On the banks of the Rio Grande, in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains, and in the geographical center of the state of New Mexico lies the city of Albuquerque. Over 200 vintage black and white and hand-tinted postcards from the 1900s to the 1960s take readers on a fantastic journey back in time, to tour Albuquerque and beyond. Many interesting and famous spots are showcased. See the AT & SF Railroad Depot and the Alvarado Hotel in all their former glory. Browse through the selection of handmade Native American arts and crafts sold in Wright's Trading Post or by vendors in Old Town Plaza. Take in a show at the KiMo Theater, stroll among the historic buildings and shops of Old Town, or stop for a tour of the University of New Mexico's campus. Travel outside Albuquerque for a trip up the Sandia Mountains and a tour through Sandia Pueblo.

Marbles made in many materials other than glass. Minerals, stone, clay, crockery, pottery, china, porcelain, cloisonne, gutta-percha, scrimshaw, wood, metal, and more appear here in over 930 color photos of ! Featured are some of the most highly prized marbles of years-gone-by, including hand cut, milled, and polished banded agates, and hand-painted chinas. The text also provides valuable information on marble types, clubs, and meets, and includes online sites, values tables, an extensive glossary, bibliography, and appendices. You don't have to be passionate about marbles to enjoy the varieties.

In the pre-plastic era everything was made from natural materials, often by skilled craftsmen. The materials that they used are now often rare and easily misidentified. Are they made from bone, ivory, horn, tortoiseshell shell, skin or scales, or some other now forgotten exotic material? This technical book will help collectors, antique dealers, museum conservationists, and frequenters of flea markets to know more about the vast array of those artifacts, their biology, rarity, value, and how to conserve and restore them. Included in this comprehensive guide are hundreds of images of actual collectibles ranging from knives to buttons.

From cave paintings to computers, this overview of the history of books and communication is written for the layperson and student. It provides clear information on how books shaped and reflected major social, political, and literary developments. As a general guide, it moves from the earliest writing in the Middle East and Egypt to Greece, Rome, and early Christian contributions to book production and literacy. Major sections discuss publishing during the Middle Ages and how the invention of printing drastically changed and improved the distribution of knowledge. Later chapters take the reader from the age of encyclopedias in the seventeenth century to the great technological advances of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. For those who wish to pursue specific areas in the history of the book in greater detail, there are three parts devoted to additional reading with descriptive, critical annotations: general histories and bibliographies, scribes and printers, and printing to the modern period. Extensive notes and documentation will lead to additional sources.

Cast iron toys are among the hottest toy collectibles today. Some of the best known of these were made by Kenton, an Ohio firm that operated from the 1890s to the 1950s. Their famous Kenton toys include children's savings banks, toy stoves, trains, circus caravans, cars, fire trucks, nostalgic horse-and-buggy lines, and nodders, all identified and shown here in color photographs and original catalog illustrations. Most famous of all was the authentic Gene Autry toy pistol, which was unveiled in 1937. Two million of these were sold in the first year and a half, and the company prospered from the Singong Cowboy's popularity until 1951. This marvelously well-illustrated and researched book traces the history of Kenton from its days as a boomtown hardware manufacturer in the nineteenth century through the struggles of the two world wars. The growth of the American toy industry is reflected in the chronicle of this important company told with details from the company archives and with the engaging testimony of company employees. The story of Gene Autry's festive visit to Kenton is delightful!

Breitling. One watch has made this name famous worldwide, the Navitimer. In 1952 this watch was a real sensation, the chronograph along with the calculator made it possible for the pilot to carry out all necessary calculations during the flight. This made the Navitimer a valuable on-board instrument at that time, and a valuable collectible today.This newly revised book shows the whole spectrum of the firm's products since its founding in 1884, and gives the reader an informed insight into more than 100 years of the firm's history. Many photos, old catalogs, and advertising material support the informative text. With the help of reference numbers, the collector can also locate individual watches chronologically. This fascinating portrait of the Breitling firm will enthrall all who appreciate fine mechanical precision.

Presented here in lively text and over 650 color photographs are the toys that have been played with and collected by ardent fans of George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy for twenty years. The action figures, playsets, and spacecraft of the Rebellion and the Empire are displayed in a colorful and easily referenced format. The gaming equipment, model kits, playthings, promotional items, puzzles, and weapons produced from 1977 though 1997 are examined as well. Not stopping there, this sweeping survey includes an overview of the most popular items from the rest of the ever-expanding Star Wars collectibles universe. Prices are included in the captions; listings for toys both loose and mint in the package are provided whenever appropriate. Rounding out this practical guide are a short history of science fiction films, an examination of action figures, and a bibliography.

The definitive collection of New Hampshire's odd, wacky, and most offbeat people, places, and things, for New Hampshire residents and anyone else who enjoys local humor and trivia with a twist.

