'Heartwarming, magical and uplifting' In today's throwaway culture, there's a counter movement growing that urges us to 'make do and mend'. The BBC's The Repair Shop has brought this waste-conscious message to an even wider audience, with its regular viewing figures of 7 million in the UK alone, cementing itself as a classic series in the vein of Antiques Roadshow. This new book concentrates on the show's much-loved experts, including woodworker and furniture restorer Will Kirk, clock restorer Steve Fletcher, metalworker Dominic Chinea, silversmith Brenton West, leatherworker Suzie Fletcher, upholsterer Sonnaz Nooranvary, and seamstresses Julie Tatchell & Amanda Middleditch - aka The Teddy Bear Ladies. Each of the experts shares their own stories and their repairs, capturing in the process the magic and ethos of the barn. Includes quotations and Q & As from the experts as well as Jay Blades on some unique restoration collaborations. With the focus on the experts themselves, readers will feel as though they're stepping straight into the 'workshop of dreams' and experiencing first hand the magic of the barn.

In this colorful and descriptive book, you will find a wonderful assortment of bells both functional and decorative, from school bells, cowbells, and bicycle bells to souvenir bells, commemoratives, and figurines. Universally admired for their beauty and tone, bells have been known and used since antiquity. Here, over 590 full color photographs illustrate the incredible diversity of sizes, shapes, styles, colors, and textures which characterize these fascinating collectibles. +Starting with a review of basic bell types, including open mouth bells, crotals, gongs, mechanical bells, and chimes, Collectible Bells: Treasures of Sight and Sound provides separate, informative chapters on materials used to make bells, bells from around the world, bells with a specific purpose, bells of all shapes and styles, and more. Within its pages you'll find antique and contemporary bells, traditional and unusual bells, elegant and humorous bells-bells for every taste and inclination! An index, extensive bibliography, and values are also included in this captivating and enjoyable book.

This book explores porcelain wares produced by the Reinhold Schlegelmilch Porcelain Factory [marked R. S. Prussia], of Suhl, Germany, and sold to America from 1888 through 1900. The wonderfully molded and decorated plates and platters, tea sets, pitchers, clocks, and decorative objects are described with over 760 beautiful color images. An entire chapter is devoted to the company's charming toy china sets. Displayed are wares formed from a variety of molds (including Fleur-de-Lis and Melon) and patterns (outline transfer, King George, and Coraline patterns, to name a few). Newly discovered mold patterns are included, along with a history of the company's early operations, wholesale and trade catalog pages illustrating wares exported to the United States, the manufacturer's marks employed during this early period, a bibliography, and several appendices. This book will guide all collectors of Victorian porcelain to recognize the early pieces marked R. S. Prussia.

Here is an assortment of carving projects unlike any other! This book captures the magic and fun of a street-corner band, with eight different personalities jamming away, heart and soul, for passers-by. The whimsical characters are irresistable-you'll want to clap your hands and sing along with them. Al guides the reader step-by-step through the carving of "Hurricane" Brown, the saxophone player for this wonderful ensemble, from using the pattern, to carving the figure, to painting and finishing it. In addition to the actual project instructions, some very helpful tips and techniques are presented in the introductory section. Beginning and advanced carvers alike will learn a great deal from Al's many years of carving experience! A colorful gallery introduces you to other members of the band and a chapter of patterns provides the specifics for carving all eight characters.

One of the hottest fields in collecting, Tarzan memorabilia ranges from comic books at a dollar or two to first editions valued in the thousands! Part of our cultural heritage for nearly a century, the chest-beating ape man (what other fictional character can be described by a gesture?) has been a hero for generations of boys and girls. Appearing in books, movies, radio, comics, toys, television, cartoons, and even on luggage and vitamins, the image of Tarzan is sure to spark childhood memories of Saturday movie matinees or evenings spent reading the latest issue of the Tarzan comic book. Tarzan collectibles can be found at the priciest auction house or your neighbor's yard sale. Recently a movie poster from the 1928 production Tarzan The Mighty went under the gavel for over $30,000. Many of the Tarzan cereal premiums from the '30s and '40s are today worth several hundred dollars. Tarzan comics and books (both hard cover and paperback) offer the collector a chance to obtain samples of artwork by some of the greatest illustrators, past and present. Just as the worth of vintage items grows, today's toys, comic books, movie, and other Tarzan memorabilia have the potential to increase in value.

