James L. Dundas provides his readers with a sweeping survey of the shooting toys that gladdened the hearts of children from near the turn of the twentieth century to the 1990s. Concentrating heavily on the decades from the 1920s to the 1960s, over 420 color photographs display a dazzling array of BB guns, cap shooters, marble shooters, squirt guns, and more. Reminding us all of the long car rides and rainy days of our youth, when shooting was impossible, are a selection of colorful key chain puzzles that round out the presentation. Included in the text is a brief history of the Daisy BB Gun--complete with a Daisy BB gun chronology, instructions for determining whether a BB gun is functional or broken, and valuable advice for dating shooting toys with patent numbers, area codes, and zip codes. Price ranges are also provided for the toys shown.

This comprehensive new reference focuses on the variety of animal figures produced in Staffordshire during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Characterized by a cottage industry quaintness, Staffordshire figures were known as "image toys" and "chimney ornaments" in their day. Countless subjects were produced but the animal models comprise a Noah's Ark of some of the most charming and endearing figures. Today, Staffordshire animals are among the bestselling and most widely collected antique ceramics. Beautifully illustrated with over 400 color photographs, this book traces animal figure evolution through chapters on animals in art, British ceramics, Staffordshire potters and potteries, and production techniques and styles. Informative captions provide descriptions, dates of manufacture, and current values.

Here it is, everything you always wanted to know about Ford farm toys! This colorful book contains detailed information on Ford toys from the early 1900s through the present day, manufactured by companies in the United States as well as abroad including names like Fordson, Ertl, Arcade, Tootsie Toy, and New Holland among others. Here are miniature Ford tractors, industrial equipment, lawn and garden equipment, farm sets and dealer trucks most of which have been produced in full scale by Ford. Toy enthusiast, farm collectors, and modelers are sure to find happy memories of their childhoods in this comprehensive volume. Over 300 full color photos are complemented by humorous anecdotes. A price guide for all models shown is included with the captions.

Bounce back to the carefree childhood days when you spent hours with your yo-yo learning to "walk the dog" or go "around the world". Yo-yos of many companies, decades (from the 1930s onward), and designs are displayed along with yo-yos that shriek, whistle, and spark. Whether you prefer wood or plastic, butterflies or teenies, Duncans or Whirl Kings, here you will find the yo-yos that you like best in over 275 color photographs. Also, yo-yo championship patches, tricks books, and trophies are displayed. Brief histories of several yo-yo companies such as Cheerio, Duncan, and Royal are provided. Methods are explored for roughly determining a yo-yo's age, through inscribed zip codes and patent numbers. Current market values for each and every yo-yo are found in the captions.

Hamer Guitars is often regarded as the first boutique guitar builder. From its humble beginnings in founder Paul Hamer's Northern Prairie Music Shop to its acquisition by the Fender Musical Instrument Corporation in 2008, the Hamer story is traced through nearly 400 images and dozens of interviews with those involved with the company. See how Hamer rose to compete with the giants of American guitar-making. Learn the inspiration for the making of its ultimate guitar, the Standard. Containing pieces by two of the company's principal architects - Hamer and Jol Dantzig - and told in lavishly illustrated text with many never before published photos and drawings, this history of Hamer Guitars is a treasured keepsake and resource for every lover of the electric guitar. With a foreword by Hamer's most prominent Standard bearer, Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen.

Since the 1930s and up to the present, the Fenton Art Glass Company, of Williamstown, West Virginia, has produced beautiful glass baskets in a huge variety of styles, colors, and patterns. In these two new volumes, over 880 known varieties of Fenton baskets are each carefully described, with their individual ware numbers, color, size, decoration, date, and current value, and are individually shown in beautiful color photos. The patterns are presented alphabetically. This volume has the patterns from Acanthus to Hummingbird. A companion volume has the patterns Innovation to Wisteria and the numbered patterns. Information on the talented glass workers who made the baskets, handles, and pattern decorations are identified. Special markings are described, listed, and dated for easy identification. With these complete references now available, the identification of Fenton glass baskets is possible for the first time and collecting them will be a gratifying pleasure. These two books are published to coincide with the hundredth anniversary celebration of the Fenton Art Glass company in 2005.

This specialized portion of the fifth volume of The Glass Industry in Sandwich features four complete chapters on cut, engraved, and etched glass; an assortment of household and commercial ware; bottles; and a supplement to the seven previously published guides.

