Here is the first concise handbook guide to the dining services and house wares with the distinctive Flow Blue transfer decoration. This handy reference work provides basic definitions of Flow Blue decoration and the wares on which it appeared throughout the Victorian era. Hundreds of color photos are grouped into three historic production periods recognizable by their artistic styles, and guidelines to identifying Flow Blue by these periods are presented. A brief synopsis of each English, American and European manufacturer whose ceramics appear in the text is presented with their marks. With this book in hand, the reader will be able to quickly identify and date Flow Blue wares with confidence. A Values Reference is included. This book will be a useful tool for all who collect these avidly-sought and highly-prized Victorian services.

Meet an electric mouse and 149 of its closest friends in the volume that introduces you to the world of Pokemon collecting! Hundreds of beautiful color photographs display the hottest Pokemon collectibles produced for the American market today. Topping the list are the cards and characters from the immensely popular Trading Card Game, followed by comics, figures, toys, and electronic games sure to excite every collector.Also included in the text are brief histories of Pokemons development in Japan and successful export to America in 1998, and of the rise of trading card games in the 1990s. As a bonus, this book explains Pokemon basics to anyone who cant figure out what all the excitement is about! Values are given for the items displayed and listed in the text.

Established in 1880 in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rookwood Pottery remained a leader in the ceramic art pottery movement through 1967. Illustrated with over 800 beautiful color photographs of vases, urns, candlesticks, and plates, the book includes stunning examples of hand-painted decoration (many depicting the natural world) by well-known masters, including Albert R. and Anna Marie Valentien, Matt Daly, William Hentschel, Kate C. Matchette, Mary Nourse, and Kataro Shirayamadani. The text provides a history of the company, a survey of artist signed pieces from 1880-1930, a detailed bibliography, and an index. All who are fascinated by the ceramic arts will want to own this book.

Meet over 120 innovative ceramic artists through 495 striking colour photographs of original work from around the globe. From small objects for use and ornamentation to large-scale sculptures, see earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain finished in a variety of techniques. The artists share the inspiring influences that drive them year after year. This beautiful pictorial reference will become prized by ceramic art collectors, dealers, galleries, and artists alike.

Inspiring color photos review the art of today's printmakers, from massive installation pieces to small and surprising three-dimensional works. The techniques range from classical to the experimental, including woodcuts, lithographs, screenprints, silkscreens, etching, mezzotint, serigraph print, linocut, solarplate, vitreograph, photoetching, aquatint, drypoint, digital transfer, and more. Each artist describes the techniques employed and inspirations involved.

Presented here in lively text and over 650 color photographs are the toys that have been played with and collected by ardent fans of George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy for twenty years. The action figures, playsets, and spacecraft of the Rebellion and the Empire are displayed in a colorful and easily referenced format. The gaming equipment, model kits, playthings, promotional items, puzzles, and weapons produced from 1977 though 1997 are examined as well. Not stopping there, this sweeping survey includes an overview of the most popular items from the rest of the ever-expanding Star Wars collectibles universe. Prices are included in the captions; listings for toys both loose and mint in the package are provided whenever appropriate. Rounding out this practical guide are a short history of science fiction films, an examination of action figures, and a bibliography.

The artwork of over 50 contemporary mosaic artists reveals the diversity of materials used and forms created in this ever-growing field. From small pieces of glass, stone, pebbles, ceramics, found objects, and other materials known as tesserae, these artists paint images of great intricacy and stunning beauty. In skilled hands, these small angular bits of material form works of art that are filled with fluid motion and life. Presented here in hundreds of vibrant color images, they include public and private installations, sculptures, wall murals and hangings, windows, plaques, medallions, floors, triptychs, furniture, and more. Visual texture, mixes of opaque and transparent tesserae, and the visual flow throughout an image keep viewers riveted to these ever eye-catching works of art. This book will be a source of inspiration for all who appreciate this ancient yet ever-evolving art form.

This survey of current trends in international woodworking explores the artists' inspirations and techniques. Veteran wood artists and newcomers are featured in hundreds of striking color photos. Includes carvers, turners, and sculptors of free standing and wall mounted sculptures, installation pieces, furniture, vessels, jars, vases, bowls, boxes, teapots, and much more. This useful and beautiful guide benefits buyers, art teachers, professors, museum curators, collectors, galleries, and artists alike. A resource guide in the back provides contact information.

Enjoy this overview of the wearable artwork created by more than one hundred of todays top art jewelers. The artists provide discussions of their work along with examples of their creativity. Hundreds of vibrant color photographs display one-of-a-kind works of art, including necklaces, brooches, bracelets, rings, and earrings in gold, silver, mixed metals, glass, and enamels, with found objects and innovative designs. In a departure from the previous volumes, the artists are arranged alphabetically so readers may see the entire scope of their work on the page together. These artists have created small sculptures that adorn the body and draw the eye. This is the third book in a series designed to provide readers with new items by artists they have come to know and an introduction to artists not previously seen in print. This book is a valuable guide to current trends in art jewelry design for buyers, jewelry enthusiasts, collectors, and artists alike.

