2 comments about Majolica: A Complete History and Illustrated Survey.

1. First saw this magnificent volume at a collector's home, and had to acquire a copy for my library as inspiration for my own artistic endeavors with majolica.



2. People all over the world treat this as the "Bible" of Victorian Majolica. It is the best.

5 comments about The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide, 30e (Official Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide).

1. By the time any price guide is printed it is already out of date. The prices for comics from the 1960's to older is fairly accurate. Older comic prices usually have very little change from year to year. The thing is anybody who has older comics probably doesn't need to purchase a new guide. If you have newer comics the prices in the guide can vary wildly in their accuracy. To me the best part of Overstreet is using it as a shopping resource. It is great for identifying comics.



2. I've collected comic books for over fifteen years and I have found through my experience that Overstreet's Price Guide serves the purpose of grading comics best. One the opening articles of the guide is decicated to grading comics. This includes grading terminology with a succinct description of each major grade(Near Mint, Very Fine, etc.), factors that will influence the price of a comic(for example, high-grade comics will generally be sold for 50% to 100% over the listed guide price), tips on how to put a collection together as well as sell a collection ( for instance, the guide indicated which category of books would need to be listed individually when selling to a dealer), and a report of some of the top comic book sales of the previous year, plus much more. In my opinion, these opening articles embody the fundamentals of comic book collecting and are required reading for anyone seriously entering the hobby. The Overstreet Guide is also more thoroughly illustrated with black and white photos of comic covers than any other guide I've seen.

   Whether I've bought or sold books (I'm not a professional dealer, by the way, I simply sell books from my collection from time to time to generate cash for a new comic I really want) I've always found that the prices and particularly the grading standards listed in the Overstreet Guide are what is almost universally excepted by collector and dealer alike.

   I've consistently found the listings in the guide to be thorough and complete. Overstreet makes a concerted effort to indicated which issues have artists and key events that many collectors are looking for(An example would be: N.Adams art, 1st appearance Ras Al Gul). Of course, everyone has their own opinion of which issues are most important, but Overstreet does a fine job of listing the ones that most people demand, and there are many. A previouse review indicated that the Platinum Age listings may be incomplete. However, I believe there is an article preceeding this listing that indicates that, because material from this period is so rare, the listing is more than likely incomplete. Additionally, the author invites any collectors who have issues from this period that are not included in the listing to contact the author so that the new information can be incorporated into the new edition. Another reviewer felt that the listing for Modern Age comics was also lacking. There may be two reasons for this. First, the edition you purchase takes several months to prepare, and when it is published, it represents the activity in the comic book market for the previous year. The Modern Age issues in question may have been published durning the period of time that the guide does not cover. Second, the comics produced in the last ten years, with a few exceptions, represent, in my experience, a very glutted market. Supply of these books far surpasses demand. Thus, most of these books don't experience much of a price increase. So it's possible that a book published within the last couple of years that hasn't increased above its cover price in value may not be included in the guide. What would be the point? And in either case, these issues will more than likely be included in a future edition.

   As regards the claim that Mr. Overstreet "fixes" the prices in the guide to suit his personal interests, who can really say? What can be said is this: only a person who has a thorough knowledge of and an avid interest in the medium (i.e. a collector) could produce a comprehensive grading and price guide for the use of other collectors. I can't imagine a guide put together by someone who had absolutely no interest in the hobby. Where whould such a person get his information from? He'ld have to depend on other collectors and thus you'ld more than likely have the same charge of conspiracy all over again. Mr. Overstreet evidently has not only the the knowledge and interest but the experience as well as the knowledge and experience of his many adivsors. He's just as qualified, if not more so, than anyone else.

   Let me provide a word of caution. The Overstreet Guide contains numerous dealer advertisements. Some are genuinely strict graders and provide excellent products and service (Four Color Comics and Metropolis Comics are two of these). However, there are many who are VERY liberal in their grading and whose claim of "unconditional money back guarantee" quickly evaporates when you try and make a return (Want List Comics comes to mind). Buy all means, take advantage of these dealer listings, but do so with carefully.

   To conclude, I sincerely feel the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide is the best available. If your serious about collecting comics, it's a valuable tool for buying, selling, and personal research. I've learned much from just going through the guide page by page and discovering books I never thought existed. Additionally, it's more than likely that at some point in your collecting you'll have to deal with someone who uses this guide a the standard.




