5 comments about North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment.

1. This huge book, published in stunning quality (here meaning basic binding and materials quality as well as quality of photos), covers an enormous range of tribes and artifact types. It focuses most on the 18th and 19th centuries, though you will find references and photos on items ranging from ancient to modern. I like the blend of the topical and regional approaches the author takes. I was particularly happy about the coverage of beaded artifacts. This is a keeper and works equally well as a casual coffee table picture book or serious study material. If there is a shortcoming, it is that I was hoping for more coverage of Eastern woodland tribes.
   
   My initial copy arrived from Amazon with a torn dust cover and broken binding. Amazon shipped a replacement immediately. In spite of the problems with the first copy, I can still comment on the quality of the book. The paper is high-quality, the binding is based on well-sewn signatures, the end cover papers are sufficiently heavy for a book of this size, and the reproduction quality of the photographs is just superb.



2. My brother-in-law has the exact same title book,his book has over 600 pages! I ordered the book thinking that I would get a similar copy at a great price. I did not realize that I was purchasing an condensed version. The information in the book, although somewhat sparse is good. Thank you.



3. A few years back I signed up for a class in silversmithing which soon became addictive. In addition to that interest, I have always been interested in primitive art such as that of the American Indians, the cave drawings, Australian Aboriginal art or spiritual drawings. These forms of spirituality and art or of art are very powerful. I have chosen to concentrate my silversmithing designs toward the designs I see from these primitive peoples. The book, North American Indian Jewelry and Adornment has proven to be very helpful toward that aim. In addition to that, it's just plain good reading.



4. This gorgeous book is indeed indispensable, especially if "read" visually. Unfortunately, quite a few of the tribal attributions for historic objects (information given to the author by museums) are wrong. Given the scope of this project, Dubin had little choice but to take often out-dated info at face value rather than do her own research. However, readers should keep this caveat in mind when using this work as a reference.



5. This book is a must-have for anyone serious about studying Native American cultures. It is a fun read, while still being absolutely crammed with information. It's clear the author put in a lot of time and work to master her subject. Not to mention, the artwork featured in the book is beautiful. I love to breeze through it when I've had a hard day, just to feel my spirits lift looking at such amazing works of art. You will learn so much and enjoy the journey enormously.

5 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Hull Pottery.

1. this book tells you all you need to know about hull pottery



2. Though a fairly thorough bibliography of the Hull Pottery organization, this book is way too old(circa 1980!) to accurately depict today's collector market. Perhaps a collector's item now in itself, this book is in dire need of updating and revision. Referring to this edition as an "Encyclopedia" is an insult to readers and collector's alike. It also makes no mention of the extremely popular Marcrest "Daisy and Dot" line, for which I had hoped to find
   a complete product listing. I believe Jeff Snyder's "Decades of Design" publication will provide me with this important information.



3. I am a dealer so I use this book for pricing, but whether a dealer or collector this is a good book. Plenty of photos, price guide is right on the mark. I am satisfied with it.



4. I BOUGHT THE BOOK TO IDENTIFY THE HULL VASES WHICH I'VE COLLECTED OVER THE YEARS, BUT I WAS REALLY DISAPPOINTED WHEN I OPENED THIS BOOK. MANY OF THE ITEMS WERE ALMOST UNIDENTIFIABLE, DUE TO WASHED OUT PHOTOS OF THE PASTEL ITEMS - AND THE PASTELS ARE THE ONLY HULL ITEMS WHICH I OWN. I WAS HARD-PRESSED TO BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT. THE YELLOWS, PINKS, GREENS AND LIGHT BLUES ARE SO PALE, AS TO NOT BE ABLE TO TELL WHERE ONE COLOR ENDS AND THE OTHER BEGINS. IN MANY PHOTOS, THERE IS ALMOST AN ABSENCE OF COLOR - EVERYTHING IS JUST A BLUR. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THE NUMBERS ON THE BOTTOMS OF THE VASES I OWN, I'D NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND THEM - CERTAINLY NOT BY THE PICTURES. REALLY POOR EDITING. THOSE PHOTOS SHOULD HAVE BEEN REJECTED AND RE-DONE.



5. If I could purchase only one Hull reference it would be Jeffrey Snyder's Hull Pottery: Decades of Design. The Roberts book uses color photos that look they were taken in the 1950's and in at least one case I was unable to ID a piece because of the graniness of the photo. She does include some pieces Synder's book does not and vice versa. I have found using one book to supplement the other the best bet.

