Reviews (4)

lovvvvvvvvvvvveddddddddddddd it
i lovedthis book because it gave you funny expample of how to play i also loved it because it gave you marbles that you can play with.
Marble Mania is catching!
Marble Mania has fine photographs of every imaginable marble from pebbles found alongside streams to the Industrial Revolution in Germany & Austria. Here the cutting of agate cubes & polishing them into marbles for export all over the world became a huge cottage industry. You have tosee the beauty of all the clay, pottery, crockery, china & porcelainglobes. It was fun to read this big book. Found myself chatting at thelocal recycle shop about the blue canning jars in their windows filled withmarbles. Eyeing them eagerly, with a little more knowledge & a few morenames.

An "Industry Standard"
I bought this book for my husband (from Amazon) for Xmas.Not only is the book very beautiful, but he has become an expert in his own right.With a year-2000 interest in things retro, marblesare enjoying a boom.We nowhave jars of them everywhere, looking great and, according to this greatbook, appreciating in value as we watch.With the help of the pricingguides we discovered that we already owned some very valuable marbles, andhave since acquired more.In fact, the book paid for itself about 10minutes after we got it, with the discovery of an unrecognized treasure. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Catalogs    5. Collectors and collecting    6. General    7. Glass & Glassware    8. Glass Arts And Crafts    9. Marbles (Game objects)    10. Reference - General    11. Toy Arts And Crafts    12. Toys    13. Antiques & Collectables    14. Other manufacturing technologies   

Reviews (1)

The toy that got away....
It is amazing the memories that this book, and it's companion volume on Sear's Wishbooks, can stir up. So many other childhood memories of family, friends, school, neigborhoods come flooding back- all triggered by some favorite toy that you either owned or dreamed of owning. Everying from Marx playsets, Remco greats like the Big Caesar Roman Galley and the Barracuda Sub, Ideal classics like Robot Commando.... And let us not forget Hopalong Cassidy, Tom Corbett, Lone Ranger, Batman, etc. merchandise. Be careful though, or you'll end up on EBAY with this book in one hand searching the listings for that favorite toy that got away (it is amazing how many are available at reasonable prices....) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Toys   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - General    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Dollhouses    5. Exhibitions    6. Florida    7. Miniature objects    8. Miniature rooms    9. Miniatures    10. Naples    11. Toys   

Reviews (7)

Send me a catalog of differnt things you might have.
The type of catalog i would i would like you to send is sound effects, ice skates, record players, and so much more. So that would be great. a terrific journey home
for those of us who grew up in a certain era and were products of the commercial age this book will bring back many memories.having had a dad who worked in the field until i was 7 i was spoiled and got about anything i wanted.try explaining to a 7 year old that dad no longer gets all the freebies he wants!well worth the time for any boi boomer!

Pictures were much too fuzzy.
I liked the catalog, but was dissapointed to see that all of the pictureswere black and white (I think I do remember pages in the 60's that hadcolor).It looks as though someone just copied the pictures on a plaincopier, and slapped this book together.The idea was very good, but don'texpect the quality of true Sears Catalog pages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Catalogs    5. Dolls    6. History    7. Sears, Roebuck and Company    8. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    9. Toys    10. United States    11. Antiques & Collectables   

Reviews (9)

Great for all Crissy lovers!
Can't imagine why any collector and lover of fine dolls would not love this great book.
Encylopedia? Not Hardly
When I buy doll collector books, I try to make sure they have everything I need to know about the doll in them. Sadly, such was not the case with this book. It had many nice pictures, but as far as being complete and usefull, I'd say it leaves much wanting.

Hi - I'm the author responding to the Green Eyed Velvet ?
Hi - Wanted to clarify a question on the Green Eyed Velvet. Some Velvet dolls had Kerry - colored (or other) green eyes substituted in the factory, in place of her usual purple eyes. It is not unheard of for a company to, very occassionally, substitute a different item during the manufacture of a doll. But it was a very rare occurrence, making the doll a rarity. This is what makes collecting fun! On the other hand, many Velvet dolls had eyes that oxidized to a greenish color, but when plastic eyes oxidize, the color is never uniform and the color is not a true, vibrant green - like Kerry's. To determine whether a Velvet's eyes are oxidized green, or are a true factory sbstitution, the eyes has to be taken apart and cleaned. If the eye remains green after cleaning, it is a true factory substitution. The oxidized eyes will become purple again after cleaning. There have been Velvet dolls who's eyes have been taken out, cleaned, and found to be genuine factory substitutions.These are the dolls that the book refers to. Thanks to the Expert that had the question - Carla Marie Cross ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Crissy dolls    5. Dolls    6. History    7. Reference - Price Guides    8. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    9. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    10. Other manufacturing technologies   

