5 comments about Pressland's Great Book of Tin Toys.

1. Time for a reality check, folks. I tracked this book down because I'm a tin toy freak, and I read all kinds of glowing words about the book itself, re: production, photography, etc. Turns out it's a treat for tin toys up till WWII, but almost laughable in its coverage of post war pieces. Also, the production isn't all that great -- nice tin piece attached to the cover, but on my new copy the red cover was bubbled in one spot, and there were pages stuck together with glue. The photography is okay, but not spectacular, and the production values are pretty much routine for a picture/text book like this. The slipcase is boring in design -- in short, I've had coffee tables that looked more spectacular than this coffee table book.

   Don't get me wrong:it's a valuable and often beautiful book, and Mr. Pressland should be congratulated on his work, but it just isn't worth this kind of money.




2. When I first considered spending this kind of money for a book I was convinced that I had surely lost my mind. Now that I've had it for quite some time I can say that I would have paid more. It is a gorgeous book with beautiful pictures of rarely seen tin toys. If you're a collector this is absolutely a "must have"! It, along with Pressland's "Art of the Tin Toy" have been our prominently displayed coffee table books for months and guests, who may know nothing about tin toys, thoroughly enjoy the book as well.



3. I can sum it up with one word "Excellent"



4. My Signed book Presslands Great Book Of Tin Toys was the topic at a Toy get together. I was offered 3 times the Amazon.com price for this book. People who look this book over are Taken back by the Photography. Get yours before they are all gone.



5. A must for the serious Toy collector. Excellent photography and plenty of it.

2 comments about Matchbox Toys 1947 to 1996: Identification & Value Guide.

1. This book helped me greatly



2. Of all of the reference guides I own, I use two. This is one of those two. This book is an invaluable resource for identifying Matchbox models. It has several indexes to use--chronological, by name and by issue number. I would recommend that any Matchbox collector add this book to their reference library.

No comments about Fashionable Terri Lee Dolls.

No comments about Encyclopedia of Small-Scale Diecast Motor Vehicle Manufacturers.

No comments about Antique & Collectible Toys 1870-1950.

1 comments about China, Parian & Bisque German Dolls: Ca. 1840-Ca. 1900.

1. "A large number of beautiful and unusaul photographic material, many of the early dolls with china, parian and bisque heads are presented in this book for the delight of collectors and art enthusiasts. Skillfully modeled hair styles and trimmings adorned these dolls. Through their subtlely and artistic modelling they are often far more valuable as an art object than a play doll. Since many of them are sought after by collectors, this book presents for the first time in great diversity and color, a wide selection of the most beautiful dolls. They are the oldest among the china head dolls, especially remarkable, and their past extends up to the Royal Porcelain Manufacturers of the 19th century from Meissen and Berlin. Until now their past lay rather poorly illuminated, so that very little was known about these dolls. Only in the last few years has painstaking detective work by comparison of old findings determined new information. Thus was it possible, for the first time to associate a larger number of doll heads to their respective manufacturers. This book illuminates a largely unknown chapter of doll history, offers new knowledge and provides the collector and student of art with valuable help in appreciating, identifying and collecting the modelled hair dolls of the 19th century German dolls."

No comments about The Thank You Book.

2 comments about Yesterday's Toys: 750 Tin and Celluloid Amusements from Days Gone By.

1. As an introduction to Teruhisa Kitahara's magnificent toy collection, this book is lavish and enchanting. The large-sized, hardback coffee table book edition consists almost entirely of gorgeous, color photographs of toys from the past, which are visually interesting and require little comment. What comment there is, however, is sometimes wrong. That's not a big downside, because toy hobbyists don't read Kitahara so much to learn about their hobby, as to gaze at the wonderful treasures in his collection.

   This book is compiled from three previous Kitahara books covering, respectively, "dolls, clowns and animals"; "planes, trains, boats and cars";" and "robots, spaceships and monsters." Someone interested in one of those categories isn't necessarily interested in all three. I, for one, find myself mostly drawn to the third category of robots and spaceships.

   Other visually lavish and not-too expensive books in that category include "Vintage Toys: Robots and Space Toys" by Bunte, Hallman and Mueller. "Marx Toys: Robots, Space, Comic, Disney and TV Characters" by Maxine Pinksy includes lots of old robots because many of them were imported through Marx or its subsidiaries. "Baby Boomer Toys and Collectibles" by Carol Turpen is also fascinating in this regard. One recent book I very much like is "Space Toys of the '60s," by James Gillam, which concentrates exclusively on three toy lines: Zeroid robots from Ideal, Mattel's Major Matt Mason, and Colorforms' Outer Space Men. Along with many color and black and white photos, this inexpensive oversize paperback provides a fascinating history and personal discussion of these toy lines.

   "Toys of the 'Sixties" by Bill Bruegman is slighty harder to find, but this large paperback by the editor of "Toy Scouts" is filled with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from the history of toys, and chock-full of black and white drawings and pictures. Finally, "Boy's Toys of the Fifties and Sixties" and its companion volume, "Girl's Toys..." is a fascinating collection of actual pages from the Sears Christmas Wishbooks from 1950-1969 (something everyone wishes they had kept). Those enchanted by the visual feast of Kitahara's book might want to peruse further in some of these other inexpensive volumes.




2. This a wonderful book if you love to look at the history of toys. the photos are wonderful and colorful. I am a graphic design student and my class bought this for our teacher who is always looking for photo of toys resource book. It has it all and its fun to look at.

No comments about America's Standard Gauge Electric Trains: Their History and Operation, Including a Collector's Guide to Current Values.

3 comments about Barbie: What a Doll! (Tiny Folio).

1. I am almost 14 and i love collecting barbie i always look at this book because it one of my favorites



2. The book is divided in ocassions, and the fashion that barbie has for each. I has both modern and vintage fashions. But it does not give the name of the fashions or the dolls in the pictures, so if you like it and want to find it , you can't. And in some vintage outfits I saw accesories misplaced or missing. All the book is pictures (well taken, bright and beautiful ones). The introduction is "barbie" talking.
   I would not recomend to buy it, it has no purpose, if you like a fashion you have to buy another book to identify it. It would have been great if the names for the thins where given.



3. This comprehensive book of Barbie's outfits is fun to look at, and I couldn't put it down for hours. If you enjoy fashion, you will never put this book down. This book is well-organized, with sections for evening wear, casual wear, etc. If you love Barbie, I really recommend this book!