The significant merit and historical importance of vintage folk art fishing lures and tackle have remained largely "undiscovered" by the folk art community. This book will change that. Over 700 striking color photos and fascinating text presents vintage folk art fishing lures, predominantly from the first half of the 20th century, as small, exquisite, handcrafted treasures. Originally made only for catching fish, these lures were assembled from available materials and household supplies. Through their makers' vision and talent, miniature "sculptures" were created. Each lure is unique and personal. Detailed background, historical, and introductory sections complement photos conveying the limitless range of lure designs from primitives to elaborate folk art classics. Early folk artists including Bud Stewart, William Giles, and Burt Errett as well as contemporary artists Bob Baird, Aage Bjerring, Bill Grossman, C.B. Lewis, and C.E. Wilson are featured. First-ever detailed benchmarks to assess an individual folk art lure's quality, condition, authenticity, and value. This book is a treasure for fishermen and folk art collectors, displaying lures from both known and anonymous makers.

See beautiful hammered copper vessels made long ago and today at Santa Clara del Cobre, Mexico, a small town in the southwest state of Michoacan. From nothing more than a chunk of copper or sheet metal, artists here have spent centuries creating both useful and decorative copper items, with specially made hand tools and machinery. The richness of the work has undergone a marked improvement in design, materials, and finish during the second half of the twentieth century. Hundreds of copper items from the Museo Nacional de Cobre illustrate the art's evolution. 393 colorful photographs, an historical perspective, list and introductions to 540 copper artists, and detailed descriptions combine in this impressive reference. Be inspired to visit Mexico's Michoacan state and Santa Clara del Cobre, to meet the artists in their workshops.

Concentrating on the explorer and naturalist Joseph Banks (1743-1820), this book explores the early history of collections at the British Museum. Taking Banks' extraordinary career as its basis, it examines the changes that took place during a period of transition that led to collecting on an increasingly global scale.

This book chronicles the history of Halloween in the 20th century through the evolution of related costumes, Jack-O'-Lanterns, decorations, candy containers, and other treats. One could easily view 20th-century Halloween costumes as being a road map through popular cultural history-they reflect fads, television, space exploration, movies, comics, and personalities that shaped the past hundred years. Historians, collectors of Halloween items, and students of popular culture will find this book offers delightful insight into the styles, variety, and current values of ever-popular Halloween gear.

This brilliantly assembled book explores the creative media that master designer Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) and his Tiffany Studios in New York pioneered, coupled with related masterpieces that contemporary artists have made. Nine chapters present Tiffany's original paintings and fine arts, stained glass windows and lampshades, mosaics, favrile glass objects, metalwork, enamels, and jewelry. Each method is explained and superlative examples are shown in 560 color photographs. Related artworks, by 17 contemporary artists, establish how L.C. Tiffany has influenced living artists. All the artworks were inspired by natural flowers and plant material in Art Nouveau aesthetics. This beautiful reference is a tool for designers, Tiffany collectors, and everyone who aspires to create their own masterpieces.

Lavishly illustrated and extensively researched, this fascinating book chronicles the widening accessibility of jewelry between 1860 and 1960. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, only the affluent could afford many pieces of jewelry. In the mid-nineteenth century, however, industrialization led jewelry to become more affordable and the rising middle class created a larger market. Increasingly, jewelry was made not only from traditional precious metals and stones, but also of materials such as gold-plated base metals, vulcanite, hair, plastics, aluminum, and much more. Beginning with a visual timeline, this comprehensive volume couples an informative text with outstanding photographs of over 1,000 pieces of fine and costume jewelry made in America, Europe, and Asia. The jewelry reflects the changing styles of each decade, ranging from romantic to humorous to sumptuous. Pieces are organized by type of material or in delightful themes, such as heart-shaped items, insects, Egyptian influenced, and more. A helpful glossary, extensive bibliography, tips for collectors, and current values are all included. This book is certain to inspire and delight beginning and advanced jewelry collectors, historians, and designers.

In the collector's world, plastics are exploding! From household items to beautiful jewelry the infinite variety of designs and the rainbow of colors has captured the contemporary fancy. Once looked down upon as a "cheap" alternative, now it is being seen for what it really is, a medium that gives limitless possibilities for the designer's creativity. In this new book Jan Lindenberger turns her attention to the wonderful world of plastic jewelry. An easy to use handbook and price guide, it is designed to be taken into the field. It will be an invaluable aid at flea markets, yard sales, co-ops, and antique stores. Use it to evaluate new treasures and their values. Over 440 color photographs will guide the way, and prices will help you discover the best deals.

Timeless in their appeal, pinball games have entertained and tested the skills of players worldwide for many generations. Pinballs combine the unpredictability of a rolling, bouncing silver ball with some of the most amazing commercial artwork and the most up-to-date technological advancements. Here is a book that celebrates what is known to many enthusiasts as "the lure of the silverball." Fifty diverse pinballs, both vintage and contemporary, are showcased. Each has its own chapter outlining the game\s special features, historical background, game trivia, game rules, graphic images, collectibility, and current value. Over 500 amazing full color photographs give the reader a complete visual of each game. Whole machine shots, close-ups of backglasses and playfields, and ball\s-eye-view images all put enthusiasts right into the action. This outstanding book will be thoroughly enjoyed by pinball collectors, historians, graphic artists, and devotees of coin operated amusement games.

