From G.I. Joe*t to Star Wars*t John Marshall has provided a thorough, informative, and entertaining look at the action figures produced during the 1980s. In over 430 superb color photographs, fans of the pocket-sized G.I. Joes*t, of movie and TV characters, of fantasy figures, He-Man*t, the Thunder Cats*t, super heroes, of those ever-popular quick change artists of the robot world--the Transformers*t, and even pro-wrestling fanatics will find figures here to warm their souls! Price listings are provided for every figure shown and for every known figure produced within a particular product line. Price ranges are provided both for figures that are mint-in-the-box and for those which, while running loose, have retained all of their accessories and lost none of their finish.

Lorenzo de' Medici was a key figure in the creation of the Renaissance. An important patron of the arts in fifteenth century Florence, he was also a passionate collector of objects from antiquity and the post-antique period. His activities as a collector are documented in a group of 173 letters, previously unknown and published here for the first time, which provide the most complete picture of a well-known and historically important collector. As revealed in these letters, Lorenzo acquired sculpture to embellish his palace, but his real predilection was for small objects: coins, hardstone vases, and gems. His main source was the Roman dealer Giovanni Ciampolini, whose scandalous behavior demonstrates the gamesmanship of the art market. This book reveals how objects were studied, where they were displayed, the criteria for their selection, and their monetary worth.

What exactly can we learn about America by examining its paper bills? This illuminating text answers that question by exploring the social, cultural and historical contexts of paper money. Predicated on the assumption that paper bills speak to us through the deliberate use of symbols - letters, verbal and visual elements, as well as symbols of civic values - this book examines what has been conveyed to Americans via their currency from Colonial times through the present day. Topics covered include origin, design, creative and subversive usages, and counterfeiting.

For novices and longtime card collectors alike, here are two books in one: a thorough price guide featuring common to extremely rare items, and a well-researched history of playing cards and games. A wealth of mythology, literature, and history is found on playing cards. In addition to classic decks normally seen in the United States, find artistically designed European suits with, for example, Shakespearean characters on face cards. Read about the origins of some of the most popular card games, board games, and the card decks themselves. Learn how to date decks or individual cards using methods applied by dealers. This handy volume also includes tips on spotting reproductions, as well as valuable knowledge worth gaining in order to become a smarter collector.

By the turn of the 20th century, Paris was the capital of the art world. While this is usually understood to mean that Paris was the center of art production and trading, this book examines a phenomenon that has received little attention thus far: Paris-based dealers relied on an ever-expanding international network of peers. Many of the city's galleries capitalized on foreign collectors' interest by expanding globally and proactively cultivating transnational alliances. If the French capital drew artists from around the world-from Cassatt to Picasso-the contemporary-art market was international in scope. Art dealers deliberately tapped into a growing pool of discerning collectors in northern and eastern Europe, the UK, and the USA. International trade was rendered not just desirable but necessary by the devastating effects of wars, revolutions, currency devaluation, and market crashes which stalled collecting in Europe. Pioneers of the Global Art Market assembles original scholarship based on a close inspection of and fresh perspective on extant dealer records. It caters to an amplified curiosity concerning the emergence and workings of our unprecedented contemporary-centric and global art market. This anthology fills a significant gap in the expanding field of art market studies by addressing how, initially, contemporary art, which is now known as historical modernism, made its way into collections: who validated what by promoting and selling it, where, and how. It includes unpublished material, concrete examples, bibliographical and archival references, and appeals to students, academics, curators, educators, dealers, collectors, artists and art lovers alike. It celebrates the modern art dealer as transnational impresario, the global reach of the modern-art market, and the impact of traders on the history of collecting, and ultimately on the history of art.

More examples of home, office, workshop and special use lubricating oils packaged in small containers of metal, glass and plastics that were since the early 20th century are found here. See 1282 examples in color photos with their identifying name, company, contents quantity and estimated value range.

With 380 brilliant photos and engaging text, this book presents some 300 of the rarest and most beautiful radios ever made for home or workplace. The advent of the small, mantle or tabletop radio in 1930 gave a huge impetus to the spread of radio, not only allowing multiple sets in the home, but changing the listener from the family to the individual. This book highlights a small subset of tube (valve) radios that incorporated new styling, materials, and approaches to consumer marketing in the 1930s and 1940s. Until now they have been underrated by many radio enthusiasts, and largely unrecognized in the world of Art Deco and Industrial Design. The radios of 35 industrial designers, including the luminaries of streamlining in the USA and UK (Loewy, Bel Geddes, Teague, Van Doren, Vassos, Coates, and Chermayeff) are identified and examples from 15 countries are stunningly displayed.

From the moment American Greetings introduced the Care Bears (R) in 1982, they had a firm bear hug on the hearts of both children and adults. The delightful bears wore their feelings on their bellies: happiness, joy, love, celebration, and hope. And when you wanted to send a thought to a special someone, they were the perfect courier. Care Bears found their way into a variety of products from greeting cards to plush toys, figurines, books, and bedsheets, spawning a host of enthusiastic collectors around the world. Now, for the first time, a wonderful collection of these Care Bear objects and those of their Care Bear Cousinsr has been gathered into a book for collectors. Illustrated with more than 520 color photos showing the variety of Care Bears and their current market values, it provides a convenient guide as these creations show up in the collectibles marketplace.

Flathead spoken here. From stock rebuilds to high-horsepower modified engines, this book delivers instructions on every facet of rebuilding your flathead V-8. Crystal-clear photos make every step easy to understand and follow, including block reconditioning, new oil seals, manifolds, superchargers and electronic ignitions. Contains essential details on how to install later-model flatheads into early model chassis, plus where to buy parts.

