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Title: Roseville Pottery, Warman's

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The second edition of this guide brings with it a new author and one not without a connection, Denise Rago. Those of you in the know will recognize the name as her father is David Rago of Rago's auction which, more often than not, always features high end art pottery and has for many years. Not falling far from the tree, Denise has been involved in the business since she was a teen and the American Art Pottery field will certainly benefit from her knowledge.

Much of the guide is unchanged from its already working format with large color pictures and lengthily descriptions. This edition has gone a step further from their already helpful, and really required, color pictures by adding some cool color thumbnail pictures of the pattern on the top corners of each page to help you find your piece faster and without knowing the pattern name.

The introductory section of the guide provides some nice insights to the market along with a number of pages of the various bottom marks and a chronological release listing for the various Roseville lines. I couldn't locate a price reference in this edition but I'm guessing that quoted values are still auction results based on the 1st edition.

Bottom line - If you deal in any way with Roseville a guide is a necessary investment to protect yourself as either a collector or a dealer. This guide with its large photos and robust descriptive text will certainly fill the bill.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 286 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 10 3/4"
Author: Denise Rago
Price:$24.99

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Title: Holt-Howard Collectibles and Related Ceramicware of the 50's & 60's, Price Guide to

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There is a certain something inside many collectors and all of our customers that contributes to the illness we lovingly refer to as collecting. Whimsy is a necessary ingredient even to those collectors that consider themselves serious....it's down deep but it's there!

Holt-Howard tapped into this years ago and if a collector needs a little whimsy boost, this stuff can certainly provide it. This guide includes items that most of us familiar with Holt-Howard also group together from other manufacturers.

The coverage in this guide is unbelievable and the history and detail provided for the various pieces and lines is over the top. Add to this the 800+ color pictures and you've got a guide that is both informative as well as fun just to leaf through.

Almost as important as covering the Holt-Howard items is the information on some little known companies and pieces that until now hadn't been documented. This includes not only "knock-off" pieces that are often times mistaken but non-pros but also other recognizable companies such as Lipper & Mann, Lefton, Napco and some generic "Made in Japan" items.

Bottom line -With complete coverage of both Holt-Howard and similar items, there is no other guide for collectors both of these pieces and just general fun whimsical kitchen and household items as well. If nothing else, I defy you not to smile, a lot, when leafing through this guide.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 254 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 10 3/4"
Author: Walter Dworkin
Price:$27.99

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Title: Magazines, Old Identification & Value Guide

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It's been a few years since the 1st edition of this guide but with updated values and about 20% more pages it was worth the wait.

Unchanged from it's previous edition is this guides concentration on providing as many titles and values as possible versus lengthily history on the various magazines along with a few examples. Neither approach is "correct", just a matter of taste and a consideration when deciding on what guide to buy if your only buying one.

Nice color cover examples accompany values for various breakdowns of the magazine. The values noted can be as simple as the range of value for editions within a year or the entire run of a magazine or more specific values for magazines that feature important authors, artists or subject matter.

The back of the guide provides an additional listing of Paper Dolls, and the magazines that hold them along with values, adding a mini price guide for the many collectors of paper dolls.

Bottom line - Broad coverage and the calling out of important issues makes this a good choice for general magazine collectors.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Collector Books
P.O. Box 3009
Paducah , KY 42002-3009
Orders: (800) 626-5420

Book information: 2006, 336 page hardback, 8 1/2" x 10 3/4"
Author: Richard E. Clear
Price:$19.95

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Title: Jewelry Price Guide, Antique Trader's

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It's hard to image the days, which weren't that long ago, when guides like this had only Black and White pictures. All guides benefit from color pictures but with jewelry guides , in particular, the difference is night and day. This edition, in full color, provides 1,500 color pictures for the 2,000 pieces covered.

The coverage of the field has expanded as well and the inclusion of the "Mod" era jewelry yet again points to the hot Collectibles market that is expanding not only this collecting area but the collecting world in general. It offers an affordable entry point not only to collecting jewelry but to the booming Collectibles arena as well. The Costume jewelry section is also quite large and this, too, marks the increased coverage of jewelry collecting outside of the Antique world.

The inclusion of "newer" pieces doesn't mean that the guide lacks in the coverage of traditional vintage and fine pieces. Information and pricing is included not only for all periods from the 1800's on but also coverage of major designers.

Though the determination of "value" is not specifically noted, it appears to be a mixture of auction results and retail values. They do note, however, that prices noted should only be used as a guide and the normal pricing factors should be considered.

Bottom line - This is a great overview guide particularly for those collectors and dealers who haven't decide to or don't specialize in a particular era. The expanded coverage of newer pieces will allow you to get a jump on pieces that most certainly will increase in value.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 271 page paperback, 6" x 9"
Editor: Kyle Husfloen
Price:$21.99

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Title: Lionel Trains 1900-1942, Collector's Guide to Prewar

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The coverage of Trains in general and particularly Lionel's offerings is so broad that it necessitates the author breaking it down into 3 full price guides (all of which are reviewed today). It's no wonder, do you know anyone who hasn't owned at least on Lionel train?

