Subject Material Of These Books
Stand The Test Of Time
BOOK REVIEW
One of the best things about writing reviews of collector books is they don’t become dated. The old things the authors are writing about just get a little bit older.
Following are three books published by Schiffer Publishing in recent years. None are 2011 issues, although they are still quite new.
The Doorstop Book, by John C. and Nancy M. Smith, is a 2006 publication.
This elephant doorstop measures 6 3/4” x 8”. It is unpainted. Collectors of old doorstops are quite forgiving of paint chips on the painted doorstops
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As the authors point out, as long as there have been doors, there have been doorstops. However, they don’t include these earliest stops, (which were probably pieces of rock or other debris,) in the book. It also doesn’t include the doorporters from the 1700s, which were about 18 inches tall, very heavy and used primarily to prop exterior doors open for ventilation, A lifting handle was on the top, to help move them around.
This book actually begins with the decorative doorstops produced in the 19th and 20th centuries. By then, foundries were busy making cast iron products of many kinds and doorstops were a natural addition to their output. Once cast, they could be decorated in a number of ways. Many were painted, and there were a lot of paint variations. They could also be electroplated with nickel, copper or brass. Some were left unfinished, for the do-it-yourselfers to decorate.
The book includes hundreds of examples of doorstops, along with tips on collecting and displaying them, the different basic forms they can take, cleaning them, and some tips on how to spot reproductions.
While the book contains a value guide, use it with care, as values in all phases of the antique business have changed drastically in the last five years.
The Doorstop Book, ISBN: 0-7643-2393-8, hard cover, is priced at $49.95.
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Contemporary Scrimshaw, by Eva Halat, is a 2008 publication.
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A contemporary belt buckle, made by Wayne Reno and scrimmed by his wife, Karen.
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The history of scrimshaw, the carving of designs on natural materials such as bone or ivory can be traced back at least 2,000 years.
In more modern times (the last 200 years, more or less,) scrimshaw tends to be associated both with that done by the Eskimos of the Arctic area and the sailors on the whaling fleets. There is some discussion as to how much the two influenced each other.
Carving on natural materials took place in other parts of the world, too - as far ranging as northern Russian and the islands of the South Pacific.
This book gives a comprehensive history of scrimshaw, with emphasis on that which took place on the whaling ships and the areas which were influenced by the whalers.
The focus of the book, as the title indicates, is what is being done today. There are sections on the materials used, from elephant ivory to wart hog teeth; the techniques and tools used; a special section on billiard cues; and a gallery of many of the contemporary artists and their work.
Contemporary Scrimshaw, ISBN: 9780-7643-3049-0, hard back, is priced at $39.99.
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The animal design on this bowl is typical of the stylized figures often found on Paul Revere Pottery.
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The Saturday Evening Girls - Paul Revere Pottery, by Meg Chalmers & Judy Young, was published in 2005.
This pottery was founded about 1907 as a place where young women could learn a trade and the skills necessary to run a business. Today, the work they produced is highly sought after by collectors of American art pottery.
It is representative of the work being done in many fields at that time as part of the Arts and Crafts era.
The Saturday Evening Girls Club was founded in Boston in the late 1890s by three women who were focused on improving the lives of working women and their children. The pottery was an eventual project that grew out of the club’s variety of educational and social opportunities.
It was located near the Old North Church of Revolutionary War fame. The name Paul Revere Pottery was chosen because of its proximity to the church.
As in the previous books, a thorough and interesting history of the Saturday Evening Girls club and its activities is included in the book.
Saturday Evening Girls Paul Revere Pottery, ISBN: 0-7643-2227-3, hard back, is priced at $69.95. A value guide is included with each of the hundred of pieces pictured, but as mentioned earlier, today’s market prices may have changed considerably in recent years, so they should be used as a guide only.
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The books are all available from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PQ 19310; email: info@schifferbooks.com; or online at www.schifferbooks.com. Shipping charges will apply. It is recommended you check with your local bookseller first.
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