is. Put your money under your pillow and you'll be better off.
   
   Before reading this book, I figured that stamp dealers will generally low-ball you and buy your valuable collection for peanuts unless you know the value of it yourself. After reading this book I understand that stamp dealers have incentive to tell you what your collection is really worth to them, and make a fair offer, but it's going to be a small fraction of what you expect, because stamps are a God-awful investment.



2. This book does two things well:
   
   1) How Stamp dealers go about determing how much a collection is worth.
   
   2) Keeps you entertained by showing the human qualities of both the dealers and the sellers. The latter are usually the heirs of the collector. They are almost always non-collectors and have some very interesting misconceptions.
   
   It is funny and sad to see the reviews complaining they wanted the book to tell them how much their collection is worth. Mr. Dalz repeatedly tells you exactly how much a collection is worth. It's worth what the dealer can pay for it. You need an appraisal by someone who knows both stamps and the market.



3. I'm not planning to sell my stamps - but this book has saved me money by giving me some insight into what kind of stamps will never be worth the time or money spent on them! I also love Datz's vignettes of life in the stamp trade!



4. Funny anecdotes, but where is the beef? Undoubtedly this writer is an authority on stamps, but very little of that knowledge emerges in the book. The title therefore is misleading.



5. I would like you to put a description of what these books really tell. I am looking for a book that tells the value of the stamps I have.

1 comments about Arts and Crafts (Dk Collector's Guides).

1. I first became aware of the Arts & Crafts movement of William Morris and his circle back in the late 1960s, when Art Nouveau (an outgrowth of Arts & Crafts) was enjoying a renaissance. I ended up with several pieces of Arts & Crafts-style furniture (replicas, naturally, on my graduate school budget), some poster (reprints) and a couple of affordable ceramics (original). And I made a point thereafter of searching out museum collections and galleries specializing in this stuff. I still have a preference for the clean lines of furniture and the luminescent glazes on pots, especially those by Pilkington and Rookwood. Miller has brought together in this beautifully produced volume more than a thousand examples of design and craft, with detailed descriptions and notes and a list of "Key Features" for various artists and studios. Approximate values also are included, though I'm happy just to look at the pictures. If you're trying to learn about the Arts & Crafts movement, this would be a good visual textbook.

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

5 comments about Warman's Depression Glass: A Value And Identification Guide.

1. The book has a good indication of the value of today's worth.
   Good for the beginner of Depression Glass investigating.



2. This publication is very useful to me because I am a beginner collector and it contains the information needed to identify true depression glass pieces.



3. This is the second book I have purchased on depression glass. The first was the book by Gene Florence. This book is much easier to see the designs. It has a shape guide that is very helpful as well as a box on each pattern with a black and white illustration of the pattern of the plate. If you just buy one book on depression glass, this should be it.



4. HERE IS A BOOK THA TPLACES ANYTHING GENE FLORENCE HAS PUT OUT TO SHAME. EASY TO USE. MANY PATTERNS THAT FLORENCE NEVER "BOTHERS" WITH. IF YOU ARE NEW OR A SEASONED PRO WITH DEPRESSION GLASS. HERE IS A BOOK THAT WILL HELP!!!!!!



5. This brand new, 256 page soft bound volume contains over 150 black and white photos and more than 400 full color, large, sharp photos. It covers more than 150 of the most popular Depression glass patterns and offers more than 10,000 up-to-date values !! The book's layout is nice, with very large colorful headings in each section. There's a good introduction to the collectible, and interesting and useful company time-lines, color time-lines, resources, references, color identification guide, shape guide and thumbnail guide. These tools will help you locate the things you seek. Patterns and items range from Adam, American Fostoria, Cloverleaf, Dewdrop and Fire King, to Petalware, Pineapple, Queen Mary, Radiance, Waterford and Windsor. The book is designed to be useful for the novice as well as the expert. Ellen Schroy is truly an expert when it comes to antique glassware. This updated book has a lot to offer depression glass enthusiasts. Add it to your collectibles library. You'll find it easy-to-use and fascinating.

2 comments about Griswold Cast Iron Vol. #1.

1. This book it great for learning how to recognize great finds and how to ascertain the values in collectors' circle. You may have to thumb through the pages to find the items; but, that in itself is a learning experience. The history of the industry is as valuable as the prices of the pieces. And you won't find this much experience in cast iron between any other cast iron books (if you can find any other cast iron books).



2. I was sorry that I ordered this book. Information is not organized well and incomplete. Prices do not compare accurately to internet auction prices.

5 comments about Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards 2007: The Hobby's Biggest And Best Price Guide (Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards).

1. Was eagerly anticipating receipt of the book, but only received an empty envelope and a note from the USPS indicating that the envelope was empty. Don't know if I was more upset that the seller did not ship the book by a reliable method, or, that I received such a stupid note from the USPS. Maybe, I'll try to purchase this catalog from another vendor.
   
   To the seller's credit, they immediately issued a full credit to my credit card.



2. If you're looking for a one-volume price guide -- this is the one. Period. Forget about Beckett.



3. An excellent and quite comprehenwive listing of baseball cards and their values. In fact there is only one set I know of, reviewed by Mr. Lemke a year ago in Sports Collectors Digest, that was not included in the catalog. Still, I would recommend it most highly.



