Dee Hockenberry brings home some of the world's favorite storybook characters and cuddle partners in a pictorial review of teddy bears and dolls. Enjoy Raggedy Ann and Andy, Beatrix Potter's delightful creatures, the Golliwog, all the absurd characters from Alice in Wonderland, and Winnie-the-Pooh and his adventurous pals. Explore the bear's evolution since first made famous, and welcomed indoors, by Teddy Roosevelt. Punkinhead, Paddington, and storybook characters like The Three Bears and The Busy Bears are pictured and described. A collectors guide, this book provides current values for memorabilia about these lovable characters in their many incarnations.

The Berkey and Gay furniture Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan, became one of the leading nineteenth century furniture manufacturers in America. Furniture in the Gothic Revival and Eastlake styles by Berkey and Gay became well known for their high quality, and two Neo Grec chamber suites by Berkey and Gay won recognition of high merit at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. Over 300 photographs of Berkey and Gay furniture from company catalogs are presented with value ranges for today's market in this useful reference book for furniture historians, dealers, and collectors.

Hollywood Collectibles: The Sequel features beautiful, full-color photographs of memorabilia from 29 of the greatest Hollywood stars, including Lucille Ball, Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Roy Rogers and Elizabeth Taylor. This book also pays special attention to the most famous child stars from 1920 through the 1940s - Judy Garland, Jackie Cooper, Jackie Coogan, Roddy McDowall, Mickey Rooney, Our Gang and Natalie Wood - with a large section on that most famous of all child stars, Shirley Temple. Dolls, paper dolls, coloring books, puzzles, comics, still photos, magazines, books, toys, ads and other items are all pictured in 600 vivid color photographs, all for the collector's delight. Informative passages accompany each section, outlining lives and careers.

Colorful patterns of English transferware have graced homes around the world for nearly 200 years. In the 20th century major manufacturers like Crown Ducal, Enoch Wood, Royal Staffordshire, Royal Crownford, Alfred Meakin, Spode, Johnson Brothers, and Mason's produced a large variety of patterns, styles and colors that are avidly collected today. With nearly 600 beautiful color photos of 2000 pieces illustrated, this book focuses on the most actively sought-after patterns, such as Crown Ducal's "Bristol," "Calico," "Castles," "Charlotte," "English Chippendale," "English Scenery," "Friendly Village," "Historic America," "Italian," "Liberty Blue," "Old Britain Castles," "Rose Chintz," "Tonquin," "Tower," Vista," and more. Place settings and serving pieces as well as rarer, more unusual pieces and those whose purpose was decorative are intcluded. Detailed pricing tables for major patterns and commentary of popular trends. All this and more make this an indispensible, long awaited addition to the collector's library.

This book is an essential reference for all paperweight collectors. Hundreds of lovely paperweights, dating from 1870 to 1945, and unique items from Bohemia, Silesia, Thuringia, the Bavarian Forest, the "Solling" mountains, and other German areas are beautifully displayed. Pieces from other European areas including Belgium, France, and Scandinavia are vividly placed throughout the book, making it informative and easy to read. Classically designed paperweights from Baccarat, St. Louis, Clichy, English and American glassworks, as well as modern paperweights, are shown and discussed. The book includes 639 color pictures of 720 paperweights with detailed explanations, 131 illustrations of the exterior forms, and three illustrations of production procedures. A glossary, index and a value list of the paperweights shown complete the useful contents.

Anchor-Hocking Glass Company's popular Fire-King (R) dinnerware and cookware were part of nearly every American home from the 1940s to the 1970s. Over 2000 pieces of this highly collectible household glassware are illustrated in color, and current prices are given. Included are the popular Jadite and opaque blue lines, as well as the eagerly collected ivory, fired-on colors, and transparent lines. This book contains numerous rarities, never before shown, as well as common Fire-King (R) that has been part of everyday life for over 50 years. The pieces are beautifully photographed and each has a careful description. This colorful new book is an important edition to the Fire-King literature, and will be cherished by collectors everywhere.

A blowtorch is one of those things that is instantly recognized for what it is, even by those who haven't seen one before. Produced from the late 1800s into the 1950s, they show up in antique malls and flea markets, and have become highly collectible. Their enduring brass and bronze construction mean that even the oldest blowtorches can be cleaned and buffed to look like new. When shined they are real attention-getters, and as such they have a following of dedicated collectors. Here is information collectors want regarding blowtorches: who made them, how old they are, what they were used for, which are the rare and valuable ones, how to find and restore them, and how much they are worth. Illustrated with 296 beautiful color photographs, this book will be cherished by tool collectors and everyone with an appreciation for the inventive imagination.