Reviews (7)

Fantastic Toys, Geat Design and Much More!
As a toy inventor I was surprised when I first saw the book by how beautifully designed it was as well as the extraordinary quality of the photography. On further examination, it greatly surpassed my first impression with its fascinating stories and (truly astonishing), that it got its facts right!
Remembering past joys and toys
Just spend a few minutes with this book and you will jump back to the day.Your first quest will be to find the toys you played with.This is extremely easy to do as the book is laid out in chronological order.I enjoyed looking at the pictures and write ups of the toys of my youth.Some I looked for purposely and others became a surprise reminder of things I had forgotten.The simple pleasure of remembering these things was added to by the stories about how the toys came to be, their inventors, and manufacturers.I have enjoyed this book so far, having only had it for a week or so.I imagine it will give me hours of reminiscing.I also want to go through it with my family and friends and let them tell me about their toys. Overall review would be a top quality book that can be enjoyed by children of all ages.

FUN FOR THE CHILD IN ALL OF US
A typical child between the ages of two and nine spends 28 minutes each day coloring --- and wears the nub 730 crayons by the time he or she turns 10.Frank Lloyd Wright's son John invented Lincoln Logs. In 1908, Dr. A.. C. Gilbert won a U.S. gold medal at the Olympics --- the same doctor who invented Erector sets. Think of this as timeless trivia that's part of the appeal of Tim Walsh's delightful book. Filled with hundreds of color photos of classic toys as well as archival photos and vintage ads, Timeless Toys demands playtime for the young-at-heart. Your move. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Board games    5. Games    6. History    7. Toys    8. Antiques & Collectibles / Toys   

Reviews (9)

The Encyclopedia of Marx Action Figures
This is a must have book if you are a Marx Action Figure collector or even a fan.I have never seen so many excellent pictures that can really help a collector.Since owning this book I have used it on a daily basis.

We need to rediscover our childhood.
Tom helps us reclaim out youth, it is great to be able to pick this book and feel like a kid again. My 8 year daughter and I use the book for a guide as we search through the thrift stores and antique stores for thebest of the west toys.

An invaluable tool for the Marx collector.
Tom Heaton's Encyclopedia of Marx Action Figures is an invaluable tool for any Marx collector. It includes more in-depth coverage of Marx's action figures than any other book to date. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action figures (Toys)    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Catalogs    6. Collectors and collecting    7. Dolls    8. Figurines    9. Louis Marx & Co.    10. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    11. Other manufacturing technologies   

Reviews (2)

Wonderful Book
This is a wonderful book about the fabulous dolls and accessories of the 1950s. It has lots of photos and complete descriptions and something for everyone. It is comprehensive and a "must" for collectors of this era- perfect for research or simply enjoyment and a trip down memory lane. Well done! Keep the books coming!

Excellent Resource Guide
I bought this book to match the clothes that I buy at garage sales and auctions to the dolls that I own and to make sure that any dolls I'm considering are dressed in their original clothes,and I was not dissapointed.With over 500 color pictures and pictures of whole catalogue pages I have found this book to be the best in my library.Value guides are given in the description paragraph not forcing the reader to turn to a back page and search for a corresponding plate number,which I personally find annoying.I would highly recommend this book to any collector of 50' dolls. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Catalogs    5. Doll clothes    6. Dolls    7. History    8. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. United States    11. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    12. Toys, teddy bears & dolls    13. c 1945 to c 1960   

Reviews (5)

Crazed Cabbie Collector!!
Although I did enjoy reading the facts about the kids, their orgin, rarities, head mold facts.....and so on.....This book ONLY focused on MIB kids. Even though there are great photos (hundreds of them), several are duplicates and the author consentrated mostly on the beloved #4 head mold. ALOT of the kids talked about were mentioned as *hard to find* and *extreamly hard to find* MIB. I do not believe all head molds and eye/hair color combonations were pictured. I also believe that what one collector views as mint another may not agree upon. For instance, some kids are redressed and out of the box...is that still considered mint in the box?
Wonderful Reference
My second wife (a shrew of a woman if ever there were one) blessed me with three little kippers--and each bore a strong resemblence to a cabbage patch kid (Note: the woman had the largest cranium I've seen prior to Shreck).This encyclopedia was invaluable during the difficult child-naming process and has been a nostalgic reference these passing years since the harlot took the kids (and the pudgy judge-awarded palimony) to Kansas in order to follow some religious kook and raise the bigheads in an "upright" environment.I miss them occasionally, and when I do, I shed my tears with this fine book by my side.Thank you Schiffer Design Books.

