New Collector Books Add Value To Your Library

BOOK REVIEW

Several new titles are now available from Collector Books.

McCoy Pottery, the Ultimate Reference & Value Guide, by Bob Hanson and Craig Nissen, will bring collectors up to date on current prices of this ever-popular pottery. Included are pages of marks and some helpful information on reproductions.

A section on McCoy’s early stoneware shows the crocks, jugs, bowls and footwarmers made in the first two decades of the 20th century. By the 1920s, the company was making the decorative pottery that is so appealing to today’s collectors.

McCoy also made advertising pieces for many American companies, from Campbell’s Soup to Schering Pharmaceutical, and these are included in a special section. Another section is devoted to McCoy’s Floraline, made for the florist trade.

McCoy Pottery (ISBN: 978-1-57432-620-8) is in hard-back, priced at $29.95.

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Antique & Vintage Fashions, 1745 to 1979, by Barbara Johnson, covers another topic which is popular with collectors.

Why is vintage clothing popular? The author says, “Perhaps of all antiques and collectibles, fashion has the strongest ability to link us to the past.” We can gasp at how uncomfortable the tiny-waisted dresses of the Victorian period must have been and smile (or laugh out loud) at the examples of what we wore in high school.

A lot of evening gowns are included from the various periods, as well as examples of shoes, hats and purses.

The text is arranged chronologically. Fashion trends for many of the years are also included.

Antique & Vintage Fashions (ISBN: 978-1-57432-616-1) in hardback is priced at $29.95.

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The Encyclopedia of Cobalt Glass, by Tom Felt and Gene & Bernadette Girard, is a comprehensive look at another popular collectible. Most of the pieces are 20th-century American made glass. Cobalt pieces from earlier years are extremely hard to find.

The cobalt glass made by the American companies varies in shading, tint and brilliance. That made from 1920-1940 is especially dark, which makes it harder to distinguish as to which company made it. The differing formulas include the oxidized forms of cobalt, copper, potassium and lead. The kinds and amounts of each oxide used determine the color. Some helpful information on who used what will help the collector determine the manufacturer.

One may find, in addition to the older pieces of cobalt glass, items made in recent years. Some of this glass is a reissue from older molds and some comes from new molds. A few examples are included to help in identifying new from old.

The book is divided into sections by item, (although the arrangement appears to be random.) The Encyclopedia of Cobalt Glass (ISBN: 978-1-57432-615-4) is a hardback priced at $39.95.

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Juliana Jewelry, by Ann Pitman, is about the jewelry made by the DeLizza and Elster jewelry manufacturing company. It was a family-owned business, and operated from 1947 to 1990.

While the company made many different lines through the years, the Juliana line, made from 1964-1966, is the subject of this book. It is filled with hundreds of examples of these bold colorful pieces.

A history of the company and information on the family, including notes from the author’s interview with DeLizza himself, are included. Juliana Jewelry (ISBN: 978-1-57432-629-1) is priced at $29.95.

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The books are published by Collector Books, PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002. Check with your local bookseller or see the online catalog: www.collectorbooks.com.

Donna Miller

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Your Library Wouldn’t Be Complete Without
Schiffer Books

BOOK REVIEW

Interesting new titles recently published by Schiffer Publishing include The United States Presidents Illustrated, by Robert M. Reed; Tibetan Artifacts, by Mircea Veleanu; Artistic Leather of the Arts and Crafts Era, by Daniel Lees; Naturally Furnished, by Bim Willow; and 100 Artists of the West Coast II, by Tina Skinner.

The United States Presidents Illustrated covers all 44 presidents, as illustrated on postcards, in newspaper articles, on magazine covers, and other paper goods. George Washington and Abraham Lincoln have been depicted on hundreds of postcards. Presidents such as Franklin Pierce and Chester Arthur appeared on just a few. The presidents of the last few years do not show up on postcards too often, simply because the use of postcards has dwindled. Modern presidents are more apt to be shown on the covers of magazines such as Time.

A one-page biography of each president is included: this is a great and easy way to get a history lesson!

The United States Presidents Illustrated (ISBN: 978-0-76433280-7) soft cover, is priced at $24.99.

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Over 500 color photographs are used to illustrate Tibetan Artifacts. Included are examples of Tibetan religious art and ritual objects, manuscripts, woodblock prints, document holders, sculptures, furniture, tea implements, snuff holders, smoking equipment, swords, daggers, armor, jewelry, textiles, musical instruments, and writing tools.

The text includes information on Tibet's geography and history.

Tibetan Artifacts (ISBN: 978-0-76433360-6), hardback, is priced at $59.99.

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Artistic Leather of the Arts and Crafts Era contains photographs of items made from 1900 to 1929. Billfolds, blotters, cigar cases, paperweights, purses and wastebaskets are just a few of the items made of beautifully tooled leather.

Extensive background text covers not only the Arts and Crafts movement itself, but also many of the makers of the leather products, such as Roycroft. While most of the leather work was done on the East Coast, there were several leather artists, mostly women, working in southern California.

The text also gives detailed attention to the Arts and Crafts Society of Portland and the Women's Century Club of Seattle.

Artistic Leather of the Arts and Crafts Era (ISBN: 978-0-76433371-2), hardback, is priced a $69.99

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Naturally Furnished, Rustic Designs by Women Artisans, is a step-by-step guide for creating home furnishings from resources found in nature, mostly wood.

The examples given are primarily chairs, although cabinets, tables and even picture frames are included.

If you're a "green" do-it-yourselfer, you'll find some interesting ideas in this book.

Naturally Furnished (ISBN: 978-0-76433325-5), soft cover, is priced at $16.99.

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100 Artists of the West Coast II includes artists who use a wide variety of media and express themselves in an equally wide variety of styles. From landscapes to abstracts, in acrylic on canvas; oil on linen; bronze; cast glass; tea paper on wood, the artists find ways to share their visions.

Two to three paragraphs of text give a brief background on each artist and a description of the work.

100 Artists' of the West Coast II (ISBN: 978-07643-3271-5), hardback, is priced at $39.99.

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The books are available from you local bookseller or from Schiffer Publishing. See the online catalog at www.schifferbooks.com.

Donna Miller

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