Let the magic live on! Here is a true guide to discovering what's hot and what's not in the world of Harry Potter (R) collectibles. Over 220 full color photos guide you through the enchanting and bewitching wizarding world of action figures, mini-busts, statuettes, and dolls. The featured action figures cover the first decade of production (2001-2010), manufactured first by Mattel (R) and later by NECA. Gain useful information on Harry Potter (R) manufacturers, including Mattel (R), NECA, Gentle Giant, Ltd. (R), and Tonner (R) Dolls, covering 174 products. The values in the captions let you find out what your Harry Potter (R) collectibles are worth on the market today. Whether you are a passionate fan, dedicated collector or a mere "muggle" curious about the wizarding world, this book is for you.

Candle powered "fairy lamps" made Victorian and Edwardian homes glow with light, and make modern collectors glow with nostalgia. Over 800 lamps made from 1880 through the 1930s are shown in full color in this new book. The lamps range from the simplest examples given out with boxes of candles to the most extravagant chandelier assemblages made for lords, rajahs, and royalty. As part of the fascinating history of lighting devices and fuels, this work draws upon many primary sources to trace the development of fairy lamps, and catalog examples that can be found on today's market. It provides an indispensable resource for collectors and dealers, of lighting devices, pottery, and art glass.

In thousands of years of tilling the soil, we have created a great variety of garden tools to dig, cut scrub, harrow fields, and trim borders. What makes the tools unique, and collectible, is the way function has dictated form, resulting in not only ingenious shapes, but artistic ones. In the 19th and early 20th centuries garden tool catalogs listed hundreds of task-specific tools including dibbers, mattocks, potato hoes, onion hoes, daisy grubbers, claws, weeders, forcers, straighteners, garden row markers, garden reels, rakes, watering cans, water tanks, lawn mowers, lawn rollers, weed whackers, and many many more. This book looks back at two hundred years of garden history, and attempts to identify the tools and accessories that gardeners used, and as much as possible identify their specific functions. With over 750 color photographs, concise captions, and a guide to prices in today's antique marketplace, this is a useful as well as beautiful exploration of garden implements.

The housewares for every purpose-including the well-known Autumn Leaf Pattern dinner wares, the stories of the salesmen who delivered them, and the history of the Jewel Tea Company that sent them forth are explored in great detail in this fascinating book. Over five hundred color and historic black & white photographs accompany the text. Among the product lines explored are Jewel Tea dining services and all the accoutrements to set the perfect table, kitchen wares and cookbooks, household products recommended to furnish the new bride's home, sales items for men only, and toys for children which may stir fond memories of your own. The chapter on unusual sales and premium items found only in collectors' homes today will delight all who are interested in this major twentieth century firm.

With the advent of the automobile and the central place it took in society, service stations became one of the dominant businesses in twentieth century America. From the pump in front of the general store to the gleaming full-service stations of the 1940s and 1950s, the oil companies created a niche in popular culture. They produced a wealth of items that now are eagerly sought after by collectors. Everything from the glass globes that adorned early gas pumps to toys, advertising, pinbacks, tire repair kits, and a host of other memorabilia are available. Drawing from the collection of Mitch Stenzler, an early and avid aficionado, Gas Station Collectibles offers nearly 1000 color photographs of these nostalgic and often beautiful artifacts. The clear photos show examples of some of the best of the collectibles available, and a price guide is an invaluable aid to the collector.

March 17th is known around the world as a day for people to wear green, drink green beer, and be just plain old jolly. But have you ever stopped to wonder why we do this and why on that particular day? Well, wonder no more! Accompanied by more than 860 images, a fun and informative text and detailed captions provide you with an illustrated history of the Irish, St. Patrick, and the celebration of St. Patrick's Day, as well as the wonderful collector items the culture has produced. From whimsical ceramics to vintage postcards and magazine covers, a wide range of memorabilia will have you wishing it was March 17th everyday so you could bring out all your greenery. Combining the authors' love of history and collecting, this book is perfect for historians, history buffs, collectors, and anyone who loves the Irish.

