The widespread appeal of Mexican silver jewelry can be attributed to the artistic quality and variety, plus the large production volume of these small treasures. It is both wearable art and the perfect collectible. This book includes examples from three categories of Mexican silver jewelry: 1) top designer pieces -- hallmarked and representing the best technical virtuosity and artistic achievement; 2) popular silver jewelry -- often of considerable artistic merit, often hallmarked, yet by unknown or lesser-known makers; 3) tourist trinkets -- anonymously made and produced in relatively large quantity. All three categories are shown, while the most popular silver jewelry is the main focus of this book. Most examples are shown close up, so the details are clearly shown. Identifying information and value ranges accompany the 1150 color photos. The bibliography, index, illustrated glossary, and illustrated section on hallmarks make this the most complete reference for the widespread field.

Take a detailed look at the exciting and highly collectible modern furniture of the 1950s--furniture created by renowned designers, including Charles and Ray Eames, George Nelson, Harry Bertoia, Isamu Noguchi, and Eero Saarinen, and produced by companies such as Herman Miller, Knoll, and Heywood-Wakefield. Included in this new and improved third edition are over 450 color and vintage black and white photographs bearing detailed captions for all the classic designs, plus accessories, 70 designer biographies and company histories, a construction case study, a source list, bibliography, values, and an index. This single volume is an invaluable reference.

This long-awaited book will be a valuable tool for collectors, dealers, and researchers of modern Italian glass. Most comprehensive volumes are written in Italian, and none includes a value guide. This one, in English, includes information and photographs that will make this book a standard reference on the subject. With approximately 700 full color photos of almost 1000 examples of glass from 1900 to 2000, and an emphasis on the highly collectible mid-century period, nearly every company and technique is represented. Company histories, designer biographies, glossary, bibliography, index, and value guide make this an ideal reference book.

In 1934 Alcoa introduced a revolutionary new line of aluminum alloy giftware and domestic items designed by American pioneer industrial designer Lurelle Guild. Called Kensington Ware, these relatively expensive, slick, machine-age objects were in an unmistakenly Art Deco style with cast brass accents. They represent an important American contribution to modern design and decorative arts. The Kensington plant ceased production around 1970, and collectors have recently been scooping up these compelling objects in the antique and collectible markets. This is the first book to tell the Kensington story and identify, value, and illustrate the aluminum in 375 color, vintage, and black-and-white illustrations. It is a must for anyone interested in aluminum, Art Deco, and the machine-age in America.

The collectible appeal of Mexican metal art can be attributed to artistic quality, variety, and large production volume. In addition to jewelry, it includes wearable art, table art, and wall art, with something for everyone. See Mexican jewelry and metal art made with copper, brass, alpaca, and silver. From glass mosaics on brass to silver jewelry inlaid with crushed stone, to metal combinations such as metales casados, the variety in color, texture, and form is wonderful. While other books have made significant contributions to raising awareness of Mexico-designed silver jewelry, little has been written about other metal objects, often made by the very same designers, such as Salvador Teran, Los Castillos, Miguel Martinez, Miguel Pineda, Estele Popowski, and Bernice Goodspeed. Additional names found on illustrated brass and mixed-metal items include Maya, ToA+/-o, Cecilia, Caballo, and Victoria. Detailed captions with value ranges accompany 1000+ color photographs. Includes a bibliography, index, illustrated glossary, and illustrated hallmarks.

In this long-awaited new volume, classics by Herman Miller's super-designers - Gilbert Rohde, Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson - are shown along with more recent office furniture designs. Furniture designs are described in detail and shown in color and black-and-white photographs, all from the Herman Miller archives. An essay on the history of the office, designer biographies, company chronology, appendix, bibliography, index, and value guide make this book essential for collectors, dealers, curators, designers, and other devotees of modernism. Herman Miller was the first American company to design and manufacture exclusively modern furniture. From the 1930s, Herman Miller has been a leader in modern design. The same company also led the office revolution and is a name synonymous with the best modern contract furniture. From Action Office I of the 1960s to the Aeron Chair of the late 1990s, Herman Miller has consistently introduced designs that have become classics that are being collected along with the residential icons of modernism.