The identification and dating of American jewelry heretofore has been difficult because few pieces bear standard markings and the references have been diverse, hard to find, and incomplete. Using old trade journals and their related directories as her primary sources, the eminent silver historian Dorothy Rainwater has exhaustively compiled here for the first time a comprehensive reference of jewelry trademarks and manufacturers in alphabetical order. She has also written a history of jewelry making in the United States which explains the framework upon which this enormous industry was built. The large scale manufacturers which began in the 1840s form a major portion of this directory. it is surprising to learn that only in 1961, after years of effort by the Jeweler's Vigilance Committee and the backing of trade journals, did American law require makers' marks on new jewelry. Therefore, this reference should become an important sourcebook for every jeweler, collector, antique jewelry dealer and manufacturing historian for the foreseeable future.

Over 490 nostalgic color and black and white picture postcards and vintage photographs from the 1890s to the 1980s present the history of Long Beach Island, New Jersey. The past comes alive as you stroll the Beach Haven boardwalk, watch the Pound Fishermen hauling in their nets, cross the wood-planked causeway, and walk the streets of Barnegat City. With its vast collection of vintage images, this book is the next best thing to time travel; yet it can be easily enjoyed from the comfort of a beach chair.Here is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the history of a popular and wonderful old island. Current values of the postcards will help guide those interested in building a collection of their own. Enjoy the history and beauty of Long Beach Island, a place that so many have loved for so long.

Over 280 crisp color photos reveal artifacts of early American everyday life that were useful for surveying land, building log homes, farming the land, traveling, blacksmithing, and cabinetmaking. From light paper ephemera such as land surveys and playing cards to heavy garden stones and Conestoga wagon components, they are pictured and explained. This book is ideal for all those with a passion for history or a curiosity about objects used in America in the mid-eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

This volume presents the eclectic side of Valentine collecting, special categories, from party favors to paper dolls to brand-name advertising on hundreds of Valentine cards. The author discusses Novelties, OEAs (Other Ephemeral Artifacts), and Postcards in her usual enthusiastic style. Kreider offers hints on collecting for love and for value. If you want to know all about eclectic Valentines in the market place and in your collections, make sure you read the documentation carefully. All the photographs are in color; captions include price guides.

Valuable new information on American Brilliant Cut Glass is presented in the Boggesses' most recent work, Diverse sources including 135 originals catalogs, patent records, magazine advertisements and personal interviews with people within the glass industry as well as collectors and dealers were used to complete this thorough study. Patterns, colored patterns and their variations, common and unusual shapes, changing terminology, and signature marks are all discussed in detail. Rare pieces, such as those appearing in Exhibitions, are also addressed. Over 950 photographs illustrate this comprehensive text.

Today, a sense of nostalgia and the irresistible urge to play have combined to make arcade memorabilia and antique arcade games one of the hottest collectible fields of our time. This book is filled with 447 color photos of the greatest games ever to hit the arcade scene-the earliest arcades' strength testers and fortune tellers, perennial favorites like baseball games and SKEE-BALL, wild pinball games from the middle of the century, and modern electronic video game like PAC MAN and Q*BERT. While American manufacturers have maintained a solid grip on the market, some interesting offerings are included from foreign manufacturers. Also included are a section on novelty products, a detailed discussion of the development of different game trends, a history of significant manufacturers and designers, and a thorough price guide. Kurtz shares tips on how to begin moving in the arcade trading circuit, how to locate your favorite games, and how to maintain and repair your collection. Beginning collectors and long-time fans alike will find Kurtz's information helpful. With its foreword by Sha-Na-Na's Screamin' Scott Simon this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the games of yesteryear-and of today!

The early history of recorded sound, Mr. Edison's most marvelous achievement, brimmed with graphic imagery - elegant, dazzling and delightful! Follow these award-winning authors on a bewitching tour of visual artifacts from the phonograph's first fifty years. There are colorful advertising placards, charming publicity posters, clever promotional giveaways, stunning catalog covers, and an astounding selection of gorgeous, hand-painted signs from rare coin-operated record machines. 500 full color illustrations and insightful captions will keep you turning the pages. An entire chapter is devoted to real life images of ordinary people interacting with the new technology - the amazing talking machine. Whether your interest is antique collecting, history, advertising, photography or social science, you will treasure this book.