Starting in the early 1960s, the McDonald's*r restaurant chain has been creatively advertising their popular fast food products through the sale of collectible drinking glasses. A virtual parade of glassware fills the pages of this colorful book, which illustrates and describes McDonald's glassware promotions in the United States from 1963 to 1998. Organized chronologically and featuring convenient check-off boxes to help you organize and document your collection, the book includes glasses, cups, mugs, and steins--with tankards following closely behind. Over 250 color photos highlight glassware featuring Ronald McDonald and his McDonaldland pals; cartoon, movie, and television characters; sports themes; commemoratives; and many more. Values and a helpful index are provided. For a smashing time, don't miss out on the Losonsky team's exciting world of collectible glassware from McDonald's!

Fast food authors extraordinaire Joyce and Terry Losonsky continue their around-the-world McDonald's odyssey with this expansive guide covering Happy Meal*r toys given out during the late 1990s in over 114 different countries. In addition to a complete listing of international Happy Meal*r toys, the book also includes the displays, pins, buttons, register toppers, banners, pogs, and assorted memorabilia distributed by the McDonald's Corporation during the same time period. Hundreds of full color photos illustrate the Happy Meal*r toys and promotional items described. Join the parade of collectors who are having world class fun exploring and collecting this vast array of merchandise. Your trip around the world continues with this delightful adventure. All aboard!

Fans--they are mysterious and magical, and have been elevated to an art form by the great artists and decorators. They can be viewed as a tangible extension of femininity, style, and elegance. This book tells the fascinating tale of the fan as both a charming fashion accessory and a sophisticated mirror reflecting the changes in fashion and culture over time. Covering medieval times to the twentieth century, individual chapters trace the history of fans and their relationship to the major fashion trends of each era. Over 255 images, including dramatic original photos as well as historical illustrations, showcase fans made of paper, silk, lace, wood, celluloid, feathers, and more. Different shapes and styles of fans are featured, including fixed, pleated, and brise fans, souvenir fans, even several restored fans shown in "before and after" photos. An outstanding resource for fashion historians, students, designers, collectors, and aficionados, this unique study of the fan and its relationship to fashion will be of great interest to anyone who appreciates beautiful clothing and beautiful accessories.

More than 700 striking photographs and a detailed text about Zippo cigarette lighters, their history and current values, as well as the Viet Nam War comprise this important new book. It provides not only photographs of authentic and counterfeit Zippos and the factory's own art work, but also a concise outline of the War, lists of U.S. and Vietnamese ship and boat names that did duty in Viet Nam, definitions of naval abbreviations, South Vietnamese waterways and geographic names, Allied in-country units, and a comprehensive dictionary translating important Vietnamese military terms so that old Zippo lighters can be interpreted today. Singularly, this book holds tremendous appeal to an extremely broad audience. Lighter collectors will see a wide variety of rare and common Zippos. Photographers and artists interested in the Viet Nam War and its images will see powerful action photos. Viet Nam War and general military collectors and historians will find factual information organized in a quickly accessible form. Political historians and Sixties and Seventies collectors will find ideas and objects to delight their interests. All will want this unique and striking book for their libraries.

William Spratling was a U.S. educator whose artistic impact caused a successful silver jewelry industry to arise in Taxco, Mexico, in the 1940s. This book examines Spratling's Mexican work and explores how his talent attracted the attention of the U.S. Interior Department. In 1945, he was invited to create a similar program for Alaska, where it was felt that the indigenous people needed to be encouraged for their own artistic expression and economic gain. Thirty never-before-seen Alaskan models, lost for over 50 years, have been found and now are preserved at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. These and original designs for the project, made in 1949, are presented here along with Spratling's original 1945 report to the Arts and Crafts Board. Also featured are Spratling's designs that inspired a new company's formation to carry on his legacy at Taxco. Clearly, innovation in designs and inspiration for generations of new artists have risen from Spratling's work.

Over the years, various garments have become increasingly popular collectible items as they grant insight into the cultures in which they were made. Collectors who love the sand, sun, and surf will delight in this extraordinary guide to handsome Hawaiian clothing. Filled with over 460 beautiful photos, this book gives a historical account of Hawai`i's fashion industry and its effect on the Western world. Unique island designs, exotic fabrics, and traditional garments--including the holoku and mu`umu`u--are all included within this spectacular display of Hawaiian paradise. Generations of tourists to Hawai`i will enjoy the explanations of clothing designs unique to the islands, and designers will find this an invaluable and inspiring reference tool.

There's nothing like enjoying turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, the oldest American holiday, with nostalgic memories of family gatherings around the dining room table. See how illustrators have portrayed this day of thanks through the years. More than 700 illustrated newspapers, magazine covers, postcards, and prints trace this holiday's history - from the Pilgrims' first observance to the present. Included are vintage postcards and well-known publications like Life, The Ladies' Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, and Harper's Weekly. History lovers and collectors will find this a wonderful resource and an entertaining look back at days gone-by.

