Little Girls Love To Sew

BOOK REVIEW
 

For as far back as anyone can remember, little girls were taught to sew just as soon as they were capable of holding a needle. In the very early years, they used the same tools their mothers, aunts or grandmothers used, although they were sometimes modified to child size.

By the late 1800s, sewing machines had been invented, and it wasn’t long before they were miniaturized and introduced into toy catalogs.

By this same time, children’s sewing sets had also been introduced and little girls could make doll clothes for their dolls. Most of these sets came with a doll, patterns, fabrics and sewing implements .

These sewing sets, along with other children’s sewing collectibles such as sewing cards, needlework sets and patterns, are the subject of the Encyclopedia of Children’s Sewing Collectibles, by Darlene J. Gengelback, a 2007 publication of Collector Books. The book includes extensive background information and a value guide.

The Encyclopedia of Children’s Sewing Collectibles, ISBN 13: 978-1-56432-526-3, is priced at $24.95. It is available from Collector Books, PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002.

Donna Miller

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Rinker Book Details What You Can Do With Your Stuff

BOOK REVIEW

Over a lifetime, it’s quite easy to fill a home with more than just memories. The distribution and disposal of those accumulated objects, on  the other hand, is not so easy. Collectibles expert and professional appraiser Harry Rinker has written a new book, Sell, Keep, or Toss? Making the Most of a Lifetime of Treasures, to ease the difficult personal, financial and familial decisions involved in clearing out a house.

The book is divided into five parts. The first deals with how secondary market value is determined. One of the hardest issues to deal with is separating sentimental/ family value from marketplace value. However, there are several other factors also to be considered.

The second covers some of the basic - and thorny-issues that must be faced before the actual process of selling, keeping and tossing begins. Making a plan and determining who will be in charge of implementing the plan are the starting point. Some of the advice is heavy duty. But some is more lighthearted. If you are downsizing, rather than settling an estate, check those kitchen drawers. You should find that you really don’t need six carrot peelers to be moved to your new and smaller home.

The third section focuses on how to divide objects into sell, keep and toss piles, with some emphasis on those things you want to keep for yourself, disposing of a collection and the sometimes delicate situations that develop with family and friends.

Section four describes the different venues available for selling or otherwise disposing of objects, including donations.

And the final topic  deals with tossing things. If you have followed the first four sections, probably there will be very little left to toss. This is the ideal situation. But there’s always something.

This book contains good, practical advice. It’s easy to read, with the facts sprinkled periodically with Rinker’s opinions. And any regular reader of Rinker’s column in this paper knows that he always does have definite opinions on whatever subject is under discussion.

I related personally to his comments on the fact that the oldest child in a family should not necessarily, by birthright, have the first choice in choosing what heirlooms to keep. My younger of two granddaughters recently said to her mother, “Why do I always have to be the little sister?” Being oldest does not automatically grant picking rights.

We are frequently asked by friends who are downsizing or settling a parents’ estate the questions that are asked, and then answered, in this book. I will definitely be recommending it.

Sell, Keep or Toss? (ISBN-13: 978-0-375-72240-0) is being released in September, 2007, by House of Collectibles, www.­ houseofcollectibles.com. It is priced at $16.95 U.S.

Donna Miller

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Egyptian ‘Look’ Topic Of Schiffer Book

BOOK REVIEW

Beginning in the 19th century and continuing into the 20th century, there was considerable archaeological interest in excavations in Egypt. Hundreds of tombs and tens of thousands of artifacts were discovered. Interest peaked with the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun (King Tut) in the 1920s.

Almost all of the discoveries made during these years ended up in museums, and rightfully so. However, the Egyptian “look” became popular. The bright and bold colors of the 1920s were a good fit for the Egyptian motifs; and nowhere was it more noticeable than in jewelry design. This is the subject of Egyptian Revival, Jewelry & Design, by Dale Reeves Nicholls, with Shelly Foote & Robin Allison, a recent Schiffer publication.

Extensive historical background information is included in this well-researched book. An extensive section covers the signs and symbols used on Egyptian Revival pieces. Scarabs are used extensively, frequently winged scarabs. Sphinxes are a common element, as are hieroglyphs. Pyramids, obelisks, pharaohs and queens (including Cleopatra) have also been used. If a flower was used, it was probably a Lotus blossom. Many Revival pieces are based, more or less, on actual jewelry found in the ancient tombs.

The ancient Egyptians used their jewelry not only for adornment, but also as talismans. Certain symbols provided either protection or well-being. The Eye of Horus, also found in Revival jewelry, was one of the most powerful. It’s easy to recognize; it looks like an eye. (Horus was the Egyptian god of light. He had a man’s body and a falcon head.)

The book contains not only jewelry. There are also examples of the Egyptian Revival style in pottery, glass and porcelain. Companies from Royal Doulton in England to Rosemeade in North Dakota used the theme in pottery. Gorham used it in silver. Nippon from Japan had examples in porcelain. Adams made an Egyptian pattern in the late 1800s in pressed glass.

After reading the book, I was surprised to find just how many antiques and collectibles there are that feature an Egyptian theme. It can be the basis of a whole collection.

Egyptian Revival, Jewelry & Design (ISBN 0-7643-2540-X), is priced at $39.95. It includes a price guide. Contact Schiffer Publishing, (610) 593-1777 or see the online catalog at www.schifferbooks.com.

Donna Miller

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Furniture Book Helps Answer Who, When & Where Questions

BOOK REVIEW
 

Identifying early American furniture can be a daunting task. Hundreds, even thousands, of regional variations occurred in the design and construction techniques used by craftsmen along the thousand miles of coastline of the original 13 colonies. Early American Furniture, a guide to Who, When, and Where, by John W. Obbard, will be of help to anyone faced with the task of furniture identification.

Some facets of identification rely on common sense. For instance, timber was heavy, inexpensive and readily available. For that reason, craftsmen used local woods; it was rarely shipped for any distance. When an imported wood such as mahogany was used, the furniture maker would have lived close to a navigable river or the sea, where it didn’t have to be transported any great distance.

Most furniture was produced in urban areas. A clue that the piece was made in a rural area is the presence of hinges and latches that were individually handcrafted; the hardware available to the rural furniture maker was both expensive to buy and difficult to obtain.

Design features were also regional, as were certain styles.

Further confusing the identification process as to where or when is the fact that from the very beginning of our country, furniture was manufactured and shipped to other colonies. It was a big business. The fact that it came from the home of a grandparent in Philadelphia is no guarantee at all that it was made there. Obbard relates that so many chairs in the Queen Anne style were made in Boston and shipped to Philadelphia that they were actually known as Boston chairs.

By the second decade of the 1800s, regional identities had begun to disappear, and the “where” becomes even more difficult.

If identifying furniture from colonial times is something you are interested in doing, this will be an extremely helpful book. It is published by Collector Books and is priced at $19.95. (ISBN 1-57432-489-6). It does not contain a price guide.

Donna Miller

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