If you thought that Enesco*r began with Precious Moments*r, this book will amaze you. Enesco is actually one of the oldest importing companies in the United States, with a history dating back to the late 1800s. Figural ceramic items imported from Japan in the 1950s and 1960s are among today's top collectibles and Enesco imported many highly collectible lines during this period, the most notable being Mother-in-the-Kitchen, or Prayer Lady, as it is commonly called. This book features a huge array of gift, collectible, and decorative items sold by Enesco, including figurines, planters, kitchenware, bells, banks, and head vases -- all shown with current market values. Early lines like Beaver Dam*r, Dearie is Weary*r, Golden Girls*r, and Winkin' Kitten*r are here, along with contemporary favorites like Country Cousins*r, Human Beans*r, Cherished Teddies*r, Coral Kingdom*r, and of course, Precious Moments*r. Also included is a useful chapter picturing collectible lines from other importing companies. This book, which contains over 1,000 pictures showing over 1,500 items, will help you identify Enesco's popular keepsakes and will become a useful and treasured addition to your collectibles library.

Collecting is a wide spread phenomenon within our society. Many of us are involved in the activity of collecting and many more of us are fascinated by others' collections. Yet surprisingly little is known about how and why we collect. On Collecting examines the nature of collecting both in Europe and among people living within the European tradition elsewhere.
Gathering objects together is a universal human custom, yet every society collects in different ways. Susan Pearce looks at the way we collect and what this tells us about ourselves and our society. She also explores the psychology of collecting: why do we bestow value on certain objects and how does this add meaning to our lives? Do men and women collect differently? How do we use objects to construct our identity?
On Collecting breaks new ground in its analysis of our relationship to the material world. It will be of value to museums professionals and students, cultural historians and anyone interested in the phenomenon of collecting.

A required resource for all Barbie (R) collectors, this completely revised and expanded edition features new images and updated prices, all in a handy, easy-to-carry-along format. Now over 1,200 beautiful color photos illustrate this complete listing of Barbie through her vintage years from 1959 to 1972, including her sister Skipper (R) and their friends, relations, and pets. Ken (R), Midge (R), Allan (R), Francie (R), Skooter (R), and all the rest are here. Never before presented in such detail and with so many images, every picture shows all the pieces originally included with the fashion. Values are given for loose and never removed from package items. The listing also provides each item's stock number, date, and value.

Sit back, pop a cold one, and let Gary Straub introduce you to the colorful world of beer tray collecting. With over 800 bright color photographs of different trays and an engaging text, the reader follows the rise and fall of the lithographed tin beer tray from its 1890s introduction, through its golden years, and eventual post-World War II decline. The fortunes of the breweries are charted in their trays through the boom years prior to 1920, the staggering losses of the Prohibition era, and the conservation during World War II. Discover the alternative materials used when tin was in short supply. Manufacturers of the trays, their artwork(often sold to more than one brewery) and their marks are described in detail. Breweries emblazoned on the trays include Ballantine, Bartels, Genessee, and Narragansett. The names of some of the brews themselves provide occasional surprises, like OLE MULE ALE and ANTRACITEBEER.

This is fourth in mulit-volume series covering United States Navy patches from World War II to the present-each volume contains over 1000 patches in full color. This new volume covers: Activities, Bases, Centers, Commands, Communications, Cruises, Depots, Division, Facilities, Fields, Fleets, Flotillas, Forces, Groups, Medical, Missiles, Schools, Shipyards, Squadrons, Stations, Teams, Units, and Miscellaneous units. (See page 40 for previous volumes).

Travel into historic Ohio with delightful original postcards from the first half of the 20th century. Many of the locations have grown in prominence, while others have all but disappeared from the map. 136 Ohio communities-from Akron to Zoar-are represented here just as they appeared decades ago. Treasured postcards bring to life the street scenes, bridges, courthouses, parks, and fine homes that were landmarks of the Buckeye State. Vintage views include Ohio State University in Columbus, Conneaut Harbor on Lake Erie and the birthplace of President William McKinley in Niles. The historical context of each location is reviewed. Current and past residents of Ohio, along with collectors of ephemera, will be transported to a more gentle time as they view this volume of more than 300 original full-color postcards. Hand-written messages add charm to the descriptions presented in this remarkable collection. Values for each card are included with the captions.

