In recent years, collectors have come to recognize the beauty and value of Roycroft items, particularly the art metal which is the most available, affordable, and varied of all Roycroft collectibles. Influenced by the English movement that was spearheaded by William Morris, Elbert Hubbard began a new industry dedicated to quality of design and manufacture, from its factories near Buffalo, New York. With 179 full color illustrations, this newly revised & expanded identification and price guide offers Arts and Crafts collectors and dealers an in-depth look at the many objects that were made. Included are bowls, vases, jewelry, desk items, bookends, candlesticks and other items of interest. The text provides the history and background of the company, as well as information about each of the products illustrated. There is also a good selection of original advertising and promotional material.

For centuries, entertainers have strung their audiences along with these captivating characters. This author does the same, chronicling the global fascination with puppets over thousands of years. From Pinocchio to Kermit the Frog, from Indian stick figures to Jerry Mahoney puppets, these collectibles have entertained and educated generations. They are a perfect medium for telling stories, some quite serious and deeply meaningful and others meant simply for entertainment and laughter. Puppets and Marionettes will bring back memories of childhood, of the early days of television and the hours of delight these animated characters have brought into our lives. In this new book, Jan Lindenberger, with the help of her friend Joel Martone, offers a wide range of puppets and marionettes in more than 500 full-color photographs. Concisely captioned with current prices, this is the perfect book for the collector to take into the field.

Finally, a book on Tibetan art and antiques with 500 brilliant color photographs that provide a broad survey and visual reference guide. It presents Tibetan thangka and tantric religious art and ritual objects, manuscripts, woodblock prints, document holders, sculptures, furniture, tea services, snuff holders and smoking equipment, swords, daggers, armor, jewelry, textiles, musical instruments, and writing tools and seals. The engaging text is both a brief history of Tibet and information concerning every art form and antique displayed. The arrangement of the materials by type offers a quick and easy reference guide to this wide variety of wares. Values for the items shown are provided in the captions. For anyone with a passion for Tibet, Oriental art, and antiques, this book will be a welcome addition to the reference library.

Hundreds of old farm tools and equipment are shown to be echoes of America's past, as farming remains vital to the economy today. Major chapters cover old haying, grains, tobacco, orchards, poultry, dairy, horses and mules in farm practices. Over 600 vintage and modern photos display the amazing variety of gadgets once necessary for farming. These objects are preserved in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, at the Landis Valley Museum, where they help to interpret American farm life of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. This book extends the reach of the museum's collections to interested people worldwide.

Gulf Oil Collectibles by Charles Whitworth covers over one hundred different categories of Gulf collectibles, containing over 500 different pictures in full color of everything from cans, signs, promotional items, and clothing, to toys and many other Gulf related items. If it's Gulf, its probably covered in this book. The values here have been established based on the author's years of collecting Gulf Oil memorabilia.

This book is indeed a "first." A few rubber tins have made cameo appearances in past publications but this is the premier book exclusively about rubber containers-most of which have never been pictured before. Try this on your coffee table and you'll have a fun conversation piece-a trifle naughty but respectable! You and your friends can share hours of enjoyment getting to know about one of the hottest collectibles ever to hit the antique advertising scene! Buying Remember Your Rubbers! can save you money, perhaps many times the price of the book. You'll learn which brands are rare and which are not. You'll know enough not to spend a fortune on a "Deans Peacocks" (the "Prince Albert of rubber tins") as well as not to pass on a one-of-a-kind like the "Rainbow," both incidentally from the same company!

United and Bally were the only two true US manufacturers of bingo pinball machines, and in the 1950s they fought an all-out battle to capture the elusive bingo pinball machine market. This comparative history details the intriguing story of mid-century, American industrial and entertainment innovation that pitted United engineer, Lyndon Durant and Bally's Don Hooker against each other in a battle royale to produce the best bingo pinball machine. Through more than 200 photos and illustrations detailing 60 games, Jeffrey Lawton, premier bingo pinball machine enthusiast, introduces Durant's United games and the simultaneous, and sometimes retaliatory, creative efforts employed by Hooker from 1951 to 1957. Lawton's analysis is complete with photos of rare games and playfields and descriptions of complex bingo pinball circuitry.

Cigarette lighter collecting has quickly become a very popular hobby throughout the world. Here, at last, is accessible information for the collector. Over 500 lighters are illustrated in full color. They are shown in alphabetical order of their makers and by date within each company. The available historical data is presented clearly and concisely. The lighters are unusual and interesting. They include examples from well-known companies like Dunhill, Ronson, and Zippo as well as companies whose names are lost in smoke. The reader receives an "across the board" look at what is available today and what we think will be sought in the future. A guide to prices is included.

With over 6000 items listed, this is the most comprehensive guide to Batman (R) collectibles ever assembled between two covers. Nearly 300 color photographs accompany the informative articles and detailed price guide listings. Highlights include a Comics section which lists every comic book in which Batman has appeared from his debut in 1939 through to the end of 1997, plus a Figures section which lists all of the various Batman action figures. Covering everything from Artwork to Videos, and price ranges from 15- to $150,000, this book is a must for any Batfan or student of popular culture.