3. Overstreet is the bible for collectors of comic books; a sad fact, considering how lopsided its representation of comic book publishers is. I accept that not everything printed can be represented in a guide, but from the look of Overstreet, everything from either Marvel or DC can be- even a recent Marvel title which had poor sales and remains in low demand is represented here at its original cover price, but where are the independent titles which have enjoyed a substantial share of the same market? Where is the Gold Digger, for example, whose sales held strong even during the B&W bust, and which remains in demand today? It's not a bad guide, really... but for the $22 US cover price, I expect something more thorough.



4. I suppose if you collect modern comics this book is all you need. Sadly, it all but ignores the earliest comics published between 1900 and 1935. The token list in the Platinum section is better than nothing but just barely. These early comics deserve more space in the guide. My guess is that Mr. Overstreet owns none of these books so he has no incentive to list them.



5. As always, The Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide proves to be one of the best resources for the comic book enthusiast.

5 comments about The 3rd Edition Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers.

1. Though this book looks nice, and has lots of pictures, seems to be dud in my case. It does not list the one amp that I was hoping to find...a Pignose Crossmix 150R. This is a vintage amp designed by Paul Rivera in 1980 or so. It's not even mentioned.
   
   Other than that, the book is okay I guess. The layout is a little confusing to work through, but eventually you can find most things you are looking for. It might be helpful to me one day. But for now, it's probably going to be a coffee table book.



2. This a rehash of the first edition with little change. If you have the 1st edition don't waste your money. 2003? How about a new one?!



3. This book is a companion to the Fjestad's Blue Books of electric and acoutic guitars. Hundreds of different amplifier models, their wattages, tube complement, features and prices are discussed. The entrys are simple to understand and also contain a short history of each amplifier brand. While Marshall and Fender are the two most famous brands of amplifiers that come to mind, this book also covers lesser known brands and rare brands such as Carr and Dumble.
   
   This book is a must for the Guitarist and amp collector. This book has given me amny insights into my amp collection which consists of a 1965 Fender Bandmaster, a 1969 Fender Twin Reverb, a 1980's Fender Vibro Champ, a Marshall Mercury, a Marshall JCM 900 combo and a tweed Fender Pro Junior. This book includes interviews with Paul Reed Smith and Mike Soldano.



4. I would have to say that I will definatley be looking foward to the 2nd edition of this book. It was well written, easy to read, and to understand for those out there who do not possess a great deal of knowladge about amps. Zach Fjestad, a new and upcoming author, definatly shows that he has what it takes to put out a sucessfull book. Watch for other things by him in the future.



5. Oddly enough, before this new 1st Edition, no such manual ever existed for the vintage amp market. Over the years, buyers and sellers alike have had to possess either a gurulike knowledge of the market, or, as is more frequently the case, rely on conjecture and guesswork to determine what different amplifiers are worth.
   So it's with a great sigh of relief that we welcome the Blue Book of Guitar Amplifiers - this guide boasts more than 300 pages and features interviews with experts, a glossary of amp-related terms, a full color photo gallery, concise manufacturer histories, and most importantly, current real market values of innumerable amps, from Acoustic (remember them?) to Zapp (no, I've never heard of them either). Of course, this 1st Edition provides the going price for virtually every mode of Fender, Hiwatt, Marshall, Supro, and Vox, and boasts a section devoted to speaker cabinets. Pretending you know what you're talking about has never been easier!

5 comments about B.J. Summer's Guide To Coca-Cola (B J Summer's Guide to Coca Cola Identification).

1. I recently had the opportunity to review another company's Coca Cola collectibles book, they too a well respected publisher of antique and collectibles books and there's no doubt about it, the B.J.Summers Sixth Edition guide has got that one beat hands down. This is a thoroughly beautiful book. Hardcover, thick, glossy stock pages, and fantastic photography highlight this book.
   
   The introduction provides legend keys to the condition as well as the source of the item's value which I think is very important. Summers lets the reader know if the value came from a collector, a completed auction, a dealer, or the author himself. The book then presents 46 different item categories, everything from signs, bottles, calendars and trays, to more eclectic items like Jewelry, no-drip protectors, and ashtrays. There's also a miscellaneous chapter for items that don't fit into one of the other 45 categories.
   