This guide covers some the grandfathers of the Lionel family all the way back to the first release in 1900. Not only are the various gauges well covered but there are also robust sections on the accessories and toys manufactured to go along with your track layouts along with some of the original catalogs and other ephemera.

Great color pictures, 900 in fact!, accompany the over 2,000 items covered. The close up color pictures take the guess work out of identifying cars that can often times be a little tricky for the novice particularly when the pieces are not mint. Values are provided for the accepted train conditions of "C5" through "C8" and the front of the guide translates and defines these conditions for new users and those unfamiliar with the train or toy world. Basically, values are listed from "good" to "like new" conditions.

The back of the guide provides additional information and a glossary of terminology. The best of these sections cover how to clean your older trains and get them ready to run again. The other section is the natural progression that illustrates how to set up your train once you've prepared them. This section is not a guide on track layout, but rather a full guide on the technical aspects of train layouts.

Bottom line - Compact and chock full of beautiful color photos, this guide is a perfect traveling companion to help you realize your boyhood, or high profit!, dreams.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 270 page paperback, 5" x 8"
Author: David Doyle
Price:$19.99

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Title: Trains, Collector's Guide to Classic O-Gauge

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The coverage of Trains in general and particularly Lionel's offerings is so broad that it necessitates the author breaking it down into 3 full price guides (all of which are reviewed today). The second of the 3 guides produced by the author covers the smaller O-gauge trains from all manufacturers from the well known to the little heard from, and often overlooked, manufactures.

The layout is identical to the Prewar Lionel guide with its full color pictures and values for the acceptable condition range.

There are large sections on the most popular lines, Lionel, Marx and American Flyer but 8 other lines are included as well. Though the coverage of some of these "lesser" producers of trains such as Dorfan and Hafner are relatively brief, they may be the only references your likely to find anywhere. That fact alone makes this guide a valuable addition to any train or toy enthusiasts library.

Bottom line - Full coverage and color pictures make this guide a necessity for any O-gauge and most other train collectors.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 270 page paperback, 5" x 8"
Author: David Doyle
Price:$19.99

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Title: Lionel Train Sets 1945-1969, Standard Catalog of

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The coverage of Trains in general and particularly Lionel's offerings is so broad that it necessitates the author breaking it down into 3 full price guides (all of which are reviewed today). This guide is certainly the most extensive and detailed of the 3 guides recently produced by this author. Every Lionel set covered features a color photograph along with another 100 or so to boot.

It isn't the simple fact that over 450 sets are covered and include full color pictures however that make this guide stand out but the depth of detail provided for each set.

No detail is spared with each listing and the coverage not only includes the individual cars and accessories included in each set but also significant inside details from within the Lionel company that relate to each set. It is and exception rather than the rule to find less than a couple of long paragraphs for each set covered. Every set also includes a scarcity indicator along with values in excellent and like new conditions.

As if the guide wasn't already complete, the author has added some very helpful information to the guide that is too often overlooked and necessary to the novice collector, and even some experienced ones. Determining the age of your collection is important and dating clues are provided. More importantly for the new collector is detailed information on determining the often confusing scale and gauge of trains and the difference between the two terms.

Bottom line - To put it simply, if you have any interest in any way in Lionel trains you must own this guide. It is one of the most complete guide of any kind I've seen in quite a while.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 271 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 10 3/4"
Author: David Doyle
Price:$29.99

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Title: Halloween Collectibles Identification & Price Guide, Vintage

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Despite my many years of buying and selling Antiques and Collectibles, there are collecting worlds that have barely opened the door to. Opening this guide makes me realize that Halloween collectibles is just such a category and the amount of items covered is surprising even to me. Even more surprising is that coverage essentially stops in the 1960's so it's a big world.

Everyone of these colorful, and often whimsical, pieces is accompanied by a full color picture and important details including dating, manufacture, size, scarcity indicator. Many items include detailed historical information on not only the pieces but manufacturing and company history.

Values are provided by the author who owns most of the pieces featured. Normally this would be a potential issue of concern given that a market can be manipulated through price guides but the author notes that the values are at or below offers he has received for these items. He further backs up his value assertions thorough the monitoring of the Halloween collecting market.

When a category gets popular and values climb, there are always those looking to cash in and the guide provides reproduction alerts for items that have been reproduced (often to dupe the buying public).

Bottom line - Halloween collectibles have really been heating up in the last few years and values for even the simplest of pieces can be significant. As values climb in a category the necessity for a guide become ever more important.

Plus, it's just plain fun, fun, fun!