From fun and funky to excitingly exotic, popular purses of the mid-20th century have a fashion appeal all their own. More than simply functional, these bags feature bold, often whimsical stylings. They say notice me-and buyers continue to do just that! Crocodile and carved Lucite, and elegant beaded evening bags are here, as are bags by Enid Collins, all enticingly displayed in over 400 color photos and vintage ads. The bright, breezy, and informative text pays tribute to fashion at its flirtiest, while the current price guide will have collectors reaching for their pocketbooks!

A combination of original Blenko catalog pages and photographs, this book completes the Blenko "story," covering the much sought after early designs and the later designs readily available to collectors. The first three color catalogs -- designed by Wayne Husted in 1959, 1960, and 1961 -- show some of the best of Blenko's early glass production, and these are featured in this latest Blenko book. The year 1983 marked the beginning of the "late" period when the label was changed from the silver foil hand to the square with large B and red dot. The early years of the 1940s through the 1960s have been the most popular with collectors of Blenko Glass. However, interest in later Blenko has already awakened with the other Schiffer books on Blenko and with exposure on PBS videos. For the collector, current market values of this beautiful glass are included. Don Shepherd, Hank Adams, and Matt Carter were the staff designers responsible for all of the later glass in the catalogs. Many of their designs were inspired by those of their predecessors - those great designers of "cool 50s and 60s glass" - Winslow Anderson, Wayne Husted, and Joel Myers. Others are bound to become classics on their own merits.

Fabrics can represent an era or a decade-the colors, patterns, textures, and fibers reveal as much about the culture as do the furnishings and clothing that relied on the fabrics. The decade of the 1960s was one of extremes. Traditional plaids were reintroduced and became popular at the same time as bold prints and geometrics, notably Op Art and "psychedelic" patterns and colors, characterized the decade. Synthetics took off, and phrases like "polyester knit" and "stretch knit" elicit visions of unmistakably '60s staples. The best way to experience the fabric of a decade is to see it, and this book is entirely dedicated to the sensory, the visual. Nearly 600 close-up color photographs with informative captions and index make this book a treat for designers, historians, and anyone interested in fashion and textiles.

Herman Miller has led in the modernization of the American home and workplace since Gilbert Rohde revolutionized the company with his Art Deco furniture in the 1930s. Interior installations (from the early days through the famous mid-century designs of George Nelson and Charles and Ray Eames and the textile designs of Alexander Girard, and up to the later accomplishments of a new generation of designers) are shown in more than 200 color and black and white vintage photos entirely from the Herman Miller Archives. With an extensive timeline of events and furniture design introductions, this visual record captures a fascinating portion of the evolution of modern interior design. Appendices of complete product catalog reprints of the Herman Miller Collections of 1950 and 1952 plus a value guide make this volume a must for researchers, preservationists, designers, and collectors of modern interior furnishings.

The decade of the 1970s, like the 1960s, was one of extremes. Traditional plaids and prints, which were reintroduced, became popular at the same time that bold prints and geometrics, including Op Art and "psychedelic" patterns and colors, characterized the fabric and fashion. Synthetics were everywhere and made into everything, and phrases like "polyester knit" and "stretch knit" elicit visions of '70s staples that are unmistakable. The best way to experience the fabric of a decade is to see it, and this book is entirely dedicated to the sensory, the visual. Nearly 300 close-up color photographs of synthetic and synthetic blends, with informative captions, glossary, and index make this book a treat for designers, historians, and anyone interested in fashion and textiles.

Tiffin was one of the giants of American glassmaking. The colorful decorative glassware from the first half of this century is quite popular today, and this is the first book to present all color photographs of hundreds of Tiffin's products. Vases, bowls, and candlesticks in a wide variety of colors and styles, from common to rare, are all in this book, with large sections devoted to Tiffin's pressed satin glass, lamps, and baskets. This useful reference will be used by glass dealers, collectors and scholars alike. It is a great tribute to the many workers who made Tiffin glass so popular and so well.

This book showcases a wide variety of Nativity sets that display multi-cultural artistic interpretations of the true meaning of Christmas. Artisans from more than forty countries on five continents are represented, each with beautiful expressions of the greatest story ever told, often with photographs from the country of origin to accompany the artwork. Whether sculpted in clay, carved from wood, painted, woven, or cast, these Cre*ches from around the world are sure to enhance holiday celebrations and illustrate the universality of the Christmas message.

