Rug hooking is an art form that's a joy to create. Over 570 color photographs chronicle a wide variety of rugs being hooked today, putting to rest any notion that no one hooks rugs anymore. Contemporary hooking artists from all over the U.S., Canada, and beyond present hooked abstract designs, animals, commemorative pieces, landscapes, portraits, nautical themes, traditional patterns, and primitive styles. They include more than floor coverings; some are wall hangings and others hooked furniture. See humorous rugs, sentimental tributes to places and people, designs adapted from photographs and famous paintings, fantasy subjects, and much more. Of interest to collectors, textile artists, and dealers. Be inspired to join this growing creative outlet!

After more than two centuries, the process of opening a bottle of wine changed significantly in the 1970s with the introduction of the Screwpull. This is the story of the development and realization of one of the best devices in the world for removing a cork from a wine bottle, the Screwpull, and its inventor, Herbert Allen. Alongside hundreds of examples of experimental prototypes, patent drawings, and many production models, the story unfolds to reveal Allen's conceptualization of how the Screwpull should work and how imitation knockoffs affected his market. The story goes on to detail the events following Mr. Allen's death-the transfer of the company to LeCreuset of France and the production of new models. A beautifully illustrated and detailed history of this remarkable product, Screwpull is the perfect addition to the libraries of corkscrew collectors, product designers, those with good taste, and wine aficionados.

This range of clocks used to be considered the common, household clock which many people recognized but for which little documentation was available. Rick Ortenburger now presents the book that will fill this void. Vienna regulator clocks were first produced in Vienna, Austria about 1780 and then became a familiar style made also elsewhere in the German-speaking world. Included are early, transitional, serpentine, altdeutsch, Baroque, and factory-made types from 1780 until about 1930, of one, two, and three-weight movements. The author has done his own research in Europe and America in both German and English so he is able to present much original information in a pleasing format for the average reader. His brief, factual text, supported by good photographs, useful in identifying the period of manufacture, may be the book's most useful feature to the serious collector. Her fully explains the production of Gustav Becker, Junghaus, HAC, Lenzkirch and competitive factories whose products are still on the market and well within the financial means of the vast majority of clock enthusiasts. He also covers many rare and exotic regulators such as long-duration clocks and variations from the norm.

Welcome to the world of Transformers! These immensely popular "robots in disguise" originated in Japan, and the United States has only been one destination on their worldwide tour. Learn about fascinating variations between the Transformers of Japan, America, and Europe through hundreds of gorgeous color photographs of Transformers from all over the world. This in-depth guide delves into such Japanese toy lines as the Headmasters, Masterforce, Zone, and the Return of Convoy. There is discussion of many of the European figures including the Turbomasters, Predators, and the Obliterators. Also appearing are early Pre-Transformers like the Diaclones and Kronoforms. Fun to read, and with current market values in each caption, this is the book collectors have been waiting for. Transform and roll out!

The country store was a three dimensional collage of advertising, packaging, unique drugstore items, medical gadgets, and cure-alls that rural Americans held faith in for many years. This book examines the varied drugstore and advertising ephemera contained within the store's packed shelves and walls. In almost 500 beautiful color photos the enormity and diversity of advertising, including signs and packaging, and products, from food stuffs to medicine bottles, that created the character of the country store are documented. Particular emphasis is given to the drugs, potions, and medical devices that were found in the country store. In addition the display counters and furnishings of the country store are included. Each item is described and its value in today's collector's market is given.

Return to an earlier time, a more elegant age, when celery vases, stands, glasses, uprights, and jars graced nineteenth century Victorian and early twentieth century tables. Over 350 beautiful images display vintage cut, pattern, and art glass celeries. These images are arranged by celery vase form, including those with and without stems and by stem and bowl shapes. A wide variety of decorative techniques are displayed and discussed. The detailed text explains different decorative techniques, shapes, and motifs, and identifies the glass manufacturers involved. Additionally, it provides a detailed glossary, bibliography, and index. Values are found in the captions. This book will be a treasure to all who love and collect vintage glass.

