Playmates Toys produced Star Trek toys--action figures, accessories, and starships--in great abundance, beginning in 1992, and this book chronicles them all. Most of the Star Trek toys Playmates produced are displayed in over 510 photographs with descriptions and accessories, making identifications easy. Exclusive toys, limited edition statues, and collectibles dioramas add depth and interest. Current market values accompany the descriptions of every Playmates Star Trek toy presented. Every fan of the Star Trek** television series and movies, and all toy and action figure collectors will want a copy of this fabulous book.

Imagine the gilded age of a nation reflected in hundreds of earthenware figures, each with its own story to tell. This book offers an in-depth study of the cultural, socio-economic, religious, political, and technological history that defined the British Empire in the 19th century. This meticulously researched volume is infused with the real-life stories of the potters, their subjects, and people who lived with these historical figurines. Each chapter is a self-contained study of the Staffordshire potteries where they were made, the potters who created them, and of the characters themselves, including spaniels and other animals, the English monarchy, religious symbols, children, heroes, rouges, architecture and much more. Included are over 550 superb color photographs of Staffordshire figures (some previously unrecorded) and detailed captions with values. This is an essential reference for collectors, dealers, designers, historians, curators, and all who love antique ceramics.

With the end of the Second World War, it was not long before increasing wealth, cheaper cars, and social pressures made a family car the aspiration of thousands. Ford, Hillman, Standard, Morris and Vauxhall became household names, and the streets of Britain's suburbs began to fill with modern-looking saloon cars, designed to transport mother, father and 2.4 children with ease, if not speed.
This illustrated book looks at the British cars that were available to the post-war family, and also some of the foreign makes that had an important place in the market, and which had a great influence on the British-made cars that followed.

Through photographs and anecdotes, Broadway author and director Mark Bramble presents the vast collection of antique tea caddies he and his late mother assembled over more than 5 decades of collecting. Explore the historical and societal atmospheres that engendered such varied styles of caddies and how interest in these treasures, created for storing tea, coincided with the competitive search for the formula to make "true" porcelain. The history behind the tea caddy reinforces the overlap between art and functionality, and how the culture of artistic creation is a random blend of geography, sociology, talent, and luck. In this generous volume, collectors are treated to an endearing reflection on a lifetime hobby of mother and son, whose collection encompasses centuries of worldwide artistic creation.

This book presents a nostalgic look at baby and children's wear from the Victorian Era to the first half of the 20th century. It chronicles the changes in children's fashions over the decades and centuries, from the popularity of tartans and plaids in the 1880s, to Knickerbocker suits and box pleated tunics, introduced by the Victorians, to the ever popular and enduring sailor suit. Over 300 stunning, full color photographs showcase the many wonderful and unusual examples of vintage and antique children's clothing, along with detailed descriptions and pricing. From exquisite christening gowns made of cotton and silk, with beautiful embroidery and lace trimmings, to the poignancy of a baby's mourning outfit, this book is delightful and informative in its photography and historic content. It is a must have for anyone interested in the field of fashion and vintage clothing, as well as antiques and collectibles.

Over 1,600 cleverly designed and meticulously made enchanting penny banks are identified and displayed here in clear color photographs. The banks are organized by type and by material. These vintage banks, which once helped children learn to save their money, now attract adults who find their variety, beauty, and sense of thrift very appealing. They have become very popular as collectibles.

As elegant as they are practical, pocket knives have long been considered essential equipment for a gentleman. No cleverly programmed app is able to open blister packages, peel a pear, or cut off a thread hanging from a seam. Revealed are the most beautiful pocket knives from old standards of past generations such as Boker, Puma, Forge de Laguiole, Saladini, Case, Great Eastern Cutlery, and Queen Cutlery to the more modern Claude Dozorme, Neptunia, Fantoni, and Rockstead. Interesting facts about the history and technology of pocket knives add to an assortment of stylish and striking pocket knives that anyone can cut into.

This unique approach allows the collector to identify a piece of Noritake dinnerware by finding a matching pattern or by finding a similar shape that corresponds to a time line. Starting with the Nippon years and moving through to contemporary times, 2000 patterns produced by the Noritake Company are indexed by both name and number. The volume has over 1,200 color photos, with price guide.

The ceramics of Mexico embody the diversity and cultural wealth of the country itself. The production of pottery is one of the oldest Mexican crafts. There is not a state in Mexico that does not produce some sort of ceramic ware, whether it be for purposes decorative, functional, religious, or playful. This book displays Mexican ceramics of the twentieth century. It is organized by geographic area, focusing on the eight states with the most important potteries. Within these states, the pieces are further divided by village or town, style, family, and individual artisan. Based upon an exhibition of over 1,200 pieces at the California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica, California, each color picture is accompanied by a detailed description of the pieces, including, when possible, the artist, style, place of origin, date of production, and size of the piece. This book will be a useful resource for the collector, the traveler, the artist, and everyone who wants to explore a wonderful aspect of Mexican culture.