"The eyes have it," in this colorful selection of outrageously whimsical eyeglass stylings from the fabulous 1950s and hip 1960s! Whether dotted with rhinestones, molded into "cat's-eyes," or built up into tiara-like proportions, eyeglass frames with "specs appeal" are among today's hottest and most collectible fashion accessories. The 450 color photos and vintage ads shown here offer a dazzling eyeful of the best these eras had to offer. From harlequins to earring glasses, French "girl-watchers" to the original "rose-colored glasses," these eye-catchers capture '50s and '60s eyewear design in all its swooping, glittery glory. The jaunty, informative text includes identifying information, historical notes, and hints on how to adapt frames from the past for modern use. A current price guide completes this "blast from the past," sure to be the apple of every collector's eye!

Color is one of the most interesting qualities of glass, and many people collect according to color. Purple Glass is a sample of various collectible glassware made in the United States and Europe. Included are examples of Depression Era glass from American companies such as Tiffin, Fostoria, and Morgantown, to mid-century blown glass from Blenko; from Italian mid-century cased items to Scandinavian designer glass from Kosta, Orrefors, and Flygsfors. While focusing exclusively on purple glass, this book is also a survey of 20th century glass, because each design was also produced in other colors. More than 400 color photographs (including 80+ rare catalog pages for identification) and information on the 60 companies represented make this book essential for all glass collectors.

Among the great designers at Herman Miller in the 1950s and 1960s, Alexander Girard enhanced Eames' and Nelson's furniture with innovative textiles. As head of Herman Miller's Textile Division since it was formed in 1952, he designed some of the most colorful and exciting fabrics available anywhere. He also designed the 25-piece Girard Group of modern furniture, and the 40-item series of Environmental Enrichment Panels for Action Office 2. Girard's unmatched folk art collection adorned Herman Miller buildings, filled their Textiles & Objects Shop in New York, and over 100,000 items made up the famous Girard Foundation. His acclaimed work as an interior designer and architect and his remarkable textiles for Herman Miller make Girard one of the legendary designers of the twentieth century. With over 400 mostly color photographs of his textile and wallpaper designs, all of the EE panels and furniture, plus detailed text, timeline, and an updated value guide, this book is a comprehensive view of Girard's work at Herman Miller, and a must for anyone interested in mid-century design of textiles, interiors, or graphics.

Crackle glass has become popular in the field of twentieth-century glass collecting. Taking its name from the crackle-like appearance of the glass, a finish caused by dipping the hot piece of hand-blown glass into cooling water, the majority of this highly collectible glass was made by West Virginian companies such as Blenko, Pilgrim, and Rainbow, and Depression Era companies Tiffin, Morgantown, and Duncan. This volume showcases more than 400 color photos of crackle glass along with company catalog pages, manufacturers' information, an essay on glass blowing, detailed captions, an up-to-date price guide, bibliography, and index. It is a must for students, collectors, and dealers of glasswares.

Herman Miller, the leader in modern twentieth-century furniture manufacture, was a totally design-oriented company. Known best for Eames and Nelson furniture designs, showrooms, and interiors, they also produced outstanding graphic design. Mid-century and later advertisements, drawings, brochures, catalogs, posters, and wall panels are shown in this visually exciting new book. Photos of award-winning and other graphic designs are all from the Herman Miller Archives. This beautiful book is a must for anyone with an interest in modern furniture, graphics, or twentieth century design in general.

The elegant yet practical chrome and brass houseware specialties created by Chase Brass & Copper Company during the 1930s are synonymous with Art Deco. Reprinted here for the first time are the company's 1934 and 1935 catalogs, issued at the height of Deco's popularity. Objects by such industrial design pioneers as Lurelle Guild, Walter Von Nessen, Russel Wright and Harry Laylon are pictured, with full descriptions, inventory information, and current price guide. Introductory comments are by Leslie Pina and Donald-Brian Johnson, co-authors of Higgins: Adventures in Glass and the forthcoming book on Chase Chrome. Their remarks focus on Chase's contribution to Art Deco style, Chase history, and the unique features of each catalog. A must have for Deco collectors, as well as all admirers of 20th century decorative arts.