Welcome to the exciting world of fast food collectibles! This comprehensive book presents a thorough and entertaining guide to the multitude of kid's meal premiums distributed by fourteen quick service restaurants (other than McDonald's) from January 1990 through late 1998. This colorful assortment of restaurants includes Jack in the Box, KFC, K-Mart, Long John Silver's, Pizza Hut, Roy Rogers, Sonic, Subway, Taco Bell, Target, Wal-Mart, Wendy's, Whataburger, and White Castle. Starting with the beginning of the fast food toy explosion, this definitive volume identifies, describes, and lists prices for over 570 kid's meal promotions from the 1990s. More than 550 full color photos document this awesome array of premiums dating from this decade alone. Many of the toys depict colorful characters from such popular companies as Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbera, Inc., Viacom International, Hasbro, Inc., Twentieth Century Fox Universal City Studios, Inc., DC Comics, Mars, Inc., The Coca-Cola Company, and more. The informative text includes a brief history of each corporation and their cast of characters, plus check-off boxes to help you organize your expansive collection. Additionally, the authors have provided a numbering system that identifies every item in the book.

Beautifully carved and painted wooden kachina dolls represent the many spirits and dancers in Southwest Indian Hopi ceremonies that appeal to higher forces for rain, fertile crops, and the goodness of life. Learn the identities of 275 kachinas made by important contemporary Hopi artists and on the market today. There are numerous examples of the most popular Kachinas, such as Crow Mother, Eagles, Clowns, and Maidens. Arranged alphabetically for easy reference by collectors, artists, and historians, the descriptive text and 545 spectacular color photographs present the Hopi and English names, artist identity, and images you need to accurately identify Kachinas. The current market is reflected in value ranges in the captions.

Jewelry and decorative manufactured goods in Egyptian Revival style capitalized on public fascination resulting from the rediscovery of Egyptian monuments and artifacts in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Museum exhibitions, movies, and political events popularized Egyptian architectural designs throughout the world. This is the first book of its kind to focus on revival consumer goods inspired by the ancient culture, including jewelry. Over 400 color photographs and line drawings depict beautiful examples with symbols and images of Egyptian design. Bold colors of natural pigments created the pallets that modern manufacturers used. Images of sylized insects, hieroglyphics, sphinx, royal symbols, and geometric patterns are explored. The manufacturers are introduced with pertinent information that collectors will reference. A chronology of Egyptian history identifies the kingdoms and their relevant styles. This should be an important reference for designers, historians, and ornamental collectors alike. The values with the captions reflect the market today, and the glossary and index are useful for all.

From the formal carvings of the nineteenth century to the colorful and informal plastic and glass examples of molded relief jewelry, this revised and expanded guide is the perfect reference for those on a search for cameos. Fourteen new designs are included in vibrant detail, along with values and tips that will assist today's shopper with appropriate cameo choice befitting their tastes and styles. See shell, stone, plastic, ivory, lava, glass, plastics, and metal cameos used in jewelry and ornamental objects. They were produced by inspired artists in fine detail using old-world crafting and are displayed here in full color. An excellent pocket guide reference for collectors or anyone who appreciates the simplicity and beauty of cameo designs.

Many basic questions confronting antique lamp buyers, from "Where do I look for a manufacturer's signature?" to "How do I distinguish reproductions from originals?" are answered here. Using color photographs and catalogue illustrations, a wealth of information is presented including buying or selling old lighting, restoration issues like rewiring, practical uses for fixtures originally made for gas or oil, and restoring and protecting metal finishes.

The clay and plaster statuary groups made by John Rogers (1829-1904) from 1859 until after 1888 were so appealing in late Victorian America that "scarcely a family of reasonable means and taste did not possess one." He portrayed ordinary, everyday, urban and rural people doing ordinary, everyday things. Thereby, he offered an unrivaled transcript of the manners, sports, amusements, social customs, domestic interests, costumes, and even modes of furnishing for the period. He made statues of Civil War soldiers, family groups, literary topics, theater scenes, and historical figures from eight to forty-six inches tall. This book chronicles each Rogers group with a photograph, size, patent or design date, and pertinent anecdotes. It will be useful today as a reference for interpreting life in Victorian America and today's collectors will covet the pictures, personal letters, advertising, and social commentary presented in the text. The Rogers statuary reflects the lives of our common ancestors of the late nineteenth century.

