Vallona Starr Ceramics started in Los Angeles in the 1930s and later moved to El Monte, California where it manufactured ceramics until 1953. Known for their whimsical designs like the Winkies, the Up Family, and lower fairies, as well as Corn, Cosmos, Woodland, and Sweetheart designs, Vallona Starr pieces included salt and pepper shakers, sugar and creamers, vases, cookie jars, ornaments, and more. This new book is the first devoted to the creative work of Vallona Starr Ceramics. Its color photographs make it clear why collectors are so excited about Vallona Starr. The price guide will help those who are seeking to add to their collection make wise decisions.

The increasingly collectible categories of nursery rhymes and literary characters, including children's stories and fables, provide the focus for this fourth book of salt and pepper shakers by experts Larry Carey and Sylvia Tompkins. This very popular area of salt and pepper shakers appeals to a wide range of collectors-it's the book for collectors who love classic literary characters such as those from Dickens, fairy tales, and Aesop's fables, to modern day characters such the Cat in the Hat and Curious George. Wonderful sets, from Aladdin and His Lamp to Wizards with Dragons, and everything in between (including series) are depicted in over 700 color photographs. A comprehensive guide, this book details each set's color, size, manufacturer, design variations, and value ranges along with licensing information as marked on the sets.

The Daguerreotype Camera of 1839 is a photographic landmark. It introduced the first practical method for taking a photograph, although what is generally acknowledged as the first photograph was actually taken thirteen years before with a different type of camera by Nicephore Niepce. The Leica was the first camera to make the 35mm format popular, but it was by no means the first camera to use 35mm film. Likewise, Polaroid wasn't the first to produce an instant picture camera, but was, surprisingly, the first company to introduce an autofocus single lens reflex. The history of the camera is flush with similar anomalies. This lavishly illustrated book with over 460 pictures looks at the cameras that became landmarks and analyzes how and why they influenced future design - sometimes in a big, important manner, other times in a lesser but still significant way.

Finally, a book on Tibetan art and antiques with 500 brilliant color photographs that provide a broad survey and visual reference guide. It presents Tibetan thangka and tantric religious art and ritual objects, manuscripts, woodblock prints, document holders, sculptures, furniture, tea services, snuff holders and smoking equipment, swords, daggers, armor, jewelry, textiles, musical instruments, and writing tools and seals. The engaging text is both a brief history of Tibet and information concerning every art form and antique displayed. The arrangement of the materials by type offers a quick and easy reference guide to this wide variety of wares. Values for the items shown are provided in the captions. For anyone with a passion for Tibet, Oriental art, and antiques, this book will be a welcome addition to the reference library.

Historic postcards take you on an eye-candy tour of Cape May's past. Hand-colored images portray bonneted ladies in long dresses treading the boardwalk, and the great Victorian hotels where they stayed. Hand-tinted photography dating back one hundred years opens an keyhole to the past, when the streets were still paved with sand and traversed by horse and carriage. An extensive collection of images portrays the U.S. Naval Training Station. Photo chromes further trace the development of the Washington Street Mall, the restoration of the Emlen Mansion, the sinking of the Atlantus off the point, and the transformation of the Convention Center. Imagery and text trace this wonderful town's story, from nostalgic, sepia-toned past through its renaissance as one of East Coast's most popular, and distinctive historic resort towns.

Artwork created to sell flower and vegetable seeds to the public is bright, eye-catching, and tempting. It reflects the fantasy that any novice gardener can grow beautiful plants just by buying the seeds. This is not a new phenomenon. Over 475 boldly colorful flower and vegetable seed artwork, catalog, packet, and publication illustrations are arranged here chronologically (l1869 to 1997) and alphabetically (acroclinium to zinnia) for easy reference in this fun visual delight. Many images are from the vast and superb collection of the Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where the author was Director of the Heirloom Seed Project. See unusual plant varieties from both small independent and large seed producers, like the W. Atlee Burpee Company. A mid-20th century watercolor illustrator's work is featured as an impressive record of plants grown from seeds; see how many you can recognize.\nThe stunning images will stimulate artists, gardeners, naturalists, and interior decorators to find these and additional seed art examples to add beauty to their lives.