More than 700 striking photographs and a detailed text about Zippo cigarette lighters, their history and current values, as well as the Viet Nam War comprise this important new book. It provides not only photographs of authentic and counterfeit Zippos and the factory's own art work, but also a concise outline of the War, lists of U.S. and Vietnamese ship and boat names that did duty in Viet Nam, definitions of naval abbreviations, South Vietnamese waterways and geographic names, Allied in-country units, and a comprehensive dictionary translating important Vietnamese military terms so that old Zippo lighters can be interpreted today. Singularly, this book holds tremendous appeal to an extremely broad audience. Lighter collectors will see a wide variety of rare and common Zippos. Photographers and artists interested in the Viet Nam War and its images will see powerful action photos. Viet Nam War and general military collectors and historians will find factual information organized in a quickly accessible form. Political historians and Sixties and Seventies collectors will find ideas and objects to delight their interests. All will want this unique and striking book for their libraries.

Roughly 40,000 Latvians served in the Waffen-SS from 1943 to the end of war in the 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr.1) and 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (lettische Nr.2). They fought in Russia, Latvia, West Prussia and eventually Berlin in April 1945. This book is the complete operational history of this little-known unit and includes first-hand accounts, maps, and very rare war-era photographs, and soldbuchs.

Books have been written about the highway that Samuel C. Lancaster built. This is the book that he wrote. Lancaster is known to all who have studied highway engineering. His work directing construction of the Columbia River Highway made history. Lancaster's work followed the pioneering trail of explorers Lewis and Clark. In plotting the route of the first paved road inland from Portland, Lancaster took advantage of every viewpoint the magnificent river gorge offered. This book is a faithful reprint of his 1915 book. It is Lancaster's story of the valley; a wonderful collection of essays about the region's natives, early missionaries, fur traders, and soldiers. He discusses many of the great landmarks, from waterfalls and rock formations to man-made wonders including bridges, buildings, and tunnels. A portrait of Chief Joseph, of the Nez Perce, illustrates essays about the native Indians and their arts. In all, more than 100 beautiful images capture the pristine qualities of the gorge in this invaluable reissue of a classic national treasure. A full-color map offers an aerial overview of the area, from Wind Mountain to the shores of the Pacific. A new foreword is by Walt Curtis, who has authored poetry books, as well as articles on Oregon's forgotten authors. He is the current secretary and a founder of the Oregon Cultural Heritage Commission.

After more than two centuries, the process of opening a bottle of wine changed significantly in the 1970s with the introduction of the Screwpull. This is the story of the development and realization of one of the best devices in the world for removing a cork from a wine bottle, the Screwpull, and its inventor, Herbert Allen. Alongside hundreds of examples of experimental prototypes, patent drawings, and many production models, the story unfolds to reveal Allen's conceptualization of how the Screwpull should work and how imitation knockoffs affected his market. The story goes on to detail the events following Mr. Allen's death-the transfer of the company to LeCreuset of France and the production of new models. A beautifully illustrated and detailed history of this remarkable product, Screwpull is the perfect addition to the libraries of corkscrew collectors, product designers, those with good taste, and wine aficionados.

The country store was a three dimensional collage of advertising, packaging, unique drugstore items, medical gadgets, and cure-alls that rural Americans held faith in for many years. This book examines the varied drugstore and advertising ephemera contained within the store's packed shelves and walls. In almost 500 beautiful color photos the enormity and diversity of advertising, including signs and packaging, and products, from food stuffs to medicine bottles, that created the character of the country store are documented. Particular emphasis is given to the drugs, potions, and medical devices that were found in the country store. In addition the display counters and furnishings of the country store are included. Each item is described and its value in today's collector's market is given.

Many basic questions confronting antique lamp buyers, from "Where do I look for a manufacturer's signature?" to "How do I distinguish reproductions from originals?" are answered here. Using color photographs and catalogue illustrations, a wealth of information is presented including buying or selling old lighting, restoration issues like rewiring, practical uses for fixtures originally made for gas or oil, and restoring and protecting metal finishes.

From the formal carvings of the nineteenth century to the colorful and informal plastic and glass examples of molded relief jewelry, this revised and expanded guide is the perfect reference for those on a search for cameos. Fourteen new designs are included in vibrant detail, along with values and tips that will assist today's shopper with appropriate cameo choice befitting their tastes and styles. See shell, stone, plastic, ivory, lava, glass, plastics, and metal cameos used in jewelry and ornamental objects. They were produced by inspired artists in fine detail using old-world crafting and are displayed here in full color. An excellent pocket guide reference for collectors or anyone who appreciates the simplicity and beauty of cameo designs.

