Art collectors and their collections make up an important part of the contemporary arts and crafts infrastructure. Not only do museums and art collectors improve an artist's financial situation by buying their work, but their collections also have symbolic meaning. To be included in the right collection can give an artist a high level of recognition; at the same time, the purchase secures their work a place in a system whose aim is to preserve art for the future. Collecting is a selection process which has economic, social, political and art historical implications, and consequences for the artist, the art scene and the public. In On Collecting the authors look at collecting from public, private and personal perspectives to shed light on some of the structures that are responsible for how artworks become 'collectable' and thus available to the public in museums and public spaces. On Collecting is the fourth volume in the series Documents on Contemporary Crafts. The series is published by Norwegian Crafts and offers critical reflection on contemporary crafts, seeking to stimulate discourse within the field. With essays by: Glenn Adamson, Liesbeth den Besten, Paul Derrez, Eivind Furnesvik, Margaret Wasz, Trude Schjelderup Iversen, Gunnar Kvaran, Knut Ljogodt, Nanna Melland, Yuka Oyama, Anthony Shaw and Petter Snare.

Nearly everyone collects something, even those who don't think of themselves as collectors. William Davies King, on the other hand, has devoted decades to collecting nothing - and a lot of it. With "Collections of Nothing", he takes a hard look at this habitual hoarding to see what truths it can reveal about the impulse to accumulate. Part memoir, part reflection on the mania of acquisition, "Collections of Nothing" begins with the stamp collection that King was given as a boy. In the following years, rather than rarity or pedigree, he found himself searching out the lowly and the lost, the cast-off and the undesired: objects that, merely by gathering and retaining them, he could imbue with meaning, even value. As he relates the story of his burgeoning collections, King also offers a fascinating meditation on the human urge to collect. This wry, funny, even touching appreciation and dissection of the collector's art as seen through the life of a most unusual specimen will appeal to anyone who has ever felt the unappeasable power of that acquisitive fever.

German Military Ribbon Bars fills an obvious gap in reference works on German awards and medals. Drawing on many resources from around the world, his own collection, and with many unpublished photographs from 1914-1970, author Mark Hayden examines German ribbon bars from World War I, the Inter-War years, World War II and finally those worn by veterans in the reconstituted Bundeswehr of 1957. The wide variety of construction, styles, and combinations are discussed in detail, along with information on values, availability, and reproductions. This book is sure to be a welcome addition to the libraries of militaria collectors and students of military history alike.

DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE WEEK 'A sparkling memoir... My hope is that Philip Serrell will do for the antiques trade what James Herriot did for cow's bottoms, as his memoir contains every ingredient for similar popular success... Serrell is laugh-out-loud funny.' Roger Lewis, Daily Mail *** When Philip Serrell gave up teaching to become a professional auctioneer, he thought he was embarking on a sensible and safe career... a quiet life in the country with no surprises. How wrong he was. In What Am I Bid? he tells of life after the events he described in his previous memoirs, An Auctioneer's Lot and Sold to the Man with the Tin Leg, to bring his story up to date. From dodgy cars to fakes in the saleroom; angry livestock, mangled silverware and tortuous - not to mention muddy - experiences in local markets and farm sales, Philip has been there, done that and got the hoofprints on his suit to prove it.

A catalogue of Chinese belt toggles in the Bieber collection.

Arkansas Made is the culmination of the Historic Arkansas Museum's exhaustive investigations into the history of the state's material culture past. Decades of meticulous research have resulted in this exciting two-volume set portraying the work of a multitude of artisan cabinetmakers, silversmiths, potters, fine artists, quilters, and more working in communities all over the sate. The work of these artisan groups documented and collected here has been the driving force of the Historic Arkansas Museum's mission to collect and preserve Arkansas's creative legacy and rich artistic traditions. Arkansas Made demonstrates that Arkansas artists, artisans, and their works not only existed, but are worthy of study, admiration, and reflection.

Most people know the toy "Etch A Sketch," but relatively few know that Ohio Art Company produced it and some of America's most beautifully lithographed popular toys. Over 400 color photographs of toys from the 1920s through the 1980s and the text explore the evolution of Ohio Art. Catalog pages, information for determining dates of production, and a guide to current values make this a must for toy collectors.

This fascinating book explores the history of makeup and beauty from lipstick to leg shaving. Madeleine Marsh chronicles the development of cosmetics from a secret shame in the 19th century, to a handbag essential in the 20th. She tells the stories behind famous brands; explores the role of makeup in peace and war - showing how our daily beauty rituals reflect the changing roles of women across the decades. This lavishly illustrated history also provides a guide to collecting vintage compacts and cosmetics - revealing the old makeup that you shouldn't throw away.