It is the complete thing
This book gives the complete picture of cabbage patch kid collecting.I haven't seen a more overall picture of the dolls anywhere.It is a fantastic guide not only for the new collector, but also for the expert.Thank you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Cabbage Patch Kids dolls    4. Catalogs    5. Collectors and collecting    6. Dolls    7. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    10. Other manufacturing technologies   

Subjects:  1. Antiques/Collectibles    2. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    3. Model cars & road vehicles    4. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000   

Reviews (5)

The Compleat Robot
Britain's DK Books are known for their lavish, full color coffee table creations, and this volume is no exception. At just under 200 pages it surveys nearly every avenue of things robotic. As such, it's a great overview, interest jogger or introduction to the subject whether your interest lies in toy collecting, robot building or sci-fi films. The flip side is that such a brief treatment can't hope to be exhaustive. My four stars is not due to any lack in the book, but merely because this book is easily used up. But not before it's achieved its purpose in directing the interested reader toward further study and reading.
The ultimate robot book (a review by Eli age 7)
This is a great book.I especially like "The new generation" chapter and "art and entertainment".My favorite robots are PaPeRo, soccer robots and BattleBots.this book tells me a lot about all different kinds of robots, a subject that I am really interested in. This is really the ultimate robot book.

The ultimate robot book (a review by Eli age 7)
This is a great book.I especially like "The new generation" chapter and "art and entertainment".My favorite robots are PaPeRo, soccer robots and BattleBots.this book tells me a lot about all different kinds of robots, a subject that I am really interested in. This is really the ultimate robot book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Science    2. Robotics    3. Robots    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Technology - Machinery    7. Toys    8. Technology / Robotics   

Subjects:  1. Action figures (Toys)    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Asia - Japan    5. Japan    6. Plastic toys    7. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    8. Popular Culture - General    9. Toys    10. Art / Popular Culture    11. Cultural studies    12. Other manufacturing technologies    13. Sociology | Popular Culture    14. Toys, teddy bears & dolls   

Reviews (1)

Great close-ups of the marbles!
There are several things that make this book a stand-out. The first is the basic information about the types of marbles (antique, machine-made, modern) and the makers of the marbles. If you're looking for extensive historical information, this may not be the book for you. But if you collect marbles and are interested in good, basic information as well as tons of photos (most enlarged so you can see every detail) of a wide variety of marbles, this book fills the bill. While I'm no marble expert, I learned a grat deal from reading this one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques / Collectibles    2. Games    3. Games/Puzzles    4. Glass & Glassware    5. Glass sculpture    6. History    7. Indoor Games    8. Marbles (Game)    9. Reference    10. Toys    11. Antiques & Collectables    12. Sports & Outdoor Recreation    13. Toys, teddy bears & dolls   

Reviews (10)

Prime reading
Since 1999, Mr. Alvarez has done a great job of providing both the curious observer and hard-core fans a visual guide to the Transformers toy mythos. This addition is a particular triumph because of the wealth of photography of rare figures, both those whose presentation vary dramatically from their North American release and those never released outside of the Japanese market. A good history lesson, but an uneventful book.
What I learn was the Transformers were put together by Takara from combining many different toy manufacturers line in Japan.Later in the early 80s a storyline was conceived through the cartoon series and a seperate comic from the existing toy products.This simply mean the story had very little to do with the early toy design.The problems I had with this book is it is not a very good as a toy catalog nor did it described the history in great detail.The writing is not very deep nor long, it just give you a lot of surface information that make you ask for more questions.Each chapter writing contents averaged only about a page long.There are no in depth analysis on the individual toys at all.For the image qualities: The photographs were horrible.The photographers need to learn about lighting and angle.You get a lot of pics of Transformers' boxes, unsharp close-up, reddish tint, redundancy, and a lot of white empty area.As a history book there is not enough for you to own this book, more of a library checkout.Takara's own "Welcome to the World of Transformers" as a toy catalog is much better.There is writing for each toy products and the photo is very professional, but it is in 95% Japanese's' text.I am somewhat happy with this book, but can not recommend it to a casual fan and it was done very generic.