   I was absolutely fascinated by the number of items pictured in the book. With nearly 300 pages and as many as 10 items pictured per page, there are literally thousands of different Coke items pictured. The signage is simply fantastic, particularly those featuring celebrities such as Eddie Fisher and jazz musician Lionel Hampton. In all there are 82 pages of signs alone. Does it picture EVERY Coca Cola sign ever made? Of course not, but what book does? Still even if you have one that isn't pictured, you should be able to find one similar that you can use as a basis for value.
   
   I really enjoyed the section on coolers and those bright, red coolers of days gone by. I remembered the old Coke cooler we used to have back in the early 70's. Like a lot of people, I love the Coke Santa items, especially those great ads by Haddon Sundblom which look great framed and are still very affordable today.
   
   The problems are few and minor. The categories could have been laid out in alphabetical order but instead there seems to be little rhyme or reason to the order. That said, it's still a truly wonderful book that will delight collectors or just plain fans of nostalgia.
   
   Reviewed by Tim Janson



2. This was a very helpful and informative guide to Coca-Cola collectibles. I would highly recommend it to any serious collector. Full of valuable information.



3. We have quite a few old Coke signs and none were in this guide. We were disappointed to say the least.



4. Pros: Extensive selection of signs and cardboard items with lots of nice colour photos throughout. Many items in this book aren't in Petrettis, so it makes a good companion. All up I am happy with this book and use it regularly to price and check items.
   
   Cons: The book is hoplessely laid out and it can be very hard to find items as it seems there is no logic to the order items are listed or displayed. It seems the entire book is largely made up from the collection of one or two private collections and as such prices can be inflated compared to market values, plus many items are missing simply because these collectors didn't feel they are important enough. As with most other Coca-cola collectors books this one is entirely US centric with very little information on foreign items.



5. *****April 2005 UPDATE: "Could be great" but after seeing the 5th edition, the publisher has taken a book with great potential and flushed that potential down the toilet. What they did was gloss up the paper and make it look old-fashioned (it doesn't work for me, but maybe it will for others), but the huge mistake is that they actually dropped a significant number of items from the book and went overboard hiking up the price values! If you are a serious collector, browse through the 5th edition at a bookstore, before buying it. END UPDATE*****
   
   This guide has great potential, but somebody should do some usability studies on it to make it better. It's a chore finding a specific item. For example, collector trays: I still can't figure out what logic was used to arrange/order them in the book. By title? By name? The index at the back of the book is incomplete and often worthless. For example, there's a whole section on blotters in the front index, but try finding "blotter" in the back index.
   
   Prices are conservative. Unrealistically low in many cases.
   
   There are items that aren't found in other guides, and the color pix are exceptional. I really like this guide, but it has design flaws that need to be fixed.

No comments about Classic Guitars: Identification and Price Guide (Classic Guitars: Identification & Price Guide).

5 comments about Encyclopedia of Bisque Nancy Ann Storybook Dolls: 1936-1947, Identification & Values.

1. Anybody interested in collecting Nancy Ann dolls must have this book which chronicles the history of these beautiful dolls and is chock full of photos and helpful information.



2. This is a wonderful book, especially for the beginning collector. It is mainly a catalog of color photographs of dolls by style number, sometimes showing as many as ten variations of one doll in different costumes. There also is historical information on the evolution of the dolls and ways to identify the various body molds.
   
   This is a true ''encyclopedia'' of every Nancy Ann doll know to exist. I found it an excellent source for identifying dolls from the 1940s which I had found in the attic.
   
   I purchased another Nancy Ann book which is far inferior and which I never use. If you want to buy just one Nancy Ann book, this is it. If you have others, this would be a fine addition to your library and probably the only one you'll ever need for reference.



3. It is easy to tell that a lot went into this beautifully illustrated book. I didn't realize until I went through this book how many dolls of this type there were. I was disappointed that I was only able to identify one of my storybook dolls. Still recommend this book for the avid Nancy Ann Storybook doll collector.