While the importance of collections has been evident in the sciences and humanities for several centuries, the social and cultural significance of collecting practices is now receiving serious attention as well. As reflected in programs like Antiques Roadshow and American Pickers, and websites such as eBay, collecting has had a consistent and growing presence in popular culture. In tandem with popular collecting, institutions are responding to changes in the collecting environment, as library catalogs go online and museums use new technologies to help generate attendance for their exhibits. In Contemporary Collecting: Objects, Practices, and the Fate of Things, Kevin M. Moist and David Banash have assembled several essays that examine collecting practices on both a personal and professional level. These essays situate collectors and collections in a contemporary context and also show how our changing world finds new meaning in the legacy of older collections. Arranged by such themes as "Collecting in a Virtual World," "Changing Relationships with Things," "Collecting and Identity-Personal and Political," and "Collecting Practices and Cultural Hierarchies," these essays help illuminate the role of objects in our lives. Covering a breadth of interdisciplinary perspectives and subjects-from PEZ candy dispensers and trading cards to sports memorabilia and music-Contemporary Collecting will be of interest to scholars of cultural studies, anthropology, popular culture studies, sociology, art history, and more.

The most common marks found on antique ceramics, 1600s to 1900s, hand-drawn and with identification and dates used. These are the marks that appear in today's market under ordinary conditions. Includes America before 1890, Austria, Belgium, Bohemia, China, England, France, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Short entries give factory histories with names of relevant people and explanations of date markings.

Star Trek fans and collectors will love this one-of-a-kind, mini-size collectible tricorder with light and sound. The tricorder is a multifunction handheld device used for sensor scanning and data analysis. Kit includes: - Light-up tricorder with sound - 48-page book on the history of tricorders and full-color photos

This original book delves into the origins and contemporary interpretations of the Knifewing god in Zuni mythology and the sacred being Rainbow Man from ancient Zuni traditions, neither of which is an all-powerful and important Kachina. This thorough study of the subject was undertaken to establish the identities of twenty-eight, mid-20th century and current jewelers who made silver and mosaic inlay pins, bracelets, bolo ties and other ornaments. 168 color photos display subtle variations that indicate a particular master's work and distinctive style. Detailed analysis explains the changes and connections among early and recent makers and their individual styles, materials, and designs.

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.

This new edition covers all the standards, procedures, and ethics of appraising gems, jewelry, and other valuables. Each step involved in conducting an appraisal is fully explained, with photos, case studies, key documents, worksheets and pricing data included. Registered Master Valuer Anna M Miller gives professional guidance and step-by-step instructions on how to: Build a clientele; Set fees; Get publicity; Handle insurance replacement claims; Photograph gems and jewellery; Research and write reports; Test metals; Research provenance; Master the different approaches to valuation; Use price guides; Understand legal and ethical aspects of appraising. This resource offers all the information that practising or aspiring appraisal professionals will need to establish an appraisal business, handle various kinds of appraisals, and provide an accurate, verifiable estimate of value.

The God within connects with the Universal God. We are all of the same vibration, ever expanding, always creating, and the energy of the Universe flows through everyone. Sacred Space Meditation Cards, with 56 beautiful images from the Hubble Space Telescope, help draw on revered energy so that the force and potential of inner peace, tranquility, and abundance can be felt. With firm meditation affirmations, the inner self is encouraged to sit quietly and listen, to go beyond the everyday traps the mind sets for us and to reach for the inner calm from which a state of happiness and serenity flows. Spirit can be found in the smallest atom within to the universe and beyond. There is nothing you cannot be. All space is sacred. Be there in each moment and experience the potential and power of Sacred Space.

There's nothing like enjoying turkey and pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, the oldest American holiday, with nostalgic memories of family gatherings around the dining room table. See how illustrators have portrayed this day of thanks through the years. More than 700 illustrated newspapers, magazine covers, postcards, and prints trace this holiday's history - from the Pilgrims' first observance to the present. Included are vintage postcards and well-known publications like Life, The Ladies' Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, and Harper's Weekly. History lovers and collectors will find this a wonderful resource and an entertaining look back at days gone-by.