4. The book is better than most, of course, but it doesn't list many cards. For example, in the 2005 issue, there were cards listed, but in the 2007 issue, those cards were removed for some reason. Plus, in my initial issue, the pages were out of order in about 100 page increments. Thank goodness Amazon replaced it for me and the second issue was correctly paged.



5. I ordered this for my baseball card collecting husband and am very disappointed because the pages are not in order. There is a very large section of pages out of sequence. It makes it very difficult for my husband to rate and price his cards. I would love to return this defective book for a correct one! Then perhaps my confidence in ordering through Amazon would be restored.
   Thank you!
   Regina Bartels

3 comments about Jeweler's Resource : A Reference of Gems, Metals, Formulas and Terminology for Jewelers (Revised Edition) (Jewelry Crafts) (Jewelry Crafts).

1. Whether you are a Professional Jeweler or a student this book has all the technical info you need...
   
   Alloys, Flux and Solders
   How long do you cut the band for a size 7 ring?
   
   Just loads of stuff!!! THE Jewelery Reference Book!



2. This is a must have for anyone at all interested in jewellery and its sidelines. The amount of information at hand is absolutely wonderful and does save a lot of precious time by having all the info so readily to hand.



3. Excellent content, a must have for the serious jeweler, student or craft person. Covers a multitude of areas not found in other books. This book should be at the top of anyones list that has an interest in making or designing jewelry.

3 comments about Scott Travers' Top 88 Coins to Buy and Sell: 44 Winners and 44 Losers.

1. I would have given the book four stars but for one issue (and it's minor.) The winners should have been in one part and the losers in another. But there was a winner on the left page and a loser on the right page.
   
   I found the book highly useful. I'm not a coin collector. To the extent that I love history and money, I love coins. They have a history. They are a part of history. Some are indeed beautiful. But my interest is that of an investor. And this book is great for either the collector or the investor.
   
   It gives a brief glimpse into each coin. It shows a picture of the coin and tells you why it's either a winner or a loser. Also, it tells you the approximate price you can expect to pay for it. You probably would want a more up-to-date guide as to buy and sell prices to accompany the book.
   
   Be sure and note the condition of the coin. The book makes clear what condition you should buy. You would want to avoid anything but those in most cases.
   
   Also, a most valuable glossary is at the back of the book. I find all the terms used in coin collecting completely offsetting as I know so little about it. This glossary is a great guide that you can quickly go to.
   
   I promise you, this book will help you to avoid the many mistakes that we all make in buying coins.
   
   Highly recommended.



2. I enjoyed the book, however the author is obviously an expert in coin collecting. Several things were mentioned that really don't apply to the "NEW" coin collector.



3. Should you buy the second edition of this book? At $13.95, YES! Is it well written? Yes. If you are planing to spend serious money and are looking for specific advice on what coins to buy or not buy, this is the book for you! It covers all price ranges. It's easy to read and fun to read! It's a popular book and at this writing 40 new and used copies are available on Amazon.
   
   However, it needs an aggressive editor who knows coins! Hopefully, a future third edition will include that! Unfortunately, there is no Table of Contents and no Index in this book. The pairings of Winners and Losers could be improved upon. Winner #17 Better-date silver dollars and Winner #38 1885-CC Morgan dollars graded Mint State 65 should have been paired up with Loser #18 Generic Morgan dollars graded Mint State 65, 66, or 67, Loser #25 Common date Peace dollars graded MS 63 & 64, Loser #26 Picked-through rolls of uncirculated silver dollars, Loser #35 1887/6 Morgan dollar graded MS 64 and higher, and Loser #44 1924-S, 1925-S, and 1928-S Peace Dollars graded MS 65. The explanation for the last loser alone is worth the price of this book! Needless to say, Scott Travers is not advocating that you complete your sets if you are investing in coins!
   
   Another example of the need for editing is Winner #9 Proof 66 nickel three-cent pieces could have been combined with Winner #35 Nickel three-cent pieces certified as Mint State 66 or 67.
   
   Commemorative coins are also scattered throughout the book. Examples are Winner #2 Lafayette dollars graded MS 65 and Winner #15 Isabella quarter MS 65. But, one wonders why not MS 64 coins at half of the price? Examples of losers are Loser #2 Iowa commemorative half dollar MS 65 and Loser #34 Sets of 1946 through 1951 Booker T. Washington commemorative half dollars. Given the explanations, one wonders whether MS 66 & 67 coins would be worthwhile? And there goes the idea of owning a complete collection! There's also worthwhile advice on Buffalo nickels and gold coins.
   
   One controversial loser. Loser #24 is Proof coins priced excessively high because their business-strike counterparts are scarce. It gives the example of the 1877 Indian cent with 900 issued as being excessively priced at $15,000 in Poof 65 RED. However, why not recommend an 1877 Indian cent in PF Red/Brown for $6,500 as opposed to paying $28,500 for the 1877 in Mint State 65 RED or $11,000 in MS 65 RB? It appears Scott Travers is advocating that we don't mix uncirculated and proof coins in our collections. But how does that advice against proofs match up with his Winner #5 1856 Flying Eagle cent in Proof 63, 64, or 65? Or Winner #12 1936 Walking Liberty half dollar in Proof 65 currently priced at $6,000, a much newer coin with more than four times as many coins issued (3901) as the 1877 Indian?