Colorful Book Details Colorful Vera Scarves

BOOK REVIEW

The work of Vera Neumann, known to collectors of vintage fashion or design as simply "Vera," is the subject of a new Schiffer Publishing book, Vera Textiles, by Jeanette Michalets & Katherine Michalets.

 Vera created clothing and textiles from the 1950s to the early 1980s, using bright and bold designs. They're as popular today as they were when they first appeared on the market 40 years ago.

 It is probably the Vera scarves that are most well known. They were sold for the "average" woman, priced inexpensively and easily recognizable by the Vera signature found in the corner. She also designed blouses, dresses, sleepwear, handkerchiefs, aprons, kitchen textiles, bed linens and some dishes.

 Vera was a painter, and her designs were first painted, which were then translated into fabric. She traveled the world, and the results of her travels show up in the designs - shamrocks following a trip to Ireland, African artifacts following a trip to that country and Chinese calligraphy after a visit to China. (Some of her scarves were sold in China, very unusual for the 1960s-'70s period, and have her signature in both English and Chinese.)

 Many different fabrics were used. The earliest scarves were silk, made from parachute silk left over from World War II. Other fabrics were used later, including acetate, polyester, nylon, vinyl, cotton and wool. Look for Vera's signature on a scarf. If it is not signed, it is probably not one of hers.

 While many of the other textiles may have printed signatures, a few had labels that may have been removed at some point.

 There is a special section of the book featuring Vera's scarves that were made to commemorate special events or places, such as the souvenir-type scarf from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

 This is a bright and colorful book, as it pictures in over 500 photographs the work of this talented artist. It includes a price guide and sells for $39.95. Check with your local bookseller or contact Schiffer Publishing, (610) 593-1777 or online at www.schifferbooks.com. There is a $3.95 shipping charge if ordering from the publisher.

Donna Miller

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West Virginia Museum Compiles Book On Black Glass

Black glass was very popular in America in the 1920s and early 1930s. The output of black glass by American glasshouses is the subject of  The Black Glass Encyclopedia, compiled by members of the West Virginia Museum of American Glass. The book will be a fine addition to the library of any glass enthusiast.

The first section of the book consists of photographs of objects made of black glass, arranged alphabetically by subject matter, from animals to vases. Captions with each photograph give the dimensions of the piece, the company which made it, the years in which it was made, any marks that are found on the piece, and an approximate value. Items pictured are representative. The book covers a broad spectrum of value range also, with pieces ranging from ten dollars to hundreds of dollars included and given equal treatment.

The second section of the book gives the histories of the American companies which made black glass, and includes numerous catalog reprints of their black glass. Again, the list is comprehensive, with well-known companies such as Fostoria and little known ones such as Vitrolite all covered. Reprints of original catalog pages and advertisements from several of the companies are included and should be very helpful to any researcher.

The Black Glass Encyclopedia, a 2005 Schiffer publication, is priced at $39.95. It includes a value guide. Check with your local bookseller or contact Schiffer Publishing, (610) 593-1777; or online at www.schifferbooks.com.

Donna Miller

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Florence Updated Editions Available

BOOK REVIEW

Updated editions of Gene and Cathy Florence’s popular books on glassware are now available.

The 12th edition of Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era lists nine patterns that were not included in previous books, bringing the total to 130 patterns in all. Included are the old favorites such as Fostoria’s American and Imperial’s Candlewick, as well as many lesser known patterns, such as Fostoria’s Vesper and Tiffin’s Sylvan.

The book includes introductory text for each pattern, the colors in which it was made, and the years of production.

Pieces are shown in groupings, with a photo legend accompanying each picture for ease in identification. Shaded panels are a big help in reading the prices. Improved photography techniques make the patterns easier to distinguish than in some of the earlier books in this series.

Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era is priced at $24.95.

The 8th edition of Collectible Glassware from the 40s, 50s and 60s is a necessary companion book to the Elegant Glassware book. Many of the patterns that were found in the early Elegant Glassware books have been moved to this publication, since their production continued into the 1950s and 1960s, even though they started earlier. This switch was simply a practical matter; the Elegant Glassware book would just be unmanageably large  if some patterns were not reassigned.

However,  Collectible Glassware from the 40s, 50s and 60s includes many Depression glass patterns, as well as some elegant glass patterns. There is a real mixture, ranging from Anchor Hocking’s Fire-King and Indiana’s Christmas Candy to Fostoria’s Century and Morgantown’s Crinkle.

The format of this book is the same as that of the Elegant Glassware book, with photo legends, descriptive text and paneled price lines. Collectible Glassware from the 40s, 50s and 60s  is priced at $19.95.

The books are published by Collector Books. They may also be purchased from Gene and Cathy Florence at P.O. Box 64, Astatula, FL 34705 or P.O. Box 22186, Lexington, KY 40522.

Donna Miller

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