The popularity of Japanese ceramics in the West caused a vast and delightful variety of wares to be made in the late nineteenth century for export. Colorful Imari porcelain in deep blue, orange-red, and gold, Fukagawa porcelain in imaginative designs, as well as the softly colored Satsuma earthenwares, are the best…
A fascinating and insightful look into the art glass of the 1950s, this revised second edition spans the range of 1950s art glass from common collectibles to those of museum quality, displaying the diversity and creativity of style, color, and shape. This book has served as an inspiration and valuable resource for…
Take a detailed look at the exciting and highly collectible modern furniture of the 1950s–furniture created by renowned designers, including Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi, and Eero Saarinen, and produced by companies such as Herman Miller, Knoll, and Heywood-Wakefield.…
Ever since 1897, when the first ”Delicious and Refreshing” glasses of Coca-Cola were poured, Coca-Cola trays have become magnificent pieces of advertising art. The evolution of American popular culture is found in their images. From ribbons-and-lace girls of the late Victorian era through Roaring Twenties…
The doors are wide open and you’re welcome to wander through. Don’t worry about the carpets as you enter through stately doorways, cozy up to colossal fireplaces, and climb poetic staircases.
For those who love the old homes of the New England area, this is a chance to enter and inspect the window sills and…
A dazzling cross-section of turtle figures from a diverse group of cultures are gathered here–including Waterford crystal from Ireland, Native American pueblo pottery and fetish carvings, and Japanese netsuke carvings, among many others. Nearly 350 color photos display turtles’ intrinsic beauty captured by…
Wire and canvas decoys were popular around the Eastern shore of Virginia and the Carolinas near the turn of the 20th century. Because an abundance of good carving wood was not handy, decoy makers in this region used ingenuity to create clever replicas of large birds such as the Canada Goose. This book includes patterns…
Enjoyed since Sir John Suckling invented this popular card game in the early 1600s, cribbage is examined here in full-color photos and engaging text. Over 350 color photographs enliven the discussion, displaying many appealing styles and variations. Cribbage boards of war and peace, with 61 and 121 point scoring, and…
This “how to” book in woodcarving guides us through a hands on, educational journey of snowmen designs and cuttings, including “Igloo Snowman,” and “Snowbank Snowman,” both rich in color and full of life. Filled with numerous ideas and designs, it presents a fun and easy way to learn decorative woodcarving while…
Just when it seems that Tom could not possibly have any more Santa patterns, here are 75 never before seen designs. They reflect Tom’s unquenchable creativity, his boundless sense of humor, and his keen eye for caricature. Each pattern is clearly drawn and reproduced at full size. A color gallery is included on…
Tom Wolfe returns to an old friend of his, Santa Claus. In his own special way he leads the carver through each step of the carving process. The result is a traditional Santa in stride, heading for the reindeer pen to hook up for the Christmas flight. He is accompanied by old Rudolph, who looks a bit bewildered by the…
Designing and making a coffee table represents a unique project for the craftperson, offering the reward and satisfaction of building a beautiful and yet fairly simple piece of furniture. A coffee table project requires forethought and planning. It also helps to develop confident handskills and the attitude to do…
What should one know to choose an engagement ring? The answers are all here, with facts and practical advice that is easy to understand. Learn how to determine what you should pay, where diamonds come from, and how to judge their cut, color, clarity and weight. Learn about popular colored stones, different metals, and…
Collectors of early lighting devices as well as Sandwich glass collectors now have a beautiful and complete book specialized for them. Exhaustive research has documented the text and 468 color photographs show Sandwich glass lighting devices and accessories in detail so that construction and authenticity can be judged.…
Sit back, pop a cold one, and let Gary Straub introduce you to the colorful world of beer tray collecting. With over 800 bright color photographs of different trays and an engaging text, the reader follows the rise and fall of the lithographed tin beer tray from its 1890s introduction, through its golden years, and…
The dinnerware, cookie jars, vases, salt & pepper shakers, and figural characters of Shawnee Pottery, of Zanesville, Ohio, were popular items while they were being produced between 1936 and 1963. Shawnee’s high quality items were well-priced for the mass-produced pottery market and their innovative marketing…
Add the personal touch to your Christmas celebration with ten adorable, whimsical ornaments of your own making. Create Santa, two different reindeer, a snowman, penguin, gingerbread man, a gift-bearing polar bear, a Christmas pig, a bunny angel, and a puppy in a stocking. Bridget guides you through every step with…
The most ambitious carving Tom has ever presented in a book, this may also be the most charming. Tom leads the carver step-by-step through the process of constructing and carving a “kid’s size” rocking horse.
