2 comments about Collector's Guide to Lunchboxes: Metal, Vinyl, Plastic: Identification & Values.

1. This covers collectible metal, vinyl and plastic lunchboxes from all eras, including more modern issues, and includes identification and values with small but sharp color photos to aid in the process. Any enthusiast of lunch box collecting will view this as the 'Bible' of lunch box information, important as a desk reference.



2. A brand new, year 2001 book that lunchbox collectors are sure to treasure. It contains 304 pages with more than 1000 very large, sharp, full color photos of every type of lunch box, from metal to vinyl to plastic. Everything is arranged alphabetically for easy location of items. Many of the photos include both the front and back of the lunchboxes to facilitate identification. Manufacturer data is also supplied. Prices appear to be realistic, and the authors have taken actual Internet sales into account when pricing the items. There is sufficient background information provided, of interest to seasoned collectors and the novice. Topics include a Timeline, Major Lunchbox Makers, Care and Cleaning, Artists, How Lunchboxes are Made, and Reproduction Lunchboxes. A glossary and bibiography add to the books usefulness. A very nice, useful reference work.

No comments about Collectible Dolls (Warman's Companion: Collectible Dolls).

1 comments about Lollypop Crowd Paper Dolls.

1. This is a cute set of paper dolls with a lovely 1940's flavor. I was disappointed in the quality of the printing though-- more so of the dolls on the front and back cover than the pages of clothes. The color is rather faded-looking and the dolls a bit blurry. Has the look of a cheap reproduction but the price isn't cheap. Still worth owning, though, as paper dolls like this are hard to find.

No comments about Toy Steam Engines (Shire Album).

2 comments about Funny Face: An Amusing History of Potato Heads, Block Heads, and Magic Whiskers.

1. This is a new, year 2002, softbound, volume of 120 pages, loaded with over 200 very large, full color, sharp photos of every type of "funny face" item. It's a memory jogger, reminding you of stuff you've long forgotten. Descriptions of each item are very complete, and run the range from block heads, potato heads, magic whiskers to spud people and safety-oriented seventies and beyond. There's plenty of interesting text provided. It's completely indexed for easy location of items. An up to date price guide is included. A fun book to enjoy. Add it to your collectibles library.



2. Toys, always, had been played with then discarded. Now they have a shiny second life as nostalgic collectibles.

   In the colorful, profusely illustrated FUNNY FACE, Mark Rich and Jeff Potocsnak take us through picture blocks, magnetic 'magic whiskers', interchangable pictures. Quite quickly, though, they get to the immortal Mr. Potato Head. And there they stay, exploring the phenomenon of plastic facial features stuck onto an actual vegtable.

   There's much to see. Who remembers, for instance, that Mr. and Mrs Potato Head, products of the consumer culture of the 1950's, had cars, trailers, planes, boats, kitchen sets? Who would have guessed that their child would be all plastic and have human features?

   The art, especially the original advertising (see the freckle-faced little girl on page 59) is a wonderful, somewhat unsettling look at a bygone time. The text is clever, tying the coming of Mr. PH in 1953 to the contemporary fascination with science fiction and space aliens. And pointing out that he was indisputably (and almost uniquely among then-contemporary toys) an adult.

   Best of all, the book has the great good sense to quote me!

1 comments about Betsy McCall: A Collector's Guide With Values.

1. As a primarily modern Betsy collector, I was thrilled at the vast amount of information on the Tonner Betsy dolls, and loved seeing the vintage outfits and dolls pictured in the book. Marci has really done her homework, this is one fabulous book!

1 comments about Dietrichs Warriors: The History of the 3. Kompanie 1st Panzergrenadier Regiment 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler in World War II.

1. This book details the history of the 3rd Company of the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Regiment froms its origins and prewar activites to its end in May 1945.
   Notable personnel who passed through this unit included such men as Joachim Schiller, Henrich Springer, Wilhelm Mohnke, Martin Gross and the brother of Fritz Witt, Franz.
   The book deals with only the wartime activites of the unit and gives a thumbnail sketch of the various commanders during this time.
   The book reads as a history of the unit and does not have a great input from survivors of the unit and as such is more a text book, is this beacuse the unit was decimated and not too many survivors are left ? who knows.
   It covers all the campaigns of the 3rd Kompanie in small sections which do not really go into great depth of what the unit did itself.
   The book is alitte over 200 pages long and is a very easy read, printed on fine glossy paper for good photo reproduction.
   There are a number of photos of the units men but the book has been padded out with photos of various well knowns of the 1st SS panzer Division itself ie Dietrich, Kurt Meyer etc.
   The maps are okay but not great and could have been done better.
   However it is worth having on your shelf as a a good partner to the other offering from Schiffer on the 1st Kompanie.

1 comments about Ultimate Price Guide to Fast Food Collectibles.

1. This new 288 page book is packed with over 500 black and white photos (16 page color section). It provides over 2,200 realistic prices for the items. Major topics range from Arby's, Burger Chef, Hardees to McDonald's, Wendy's, White Castle and many more. Interesting and useful text is included with each major topic. You'll want to add this book to your collectibles library if fast food collectibles are in your collection.

No comments about Greenberg's Guide to Varney Trains.

No comments about Toyland.