Top of the Line Fishing Collectibles covers many facets of sport fishing paraphernalia including lures, decoys, winter ice fishing equipment, reels, and related folk art from some of the country's greatest sporting collections. With over 350 color photographs, plus vintage photographs, Donna Tonelli has compiled an impressive selection of quality collectibles. Full descriptions and a value guide makes this book a great resource of information for antique dealers, tackle collectors, and folk art collectors.

This is the most comprehensive guide on collecting fire-related antiques available today. Showcased is a breathtaking collection of functional items, including helmets, parade trumpets, badges, grenades, alarm boxes, and lanterns; and presentation items, such as trophies and awards. Here, too, are items that celebrate the mystique of firefighting, including toys, artwork, movie posters, and much more. Covering colonial times to the present and including a brief historical introduction, this book is the premier reference even for the most serious collector of firematics. It includes over 500 color photographs with detailed descriptions and up-to-date pricing information.

Here's a big second serving for sassafras softdrink lovers. Ever since Tom Morrison's first beverage book, Root Beer Advertising and Collectibles, was published, a second edition about this popular pop was inevitable. More than 650 photographs of root beer bottles, cans, dispensers, mugs, signs and emblems, and more are depicted in this volume, which was made possible by the groupings of some of the largest root beer collections in America. Root beer tidbits, recipes, lists of clubs and newsletters, and a guide to the brand names also make this book a valuable guide for those who want to know more about these popular collectibles.

When Mattel's Hotwheels toy cars exploded onto the market in 1968, venerable Matchbox Toys met the challenge with its Superfast line. The successful result is now presented in the largest book on Matchbox Toys ever produced - so big it is two volumes that celebrate 35 years of Matchbox Superfast production with over 7000 color photos and over 10,000 listed variations! The detailed, beautiful photographs are a great assistance to collectors for identification and color reference. The Variation Listings, found in Volume 1, are arranged alpha-numerically by product numbers, making location and cross-referencing easy. Photos are arranged by major product lines, with Basic Models in Volume1, and everything else from Adventure Pack to White Rose Collectibles arranged alphabetically in Volume 2. Superfast models from late 2004 and early 2005 also appear in Volume 2. Each photo includes the product number and name for easy reference to the Variation Listings. To further aid in identification there are helpful indexes by MAN number and model names (actual base names), as well as a general alphabetical index. The model variations have current market prices for each variation. Taken together, these two great books are a must for Matchbox collectors everywhere, a monumental effort by one of the world's greatest authorities! Volume 1: Over 2050 Color Photos of Basic Models Illustrated Promotionals Miniature 1-75 Basic Listing Variations Listing with Values Volume 2: Over 5000 Color Photos of Adventure Packs & Action System to World Class Models with late 2004 Models Alphabetical Index Index to Annual Basic Range Listings 1998-2004 by Issue Numbers (MW numbers) MAN Number (frame number) Listing Alphabetical Index by Actual Base Names

A fascinating book on the origins of writing. Before Writing gives a new perspective on the evolution of communication. It points out that when writing began in Mesopotamia it was not, as previously thought, a sudden and spontaneous invention. Instead, it was the outgrowth of many thousands of years' worth of experience at manipulating symbols. In Volume I: From Counting to Cuneiform, Denise Schmandt-Besserat describes how in about 8000 B.C., coinciding with the rise of agriculture, a system of counters, or tokens, appeared in the Near East. These tokens-small, geometrically shaped objects made of clay-represented various units of goods and were used to count and account for them. The token system was a breakthrough in data processing and communication that ultimately led to the invention of writing about 3100 B.C. Through a study of archaeological and epigraphic evidence, Schmandt-Besserat traces how the Sumerian cuneiform script, the first writing system, emerged from a counting device. In Volume II: A Catalog of Near Eastern Tokens, Schmandt-Besserat presents the primary data on which she bases her theories. These data consist of several thousand tokens, catalogued by country, archaeological site, and token types and subtypes. The information also includes the chronology, stratigraphy, museum ownership, accession or field number, references to previous publications, material, and size of the artifacts. Line drawings and photographs illustrate the various token types.

This richly illustrated book introduces readers to "the golden one," as Rebula has been lovingly described. Rebula grapes, an ancient varietal once prized by princes and popes, are indigenous to the region that now straddles the border between Italy and Slovenia. On the Italian side the area is called Collio, in Slovenia Goriska Brda. It has been rated by experts as among the top five wine terroirs on the planet, shoulder to shoulder with Bordeaux and Tuscany. Wine experts agree, calling Rebula "a dream wine of a new age." Rebula was rated the World's Best Wine in 2010 by sommelier Luca Gardini, and a Rebula has received an astounding 100 points on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale. Beautifully designed with full-color photographs, the book recounts the fascinating story of Rebula and the history of wine in what was once Yugoslavia and is now Slovenia. The protagonist is a remarkable vintner, Zvonimir Simcic, one of the founders of what was Yugoslavia's most important winery before the country fragmented. Almost single-handedly responsible for the preservation of Rebula, he resurrected the forgotten varietal and transformed his home region, spectacular Goriska Brda, from a poverty-stricken area into one of the globe's great wine destinations. Pulitzer finalist Noah Charney provides a personal, humorous, deeply engaged travelogue through the little-known world of Slovenian wine that will delight adventurous travelers and wine lovers everywhere.