Cette uvre (edition relie) fait partie de la serie TREDITION CLASSICS. La maison d'edition tredition, basee a Hambourg, a publie dans la serie TREDITION CLASSICS des ouvrages anciens de plus de deux millenaires. Ils etaient pour la plupart epuises ou uniquement disponible chez les bouquinistes. La serie est destinee a preserver la litterature et a promouvoir la culture. Avec sa serie TREDITION CLASSICS, tredition a comme but de mettre a disposition des milliers de classiques de la litterature mondiale dans differentes langues et de les diffuser dans le monde entier.

Starting in the Victorian years of the 19th century, hearty oyster consumption made special, beautifully crafted "oyster plates" a necessity in fashionable homes and restaurants. This book is perfect for collectors, complete with a rarity guide and color photographs of almost 500 pieces of original dishware and unusual serving utensils. The text is filled with the history of oysters plate manufacturers from Limoges and Meissen to Wedgewood.

For those living in Britain between 1939 and 1945, the war was an ever-present reality; reminders were to be found everywhere. Huge numbers of objects relating to the war effort at home - some functional, like gas masks, ARP uniforms and ration books, and others less so, like Hitler chamber pots and toys and games - were manufactured and became commonplace in homes up and down the land. Today many of these items have become highly collectable. Peter Doyle and Paul Evans have put together a huge selection of objects, each one superbly illustrated and described in detail.

Over 500 color photographs, and an historical text present a beautiful overview of the ceramic table, kitchen, and artwares produced by California's Pacific Clay Products Company from the 1920s through the 1940s. The company's famous Hostessware serving pieces, known for their eye-catching solid colored glazes and streamlined forms, are promiently featured. Also provided are the history of this pottery firm, a review of the manufacturer's marks, a bibliography, and an index. Values accompany the photo captions.

The Duncan & Miller Glass Company, of Washington, Pennsylvania, was one of the glassmaking giants of the 1920s -1940s. This book focuses on the company's prolific Depression Era production and includes a valuable prologue about the Victorian wares and an epilogue about their contribution to the Tiffin Glass Co. Over 500 color photos, original catalog pages, advertisements, and patent drawings, combined with a detailed chronology of company history, detailed captions, bibliography, index, and value guide provide a complete reference for this popular glassware.

About one in three people in North America and Europe collects something. Collecting is clearly an important social phenomenon and yet surprisingly little is known about how and why we collect. This work explores the nature of collecting both in Europe and among people living within the European tradition elsewhere. The way people collect tells us about their notions of themselves and others, about their relationship to objects, and helps us understand people as consumers. Susan Pearce addresses many of the issues surrounding the practice of collecting. She considers how European collecting practice is part of an essentially European mentality, how collected objects have cultural value and how the individuals who collect them help to affect the society they live in. The text should be of value to museum professionals and students, cultural historians and anyone interested in the phenomenon of collecting.

Boxes are beguiling because they can have the double delight of an enticing exterior and the anticipation and satisfaction of a fully fitted interior. This comprehensive guide to the decoration, style, use and contents of all types of boxes from diverse cultures is the first book to cover both these aspects. The coverage of decoration and styles of boxes is remarkably complete and includes the traditional, the exotic and the eccentric. Folk art to Faberge, tea caddies to tinder boxes, medicine chests to music boxes, ditty to document, voting to vampire, painting, sewing and writing boxes are just some of the topics that are included. The result is a pictorial treat, the text lavishly illustrated with images of nearly 2,000 boxes. It is a most valuable reference book for the dealer and the collector alike.

The colorful country patterns of spongeware and spatterware pottery, a traditional favorite of the public, remains enormously popular with today's many collectors of antique ceramics. This revised and expanded identification and price guide provides those collectors with an expansive pictorial cross-section of eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century spongeware and spatterware. Additionally, the detailed text offers clear insight into the history and development of these attractive, desirable wares. Over two hundred examples of spongeware and spatterware are illustrated in this book with full color photographs and complete information, including a price guide.

A wide range of old firefighting equipment is illustrated from old supply catalogs and current photos of collections, with detailed descriptions and values in today's market. Alphabetically arranged for easy use, firfighting tools, collectibles and toys shown here number over a thousands.

The joy and magic of Christmas are celebrated in this sumptuously illustrated, nostalgic pictorial exploration of old-fashioned Christmas. Nearly 1200 enchanting Christmas collectibles are reproduced in 262 large color plates. A new price guide by Robert Brenner, author of Christmas Through the Decades, has been added to this popular classic.

The Model Shop was a special department at the Stanley Rule & Level Company where all new products and custom and special rule prototypes were created and tested for evaluation by management and customers. The Stanley Company has produced hundreds of these out-of-the-mainstream products which have now become sought-after collectibles. Authors Phil Stanley and Scott Lynk have collaborated to document in this new book the nonstandard rules made by Stanley as they explored market needs and responded to customers' inquiries, orders, and modifications. Included are the rules made by Stanley in the 1876-86 movement to convert to the metric system and both the custom and special rules and the stock rules currently in the inventory of the Stanley Model Shop.

This vast compilation references thousands of gas pump globes made for the major oil companies, from P-to-U (Pennzoil through Utoco) and their affiliates, as well as generic globes, and globes from independent companies and foreign firms. Over 1000 color photographs illustrate this voluminous text. Affiliated oil companies are listed under the major companies to which they are tied. A useful alphabetical cross reference to affiliated companies is provided to assist readers in quickly locating the smaller firms. This text also guides the reader through the distinctions between different gas pump globe types produced, lists reproduction globes manufactured over the years, and explains how the original, and highly collectible, gas pump globes of years gone by are valued in the collector's market. An index is also provided. Finally, values are provided for both the globes displayed in photographs and for the thousands that are listed in the text.