Whether you realize it or not, you are probably already a collector of plastic cups. Just look in your kitchen cabinets and you'll find those plastic cups you didn't realize you were even collecting. The popularity of collecting plastic cups is rapidly increasing due to the latest collaborated marketing efforts between the fast food restaurant and movie industries in promoting a blockbuster movie while selling soft drinks. Plastic cup collecting is no longer just a hobby. The increasing interest and rapid growth of this newest market clearly demands that information and prices be made available to the expanding group of knowledgeable and novice collectors. In over 150 full color photographs, Bryan Meccareillo provides a complete guide to these new collectibles.

Discover information about the first American naval battle, great escapes in the middle of the night, and many historic tidbits that don't often appear in textbooks. These and many other curiosities occurred within Massachusetts's North Shore. Step back in time and learn about hidden histories in the Bay State. Discover who flew the first planes in Massachusetts, why the Puritans didn't establish a city in the region, and how a lighthouse lost its battle with the sea. The North Shore has these and other historic sites, pristine beaches, and hallowed halls. Explore the little-known history that makes it great.

The fine quality of Heisey glass, made in Newark, Ohio, from 1896 to 1958, prompted many decorating companies to buy Heisey blanks on which to apply their own decorations. Heisey made both clear crystal and some of the finest colors available for Bonita Art, Central Glass, Lotus Glass, Oriental Glass, Rainbow Glass, Wheeling Decorating and many others. Cut and etched patterns were applied to Heisey glass by Eagle Cut Glass, Hawkes, Monogram, Pairpoint, Sinclair, and Susquehanna. Even silver overlay and applied metal ormolu were added to Heisey pieces by Apollo, National Silver, Poole, Reed and Barton, and Tuttle silver companies. This new and carefully constructed book fully explores Heisey's 16 beautiful regular production colors, from Alexandrite to Zircon, along with several experimental colors, in 541 clear color photographs. Each color is defined with its production dates and illustrated with a broad sampling of pieces in many shapes and patterns. The picture captions include the color, pattern name, pattern number, measurements, and value of each piece shown. Both advanced and beginning collectors will find this book a necessary and convenient reference to stimulate their enjoyment of beautiful Heisey glass.

From humble beginnings in the late 1800s, the popularity of cigarettes grew into the twentieth century, until they became far and away the favorite way to enjoy the pleasures of tobacco. To capitalize on the rising demand, new brands were introduced around the world, and every one had a distinctive, attractive pack. Most were executed in rich colors and with graphics designed to catch the eye and capture the imagination of the potential consumer. Today these miniature works of advertising art have attracted a large, international audience of admirers and collectors. This new book presents hundreds of cigarette packs from every corner of the globe, in full color, with vital information about manufacture and price that will be invaluable to the collector. The images themselves represent a fascinating visual history of more than one hundred years of cigarette manufacture.

Robert Gillmor, one of Britain's most influential wildlife artist, has illustrated four sets of pictorial stamps featuring birds for Royal Mail's Post & Go. Brought together and reproduced here for the first time, in larger-than-stamp size, these prints demonstrate the author's lifelong love and appreciation of our nation's birds. His own account of the process by which his linocuts are made, along with anecdotal descriptions of his bird encounters, bring the pictures to life. This beautifully produced collection will be coveted by wildlife lovers, artists and stamp collectors alike.

In over 725 color photographs, this comprehensive new volume illustrates the colorful and diverse dinnerware produced over a sixty year period by Universal Potteries, Inc. of Cambridge, Ohio, and its predecessor companies. Starting in 1900 with the Cambridge Art Pottery, the text outlines the "family tree" of potteries leading up to Universal itself, including The Guernsey Earthenware Co., the Oxford Pottery Co., and the Atlas-Globe China Co. Examples of wares from each of these early companies are shown, along with a broad array of items dating from Universal's actual incorporation in the 1930s to the phasing out of its dinnerware line in 1960. Plates, platters, bowls, teapots, pitchers, jugs, cups, casseroles, and more are all shown in Universal's classic shapes, including Ballerina, Camwood Ivory, Upico, Fascination, and Vogue. Decorations highlighted in the photos include Cherrytone, Poppy, Moss Rose, Bittersweet, Cattail, American Beauty Rose, Old Curiosity Shop, Southern Garden, and many more. Universal enthusiasts are sure to find their favorites here! Values for all items are included in the captions.