The discovery of silver cannot be pinpointed; humans have mined it far back into antiquity. Our fascination with this malleable metal and the beautiful works of art that can be shaped from it continues to this day. This book brings together two expansive collections of silver objects, the 'Lion' collection and the 'Hamme' collection. The 'Lion' collection provides a broad overview of beautiful silver objects made by a great variety of British contemporary silversmiths. It is divided between holloware, caddy spoons and napkin rings. Part of the collection revolves around the theme of lions, because the lion image bears a resemblance to the collector's family history. The Hamme collection is a spectacular array of 'hero' pieces and commissions that demonstrate some of the best of each silversmith's work. With more than 500 images, Contemporary British Silver Designers shares some of the finest work crafted by 21st-century silversmiths. Interviews with numerous modern silversmiths - Jane Short, Kevin Grey, Miriam Hanid, Nan Nan Liu, Phil Jordan, Ray Walton, Rod Kelly, Tamar de Vries Winter, Wayne Meeten, Yusuke Yamamoto, Zoe Watts, Fred Rich, Michael Lloyd and Wally Gilbert - offer insight into the silversmiths' process and inspirations. Brief biographies are also included on numerous other silversmiths whose work is featured in this book: Phil Barnes, James Dougall, Ryan McClean, Stuart Jenkins, Martin Baker, Martin Keane, Sarah Wilson, Don Porritt, Martyn Pugh, Maureen Edgar, Alistair McCallum, Colette Bishop, Adi Toch, Malcolm Appleby, Adrian Hope, Jen Ricketts, Cara Murphy, Graham Stewart, , Kathryn Hinton, Brett Payne, Clive Burr, Rauni Higson, Angus McFadyen, Kyosun Jung, Karina Gill, Stella Campion, Angela Cork, Abigail Brown, Jessica Jue, Ndidi Ekubia, Elizabeth Auriol Peers and Katie Watson, among others.

Model engineering is generally considered to be a man thing, as men in sheds everywhere don overalls and shape metal into models. But arguably the world's greatest model engineer, Cherry Hill, is, in fact, a woman. And the word 'models' hardly does justice to what she produces. For the past several decades Cherry has created scaled-down versions of traction engines - and not just run-of-the-mill types, but elaborate Victorian flights of fancy. Extensive research and meticulous design are the secrets of her success. She has created almost twenty models over the sixty-year period since her father gave her an old lathe from the workshop of his agricultural machinery business. One of the most impressive aspects of Cherry's work is that all her engines are fully working and what comes out of her workshops in Worcestershire and Florida is perfection, both in terms of design and craftsmanship. Every last part, even tiny chain links, is made in the workshop from metal stock. No parts are bought in. Once completed, all her models are given away: early ones to friends and family and later ones to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Each model typically occupies 7,000 hours' work, and Cherry's staggering efforts have been rewarded with the highest honours, including nine gold medals and an MBE from the Queen for Services to Model Engineering. Here, for the first time, the fruits of her illustrious career are displayed in all their intricate glory for your inspiration and enjoyment.

The Ambassadeur 2500C, a small casting reel capable of handling fine lines and light baits, was first produced in 1975. This book provides a comprehensive history and taxonomy of this legendary family of fishing reels, which is cherished and admired by anglers, collectors, and tournament casters alike. Find information on variations from 1975 to the present, Ambassadeur De Luxe versions and other special editions, fakes, tournament modifications, and market prices, as well as detailed tables and charts with exhaustive technical information. Since its invention, the 2500C has been followed by 60 further types, all crafted around the same general principles. The current casting world record for 5/8-ounce plugs was set with an original Ambassadeur 2500C, and the reel has acquired such a trusted reputation that many anglers refuse to fish with any other type of reel.

This beautifully illustrated volume presents an in-depth look at horology, the scientific study of time and timekeeping. Brimming with more than 150 detailed and full-color images, illustrations, charts, and technical drawings, it's a must-have for anyone interested in the art of watchmaking and watch design. But it's also much more. If you've ever wondered how watches work, or thought about how time influences our lives, then this book is also for you. It offers a comprehensive overview of watch styles, movements, complications, and parts, as well as the basics of starting and caring for a watch collection. A multifaceted study, it discusses the philosophy and measurement of time, the possibility of time travel, and the emergent smartwatch industry. A behind-the-scenes peek into the watch industry, plus pricing and market data, rounds out the contents. Readers will leave these pages with a newfound, renewed, or enhanced love of watchmaking, as well as an increased appreciation for the value of time.

Presented here are one hundred classic-era (1880s-1940s) Hopi and Zuni carved dolls from private and public collections that have rarely, if ever, been put on exhibition and that collectively form a profound and powerful assembly of the very finest examples from the classic period in Kachina carving. Andrea Portago has gracefully photographed these rare figures using available light so as not to distort their colours and to reveal their movement and drama, passion and personality.