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.

It's all here! Pictured and listed in this massive volume, now in its fourth edition, are fifty-four years' worth of toys produced between Matchbox's founding in 1947, and 2001, including their popular diecast vehicles, playsets, dolls, plastic kits, robots, and ephemera. The international scope of Matchbox toys is illustrated in catalogs and on boxes and labels printed in a dozen languages. Certain toys have been made for sale in specific countries or to promote specific companies or products. In 1982 the international numbering system on miniatures changed. The result of all these variables is a fascinating and infinite variety of Matchbox toys. In the largest volume about Matchbox Toys ever published, 2,447 color photos illustrate nearly all of Matchbox's vast line. Helpful captions and a price guide make this an essential part of every collector's library.

The early history of the auction dates from 500 BC to the present day. The History of the Auction begins with the auctions of Babylon and ancient Rome and goes on to describe the slave auctions of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the Industrial Revolution, then on to the rise of the giant auction houses such as Sotheby's and Christies. The first edition takes us as far as 1985 when the book was published and the advent of the internet. This second edition takes the story from there to the decades that have followed, including the emergence of the major powers of China, Japan and Russia and their influence on the auction scene. Bringing it right up to date, the book shows how the momentous events of the Covid-19 pandemic and the 'Black Lives Matter' campaign have seriously influenced how the auction business is conducted globally. More change to this form of business has been brought about in the last thirty years than in the previously recorded two millennia, causing many to wonder whether the auction would survive at all in its old form. The author argues however for the cut and thrust of the traditional auction and for the excitement of a crowded saleroom on sale day, the hallmark of the auction experience that must surely be preserved for future auction-goers to enjoy.

Discover the rarified Peranakan (native-born Chinese of Southeast Asia) aesthetics that are today highly sought-after for their beauty: distinctive furniture and ceramics, textiles and jewelry, and many other art objects. Peranakan Chinese Home displays these extraordinary objects, visible markers of a highly developed culture. The broad range of beautiful objects which the Peranakan Chinese created and enjoyed in their daily lives is astounding. Each chapter in The Peranakan Chinese Home focuses on a different area and presents objects used or found in those spaces. Each piece is described in the context of their utility as household objects, as part of periodic celebrations to mark the Chinese New Year and other holidays, or in important life passage rituals relating to ancestor worship, birth, marriage, mourning and burial. The meaning of the rich symbolic and ornamental motifs found on the objects is discussed in detail, and key differences are highlighted between Peranakan objects and similar ones found in China. A fascinating mix of Chinese, European and Southeast Asian influences, the distinctly Peranakan identity of a people and their culture is beautifully portrayed through objects and archival photographs in this lovely and exotic book.

This expanded 2nd edition is the definitive guide to marble collecting, with over 1,400 color photographs identifying marbles. It features the main areas of interest on makers and manufacturers of marbles made of stone, minerals, and early hand- and machine-made glass. It covers many games, toys, and other uses for marbles; and includes a useful glossary, listing of clubs, societies, marble shows, and museums. All the winners of the U.S. National Marble Tournaments are listed. The value of each of the marbles is suggested for general reference.

Miriam Haskell began selling beautiful costume jewelry in 1926, and her company continues to the present. The jewelry that bears her name is highly sought after and the prices keep spiraling up. Claims abound that "this is a Miriam Haskell," but is it a Miriam Haskell? This important new book gives collectors the key information to make intelligent buying decisions. It provides specific details on the art, design, style, materials, construction, and signatures, all vital to the identification and dating of Haskell jewelry. It also dispels many of the myths that allow "wanna-bes" and fakes to flourish. Over 600 beautiful color photographs display the most extensive collection of Haskell jewelry ever brought together. The jewelry is categorized by designer, specifying notable eras. The text provides notations on innovations, style preferences, and in-depth descriptions pointing to key Haskell identifiers. Readers, from casual admirers to serious collectors and dealers, will find in this comprehensive book the essential information and breathtaking pictures they seek.

Nearly everyone alive today has experienced cozy, welcoming kitchens packed with conveniences that we now take for granted. Sarah Archer, in this delightful romp through a simpler time, shows us how the prosperity of the 1950s kicked off the technological and design ideals of today's kitchen. In fact, while contemporary appliances might look a little different and work a little better than those of the 1950s, the midcentury kitchen has yet to be improved upon. During the optimistic consumerism of midcentury America when families were ready to put their newfound prosperity on display, companies from General Electric to Pyrex to Betty Crocker were there to usher them into a new era. Counter heights were standardized, appliances were designed in fashionable colors, and convenience foods took over families' plates. With archival photographs, advertisements, magazine pages, and movie stills, The Midcentury Kitchen captures the spirit of an era-and a room-where anything seemed possible.

Bob Gordon gives a fascinating survey of the different kinds of toy steam engines of the stationary type, and especially those produced during the heyday of steam toys between 1900 and 1930. Dealing mainly with the German manufacturers who pioneered the mass-production of steam toys, it explains how the engines work, gives advice about operating and maintaining them, and contains useful information about identifying and dating vintage models. The manufacturers and retailers who played a leading part in the production and distribution of steam toys are described, and brief references are made to manufacturers who are still making toy steam engines. This will be an excellent reference book for steam enthusiasts of all ages.

The brand with the crown is recognized worldwide as an invaluable sports implement and luxury product. In little more than one hundred years, it has become one of the most successful and innovative watch brands on the planet. Rolex manufactures more than a half a million wristwatches per year while maintaining an outstanding reputation and near-perfect quality. From the beginning, the sponsorship of statesmen, movie stars, and athletes has driven its success, but the company has expanded to include more than just the rich and famous. The Rolex Oyster became the first watch to defy the elements when, in 1927, Mercedes Gleitze wore one while she swam the English Channel. In 1933, the company patented the first automatic winding mechanism. Learn more about this history and read updated reports written about new Rolex ideas and performance tests featured in the German watch magazine Armbanduhren (Wristwatch) from the past 15 years.

Create your own cookbook! Keep all your favorite family recipes in one handy place with our blank cookbook organizer. Organized into 6 chapters from breakfasts to desserts...there are even 3 blank chapters to name your own, plus dozens of tips.