Paperweight collectors are usually familiar with the histories and products of the French manufacturers Clichy, Baccarat, and Saint Louis, but many know little about English makers from early times to the present day. This book, dedicated solely to the English paperweight makers and containing paperweight examples from the early nineteenth century to 1980, will fill that gap. Gathered together for the first time in one book are the world's largest collections of Bacchus paperweights, as well as many previously unknown and never before photographed paperweights from English glasshouses, all rivaling the best from the French makers. By comparing canes, colors, and styles with one of the hundreds of examples shown in this book, collectors should now be able to identify their own previously unknown weights, and the fake "1848" dated paperweights and inkwells can now be attributed to the right factories and time periods. With over 400 beautiful color photographs, detailed, fascinating descriptions of the weights, and a value guide, this book is a must for paperweight enthusiasts and collectors everywhere.

Elegant and utilitarian glasswares have been made for over thirty centuries. The manufacture of cut glass in America stems from a history that reaches back to ancient Egypt, while engraved glass was known in classical Rome. In this excellent new edition of a classic work, the author traces the American phases of this fascinating history by describing the products of major and minor manufacturers. See the American industry evolve from its early days of imitative work, through highly imaginative products in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, to a declining mediocrity in the 1920s and '30s. This book has been established as the "bible" in this field, and the addition of 150 new photos and fully updated text and pricing information make this edition the best yet. Glass collectors will treasure this unequalled reference.

This revised and updated 2nd edition of a book now called the bible of Catalina Pottery & Tile focuses exclusively on vintage Island-made wares, contains an updated pricing and buying guide, newly discovered historic information gathered in the 10 years since the original edition, and includes over 40 new color images. The breathtaking ceramic artwares, tablewares, and tiles produced by the prolific Catalina Clay Products Company of Santa Catalina Island, California, from 1927 to 1936 are presented in over 590 color photographs and an eloquent text. Influenced in part by the Spanish Revival Movement and Depression-era Art Deco motifs, the artistry imbued in these pieces, ranging from teapots, patio pottery, and souvenirs to pictorial murals, hand painted plates, and tile tables, is displayed. A history of the company, its wares and artisans, a bibliography, and an index are also provided. Updated values are included in the captions.

Look at Abraham Lincoln through others' eyes, seeing history in an entirely different light. While historical text details what Lincoln thought or did and how he planned his actions, the collector of Lincoln holds tangible items, revealing how society saw or portrayed the president. Through collectibles, Lincoln is revealed not only as politician, but also as the subject of painters and sculptors. His influence on society and politics is brought to life in a way which can't be produced in a purely historical or biographical text. The first president to be photographed and have his photographs distributed to hundreds of thousands of citizens, Lincoln's image appears on medals, coins, stamps, and currency, and his story is told in books and pamphlets. Lincoln relics elevate him to an almost saint-like figure in society, and his assassination brought the nation to its knees in mourning. Over 950 photographs illustrate this multi-faceted look at Lincoln and how society still reveres him more than one hundred years after his death.

Fine glassware was hand produced at the Pairpoint Corporation in New Bedford, Massachusetts, by skilled glass blowers, cutters, and engravers for more than five decades and reached a level of unmatched elegance between 1918 and 1938. This is their story, in words and beautiful color pictures, sufficient that today's glass enthusiasts can identify the Pairpoint shapes, colors, and patterns and fully appreciate these artistic treasures. The distinctive Pairpoint bubble ball, specialty and regular line items, markings, and many identifying characteristics are all fully explained. Value guide included.