Over 760 beautiful color photographs display hundreds of canes & walking sticks that span centuries and a multitude of designs. Elegant formal styles include handles of gold, silver, and ivory. Innovative system sticks display a vast array of objects hidden within their shafts and handles (including a working violin). Fascinating relic canes were produced from shipwrecks and historical sites. Forbidding Memento Mori canes and exotic forms represent dozens of nations around the globe. Folk art sticks bear decorations as unique as the artists who created them. This wide-ranging volume weaves historical tales through the narrative, bringing walking sticks to life in the reader's imagination. Additionally, discussions of walking stick anatomy, care, etiquette, and valuation are included, along with an extensive bibliography and index. Values for the canes displayed are found in the captions. This book will be enjoyed by every walking stick collector and a fascinating read for all who have been intrigued by the romance of walking sticks.

Over 450 vivid color photos provide a sweeping overview of the amazing range of iron artwork being created by 82 of today's artist-blacksmiths. These works in metal are found in public spaces, offices, and homes. They vary in size from small, everyday objects to staggering public monuments. The pieces, discussed by the artists who made them, include sculpture, gates, railings, furniture, lighting fixtures, doors, locks, and much more. This book, the third in an ongoing series, has artwork arranged by the artist alphabetically, rather than in categories. This allows readers to see the full scope of each artist's work together on adjoining pages. Here readers will find some artists whose work they have seen in other books in this series; others they are meeting for the first time. This book will be a prized reference guide and source of inspiration for homeowners, designers, artists, and blacksmiths as a fascinating snapshot of current trends in this dynamic, growing field of artistic endeavor.

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.

The recent works of talented interior designers at twenty Decorator Showhouse events around the country revealed in 330 striking color photos. Interior designers, assisted by avid volunteers, transform rooms at historical houses into works of art. Created to astound the public and contribute to charitable causes, these designers create masterworks of interior design. In this volume, you will tour the showhouses without the crowds, moving methodically through the showhouses room-by-room, lingering over every detail just as long as you like. Once your head is full of inspiration, you may turn to the lists of participating designers and additional Showhouse events taking place across the nation. For anyone passionate about interior design, this is one book that will be returned to again and again.

Graceful okimono figures in many forms, dating from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, are the primary focus of this book, while scholar's brush holders and wrist rests, cricket cages, card cases, match holders, sword hilts, and scabbards are also presented. Finely carved ivory from China and Japan is featured here, along with artist's signatures, in over 600 beautiful photos. An engaging text explores the history of the ivory trade from East to West, quoting nineteenth century European travelers' encounters with Japanese ivory carvers and merchants. Folk tales provide insight into many of the figural characters represented and beliefs they personify. This book will be treasured by all who enjoy finely crafted art.

From grand jardinieres to diminutive butter pats, this book features ceramic majolica that added vibrant color to every room of the home in over 450 brilliant color photographs. Majolica wares are organized here by the rooms (library, conservatory, drawing room, boudoir ...) in which they were used, including cake stands, comports, game pie dishes, oyster plates, platters, and strawberry servers, tea sets, humidors, match holders, garden seats, umbrella stands, vases, and an elegant chandelier. The major manufacturers from Britain, Europe, and the United States, including Minton, George Jones, Sarreguemines, Wedgwood, and Griffen, Smith & Hill are all well represented. \nA brief history of majolica, a detailed bibliography, and an index are included. Current market values are found in the captions.

This is an expansive introduction to the popular ceramics produced by the prolific Hall China Company of East Liverpool, Ohio, beginning in 1903. Over 600 brilliant color photographs display these popular pottery wares, ranging from coffee pots and mixing bowls to refrigerator wares and teapots, in both solid color glazes and beautiful decorations including Autumn Leaf, Crocus, Silhouette, and many more. A history of the company, manufacturer's marks, an extensive bibliography, an index, and current market values are included in this fascinating study of one of America's most prolific pottery companies. This book is a must for every collector of twentieth century ceramics.

This fascinating, detailed book provides a sweeping survey of the hats produced by the company whose name is synonymous with cowboys and the Wild West. Surprisingly, though, the John B. Stetson Company was based in Philadelphia and produced all manner of headwear. Over 500 illustrations display never-before-worn Stetson hats (men's and women's alike), hat boxes, miniature boxes, and a surprisingly large number of collectible items associated with this most famous hat company. Original research charts the development of of the company, and individuals closely related with the firm provide their memories. Hat styles from the mid-nineteenth century to the late twentieth get a review, and for those lucky enough to own one of these valuable collectibles, there are tips on how to wear and care for vintage and modern Stetsons. Values for the hats illustrated, an extensive bibliography, and an index are included.

