Collector Books Offers New And Unusual Publications

There are collector books available for almost every collection. Following are a few of those recently published by Collector Books.

The Collector’s Guide to Housekeeping Toys, 1870-1970, by Margaret Wright, covers American-made metal and plastic toys. Examples include everything from cast-iron stoves to plastic “silverware.” Sweepers, washing machines, baking utensils, refrigerators - some containing early advertisements on them - anything a little girl might want to imitate her mother’s activities - are included in the book.

The Collector’s Guide to Housekeeping Toys (ISBN: 978-1-57432-540-9) contains a price guide. It is priced at $16.95.

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The third edition of the Standard Guide to Razors, by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart, provides the collectors with necessary information for collecting straight razors. This edition includes about 200 new listings  in the Listings of Companies section, an added chapter designed to help the collector identify handle materials and a section on online auctions. The care, management and display of razor collections are also given, along with an interesting background history of straight razors.

The Standard Guide to Razors, (ISBN: 978-1-57432-550-8,) with price guide, is priced at $12.95.

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The Encyclopedia of Early American & Antique Sewing Machines is also available in a third edition.

Written by Carter Bays, it includes a history of the sewing machine, several brief sections on topics such as the types of stitches, over 200 pages of color photographs of sewing machines, a section on early toy sewing machines and information to help with the restoration of early machines.

The Encyclopedia of Early American Sewing Machines (ISBN: 13: 978-1-57432-527-0) with price guide sells for $29.95.

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In The Case Cutlery Dynasty, Tested XX, author Brad Lockwood tells the history of the Case family, of which he is a member. Interesting family stories passed on through the generations, as the many Cases lived and worked in Little Valley, New York, - “The Village of Knives.” According to the author, “...4 generations and 30-some cutlery companies, 140 years and still counting, well over 50 of my ancestors have been in the business and one remains.” This book is the combined recollection of many descendants of the Case family.

The Case Cutlery Dynasty, Tested XX (ISBN 1-57432-463-2) is priced at $19.95.

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Leather Bound Books, by Arthur Boutiette, covers books and bindings as an investment; a history of printing, along with a history of bookbindings; a section on general book knowledge, such as book edges, book plates, marbling, book sizes, and standard abbreviations; care of books; a glossary containing book terms and people; and resources. It also has a leather-bound antiquarian book price guide of well over 100 pages.

This book negates the old cliche, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” When you’re talking old leather-bound books, that is exactly what you do judge most books by.

Leather Bound Books, (ISBN 1-57432-497-7) is priced at $24.95.

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Modern Collectible Tins, the second edition, by Linda McPherson, includes many old favorites from the first edition plus added sections on many figural tins. There are trucks, houses, race cars, characters, mini lunch boxes, roly-poly tins and many more. Almost 200 pages of colorful tins, with current market values, are included in the book.

Modern Collectible Tins (ISBN 1-57432-500-0) is priced at $24.95.

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Collecting Playing Cards, by Mark Pickvet, has some useful information on starting and/or maintaining a collection. For example, those with local advertising for “Bob’s Garage” are more or less worthless from a collectible point of view. However, old cards with national or international advertising may have considerable value. A history of playing cards is included - here’s your chance to learn who the kings, queens and jacks were!

Hundreds of decks are pictured, along with their values; values are given for about 1500 additional  decks. Collecting Playing Cards (ISBN 1-57432-524-8) is priced at $24.95.

Donna Miller

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Schiffer Releases Books On Christmas Collectibles

Schiffer Publishing has recently released several books dealing with Christmas collectibles.

Christmas Household Textiles, by Jeanette and Donald Michalets, is a colorful look at the many ways Christmas motifs are used on fabric - and there are more different ways then one might at first think from the title.

The first section, “Preparations,”  shows tea towels, dish towels, hot pads, and all those wonderful craft items so popular especially in the 1960s and ’70s - advent calendars, felt stockings, banners, and, of course, toilet seat covers!

Items of clothing are included next, including aprons, scarves, handkerchiefs, and, for the guys, neckties. Mail bags,  more stockings, table runners, tablecloths, napkins and tree skirts are also among the textile items included in the book.

Christmas Household Textiles is priced at $29.95.

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Christmas Long Ago, by Marian I. Doyle, tells of gifts, games, decorations, superstitions, beliefs, fashions, foods and fun as they were enjoyed in Victorian times.

 This book would make a nice Christmas gift. Trade cards, greeting cards, photographs and artwork from old magazines are arranged much like a collage, with inserts of text from other old books and magazines.

“The chief delight of Christmas is the happiness of the children - the next is the Christmas shopping, stated Harper’s Monthly in 1868.  “Every shop is crowded with busy buyers, said Scribner’s Monthly in 1871. “Papas and mammas laugh in each others faces as they stand side by side, squeaking the dolls, and enumerating the dishes of the toy dinner-set. Little people with little pocket money flatten anxious noses against great shop windows, intent upon stretching a small sum over many large relatives... Everyone seemed to be carrying packages... and if many seemed bewildered, it may have been the result of trying to choose gifts from an overwhelming abundance of possibilities.”

Christmas Long Ago is priced at $19.95.

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Christmas Postcards, by Robert M. Reed, pictures over 700 postcards, rural carrier cards and business trade cards from the 1880s through the 1920s.

A special section on the various depictions of Santa Claus is especially interesting. We all have a mental image of what Santa Claus looks like.  However, as these cards show, he had many, many different appearances - some fat, some skinny; some cheerful, but some rather scary looking; usually dressed in red, but sometimes he wore purple, green or brown.

However, Christmas postcards had many motifs in addition to Santa Claus, including angels, poinsettias, children, bells, birds, churches and trees.

The dates when the cards were posted is included, and with several of the cards, the author has included the handwritten text from the reverse side.

Christmas Postcards is priced at $29.95.

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All three books contain price guides. They are available from your local bookseller or from Schiffer Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310 or online at www.schifferbooks.com.

Donna Miller

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