This delightful guide to collecting plastic antiques for fun and profit is choc full of over 200 fabulous photographs and plenty of very useful information about natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic plastics. It includes a concise history of plastics, items for the home, smoking, and drinking; jewelry and accessories; toys and more, as well as a glossary of plastics terms. Written with a lighthearted touch by a passionate collector, it has practical tips on identifying and caring for plastics and includes current value ranges. This book is a must for new and established collectors alike.

More than 70 contemporary international glass artists' works leap from these pages in dynamic photos, alongside the makers' own explanations of the methods and insights that guide their work. The glass works range from tableware to furniture, and demonstrate today's top levels of mastery. They are powerful, gorgeous, sometimes startling-and always reflective of the current state of glass art. The artists are as diverse as their masterpieces, and their comments reveal some of the motivations and techniques that impact them as they transform molten glass into works of art. Everyone who works in glass or enjoys its effects will find this an invaluable reference and an inspiration to future creativity.

Popular Furniture of the 1920s and 1930s is a facsimile reproduction of the Elgin A. Simonds Company's furniture catalog. It presents the reader with an extensive resource of traditional and commercial furniture styles of the 1920s and 1930s. Founded in 1901, the Elgin A. Simonds Company engaged exclusively in the production of faithful reproductions of the finest work of master furniture craftsman of the past. The company president would spend much of his time researching styles in Europe looking for patterns that were worthy of reproduction by the craftsmen at the Simonds Company. Current values of the furniture have been added to make this book a useful addition to the collector's library. This nostalgic look at furniture styles of the 1920s and 1930s includes over 850 photographs, with important information about size, materials, and the period of the reproduction.

The carved embellishments found on eighteenth-century American furniture pieces are what make them memorable works of art. This book directs the serious student through nine authentic elements from the colonial period. Each chapter is devoted to one element and provides pattern drawings, detailed instructions, and abundant photographs of every step. Learn how to execute the entire process from sculpting the surface to layout, roughing in the shapes and levels, and finally carving the details. The selected projects are chosen from historically important eighteenth-century furniture and adorned some of the best pieces ever made. Although the book tackles advanced topics, the instruction is logical and complete so that the serious reader, independent of skill, can successfully work through the steps.

Antique toys and banks continue to fascinate people worldwide. Here are cherished old toys shown, described, dated and evaluated for today's market. Made of tin, cast iron and composition, they include wind-ups, boats, trains, trucks, horse-drawn styles and bell toys. 100 catalog pages have drawings, full descriptions and original prices.

On the island of Nantucket, the Nantucket Lightship Basket developed over many decades into the distinctive basket so highly prized by collectors today. The baskets evolved in the mid-nineteenth century from wooden splint baskets made by Algonquin Indians and were adapted by Nantucketers, who introduced hardwood bottoms, utilized wooden molds, and replaced wooden splints with rattan. The fascinating history of this basket and its makers is richly illustrated with color photographs that detail construction and show beautiful examples of the craft. Special emphasis is give to depicting the rigorous life aboard the New South Shoal lightship, the crew of which produced beautifully constructed baskets, many of which are shown here. The history of the basket is updated to the present day, including the 1940s development of the covered "pocketbook" basket and the work of contemporary basket makers. For the collector, Martha Lawrence provides details to consider in evaluating antique and contemporary baskets. She also takes the reader through easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for the construction of a basket, including accurate photographs of the stages crucial to producing an authentic piece. Lightship Baskets of Nantucket is a fascinating study of a craft whose popularity is increasing and whose heritage is as enduring as the baskets themselves.

This new edition covers all the standards, procedures, and ethics of appraising gems, jewelry, and other valuables. Each step involved in conducting an appraisal is fully explained, with photos, case studies, key documents, worksheets and pricing data included. Registered Master Valuer Anna M Miller gives professional guidance and step-by-step instructions on how to: Build a clientele; Set fees; Get publicity; Handle insurance replacement claims; Photograph gems and jewellery; Research and write reports; Test metals; Research provenance; Master the different approaches to valuation; Use price guides; Understand legal and ethical aspects of appraising. This resource offers all the information that practising or aspiring appraisal professionals will need to establish an appraisal business, handle various kinds of appraisals, and provide an accurate, verifiable estimate of value.