Cast iron toys are among the hottest toy collectibles today. Some of the best known of these were made by Kenton, an Ohio firm that operated from the 1890s to the 1950s. Their famous Kenton toys include children's savings banks, toy stoves, trains, circus caravans, cars, fire trucks, nostalgic horse-and-buggy lines, and nodders, all identified and shown here in color photographs and original catalog illustrations. Most famous of all was the authentic Gene Autry toy pistol, which was unveiled in 1937. Two million of these were sold in the first year and a half, and the company prospered from the Singong Cowboy's popularity until 1951. This marvelously well-illustrated and researched book traces the history of Kenton from its days as a boomtown hardware manufacturer in the nineteenth century through the struggles of the two world wars. The growth of the American toy industry is reflected in the chronicle of this important company told with details from the company archives and with the engaging testimony of company employees. The story of Gene Autry's festive visit to Kenton is delightful!

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.

Next to Christmas, more money is spent on Halloween decorations and novelties than on any other holiday. This wonderful book has been credited with inspiring the Halloween collecting craze, giving its devotees a chance to celebrate the holiday all year round! In addition to color photography and a brand new price guide, there are also many fascinating insights into Halloween. Most people are familiar with the symbols-ghosts, Jack-O'-Lanterns, witches, bats, skeletons, and black cats-but few know about Halloween's past. Why does it exist? What is the origin of trick-or-treating? Why does it fall on October 31st? Through these pages you will experience Halloween celebrations of the past and take a look at Halloween today. For collectors, this is one of the largest collections of Halloween memorabilia.

Strawberry Shortcake is an ideal, a philosophy of life that may be looked down upon smugly by collectors of supposedly more "sophisticated" dolls. But Strawberry's charm is in her very lack of sophistication, her refusal to be forced into the grown-up shoes of somebody else's idea of fashion and desirability. Here are hundreds of items that spread the wonderful outlook of one of the "berry" sweetest dolls ever into the hearts and homes of little girls through the 1980s. As they grow up, many girls have continued to treasure this memorabilia that celebrates friendship, kindness, and goodwill, and these items are now resurfacing on the collectors' market--arts and crafts, personal care, porcelain, kitchen items, and much more. This conveniently-sized guide with up-to-date pricing information will help you on your search to learn more about the darling philosophy of Strawberry Shortcake!

Colorful patterns of English transferware have graced homes around the world for nearly 200 years. In the 20th century major manufacturers like Crown Ducal, Enoch Wood, Royal Staffordshire, Royal Crownford, Alfred Meakin, Spode, Johnson Brothers, and Mason's produced a large variety of patterns, styles and colors that are avidly collected today. With nearly 600 beautiful color photos of 2000 pieces illustrated, this book focuses on the most actively sought-after patterns, such as Crown Ducal's "Bristol," "Calico," "Castles," "Charlotte," "English Chippendale," "English Scenery," "Friendly Village," "Historic America," "Italian," "Liberty Blue," "Old Britain Castles," "Rose Chintz," "Tonquin," "Tower," Vista," and more. Place settings and serving pieces as well as rarer, more unusual pieces and those whose purpose was decorative are intcluded. Detailed pricing tables for major patterns and commentary of popular trends. All this and more make this an indispensible, long awaited addition to the collector's library.

Narrating Objects, Collecting Stories is a wide-ranging collection of essays exploring the stories that can be told by and about objects and those who choose to collect them. Examining objects and collecting in different historical, social and institutional contexts, an international, interdisciplinary group of authors consider the meanings and values with which objects are imputed and the processes and implications of collecting. This includes considering the entanglement of objects and collectors in webs of social relations, value and change, object biographies and the sometimes conflicting stories that things come to represent, and the strategies used to reconstruct and retell the narratives of objects. The book includes considerations of individual and groups of objects, such as domestic interiors, novelty tea-pots, Scottish stone monuments, African ironworking, a postcolonial painting and memorials to those killed on the roads in Australia. It also contains chapters dealing with particular collectors - including Charles Bell and Beatrix Potter - and representational techniques.