A magnificent tour of canes and staffs from the late seventeenth through the twentieth century in both folk art and formal designs. Color photographs provide a sweeping survey of the varying cane forms available to collectors today, including canes with handles bearing human and animal forms, scrimshaw and glass canes, gadget and weapons canes, political, and presentation canes. There is something to peak anyone's interest among these beautiful and engaging sticks. Even historic events and relics amy be found among the canes pictured here. Both rare and common canes are presented in an impressive visual format. Cane terminology, dating techniques, and formal cane etiquette are among the topics discussed in this collector's handbook. Photographs are arranged in broad categories to provide a sense of the scope of human imagination rendered in these magnificent sticks.

In this continuing, successful series, over 200 beautiful and inspiring color photos reveal the recent contributions to the field of interior design by talented designers participating in Decorator Showhouse events across the United States. Interior designers, assisted by a dedicated army of avid volunteers, transform rooms of historical houses into masterful works of art. Created to astound the public and contribute to charitable causes, these designers create masterworks of interior design. Within the pages of this fascinating book, you will tour the showhouses without the crowds, moving from one room to the next, lingering over every detail just as long as you like. Once your head is filled with inspiration, you may turn to the lists of participating designers and additional Showhouse events taking place across the nation. For anyone passionate about interior design, this is one book in a series that will be returned to time and again.

Hundreds of stunning color photos display the wearable artwork produced by today's top art jewelers, including one-of-a-kind necklaces, brooches, bracelets, rings, and earrings in gold, silver, mixed metals, glass, enamel work, found objects, and more. Here is sculpture made small and designed to adorn the body and draw the eye, created by artists who have committed their lives to their work. The text introduces artists from around the globe. This book is the second in a series pioneered by the late Dona Meilach and provides readers familiar with her work with a new look at some of the artists they have come to know as well as an introduction to artists not previously known. This is a valuable guide to today's art jewelry, for buyers and artists alike.

Franciscan dining services have graced table tops since 1930s. These colorful ceramics, potted in both earthenware and china and in a wide array of varying patterns and shapes, have come to the attention of collectors in recent years. A wide range of patterns and forms are captured here in over 700 beautiful color photographs. Individual patterns are portrayed, along with five-piece table settings and a variety of serving dishes. Museum pieces and advertising signs round out the presentation in this wide ranging text. A history of the Franciscan ware potteries is included, along with their manufacturer's marks. A listing of the vessel forms available in each pattern and updated values are provided to complete this informative guide.

This colorful book surveys the varied and beautiful ceramic wares produced during America's Great Depression years. Over 450 color photographs display the often dazzlingly colorful and streamlined wares from the late 1920s through the early 1940s. Table, kitchen, and artware all have their place in this inclusive volume. Accompanying this colorful display is a text that provides brief histories of the various potteries striving to bring their wares to cash-strapped American consumers. Examples of each firm's manufacturer's marks are provided as well. Updated values for the wares displayed are conveniently located in the photo captions. Rounding out this sweeping survey are a bibliography and index.

Patriotism was rarely more fervently displayed in America than in the early nineteenth century. Enthusiasm for the new country was especially felt in England where goods were produced specifically to commemorate America. This book presents in detail the transfer-printed ceramic dishes made in Staffordshire for the American market from 1820-1860. Here are the patriots, historical events and breathtaking new landscape views captured by fine artists and transferred to ceramics by the best companies in England. Today these dishes are actively collected. Written with a close view of the cultural changes that contributed to the enormous popularity of historical Staffordshire wares, Jeffrey Snyder has documented the scenes and the thinking of the people who so enjoyed displaying American history on their dishes. The makers, their marks, and information about the scenes is woven into this book to identify each of the examples in 485 color illustrations.

Meet the brightly colored pottery that set the trend for casual mix-and-match dinnerware years before Fiesta! This pictorial overview of the pottery produced from the 1920s through the 1950s by the J. A. Bauer Pottery Company is illustrated with over 450 vibrant color photographs. Items ranging from brilliantly glazed dinnerwares and garden pots to massive oil jars and hand thrown vases are all included. A number of rare pieces are depicted as well. A brief history of the company, several original company brochures, examples of the manufacturer's marks, a bibliography, and an index round out the presentation. Prices are provided in the captions for the items displayed.

This in-depth pictorial survey provides 684 color photographs of Flow Blue ceramic wares produced throughout the Victorian Age. Central to the book is the presentation of the dinner wares, tea sets, and dessert services from four popular Flow Blue patterns: Cashmere, Chapoo, La Belle, and Touraine. Never before have so many pieces from these highly desirable patterns been shown. Also, illustrations display numerous spectacular teapots, syrup pitchers, and children's wares in a wide variety of patterns. Egg cups and butter pats in many popular patterns are also illustrated, identifying the patterns which appear on these tiny forms. Finally, many patterns appearing in none of Mr. Snyder's previous Flow Blue texts are provided. The text defines and briefly traces the ware's history. Further, a very useful Index to Patterns is included. Prices for the items displayed are presented in the captions. Anyone who has ever admired Victorian ceramics, and certainly every Flow Blue collector, will find many pieces to fascinate them in this beautiful new book.