5 comments about Treasury of Ironwork Designs: 469 Examples from Historical Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This book is chock full of illustrations! It has gates, doors, door arches, stair railings, and fence sections. It runs the gamut from simple to very intricate designs. If you are a designer, this is a great resource. If you just appreciate design, you will enjoy browsing through it.



2. I enjoyed this very much. I wish there could have been more photographs, but that would have been a different book. This is almost exclusively line drawings.

   Very helpful and informative. Warning: trying to duplicate these in decorative metal today is *expensive*. Architectural salvage might be more affordable than starting from scratch.




3. I have a different use for this book than perhaps the typical buyer. I bought it because I love adapting these iron designs into borders or patterns for my pen and ink drawings and paintings. Each page was such a delight when I discovered this book I bought it immediately. You need not use it as a home furnishings book. It works just as well as an inspiring art book.



4. I've worked in the Ornamental Iron business for 3 years as a designer and business manager. I use this book more than any other for generating some fresh, usually more elaborate design ideas. There are a number of styles represented in the many drawings. If you are interested in seeing unique and interesting wrought iron designs you will not be disappointed.



5. This is the most comprehensive collection of beautiful designs for gates, rails, fences, walls, pillars etc. From my personal opinion, there are some designs within the book that might be even more beautiful than the ones shown on the front cover. The various styles range from quite simple to very complex (flowery type). With over 400 designs, one is sure to find a few that matches his or her own tastes. A great book for homeowners and others. Probably some of these designs could even be used in graphics and other works apart from architecture.

1 comments about Woodcarving: The Beginner's Guide.

1. This is the best book on traditional woodcarving that there is. It was written by a woodcarver from Britain, and was originally published over there. In the book he teaches the proper methods of holding and using the woodcarving chisels. He also teaches proper methods of sharpening and taking care of the chisels. I have been privileged to take two classes from a world-renowned master woodcarver who recommends this book in his classes.

2 comments about Learning How to Scrimshaw.

1. I was somewhat disappointed in this book, it seemed a little sketchy. It was a little light on surface preparation and didn't say anything about actually inking the work. The author stated that this book, or more rightly a booklet, was based on class handouts and it showed it. Still, there is good information to be had if one knows almost nothing about the subject but it is bound to leave you feeling that you need to know more.



2. i took a one week class with ron at campbell folk school. he will make you a belivear in your ability to scrimshaw. i have since actually made $ from my new hobby.highly recomend.

1 comments about Art Nouveau Decorative Ironwork.

1. This is a great book for reference photos! but I was disappointed in the print quality, some photos are faded and one is even blurry (double image) the designs in this book are really inspiring. this book would be a great addition to your collection.

No comments about Contemporary Scrimshaw.

No comments about Ai Weiwei: Works 2004-2007.

4 comments about 50 Easy Weekend Scroll Saw Projects.

1. I wasn't very pleased with the patterns in the book. They were all very similar. There were only a few patterns in the book that I actually liked.



2. This book has been a great pleasure to work from. There is a nice variety of objects to complete, although I would have loved the book to be twice the size!

   For the price, it is a great deal and has patterns that provide something for everyone!

   I highly recommend it!




3. This book covers mostly amatuer to advanced skill levels. It has a few projects for beginers, but not many. If you are not a beginer, this is a great sourse for some cool, fun projects.



4. This is an excellent collection of interesting patterns for the beginning to intermediate scroll saw artist. There is a brief introduction that includes tips on wood selection, use of patterns and finishing. There is also a list of suppliers. Familiarity with the scroll saw process is assumed and the patterns can be resized on a copier to fit your needs. Many of the patterns are versatile and can be used for different applications.

   Although there are a few of the standard cute animal wall hangings, shelves and such I found many different and useful ideas here. There are Chinese character trivets that go with my Oriental themes and a nice puzzle ball. I think the outstanding piece in the book is a free-standing plant stand that can be sized as needed. This beautiful item is shown on the front cover and is a solid piece of furniture that could be enlarged to be an occasional table with a multitude of uses. A wastepaper basket and flower pot stand in a similar style are also included.

   There are a number of very nice corner and wall shelf patterns with sophisticated designs including wildlife and a beautiful ballerina. Another of my favorites is a mirror frame capped with a delicate scroll work pattern. With all the scroll saw pattern books out there I found this one to have plenty of unique and useful projects to make it a welcome addition to any collection.

No comments about Greek Sculpture: The Classical Period, a Handbook (World of Art).