In this book, a follow-up to the same author's well-received study of British web equipment, Martin Brayley gives a detailed illustrated overview of the webbing straps, holsters, carriers and haversacks used by American combat troops from before World War One to the Vietnam War. Hundreds of different items are photographed, and the often small differences between suppliers and periods are pointed in the learned and informative text. This book offers collectors and students of militaria a detailed and authoritative review of the development of the US Army's web equipment. It tells the story from the first M1910 set taken to France by the 'Doughboys' of World War One to the M1956 and its M1967 replacement worn by the 'grunts' in Vietnam. Superbly illustrated with more than 100 full-colour photographs. Martin Brayley is a prolific collector of military equipment and is a photographer by profession.

In recent years, collectors have come to recognize the beauty and value of Roycroft items, particularly the art metal which is the most available, affordable, and varied of all Roycroft collectibles. Influenced by the English movement that was spearheaded by William Morris, Elbert Hubbard began a new industry dedicated to quality of design and manufacture, from its factories near Buffalo, New York. With 179 full color illustrations, this newly revised & expanded identification and price guide offers Arts and Crafts collectors and dealers an in-depth look at the many objects that were made. Included are bowls, vases, jewelry, desk items, bookends, candlesticks and other items of interest. The text provides the history and background of the company, as well as information about each of the products illustrated. There is also a good selection of original advertising and promotional material.

Featuring over 370 stunning photos and detailed, scholarly text, this is the first book about this popular 19th century European art form! They are magical porcelain three-dimensional pictures, which can be seen only when backlit, and were a popular craze in the late Victorian era. The lithophanes here enhanced tea warmers, plaques, vases, night lights, lampshades, table screens, fireplace screens, complexion fans or hand screens, window panels, miniatures, steins, cups, mugs, plates, matchboxes, and candle shields. The text represents years of accumulated research, and provides information on lithophane's Asian inspiration, manufacturing techniques, production history, inspirations, and forms. This book is a must for anyone with a passion for Victorian ceramics and art.

Take a magical mystery tour through time, following the trail of Beatles memorabilia left behind by the Fab Four from their early days in Hamburg, through the Ed Sullivan show, right up to the present day and "Anthology I." A dazzlingly wide range of collectibles parade across the pages of this colorful text in over 730 color photographs including records, posters, movie memorabilia, jewelry, books, and fan club mementos. New Beatles collectibles are fully addressed here for the first time. Included as well are a history of the Beatles and their later solo efforts, Beatles art work created by inspired artists, and newly revised values for all of the collectibles presented in the text.

For centuries, entertainers have strung their audiences along with these captivating characters. This author does the same, chronicling the global fascination with puppets over thousands of years. From Pinocchio to Kermit the Frog, from Indian stick figures to Jerry Mahoney puppets, these collectibles have entertained and educated generations. They are a perfect medium for telling stories, some quite serious and deeply meaningful and others meant simply for entertainment and laughter. Puppets and Marionettes will bring back memories of childhood, of the early days of television and the hours of delight these animated characters have brought into our lives. In this new book, Jan Lindenberger, with the help of her friend Joel Martone, offers a wide range of puppets and marionettes in more than 500 full-color photographs. Concisely captioned with current prices, this is the perfect book for the collector to take into the field.

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.

Hundreds of old farm tools and equipment are shown to be echoes of America's past, as farming remains vital to the economy today. Major chapters cover old haying, grains, tobacco, orchards, poultry, dairy, horses and mules in farm practices. Over 600 vintage and modern photos display the amazing variety of gadgets once necessary for farming. These objects are preserved in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at the Landis Valley Museum, where they help to interpret American farm life of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. This book extends the reach of the museum's collections to interested people worldwide.

Gulf Oil Collectibles by Charles Whitworth covers over one hundred different categories of Gulf collectibles, containing over 500 different pictures in full color of everything from cans, signs, promotional items, and clothing, to toys and many other Gulf related items. If it's Gulf, its probably covered in this book. The values here have been established based on the author's years of collecting Gulf Oil memorabilia.

This book is indeed a "first." A few rubber tins have made cameo appearances in past publications but this is the premier book exclusively about rubber containers-most of which have never been pictured before. Try this on your coffee table and you'll have a fun conversation piece-a trifle naughty but respectable! You and your friends can share hours of enjoyment getting to know about one of the hottest collectibles ever to hit the antique advertising scene! Buying Remember Your Rubbers! can save you money, perhaps many times the price of the book. You'll learn which brands are rare and which are not. You'll know enough not to spend a fortune on a "Deans Peacocks" (the "Prince Albert of rubber tins") as well as not to pass on a one-of-a-kind like the "Rainbow," both incidentally from the same company!

Perfectly detailed miniature perfume bottles have always fascinated collectors. This book, packed with full-color pictures, is the first to document these miniatures. From the demure and delicate antique bottles of the last century, dramatic and striking Art Deco bottles of the 1920s, and graceful bottles of the World War II era, to today's variety, Glinda Bowman's book covers the range. The top makers are well-represented, including Lalique, Guerlain, Coty and Lentheric, with a special section of the popular bottle produced by Avon. Bowman has also compiled a fascinating history of perfume.