Welcome to the world of White Knob Wind Up Toys (WKWs). Their diversity, availability,and price make these small, ingenious mechanical wonders one of the most collectible toys on the market today. Since the manufacturing of WKWs began in the 1970s, they have hopped, waddled, swam, danced, flipped, and rolled into hearts and homes throughout the world. Never has any toy been more plentifully accepted and enjoyed by both children and adults alike. This book, which is as irresistible as the WKWs it features, includes over 275 full-color photographs, a price guide, and the information you need to either start or continue building a wonderful collection.

Fully illustrated, this study investigates the origins, evolution and use of the mail and scale armour worn by the soldiers and gladiators of Imperial Rome. Less glamorous than the Roman Army's instantly recognizable plate armour but much more versatile, mail and scale armour were used by both legionaries and auxiliaries throughout Rome's history. Developed by the Celts and quickly adopted by the Romans, mail armour was easy to make and required little maintenance. Scale was a much older form of armour, originating in the Near East during the second millennium BC. As with mail, it was used by both auxiliaries and legionaries, but like plate armour, it was much more fragile than mail. Both types of armour were also used by gladiators (principally as arm defences). New discoveries in both mail and scale, as well as in hybrid forms that mixed the two, mean that much more is now known about the development of these types of defence during the Roman period, their efficacy in battle and how they were manufactured and repaired. Featuring specially commissioned artwork and drawing upon the latest findings, this study lifts the veil on the mail and scale armour used by soldiers, gladiators and others during the heyday of Imperial Rome.

For over 140 years, the Homer Laughlin Company, of East Liverpool, Ohio, made popular ceramic plate shapes, each with different decorative treatments that are identified by numbers and date codes. This book shows, in 805 color photographs, 43 dinnerware shapes as well as kitchenware, specialty items, and backmarks. With this information, you can learn to identify each shape and treatment. Today, this dinnerware is valuable in antiques markets.

This book presents the story of a unique collection of 140 manuscripts of 'learned magic' that was sold for a fantastic sum within the clandestine channels of the German book trade in the early eighteenth century. The book will interpret this collection from two angles - as an artefact of the early modern book market as well as the longue-duree tradition of Western learned magic -, thus taking a new stance towards scribal texts that are often regarded as eccentric, peripheral, or marginal. The study is structured by the apparent exceptionality, scarcity, and illegality of the collection, and provides chapters on clandestine activities in European book markets, questions of censorship regimes and efficiency, the use of manuscripts in an age of print, and the history of learned magic in early modern Europe. As the collection has survived till this day in Leipzig University Library, the book provides a critical edition of the 1710 selling catalogue, which includes a brief content analysis of all extant manuscripts. The study will be of interest to scholars and students from a variety of fields, such as early modern book history, the history of magic, cultural history, the sociology of religion, or the study of Western esotericism.

We hate to name drop, but this beautiful book features the top manufacturers and designers of kitchen towels from the 1930s to the 1960s! From the delightful fruit and floral patterns of Wilendur, Startex, and Martex, to the wonderful whimsical designs of Broderie, Bucilla, and JS&S, a visual feast of color and design is presented here. Vintage towels are small art canvases -- easily afforded, easily cleaned, and easily displayed. Hundreds of different designs can be collected in a small space and at minimal cost. It is no wonder, then, that their popularity has risen in recent years to make them one of the hottest textile collectibles! Called by various names -- tea towels, dish towels, kitchen towels, utility towels, work towels and hand towels -- these irresistible charmers are showcased here in over 490 color photos. Previously unpublished information about some of the era's top-name textile artists is featured in a special designer section and a must-read cleaning and storage chapter provides tips that will add decades to the lives of vintage textiles. Measurements, current values, a helpful glossary, and manufacturers list are all included.