Lots of pictures... and that's it
I bought the two guides and I don't see any improvement from one to the other.Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Catalogs    4. Character toys    5. Collectibles    6. Collectors and collecting    7. Europe    8. Japan    9. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Toys    12. Transformers (Fictitious chara    13. Transformers (Fictitious characters)    14. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models   

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Games / Gamebooks / Crosswords    3. Games/Puzzles    4. Video & Electronic - General    5. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models   

Reviews (2)

O'Brien's Collecting Toy Cars & Trucks
Information seems to be well organized and spelled out, but was disappointed that there were so few color pictures.

Great guide that's well worth the money!
I've found most everything I was looking for all in one source!If you like collecting cars and trucks, you must have this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Reference - Price Guides    6. Toy Arts And Crafts    7. Toys    8. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    9. Model cars & road vehicles   

Reviews (3)

Wonderful reference book for anyone in the business
I ordered this book for my business, and have used it a great deal.It's a wonderfully photographed book, with great references.

for collectors
This is a good book if you collect dollhouses(already made and furnished). There is great information on the history of dollhouses with sections highlighting examples from England, Germany, and America. Related topics, not always coveredare here as well...dolls, plastic furniture, and metal work are included.
Antique & Collectible Dollhouses and their Furnishings
A True Gem for the Vintage Dollhouse enthusiast. Tons of clear pictures as with all of Diane Zilners books, which show we collectors and Antique Dealers alike the true identities of the wonderfully expressive imaginations of miniature makers from the past.Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques / Collectibles    2. Antiques/Collectibles    3. Collectors and collecting    4. Doll furniture    5. Dollhouses    6. General    7. History    8. Technical & Manufacturing Trades   

Reviews (18)

A terrific reference for any Breyer collector!
I first purchased this book in it's second edition, and snatched up the third edition as soon as it came out! I only wish Browell could update it every year. The number of new products Breyer releases annually causes the book to go out of date very quickly, and I generally pen in new items myself. Breyer Animal Collector's Guide
I soooo needed this book.I started collecting Breyers around 1987.I was seven at the time.Needless to say, most of my older Breyers are in played with condition.I have started to increase my collection since I became more aware of their value...The guide helped me identify a couple of my older ones and renew my interest in my collection.I already can't wait for the next edition!

Best Breyer Book Around
This is an awsome book with tons of great pictures or various Breyer Models and descriptions. This book is a MUST for any breyer collector as it has tons of information and values on each model and also colour variations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Catalogs    5. Collectors and collecting    6. Figurines    7. New Jersey    8. Reference - Price Guides    9. Toy horses    10. Toys   

Reviews (1)

Well worth the wait
This is a great book. I've collected decoys for several years and I own the previous edition of Collecting Antique Bird Decoys and Duck Calls which is now some 10 years old. No disrespect, but the new edition by Russ Lewis far surpasses the old book. Not only will you find thousands of photos but Lewis, an avid collector himself, provides loads of information on traditonal carvers, factory birds, regional influences throughout North America and much more. The depth and breadth of the work is impressive. Lewis is a university professor, and you can tell that he is an educator at heart. It also helps that he has a soul of a collector. If you collect decoys, bird calls, or simply enjoy the outdoors you'll love this book. I'll bet my Red-breasted Merganser decoy on it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Catalogs    6. Collectors and collecting    7. Decoys (Hunting)    8. Duck calls    9. Firearms & Weapons    10. Hunting Sports    11. Reference - Price Guides    12. Sports Memorabilia (besides cards)    13. United States    14. Woodwork - Decoys    15. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    16. Reference works   

Reviews (8)

Amazing Guide for Collectors !
I started collecting Hotwheels cars about 3 years ago. What makes me different than most of the other collectors, is that I live in Santiago, CHILE (here, Hotwheels cars market is very small compared with other countries). Many of the variations and models that exist in US, aren't available here. Mike's guide has been an invaluable tool for me to get those variations I never know that exist or I will never find hanging in pegs in Santiago. Invaluable Resource For Collectors
I found the 'Ultimate Guide to Hot Wheels Variations' one of the most valuable resources to date for the valuation of Hot Wheels variations; both for collectors and dealers alike.As owner of [a web site,] I refer to this guide on a daily basis for determining the minute differences between Hot Wheels variants.The guide is concise, well laid out, easy to follow, and extremely accurate (in my opinion).

Varations HA
This book stinks the pictures are horrible I donated it to te libary. It stinks ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques & Collectibles    2. Antiques / Collectibles    3. Antiques/Collectibles    4. Automobiles    5. Catalogs    6. Collectors and collecting    7. Hot Wheels toys    8. Models    9. Prices    10. Reference - Price Guides    11. Toys    12. Transportation    13. Antiques & collectables: toys, games & models    14. Art techniques & materials