No comments about Making Construction Vehicles for Kids: Complete Plans and Assembly Drawings for Eight Toys that Really Move.

4 comments about Kokigami: Performance Enhancing Adornments for the Adventurous Man.

1. This book is dedicated to the intimate art of the little paper costume. This is not origami and is closer to paper dolls. The book is nicely laid out and the introduction maintains the illusion of this being a true ancient artform. What is the artform? Well, it is to cut out and assemble little costumes or disguises to be placed over the erect male member.
   
   The costumes span quite a rangr from a pig to a space shuttle. Most of the book is taken up with the heavy printed pages that comprise the parts of the costumes. If you were to actually go ahead with one of these constructions, the dicrections are quite simple and clear. Just watch out for paper cuts.
   
   All in all there are 14 models. The are The Dragon, The Cock (rooster), The Squid, The Moth, The Pig, The Fish, The Horse, The Dog, The Rose, The Car, The Steam Engine, The Space Shuttle, The Fire Engine and The Private Investigator.



2. This is a laugh-out-loud satire of eastern mysticism sex guides that take their subject way too seriously. Repeat: satire. There is no ancient Japanese erotic art of penis puppetry although the authors cleverly include an academic-sounding history and so forth, a la "Why Cats Paint" and other books by these tongue-in-cheek art critic / historians. (Must get ahold of their "Kama Sutra for Cats" some time). Anyway, this book is a scream, really. And there are little models complete with haiku dialogue you can try at home! Brilliant. Especially recommended as a gag gift to those of Asian descent sick and tired of having people around them ask about their "ancient Chinese secrets" and so forth.



3. Costumes. For your phallic appendage. These are puppets specifically designed for the male's eleventh digit. The colors in this book are quite vibrant. I think the authors are serious (though the pictures on their web site show them grinning quite deviously). A search of the web for the term "kokigami" indeed turns up over 700 hits (many duplicates). The whole idea of kokigami is just weird. It underscores that cultures can have radical differences.

   I once read a book: Kokigami,
   full of puppets to dress a salami,
   of interest, sure,
   if you have thoughts impure,
   to lasciviously cavort on tatami.




4. Almost everyone is familiar with origami, the art of paper folding, but kokigami is a [bird]... of an entirely different feather. The first definitive instructional guide to this ancient Japanese art, KOKIGAMI brings to life-quite literally-this most mysterious practice from the Orient. Written specifically for Westerners, KOKIGAMI contains 14 beautiful little paper costumes that are a delight to make and a rare pleasure to use. The authors' writings on the history and lore of the art will intrigue anyone interested in Japanese paper arts, and the costumes themselves will fascinate and inspire those eager to add new and exciting dimensions to their intimate relationships.
   64 pages - Full-color illustrations.

No comments about Tim Hawkinson.

5 comments about Carving & Painting An Heirloom Santa.

1. I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience. This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santa carvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to do these projects. Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project is logically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under your belt, you'll do all right. One criticism I have is that most of the sequence photos on the project are in color. For me, color is actually distracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth in a carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however, that should inspire. Painting technique is a bit complex, but yields distinctive results. One final thought...Bolinger's preface story about leaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strong temptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood!



2. I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience. This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santa carvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to do these projects. Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project is logically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under your belt, you'll do all right. One criticism I have is that most of the sequence photos on the project are in color. For me, color is actually distracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth in a carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however, that should inspire. Painting technique is a bit complex, but yields distinctive results. One final thought...Bolinger's preface story about leaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strong temptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood!



3. I am on the finishing details of the featured santa project in this book, so I write from first-hand experience. This book describes (with both photos and captions) techniques to do highly detailed and stylized Santa carvings. You definitely need more than a benchknife and a v-tool to do these projects. Nevertheless, the progression of steps in the project is logically laid out, and if you have some carving experience under your belt, you'll do all right. One criticism I have is that most of the sequence photos on the project are in color. For me, color is actually distracting -- clear B&W photos reveal much more the sense of depth in a carving. There is a very good color gallery of other Santas, however, that should inspire. Painting technique is a bit complex, but yields distinctive results. One final thought...Bolinger's preface story about leaving his software executive job to carve full-time can be a strong temptation for a lot of us who like to work with wood!



4. The illustrations are excellent and this book is very well written, but the techniques are sophisticated. The painting, in particular, is done with oils rather than the more common acrylics. It makes a beautiful product, but is difficult for the casual amateur to accomplish. I only rate it lower because of the difficulty in replicating the painting.



5. I would reccomend this book for someone looking to carve a larger european style Santa. The project detailed in the book is not diffiuclt, but it is time consuming due to its size. The painting techniques contained in this book are among the best I have found.

5 comments about Engagement & Wedding Rings: The Definitive Buying Guide for People in Love.

1. This is a great reference book if all you know about engagement rings is what the four "c's" stand for. The tables were the most helpful references and it is written so you can reference areas you want most to learn about. There is more than enough information, including a lot of history and information on other stones other than diamonds. It even gave me a dollar range to expect, which was the biggest unknown for me.