Featuring 352 color photos of beautiful glassware and 67 black and white historical photos and catalog pages, this is one of the most authoritative volumes documenting this prolific firm. Dazzling tableware, tumblers, condiments, and more are displayed in many of their popular glass patterns, including Eyewinker, Reverse torpedo, Alexis, Klondike, Onyx, and Floradine. Sweetheart, Crown, Two Post, Delaware, and Oklahoma lamps are also featured. Among the highly sought novelties illustrated are the Snowball Wine Set, Mrs. Snowball, Clown Decanter, Parrot Decanter, and the novelty pitchers Bicycle Girl, Bringing Home the Cows, Squirrel, and Three Birds. The text provides a detailed history of the company, from its founding in West Virginia through its time as a part of the National Glass Company. Values are provided in the captions. This book is a must for all who enjoy, collect, and study beautiful glassware.

The vast array of ceramics manufactured by the venerable English manufactory Wedgwood, appear in over 500 stunning color photos. Early green-glazed earthenwares, Queen's Ware, black basalt, jasper ware, dry-bodied stonewares, majolica, bone china, and lustre ware forms range from teapots and tableware to statuary and Art Deco sculptures. The fascinating, detailed history of the development and dissemination of Wedgwood products includes a useful timeline for quick reference, bibliography, index, and values in the captions. This work should be required reading for every Anglophile and ceramics aficionado!

In 1636, theologian Roger Williams landed in Rhode Island and "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress, called the place Providence." This city grew to become a leader in textile, tool, and jewelry manufacturing and gained the nickname "Beehive of Industry." In the nineteenth century, Providence was known for its busy factories, fascinating history, and beautiful location on scenic Narragansett Bay. Over 300 vintage, hand-tinted postcards transport readers to the early 1900s, when tourism boomed. See the marble dome of the Rhode Island State Capitol, look into the shops at the Mall on Weybosset and Westminster Streets, Roger Williams Park, a lecture at Brown University, and a clambake on the shores of Narragansett Bay. Approximate dating and price guides will be useful to seasoned collectors and beginners looking to start their own collections.

This noteworthy and exceptionally comprehensive book features edged weapons dating from the Neolithic period to the early 20th century. These fascinating antiques come from all over the globe, including Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, Japan, and Africa. Detailed descriptions and over 890 outstanding color photos help collectors identify and study the characteristics, historical uses, and current values of highly diverse swords and daggers. Among the items showcased are tribal, ceremonial, and presentation edged weapons, Indonesian krises, and Borneo "headhunter" swords. Valuable information is provided about rare artifacts, terminology, and evaluating age and authenticity of the weapons. Novice as well as advanced collectors will find this an indispensable reference.

Whistles: every child's favorite noise-maker, every police officer's most trusted alarm, every girl or boy scout's most treasured souvenir. With almost 500 full-color photographs, this cheerful new book catalogs whistles from the past century, from the simple wooden penny whistle to novelty whistles with built-in compasses, 15-jewel watches, and mink fur decoration. There are many examples of tin whistles decorated with lithographs, plastic whistles made of celluloid, vinyl, and other compounds, and even a reproduction of a clay whistle made in the 1400s! While whistles could be as frivolous as the water-filled `warbling bird' variety, sliding whistles, and kiddie whistles with 1950s TV cowboy logos, there are many more serious whistles shown as well, including a Kentucky coal mine whistle(used to check for toxic gases), a New York City taxi-cab whistle, and a plastic version of traditional African "nose-flute" used in mating rituals. This book covers them all, with discussion of when and how they were made, instructions for taking care of them, and a current price guide.

Explore the work of 117 glass craftsmen, from established artists to up-and-coming talents. Their work represents the many techniques artists employ in today's glass art, including blown, cast, fused, etched, layered, copper foil, enamel, paint, and flame work along with stained glass and mosaic compositions. More than 550 art objects are shown, that span the scale from intricate jewelry pieces to architectural installations. The text reveals artists' individual journeys in creativity, as well as a who's who list of galleries, studios, and schools where the cutting edge of glass art is being explored today.