4. Excellent book to inform you and to identify what you are looking at.



5. Ever since the early fifties I have had Nancy Ann Storybook dolls and this book is a must own for anyone interested in these dolls, if for no other reason than it boggles the mind to see how many of these dolls were made, and for all ethnic groups which is interesting when one considers black and Asian dolls were almost unheard of in the pre-60's days. Today I must have about twenty five of the dolls including a Nun doll but haven't been able to find the black doll that had the blue and white plaid dress which I had as a child. My dolls are heirlooms that will be passed down to family members who appreciate the workmanship. The book has so much information on the start of the company and how even during WW2 they were big sellers. And the photos are awesome.

No comments about Instant Expert: Collecting Baseball and Other Sports Cards (Instant Expert (Random House)).

3 comments about The Secret of Collecting Girls' Series Books: Featuring Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, Kay Tracey, Beverly Gray, Penny Parker, and Ruth Fielding.

1. I ordered Secret of Collecting Girls Series books as well as All About Collecting Girls Series Books, both by John Axe... Well, after ordering both of the books, I found out that Secret of.... is just the first edition. It contains info on Ruth Fielding, Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, Beverly Gray, Kay Tracey, Penny Parker and I think Cherry Ames. {I say "I think" because the book got returned, but I know it at least goes up to Penny Parker} Problem is, this EXACT SAME INFORMATION is found in All About Collecting... with the addition of three or four other girls' series books. I felt [disappointed] because the two books are obviously just a first edition and a second edition with some added material. I've never heard of a 2nd edition being RENAMED something else, albeit a similar title. So word to the wise. If you don't care about the other series mentioned in All About (Vicki Barr, Connie Blair, & Dana Girls) then get this book and save a few dollars. But do NOT get them both thinking they are "companion" books as inferred on several web sites.



2. John has put together a book packed with information and beautiful pictures. Confused about the various art covers on Girks' series books? Problem solved. John does an excellent job explaining the different covers and each one is illustrated in beautiful color photographs.

   Buy it for the information. Share it for the photographs. The pictures alone make this a great book for the coffee table. Even non collectors will enjoy seeing the beautiful dust jackets from the books they enjoyed as children.

   Worth so much more than the price. John presents his material in a straight forward easy to understand format. John's book is a must have for serious collectors, but non collectors will enjoy it just as much.

   I bought it, and I love it. The only regret I have is I wish I would have bought it sooner.




3. The title of this book may mislead some readers to believe that it covers many girls' series books, when in reality it covers only the following: Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton, Kay Tracey, Beverly Gray, Penny Parker, and Ruth Fielding. (The subtitle of the book indicates that these series are featured, but it is still not necessarily clear that they are the only series in the book.) That being said, this book is clearly a labor of love by a person who knows what he's talking about. There is intelligent discussion on collecting books, cleaning old books, estimating values, and different formats.

   And then... the pictures. This book includes full color photographs of all the book covers in their various incarnations. For instance, on one page are placed the FOUR different covers for Nancy Drew's "The Clue of the Broken Locket." It's fun to see how the covers evolved over the years, and the author offers much historical information about the cover artists, the Stratemeyer Syndicate in general, and the various editions in which the books have been offered. The other series mentioned above are treated in a similar manner. Overall this is an attractively designed book that can give pleasure whether you browse leisurely or read closely. Enjoy!

2 comments about Gun Digest 2003 (Gun Digest, 2003).

1. I got this for my husband and he had the following to say about the book.It has good detail, very informative, and has good pictures and illistrations, is easy to understand.



2. Excellent reference book for gun owners and collectors.

2 comments about Collector's Guide to Classic O Gauge Trains (Collector's Guide to Classic O-Gauge Trains).

1. A nice reference guide book for a variety of great American O gauge toy trains. While it doesn't exhaustingly list every piece produced by each manufactor it provides a good cost reference for general pieces. Some of the manufactors are not very well represented (i.e. Hafner, Dorfan) and the color pictures only cover a few examples of each company's trains. Still, for the price, it is an essential general reference for the collector.



2. This book is well done. It has clear photos, and is super-organized and delightfully written. The U.S. toy train industry grew and changed since the beginning of the 20th Century until the 1960 downturn. This book covers this time period and is a fine cross-section of all the major (and some minor) manufacturers and the history behind them from their genesis, who merged with whom, and who lost out in the long haul. I highly recommend this splendid toy train overview to the many amateur and professional collectors out there who will have a definite interest in this excellent publication. It's author, David Doyle, has researched the subject! From one model train collector to another, get this book. I give it a Fiver!