Humanity's hunt for calculating devices probably started with the use of small pebbles to keep track of numbers. The counting inventions progressed through the abacus, early mechanical calculators, and other ingenious devices culminating in today's computers. In this new book, Thomas Russo chronicles 600 years of caculating devices, providing valuable information for historians and collectors alike. Stretching from ancient times to the earliest computers, this book provides an insight into breadth and depth of human creativity and drive. With 500 color photographs, descriptive captions, and a guide to current values, this is an essential guide in a field that is finding ever more enthusiasts.

Relive an era when the kitchen was kitsch -- melamine bowls were pink and purple, cocktail shakers and party glasses sported fun themes, iced tea was served in sweaty spun aluminum of futuristic metallic shades, and wall clocks kept time in bright plastic frames shaped to evoke the jet age. This wonderful collector's guide helps to date and value items manufactured for the kitchen in the mid-20th century. items range from ever popular cocktail accessories to serving ware, pitchers and glassware, cannisters, spice racks, trivets, ashtrays, rotary wall phones, chalkware ornaments, and salt and pepper shakers. Here is a nostalgic trip back in time, to mom's eat-in kitchen where family and neighbors gathered for cards, gossip, and good eats.

This book is long overdue documentation on automatic wristwatches from countries other than Switzerland. These watches were always considered superior micro-mechanical products and posed a challenge to technicians. It was only a question of time, before the collectors' interest in these watches expanded from Swiss watches to those of other origins. A total of 123 watches are illustrated in three different views and are described in detail.

This is the first book to address the collectibility of figural animal pitchers. For many years, ceramics manufacturers have made pitchers in the shapes of animals for the family table, some as part of a cream and sugar set, others created to serve water or juice. Hundreds of pitchers from around the world are shown here in over 200 color photos with descriptions that include measurements, colors, manufacturer, date made, and current market value. Over 30 different animal types are included, from the alligator to the yak, with interesting facts about each. The pitchers represent popular American manufacturers, including American Bisque, Blue Ridge, Brayton Laguna, Fitz & Floyd, Hull, Lenox, McCoy, Rio Hondo Potteries, Shawnee, Spaulding China's Royal Copley line, Stewart Ceramics, and Vallona Starr. Others are from Bavaria, China, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Occupied Japan, and Taiwan. Whatever your interest, there probably are animal pitchers to swell your collection. And collecting them need not be expensive, just pure fun to see how many you can find in your travels.

Cigar Box Labels: Portraits of Life, Mirrors of History pays tribute to cigars and the pictorial glory of Victorian-era cigar box labels, a unique form of commercial advertising that flourished in the business place a century ago and helped drive cigars to widespread prominence in American society. Those who fancy these stunningly beautiful paper images as a hobby are in the midst of the hottest area of antique tobacco advertising collecting today. Showcased here are some of the finest and most desirable examples produced by the old stone chromolithographic method between 1860 and 1910. This book also explores some of the rich historical past that surrounds cigars-their manufacture, marketing, and, most of all, their mystique. Also featured is a potpourri of contemporary anecdotes, poems, and other bits of literary whimsy designed to amuse, educate, and titillate the imagination.

Newly Updated and Expanded

Critical and up-to-the-minute information for the novice, advanced collector, jewelry dealer, curator and appraiser for all who buy and sell cameos, or who are just fascinated by them.

Antiques Roadshow Book Club Selection

Since ancient times, cameo making has allowed artists of every era to capture and reflect on the history, literature and lore of their culture. Today, the allure of finely carved cameos is drawing a new generation of both savvy collectors and gifted artists who are captivated by their transcendental elegance.

This first and only comprehensive reference guide offers valuable information on: Where to successfully hunt for cameos How to separate old from new, imitation and newer synthetic materials from original shell and stone cameos How to differentiate between ultrasonically produced and hand-carved cameos

Richly illustrated with many new cameo photographs, this new edition will facilitate the recognition and evaluation of quality in cameos and increase your confidence in buying and selling cameos with: Key factors for defining value Information on how to buy cameos from retailers and antique dealers, via the Internet or at auction A clear explanation of The MasterValuer Program of Quality Ranking that serves as a vital guide for use when evaluating cameos An extensive review of outstanding contemporary cameo artists throughout the world, their style, subject matter, unique and identifiable techniques, contact information and more

Tiffin was one of the giants of American glassmaking. The colorful decorative glassware from the first half of this century is quite popular today, and this is the first book to present all color photographs of hundreds of Tiffin's products. Vases, bowls, and candlesticks in a wide variety of colors and styles, from common to rare, are all in this book, with large sections devoted to Tiffin's pressed satin glass, lamps, and baskets. This useful reference will be used by glass dealers, collectors and scholars alike. It is a great tribute to the many workers who made Tiffin glass so popular and so well.

More than 570 Pairpoint lamps with their distinctive glass shades are shown in this and the companion volume that comprise the catalog. They represent a broad sample of the production of Pairpoint lamps from 1900 to the early 1930s. The most remarkable feature of the catalog is that so many of the pages are hand-colored with watercolors, having been painted by the original factory decorators. This practice occurred at the factory when orders for the lamps were slow.

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.