The clay and plaster statuary groups made by John Rogers (1829-1904) from 1859 until after 1888 were so appealing in late Victorian America that "scarcely a family of reasonable means and taste did not possess one." He portrayed ordinary, everyday, urban and rural people doing ordinary, everyday things. Thereby, he offered an unrivaled transcript of the manners, sports, amusements, social customs, domestic interests, costumes, and even modes of furnishing for the period. He made statues of Civil War soldiers, family groups, literary topics, theater scenes, and historical figures from eight to forty-six inches tall. This book chronicles each Rogers group with a photograph, size, patent or design date, and pertinent anecdotes. It will be useful today as a reference for interpreting life in Victorian America and today's collectors will covet the pictures, personal letters, advertising, and social commentary presented in the text. The Rogers statuary reflects the lives of our common ancestors of the late nineteenth century.

For over 140 years, the Homer Laughlin Company, of East Liverpool, Ohio, made popular ceramic plate shapes, each with different decorative treatments that are identified by numbers and date codes. This book shows, in 805 color photographs, 43 dinnerware shapes as well as kitchenware, specialty items, and backmarks. With this information, you can learn to identify each shape and treatment. Today, this dinnerware is valuable in antiques markets.

The vast array of ceramics manufactured by the venerable English manufactory Wedgwood, appear in over 500 stunning color photos. Early green-glazed earthenwares, Queen's Ware, black basalt, jasper ware, dry-bodied stonewares, majolica, bone china, and lustre ware forms range from teapots and tableware to statuary and Art Deco sculptures. The fascinating, detailed history of the development and dissemination of Wedgwood products includes a useful timeline for quick reference, bibliography, index, and values in the captions. This work should be required reading for every Anglophile and ceramics aficionado!

This noteworthy and exceptionally comprehensive book features edged weapons dating from the Neolithic period to the early 20th century. These fascinating antiques come from all over the globe, including Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, Japan, and Africa. Detailed descriptions and over 890 outstanding color photos help collectors identify and study the characteristics, historical uses, and current values of highly diverse swords and daggers. Among the items showcased are tribal, ceremonial, and presentation edged weapons, Indonesian krises, and Borneo "headhunter" swords. Valuable information is provided about rare artifacts, terminology, and evaluating age and authenticity of the weapons. Novice as well as advanced collectors will find this an indispensable reference.

Whistles: every child's favorite noise-maker, every police officer's most trusted alarm, every girl or boy scout's most treasured souvenir. With almost 500 full-color photographs, this cheerful new book catalogs whistles from the past century, from the simple wooden penny whistle to novelty whistles with built-in compasses, 15-jewel watches, and mink fur decoration. There are many examples of tin whistles decorated with lithographs, plastic whistles made of celluloid, vinyl, and other compounds, and even a reproduction of a clay whistle made in the 1400s! While whistles could be as frivolous as the water-filled `warbling bird' variety, sliding whistles, and kiddie whistles with 1950s TV cowboy logos, there are many more serious whistles shown as well, including a Kentucky coal mine whistle(used to check for toxic gases), a New York City taxi-cab whistle, and a plastic version of traditional African "nose-flute" used in mating rituals. This book covers them all, with discussion of when and how they were made, instructions for taking care of them, and a current price guide.

Explore the work of 117 glass craftsmen, from established artists to up-and-coming talents. Their work represents the many techniques artists employ in today's glass art, including blown, cast, fused, etched, layered, copper foil, enamel, paint, and flame work along with stained glass and mosaic compositions. More than 550 art objects are shown, that span the scale from intricate jewelry pieces to architectural installations. The text reveals artists' individual journeys in creativity, as well as a who's who list of galleries, studios, and schools where the cutting edge of glass art is being explored today.

Here is a wonderful resource for dollhouse collectors seeking to identify and date items in their collections. Shown in over 400 photographs are advertisements from catalogs, magazines, and trade journals picturing dollhouses, dollhouse furniture, and accessories. The ads provide a comprehensive pictorial history of mostly American dollhouses dating from the 1880s to the 1980s. Shown are products from many famous dollhouse companies, including N.D. Cass, Arcade, Meccano, Lines Brothers, Schoenhut, Strombecker, Wisconsin Toy, Rich Toys, Keystone, Converse, Tynietoy, Renwal, Marx, Plasco, Ideal, Playsteel, Built-Rite, Nancy Forbes, Tootsietoy, and many other well-known firms. Of special interest are ads from companies not recognized in previous dollhouse books, including Cranford, Elastic Tip, Playroom Equipment, Toy Gro Educational Toys, Playskool Institute, Vista, Melco Toys, and many more. A special chapter illustrating magazine and newspaper plans for building dollhouses is included to help with the identification of handmade houses and furnishings. This unique book will help new and old collectors alike research their beloved dollhouses and dollhouse furniture.

Rookwood art pottery was made in Cincinnati, Ohio, from 1880 until 1967, producing forms that feature delicate colors fired at low kiln temperatures. Pieces are eagerly sought by collectors today and continue to influence contemporary art potters. In this guide 251 color and 166 black and white photographs show hundreds of vases, plaques, bowls, bookends, lamps, tea tiles, and more, with estimated price ranges to reflect the art market.