This is the perfect project for a Christmas present that will be cherished generation after generation. And…
Welcome to the world of McDonald’s Happy Meal*r collectibles. These two books(USA and Worldwide)present a thorough list and complete Price Guide for the thousands of toys and collectibles distributed with Happy Meal*r boxes and bags. Together, they are the most authoritative references. Thousands of all-color…
Here is a chance to get to know some of earth’s most fascinating creatures through wood carving. Brian Gilmore provides patterns and easy to follow carving instructions for 10 species of whales. More than 150 color photographs lead the carver step-by-step through the carving and painting of the Great Right Whale and…
Here is the first concise handbook guide to the dining services and house wares with the distinctive Flow Blue transfer decoration. This handy reference work provides basic definitions of Flow Blue decoration and the wares on which it appeared throughout the Victorian era. Hundreds of color photos are grouped into…
Fostoria was a most remarkable glassd company and George Sakier(1897-1988) was a most remarkable designer of Fostoria glass. For over fifty years, through the Great Depression, Sakier sent classic and modern designs to Moundsville, West Virginia, where millions of delightful glass objects were produced. They appear…
Though she has not knowingly seen Angels, Kelley Stadelman has received their help in times of crisis. She has felt their presence. These joyful little soldiers of God seem to have a childlike presence. Their personalities are uninhibited. They go about their duties energetically. Yet they are wise, committed to their…
This book chronicles the development of canes throughout the ages, defines their parts, the staggering variety of materials employed in their construction, and the dazzling array of gadgetry and weaponry hidden in many. Integral to the text are engaging stories of the author’s experiences in hunting for the often…
In 1982, ownership of Matchbox die cast toys, the most popular metal vehicles in the world, passed from Lesney to Universal. The toys produced under Universal’s ownership are documented in this thorough text. It includes the vehicles and a wide variety of other toys manufactured under the Matchbox logo, including…
A new type of craft, braided wire jewelry does not require expensive equipment and can be made by almost anyone with easily found materials. Come and give it a try!
Pretty, delicate-looking (but actually quite strong) jewelry, including pendants, pins, watchbands, and earrings, can be made from wires, beads and…
The lovely Florence figures, made in Pasadena, California, by Florence Ward and the Florence Ceramics Company from 1939 into the 1960s are featured in this first book on the subject. With over 400 color photographs, readers are introduced to the lovely ladies in elegant, lace-trimmed gowns, perfectly behaved children…
Vallona Starr Ceramics started in Los Angeles in the 1930s and later moved to El Monte, California where it manufactured ceramics until 1953. Known for their whimsical designs like the Winkies, the Up Family, and lower fairies, as well as Corn, Cosmos, Woodland, and Sweetheart designs, Vallona Starr pieces included…
From the Coffin sets of the 1870s to the Princess phones of the 1960s and beyond, this book explores the technology and the history of the telephone. Because the Bell Company was the ”sole source” for much telephone technology until very recently, much of the public access to this information has been quite…
This colorful text sheds new light on the beautiful majolica figures that have kept collectors entranced for years. Over 475 color photographs illustrate the full range of figures, including majolica animals, toby jugs, tobacco jars, strikers, and advertising memorabilia. The histories of all manufacturers of majolica…
This book is jammed full of photographs, patterns, drawings, hints, details, notes and ideas concerning the Bolinger’s playful and entertaining Halloween carving creations. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are provided for carving and painting two ghostly projects– ”The Ghost with the Most”…
This completely illustrated book thoroughly covers the bird decoys of the American Mid-Atlantic region. The photographs are clear, allowing the reader to identify details. Woven through the text are historical facts that help date hand-made decoys of antique, as well as modern, origin. There is an explanation of how…
This detailed and fascinating text explores the twentieth century ceramic arts of R. Guy Cowan. Amply illustrated with over 1120 images in color and black and white, the book includes glaze and shape guides which assist the reader in identifying Cowan’s pottery. Invaluable details are provided about Cowan’s…
circa Fifties Glass from Europe & America includes the Italian and Scandinavian designer art glass usually referred to as ”Fifties glass,” plus a more popular modern glassware produced in factories, especially in the United States and Italy. This colorful and highly collectible glass is presented in…
Over 350 color photographs of European majolica illustrate this book – but don’t be fooled, this is not merely a book of photographs. The author has included detailed textual treatments of all identifiable makers of majolica, as well as a value guide for all pieces shown in the book. Useful information on…
This vibrantly colored and radiantly textured glass is captured in over 400 color photographs which show the history of yesteryear’s spectacular crackle glass in detail. Collecting Crackle Glass is a book filled with valued information for collectors, dealers, and glassware lovers alike. The…
This is the first book to present a complete look at women’s fashion buckles. Belt buckles and clasps in four categories: glass, metal, plastic, and natural materials, plus shoe buckles and rare and unusual pieces are displayed in over one thousand color photographs, each captioned with a complete description,…
A virtual army of those heroic ”dolls for boys” is covered in this colorful volume. Starring well-known figures and rarities alike, from Hasbro’s GI Joe and Mego’s Star Trek figures to Tomland’s Star Raiders and Marx’s Safari Adventure Series, this lively text and more than 400 color…
Blue Ridge China was produced by Southern Potteries in Erwin, Tennessee from 1938 through 1957. The individual items were hand painted by local women and production reached almost 25 million pieces a year, making it the largest producer of hand-decorated pottery in the country. Today Blue Ridge China is collected by…
Louis Comfort Tiffany’s blown art glass, made from 1891 to 1928, embodies the artist’s superior workmanship and satisfied his dream to introduce objects of both usefulness and beauty into the average household. These lovely objects, which he named ”Favrile” and made in his New York studio,…