The increasingly collectible categories of nursery rhymes and literary characters, including children's stories and fables, provide the focus for this fourth book of salt and pepper shakers by experts Larry Carey and Sylvia Tompkins. This very popular area of salt and pepper shakers appeals to a wide range of collectors-it's the book for collectors who love classic literary characters such as those from Dickens, fairy tales, and Aesop's fables, to modern day characters such the Cat in the Hat and Curious George. Wonderful sets, from Aladdin and His Lamp to Wizards with Dragons, and everything in between (including series) are depicted in over 700 color photographs. A comprehensive guide, this book details each set's color, size, manufacturer, design variations, and value ranges along with licensing information as marked on the sets.

Discover information about the first American naval battle, great escapes in the middle of the night, and many historic tidbits that don't often appear in textbooks. These and many other curiosities occurred within Massachusetts's North Shore. Step back in time and learn about hidden histories in the Bay State. Discover who flew the first planes in Massachusetts, why the Puritans didn't establish a city in the region, and how a lighthouse lost its battle with the sea. The North Shore has these and other historic sites, pristine beaches, and hallowed halls. Explore the little-known history that makes it great.

Whether you realize it or not, you are probably already a collector of plastic cups. Just look in your kitchen cabinets and you'll find those plastic cups you didn't realize you were even collecting. The popularity of collecting plastic cups is rapidly increasing due to the latest collaborated marketing efforts between the fast food restaurant and movie industries in promoting a blockbuster movie while selling soft drinks. Plastic cup collecting is no longer just a hobby. The increasing interest and rapid growth of this newest market clearly demands that information and prices be made available to the expanding group of knowledgeable and novice collectors. In over 150 full color photographs, Bryan Meccareillo provides a complete guide to these new collectibles.

Zippo lighters that advertised automobiles are featured here in 673 photographs and illustrations along with plenty of identifying information. These unique specimens of Americana were highly prized by their original owners and are appreciated with equal enthusiasm and respect by today's collectors. The logos and images of cars on the lighters range from familiar Fords and Chryslers to lesser-known Bricklins and Tuckers. Imports, trucks, and companies supporting the auto industry all are immortalized. These highly collectible Zippos date from mid-to-late twentieth century, the earliest being a 1938 model. Also included are histories of the Zippo company, insight on the automobile companies, tips for the care and restoration of lighters, and an examination of the decorating techniques. Current market values for the lighters shown are in the captions.

In over 725 color photographs, this comprehensive new volume illustrates the colorful and diverse dinnerware produced over a sixty year period by Universal Potteries, Inc. of Cambridge, Ohio, and its predecessor companies. Starting in 1900 with the Cambridge Art Pottery, the text outlines the "family tree" of potteries leading up to Universal itself, including The Guernsey Earthenware Co., the Oxford Pottery Co., and the Atlas-Globe China Co. Examples of wares from each of these early companies are shown, along with a broad array of items dating from Universal's actual incorporation in the 1930s to the phasing out of its dinnerware line in 1960. Plates, platters, bowls, teapots, pitchers, jugs, cups, casseroles, and more are all shown in Universal's classic shapes, including Ballerina, Camwood Ivory, Upico, Fascination, and Vogue. Decorations highlighted in the photos include Cherrytone, Poppy, Moss Rose, Bittersweet, Cattail, American Beauty Rose, Old Curiosity Shop, Southern Garden, and many more. Universal enthusiasts are sure to find their favorites here! Values for all items are included in the captions.

Elegant and utilitarian glasswares have been made for over thirty centuries. The manufacture of cut glass in America stems from a history that reaches back to ancient Egypt, while engraved glass was known in classical Rome. In this excellent new edition of a classic work, the author traces the American phases of this fascinating history by describing the products of major and minor manufacturers. See the American industry evolve from its early days of imitative work, through highly imaginative products in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, to a declining mediocrity in the 1920s and '30s. This book has been established as the "bible" in this field, and the addition of 150 new photos and fully updated text and pricing information make this edition the best yet. Glass collectors will treasure this unequalled reference.

The colorful earthenwares known as Majolica are popular once again, part of the nostalgic revival of Victorian taste in interior decoration. Majolica's long history begins with Italian Renaissance tin-glazed wares; over the centuries its styles and techniques spread to France and England. With the advent of mechanization, the wares could be mass produced. Majolica became popular among the rising middle class in England, Europe, and the United States. This book presents a new analysis of Majolica set against its cultural-historical background. Hundreds of forms in dozens of patterns, especially American and British ware with a sampling of European pieces, are displayed in over 550 color photographs. The text presents new research and the examples are individually identified by style, pattern, maker, size, and date. Short histories of the manufacturers are presented as they relate to Majolica wares. The up-to-date price guide will be a valuable tool for collectors and dealers.

This delightful guide to collecting plastic antiques for fun and profit is choc full of over 200 fabulous photographs and plenty of very useful information about natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic plastics. It includes a concise history of plastics, items for the home, smoking, and drinking; jewelry and accessories; toys and more, as well as a glossary of plastics terms. Written with a lighthearted touch by a passionate collector, it has practical tips on identifying and caring for plastics and includes current value ranges. This book is a must for new and established collectors alike.