Archimede Seguso (1909-1999), one of the great Muranese masters, took traditional glassmaking techniques to extremes. His introduction of merletto lacework technique at the Venice Biennale of 1952 turned heads. His secret for embedding fine lacy threads of glass was never shared. Rather than apply the filigree to the surface of vessels as was traditionally done, Seguso floated these delicate wisps of color inside the glass. Archimede Seguso was also a sculptor. His preference for solid glass and love of nature resulted in a glass menagerie of feathered, scaled, and furry creatures. In the late 1950s he debuted with an array of alabastro figurals mimicking natural white alabaster, as well as the stone in delicious colors. This book, the first on the subject written in English, shows the full array of his extraordinary work in almost 500 full color photos from collections around the world. With focus on the 1950s and the Venice Biennales, his designs for decanters, vases, bowls, and animal sculpture from the period are shown with detailed captions and a price guide. This book also includes a history, bibliography, index, and illustrated glossary of terms.

Fostoria is one of the best known and most admired names in American glass. Probably more brides and homemakers have received gifts and purchased glass made at the Fostoria factory in Moundsville, West Virginia than from any other glass company. This is the first book to present all of this fascinating and highly collectible glass through hundreds of color photographs. Pieces featured range from rarely seen examples of Victorian pattern glass from the early years in Fostoria, Ohio through the introduction of color, the popular American and Coin patterns, to the scarce and unusual, even unique, items. Any collector, dealer, or student of American glass will delight in the beautiful glassware presented here. In addition to more than 400 beautiful color photographs of Fostoria objects with detailed captions, the book contains labels, color catalog pages, an illustrated styles chart with over 1000 entries, a chronology, index and updated values. The first to bring all this information together, this book will fascinate and inform the advanced collector as well as the beginner.

Many of the great modern classic furniture designs of the twentieth century are still in production and available to the public in America and abroad. There are also many recent designs destined to become classics, because they share many of the same qualities of modern furniture already in museum collections and sought after by collectors. This volume, with 600 color photographs and detailed captions of a representative sample of the best modern furniture available, is the first source book to focus only on designs that are currently in production, and to present them in full color. It is both a history of modern design and an international shopping catalog. The indexes of 250 designers and companies and the list of sources will enable the reader to locate each item for purchase or for additional information. This book will serve as an indispensable and handy reference for decorators, interior designers, architects, and collectors, plus acquaint the general public with extraordinary designs that are generally only known to the trade.

From one-of-a-kind, hand-made fashions, accessories, and jewelry to commercially made, highly decorative items, wearable art has become an important category for collectors of vintage costume and unique contemporary fashions. This book, with its 575 color photographs, showcases stunning examples of vintage and contemporary wearable art accessories, including close-up shots detailing the intricacy of handiwork involved for the items, a glossary, bibliography, and value guide. An exquisite assemblage of hats, handbags, scarves, shoes, and jewelry present this compelling topic at its best. From Art Deco enameled mesh to Judith Leiber jeweled handbags, antique African trade beads to Femo, the examples shown are not necessarily museum art, but are real wearable creations from the antique to the present. It is sure to delight and intrigue anyone interested in fashion, art, and the unusual and beautiful.

The Herman Miller Furniture Company was devoted to manufacturing period reproduction furniture until pioneer industrial designer Gilbert Rohde walked into their Grand Rapids showroom in 1930. A devout modernist, Rohde convinced D. J. De Pree to focus on modern furniture throughout the 1930s, and to produce exclusively modern furniture by the time Rohde died in 1944. This exact reprint of the 1940 product catalog and supplement from the Herman Miller Archives is an historic document showing hundreds of Art Deco and other classic modern furniture designs, all by Rohde. His use of exotic veneers, tubular steel, bentwood, and plastics was innovative and important in the evolution of modernism. His revolutionary modular seating and cabinets laid the foundation for mid-century design. More than 160 new items were added to the line in the short span of a year, and this catalog will complement rather than repeat the equally important 1939 catalog. With a current price guide, it will be an invaluable tool for the researcher, collector, dealer, and museum curator.

This handsome new book explores production pottery, the factory-made and hand-decorated wares produced by selected American and European companies that are of special interest to collectors. Familiar firms such as Cowan, Susie Cooper, Clarice Cliff and Roseville Futura made this modern pottery, as did old favorites such as Homer Laughlin's Fiesta, Russel Wright's American Modern, and firms with lesser-known names. Museums are already exhibiting these attractive, useful wares yet they can still be found at sales. 581 color photographs of the wares, details and maker's marks together with essays on the companies and designers, plus a bibliography, index and price guide make this book a necessary new reference for pottery collectors, historians and dealers.