2. Excellent book. A must for anyone purchasing an engagement or wedding ring.



3. I purchased this book along with the book Diamond Ring buying guide by Renee Newman. This book only contained B/W diagram drawings and described the 'flaw's that diamonds have. Hello? dianmonds are not B/W diagram drawings, that little dot on the drawing tells me nothing!
   The book seems to ramble and drone on and on about diamonds, like a good old high school history book. Of all the 14 pages of color photos, there are 6 pages dedicated to 'designer rings' and the rest are just photos of different styles of jewelery. What does a yellow diamond look like? What about a diamond that was cut incorrectly? A simple line drawing does not help at all.
   I found Newman's book much more detailed and well written than this book. Newman has many photos, practically the entire book is made up of color photos of diamonds and flawed diamonds (so you know that to look for).
   If you have a lot of time on your hands and don't mind a boring book, then buy this book, other wise Newman has condensed this 300 page book into just a mere 150 pages or so into hers.



4. This book was really helpful in making me feel comfortable shopping for a ring for my girlfriend.

   I also used howtoproposemarriage. com to come up with a proposal that knocked her socks off.




5. After reading quite a few books in this category; I found Matlins book informative but not practical in the real world. The book was in my opinion too generalized and wasn't what I needed, i.e. expert advise on how to buy a top quality diamond from a reputable jeweler at the best price. If you want to learn about the history of the diamond the book might pass but won't tell you what you need to know if your out shopping for one.

No comments about The Art of Ceramics: European Ceramic Design 1500-1830 (Bard Graduate Centre for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture).

4 comments about Tiffany Silver Flatware 1845-1905.

1. This is the Bible for Tiffany collectors but it also has a history of the purpose of each piece of flatware.



2. For all silver lovers, not just Tiffany lovers. Beautiful book, beautifully produced. Pictures could not be better.



3. This is a terrific book! It covers the complete spectrum of Tiffany silver flatware from 1845 to 1905. It's lavishly illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and original pattern drawings. It covers the full-line patterns, the not-full-line patterns, and the custom patterns made for the likes of the Vanderbilts and the Hearsts.

   The book breaks the patterns down by designer: early pieces by retailers Polhamus, Hebbard, Gorham, Moore and others; the major designers Edward Moore, Charles Grosjean, and Paulding Parnham. It shows the various place pieces in standard patterns, as well as covering the extensive amount of fabulous and rare serving and other odd pieces (how many of you own a scallop serving fork?) There are also several useful appendices, including: Flatware Terminology; Glossary of Technical Terms; Tiffany Flatware Markings; and a Tiffany Chronology. As well, a thorough index makes it easy to find patterns or pieces you are looking for.

   All in all this is the perfect book for the collector of this wonderful silver. It does not contain pricing information, which is a good thing in this day and age of online auctions, as such pricing info is often outdated by the time the book reaches the press. The only problem I had after reading it was that I wanted to own everything in the book! Don't hesitate, buy it!




4. This book is a superb work. The authors have filled a major void in the literature concerning the history of American decorative arts. The quality of the research and textual insights make this book essential reading for anyone interested in Tiffany silverware or the latter 19th century of American craftsmanship. The photography is so magnificent that I repeatedly find myself leafing through this book to admire the beauty of this flatware of a bygone era. A great read...a beautiful coffee table book...a classic in every respect.

2 comments about Shelley Tea Ware Patterns.

1. Though a little expensive, this book is a "must have" resource for any Shelley collector. As an avid collector myself, I use this book on a daily basis and have found it to be 99.99% accurate on patterns and descriptions. It does appear that the dollar value placed on items may be a little high, but that may be due to the fact the author lives in England and her values in pounds need to be "translated" into current dollar equivalency. Highly recommended resource for a Shelley collector!



2. This is a great reference book for Shelley china collectors. It shows pattern shapes, pattern numbers and color photos of the hundreds of Shelley tea sets. Great for a beginning collector or for someone who wants
   to catalog their collection. Also,it gives the history of the Shelley company from 1860 to its end in 1966. I like this reference book the best of all the Shelley books I have collected.

No comments about Henry Moore Tapestries.

4 comments about The Collector's Encyclopedia of Salt & Pepper Shakers: Figural and Novelty.

1. One of the first (and one of the best) books I bought on S&P collecting. It has a wonderful section of S&P Condiment Sets, from those I have & can afford, to those I hope to find at a bargain basement cost. The Black Americana section is also very good. The value section has sent me back to antique shops to buy S&Ps I thought too costly, but were a good deal in the long run. High recommended for all.



2. I guess the book is ok if you like ugly salt shakers. It sure wasn't worth the $20 to me that I paid for it. 90% of them, I wouldn't take for free.



3. This is my favorite book on salt & pepper shakers, and I have quite a few! There are so many sets pictured, I keep finding a set I hadn't seen before every time I look through this book. The pictures are great, as are the descriptions! Definitely recommend!



4. This book is definately for anyone who is looking for a wealth of information about novelty salt and pepper shakers. Since this book was published in 1990, the values may not be as up to date as later books, but I have yet to see another shaker book with so much other information about the shakers themselves. The shakers are photographed in related groups sitting on 4-5 glass shelves with a solid-colored background. The pictures are excellent. The entire first page of each section contains a detailed description of the shakers pictured with the values for each listed at the bottom of the page. The description are truly wonderful and must have been thoroughly researched. That is the best part of this book. Ms. Davern talks about the background of many of the shakers as well as of the company that made them. She also mentions other related shakers that are not pictured in some cases. There are very few collectible salt and pepper shaker books that one can truly say is enjoyable reading. However, this is a wonderful book to just sit and read through due to Ms. Davern's descriptions, personal views, and beautiful pictures. This book is a must for any novelty salt and pepper shaker collector.