A combination of 440 photos and advertisements, plus informative text, tell the story of the Elgin National Watch Company wristwatches that accompanied U.S. Army troops into the trenches of Europe in World War I. While Elgin was known as a company that would allow buyers to pick and choose among features for their personal watches, the U.S. Army also created specifications dated November 3, 1914 and October 24, 1916, choosing the watch features their soldiers would wear. After a brief discussion of pricing, rarity, and company history, the wristwatches covered include: Star Dial Series, Giant Size 6s, RED 12 Dials, BOLD Arabic Dials, and Shadow Box Dials. Also explored are dial date stamps, recent restorations, crystal guards, and Elgin watch movements. This venerable watch company, dating back to 1864, produced roughly 1,000,000 watch movements each year during World War I. Explore these veterans of the Great War through this fascinating read.

Cocktail culture boomed in the United States after Prohibition as America couldn't get enough of the new concoctions developed by barkeepers. Exotic drinking venues defined this era of drinking culture and were immortalised in the linen postcards used to advertise them. Transport yourself to an era of indulgence and glamour with over 50 vintage cocktail recipes (and modern twists), historical vignettes and more than 100 pieces of vintage ephemera.

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.

This new book anticipates Virginia's 400th anniversary in 2007 by presenting over 270 beautiful historic quilts and ephemera in over 430 color and vintage photographs. From quilted armor of the 17th century to crazy quilts of the 19th century, these personal family and museum treasures include homespun work of slaves and fancy work of freed women and First Ladies. The eight Virginia-born U.S. presidents are each represented here, with work from George Washington's great great grandmother to quilting by Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. The contents derive from the study of more than 3,000 quilts statewide that were meticulously examined by the Virginia Consortium of Quilters' Documentation Project. This book is an important contribution to quilting history and Virginia heritage, and will be inspirational today for enthusiastic sewers everywhere.

United and Bally were the only two true US manufacturers of bingo pinball machines, and in the 1950s they fought an all-out battle to capture the elusive bingo pinball machine market. This comparative history details the intriguing story of mid-century, American industrial and entertainment innovation that pitted United engineer, Lyndon Durant and Bally's Don Hooker against each other in a battle royale to produce the best bingo pinball machine. Through more than 200 photos and illustrations detailing 60 games, Jeffrey Lawton, premier bingo pinball machine enthusiast, introduces Durant's United games and the simultaneous, and sometimes retaliatory, creative efforts employed by Hooker from 1951 to 1957. Lawton's analysis is complete with photos of rare games and playfields and descriptions of complex bingo pinball circuitry.

The delight in owning colored and large-stone costume jewelry has grown over the last ten years among an international group of enthusiasts. This popular field of collecting is imaginatively conveyed through appealing photographs and thoroughly researched text in this expanded new edition. Both the famous and the little-known designers of costume jewelry are represented by carefully chosen examples, as well as the majority of pieces which bear no signature at all. Here one can see hundreds of necklaces, complete and partial sets, bracelets, rings, earrings and hair ornaments made with a wide variety of colored and opaque glass stones, metals, and plastics. The price guide relects the current market. Collectors, dealers, and fashion historians will enjoy the many beautiful examples shown here.

Cigarette lighter collecting has quickly become a very popular hobby throughout the world. Here, at last, is accessible information for the collector. Over 500 lighters are illustrated in full color. They are shown in alphabetical order of their makers and by date within each company. The available historical data is presented clearly and concisely. The lighters are unusual and interesting. They include examples from well-known companies like Dunhill, Ronson, and Zippo as well as companies whose names are lost in smoke. The reader receives an "across the board" look at what is available today and what we think will be sought in the future. A guide to prices is included.

Sought-after, sophisticated and versatile, the Hermes carre is wearable art that never goes out of fashion. Unveiling the history and artistry of the brand's silk accessory from the first designs in the early twentieth century to today, this fashion story includes a detailed behind-the-scenes look at the artisanship involved at the company's ateliers in France, as well as reviews on different scarf designs, colour palettes, dates of issue and rarity (the 'Grail' scarves). The book includes the collaborators who have helped in the creation of over 2,000 designs, including limited editions, anniversary and tribute scarves, with highlights from renown artists and illustrators such as Hugo Grygkar, Philippe Ledoux, Kermit Oliver and Annie Faivre (who hides a monkey in her designs). Here you will discover the fashion of scarf styles throughout the decades, how to wear and tie a scarf, and the scarf in film and popular culture, along with those who made the Hermes carre a hallmark of their own - such as Queen Elizabeth II, Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy Onassis.