Over 760 beautiful color photographs display hundreds of canes & walking sticks that span centuries and a multitude of designs. Elegant formal styles include handles of gold, silver, and ivory. Innovative system sticks display a vast array of objects hidden within their shafts and handles (including a working violin). Fascinating relic canes were produced from shipwrecks and historical sites. Forbidding Memento Mori canes and exotic forms represent dozens of nations around the globe. Folk art sticks bear decorations as unique as the artists who created them. This wide-ranging volume weaves historical tales through the narrative, bringing walking sticks to life in the reader's imagination. Additionally, discussions of walking stick anatomy, care, etiquette, and valuation are included, along with an extensive bibliography and index. Values for the canes displayed are found in the captions. This book will be enjoyed by every walking stick collector and a fascinating read for all who have been intrigued by the romance of walking sticks.

Covering the tabletop battery radios built by Zenith, the Chicago-based manufacturer, each radio is described in detail. Included are comprehensive functional descriptions on each set's operation, which uses color-coded diagrams to aid in describing the circuits. Over 400 color photos and over 200 diagrams illustrate the thorough text. Each radio section includes a Quick Reference Guide. Previously unpublished information related to these radios is included for the first time. The restoration section covers the reproduction of vital replacement parts (pointers, pulleys, etc.) that typically need replacing, the repair of other parts (variable capacitor, transformers, etc.), appropriate modifications (battery adapter, etc.), and testing in order to get that early radio working. The techniques presented can be applied to the restoration of any 1920s radio. Also included are instructions on reproducing any battery ( A, B, or C ) in radios built in the 1920s. This is an indispensable reference guide to early Zenith radios."

Think Art Deco and be transported to the Roaring '20s, a time of flappers, double-breasted, pin striped suits, speakeasies, decadence, and elegance. This era took place in the soft and romantic illumination of early electric lighting fixtures--which are showcased in this gorgeous new book. The beautiful and often fantastic Art Deco lighting in homes and public spaces alike are works of art. Over 590 luminous color photographs, show accent and figural radio lamps, boudoir lamps, table and desk lamps, overhead and wall lighting, and floor lighting produced by manufacturers such as Consolidated Glass, Lightolier, Lincoln, Moe Bridges, Williamson, Frankart, Nuart, and Chase. The book guides readers through various types of period lighting and provides a bibliography and value references in the captions for all the lighting displayed. It will be a valued addition to the libraries of interior decorators, restoration buffs, theater goers, and all who collect period lighting fixtures and enjoy beautiful works of art.

An alluring dreambook and informative handbook for collectors of plastic bangle bracelets, illustrated with rare and common pieces in a profusion of colors and styles. Gorgeous spreads arranged by designs and techniques introduce the reader to the unexpected riches of this collecting field. 415 color photos showcase thousands of bangles.\nToday, when Bakelite and celluloid are snapped up at ever higher prices, many collectors turn to brighter, more playful, and more affordable plastic jewelry from the second half of the 20th century. Until now, collectors of Lucite and other plastic bangles had no information about these attractive collectibles.\nChapters cover the identification of plastics, techniques, designers, manufacturers, fakes and knock-offs, and collectible plastics of the future. All have current market value ranges.

Metal toys decorated with comic characters like Betty Boop, Felix the Cat, Popeye, and Disney characters have been produced for over 70 years and continue to be collected and manufactured today. Among the most popular are those for the beach and sand box, including pails, watering cans, sieves, shovels, and rakes. The older toys have become valuable collectibles. \nOrganized by the characters, this unusual new book includes the Katzenjammer Kids and Barney Google from the 1920s, and Disney characters from the 1930s, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Donald Duck, Pinnochio, Snow White, and more. Other characters bring the toys through the decades to the present day: Baby Snooks, Bonzo, Charlie Chaplin, Davy Crockett, Kewpie, Oswald, Punch and Judy, Raggedy Ann, Hanna-Barbera characters, and TV characters such as Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob SquarePants. \nToymakers, include Ohio Art, J. Chein, T. Cohn, EGDA, Happynak, Alex Harvey, R.S.-La Isla, ASAM, Willow, and other international firms. The book is amply illustrated with 400 color photos. This is a reference guide for all collectors of toys, bringing the authors years of expertise and understanding of the marketplace to their readers. A value guide is included.