Foreword by Anya Hindmarch Decade by decade, the lavishly illustrated Vintage Handbags recounts over 100 years of handbag history, from Elsa Schiaparelli's mesh bags for Whiting & Davis in the 1920s through the Hermes Kelly bag in the 1950s to the Fendi Baguette of the 1990s. Accompanied by archive images, fashion photography and specially commissioned photographs of period pieces, the most collectible and beautiful handbags are showcased. An invaluable and visually stunning reference, the book explores the key designers, technical developments and cultural influences that shaped handbag design, revealing exquisite and groundbreaking work from such luminaries as Salvatore Ferragamo, Coco Chanel, Hermes, Fendi, Bonnie Cashin and Judith Leiber.

This book is the culmination of over thirty years researching the history, production, and identification of hollow lead civilian toys. It carefully documents the civilian toy figures produced by over 75 companies between 1900 and 1966. A number of Britains civilian items have also been included for comparison. Easy to use, the book is organized by themes, ranging from Art Work to Zoo figures, with Christmas, farm, garden, and many more in between. Illustrated with over 1,500 full color photos, it includes current pricing, and provides a history of the toys, as well as the a social history. Examples from Argentina, France, Germany, Japan, and the U.S.A. join the many figures produced in England. The most significant book on civilian hollow cast figures since The Great Book of Hollow-Cast Figures, published by Norman Joplin in 1993, this new book, combining the knowledge and skill of two renowned experts, is sure to be the "new testament" for collectors and toy aficionados around the world.

POW! ZAP! eeEEYOW! This is the exciting world of comic book hero toys. From TV to comics, we loved them all and wanted everything connected with them. The roll call includes banks, board games, dress-up costumes, cups, model kits, and so much much more, with the images of Captain Action*T, Superman*T, Batman*T, the DC Comics Super Heroes*T, Spider-Man*T, and the Incredible Hulk*T. Just to mention a few! The great villains were as interesting as the great heroes, no matter how we pretend otherwise--so they're here too. Baby Boomers remember it all fondly and super hero fans of all ages will drool. Over 700 color photos and a complete price guide are included.

Chester County is one of the three original counties formed in 1682 in southeastern Pennsylvania by William Penn under Charter signed by King Charles II. The architecture created there bears out the settlers mostly British roots. This survey includes homes, barns, out buildings, and commercial properties built here from the county's 17th century beginnings through the 19th century. Hundreds of overall and detail photographs and select plan drawings are included to illustrate a few of the buildings.

Both a cookbook/housekeeping guide and an 1877 catalog of enameled iron cookware, this unusual book has practical, old fashioned food recipes as well as images of 99 different antique kitchen vessels and their value ranges today. With it, you can name, value and know the intended use for the enameled iron kitchen and toilet goods you find at antiques markets. Also, you can cook authentic meals (from soup to dessert) and preserve fresh fruit. This is a basic household guide your great-great grandmother may have used.

Prized for their elegance, beauty, and artistry, glass bells are found all over the world and are among those most favored by bell collectors. With over 480 color photos, this stunning book showcases more than 850 glass bells produced primarily during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in America, England, France, Italy, and Bohemia, among others. Included are cut glass bells, engraved bells, blown and pressed glass bells, and a special chapter on the highly desirable wedding bells. Each bell is identified by its type, date made, country of origin, and producer if known, along with a general description of size, color, decoration or pattern, and current value. Background information on the manufacturers is provided as well, including helpful hints on attributing bells to different companies by studying features such as handle design and clapper attachment. Based on more than thirty years experience by the author in collecting and researching glass bells, this book will be thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who appreciates bells, glass, and the decorative arts.

What people fear, they are also fascinated withapprehension of the end is what keeps the topic of death a taboo. Examine death, its significance in religious and ethnic views, cultural myths, and its use in art and literature throughout the ages. Find out how different religions and ethnic groups understand death, the mourning that accompanies it, and the implications that people have given it. Explore societal traditions and psychological symbolism ascribed to death and dying in art and fashion, and delve into the very idea that beauty in darkness (and death) was to be appreciated and held in high regard to keep things in proper prospective. Discover details about Victorian and Gothic mourning customs, funeral and burial rituals, embalming, mummification, and more. Morbid fascination? Maybe. But one cannot appreciate the light until having seen the darkness.

Here, for the first time, is a complete guide to all the wonderful transistor radios produced by the Zenith Radio Corporation during the "Magic Years," when transistor radio design was constantly being improved. This comprehensive book includes a complete listing of all transistor radio models created by Zenith from 1955 through 1965. Outstanding color photos from original Zenith sales sheets as well as information on each model are presented in a year by year order of production. Never before published photographs, documents, and original drawings from the Zenith archives, as well as a large collection of original Zenith advertising, fill the pages. A large, full-color photo section with price guide rounds out the book and will help readers easily identify each Zenith transistor radio from those "Magic Years."