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2007, 254 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 10 3/4"
Author: Mark B. Ledenbach
Price:$27.99

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Title: My Little Pony G3 Collector's Inventory

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The mid 1990's and the boom in the Collectibles market sparked the reintroduction of classic toys that continues today including GI Joe, He-man and, of course, My Little Pony. In the case of My Little Pony, new lines were introduced not once but twice. 2003 marked the release of the third Pony series, hence the generation 3 (G3) nomenclature.

The guide is complete and includes all of the Pony items manufactured from 2003 to today. Items are pictured along with a checklist of the accessories included, and also pictured, with each Pony or Pony set. With many small and often missing pieces, a checklist and visual inventory can be very helpful.

Bottom line - With a line that refuses to die and new collectors being added all the time, many will find this checklist and guide useful for completing their collection.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher:Priced Nostalgia Press
PO Box 1118
Denville, NJ 07834

Book information: 2007, 184 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 11"
Author: Summer Hayes
Price:$32.99

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Title: Antiques, Schroeder's Price Guide

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As with most good guides these days, Schroeder's is now in full color. Though the guides is mostly text based to pack as much information and categories in as possible, color pictures are a nicety. Along with the color pictures they have done something which though subtle makes reading easier, they put the prices in Red next to Black & White descriptive text. With such a well established guide it is hard to find things to change for the better and now I think they have exhausted the improvements without sacrificing information content.

For those not familiar with this guide, first where have you been! Secondly, Schroeder's utilizes experts within the various listed fields to attempt to get the most relevant market information and to eliminate any personnel biases (positive and negative) for any particular collecting field. Though this may on occasion present some pricing that needs interpretation depending on how the values are determined (e.g. venue), there is always some of that to be done and the expert method is probably the best methodology for putting together a top level guide such as this.

Bottom line - It's no surprise that Schroeder's will remain yet again on both my must have book list for Antique dealers and must have book list for Collectible dealers. It's affordable, packed with information and should be on most, if not all collectors and dealers shelves.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Collector Books
P.O. Box 3009
Paducah , KY 42002-3009
Orders: (800) 626-5420

Book information: 2008, 607 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 10 3/4"
Editor: Sharon Huxford
Price:$17.95

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Title: Coin Collecting 101, What You Need to Know

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With our most recent Estate Sale undertaking filled with coins of all types, we learned that the world of coin collecting and dealing is like another world all together. New terminology, different evaluation techniques and standards along with differences in opinion on what many good coins look like with some liking shiny new pieces while others preferred certain characteristic aging signs (colorful toning for example) made the learning curve steeper than we are used to with all of our years in business.

In our case we took the hard root, opening every guide we had along with getting out there into the markets and talking with dealers and collectors alike. Even after auctioning many coins with successful results, we still feel like we have just scratched the surface and even when we thought the bases were covered, we would get some questions we never considered.

Typical, we didn't get this guide to review until we were well into things!

The guide is broken down into short chapters ranging from how to find and handle the coins to finding the all important mint marks and properly evaluating condition.

There are also specific chapters featured on the various coin denominations from 1/2 cents to dollar coins to commemorative coins and Gold. Pictures accompany all the chapters to illustrate what are often times minute differences that mean the difference between big bucks and relative worthlessness.

Bottom line - Don't have a clue about coin collecting?, this is a great start. Beginning collectors will have a great leg up and introduction to the often foreign world of coin collecting and dealing.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Krause Publications
700 East State St.
Iola, WI 54990-0001
(800)-258-0929 (consumers), (888)-457-2873 ext. 880 (retailers)

Book information:2005, 267 page paperback, 6" x 9"
Author: Alan Herbert
Price:$14.99

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Title: Breyer Animals Collector's Guide Identification and Values

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Let's face it, not every horse enthusiasts kid's parents could afford a Pony but they could all afford a Breyer horse model. Little did they know the allowance draining curse they had placed upon their children!

Even a collector with some experience will be surprised at the sheer number of models made available by Breyer and a guide is certainly a necessity for those with even the remotest of hopes of being a completist. Full color group pictures are provided along with the date of production, name and visual description. Often times important notes are added regarding slight variations and special notes of interest.

Though most people are at least aware of the Breyer horses, few realize that Breyer produced much more than these models. The guide goes further to list the other Breyer offerings such as Dogs, Cats and other wildlife and farm animals. Additionally you'll find other bits and pieces such as ornaments and lamps.

The back of the guide has a huge cross reference that lists all of the models by name, number as well as other specialized and detailed lists for identification. It's almost 100 pages long and assures proper identification and quick reference.

Bottom line - With 5 editions being produced, If you collector or deal in Breyer then the decision is obvious. New collectors will benefit the most from the lengthily cross reference material to properly identify your Breyer.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Collector Books
P.O. Box 3009
Paducah , KY 42002-3009
Orders: (800) 626-5420

Book information: 2008, 464 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 10 3/4"
Author: Felicia Browell, Kelly Korber-Weimer & Kelly Kesicki
Price:$24.95

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