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Title: Magazines, Old Identification & Value Guide

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When I recently reviewed another price guide for magazines I noted that only a couple of guides exist so I thought I would round things out by letting you know what else is available. However, keep in mind that they are not necessarily mutually exclusive and you may choose to have both.

Unlike the Antique Trader magazine guide this guide does not provide as much historical information on the magazines themselves and artist contributing to many of them. Instead it focuses on the listings themselves though they do contain some similar information by virtue of calling out certain more valuable issues within each magazine. Listings are straight forward with publishing years and ranges of values for the various breakdowns which are usually date oriented. Though not as extensive, additional details are provided for the stand out issues noting contributing authors, artists or other stand out features such as featured covers and specific articles or included materials (e.g. paper dolls, etc.).

Though differently oriented than the previously mentioned guide, this guide is not without historical perspective. Many magazines include the lineage of the magazine to show the previous or follow-up titles for magazines that continue under another name.

Bottom line - though this guide is outdated, the values of most magazines have remained fairly constant over the last few years to the information contained is still viable. A 2nd edition is also in the works.

With guides I have always felt it is important to get as many perspectives as you can afford. If you have a large investment in a magazine collection or intend to buy or sell you would benefit by owning both this guide and the previously reviewed Antique Trader guide.

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

Book information: 2003, 287 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 10 3/4"
Author: Richard E. Clear
Price:$24.95

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Title: 45 RPM Records, Goldmine Price Guide to

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The category of records is so broad that to properly evaluate a collection you may need multiple guides. As an example, guides exits for Jazz records, personality records, 78's and, in this case, 45 RPM records.

This edition adds another 5,000 listings to the previous edition for a total of 80,000 45's!

Goldmine is the only guide that gives the user a more concise breakdown of the values listed by providing 3 columns based on condition. Most other guides provide this range but leave the breakdown to the reader. Goldmine starts at what is generally considered the lowest acceptable condition for true collectors (very good (VG) along with VG+ and NM (near mint).

The front of the guide provides guidelines for determining some lesser values that will appeal to the large population of buyers who are more interested in the playability of the record that can occur below the VG grade. For our business this is by far the largest buying population so it's handy information if your just looking to own 45's you can play and enjoy.

Bottom line - Though most top level record guides will provide values for some 45's by artist, if you have a large 45 collection (or plan one!) you will definitely want to get this guide. By not doing so you run the risk of making assumptions that may either be costly (undervaluing) or, in the case of selling them, cause a non-sale (overvaluing). Goldmine, by virtue of their involvement in the record business, can certainly be called an authority.

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

Book information: 2005, 760 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 11"
Author: Tim Neely
Price:$24.99

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Title: American Dinnerware, Collector's Encyclopedia of Identification and Values

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Not all dishes are created equally. There are literally hundreds of collectible dishes out on the market today and navigating from the valuable to the worthless can be a tricky business. Making generalizations can quickly deplete your buying budget.

"Off brand" (i.e.. not Fiesta or any of the big players) dish sets are still one of those items that surfaces at both yard sales and in thrift stores. Often at bargain prices regardless of maker, these sets may present a potential for high profits but you have to know who made them and the relative demand for the pieces.

Similar to other offerings by Collector Books on, for example, Fiesta and Hall, the format has become a tried and true one. Company histories are provided in great detail prior to the value listings which include full color examples, back stamps, sizing and, of course, value ranges.

The addition of an illustrated guide to the making of dinnerware, glossary and other inside information make this guide a complete overview of the dinnerware industry.

Bottom line - making generalization from one 1950's, for example, dish set to another can be costly. Making the wrong assumption could result in a lose of potential profits or, in the case of over pricing, a lose of a sale. Any buyer or dealer who focuses to a large extent on dishware should be as well armed as possible. In our business the best education is the real world but a close second is reputable guides.

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

Book information: 2005, 319 page hardback, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Author: Jo Cunningham
Price:$29.95

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Title: Little Golden Books Field Guide

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For a collector on a budget or someone who just wants a remembrance of their childhood, Little Golden Books continue to provide one of the more affordable purchases. With the subject matter often covering Television and Cartoon characters they also appeal to a wide variety of collectors making them a good candidate for sellers as well.

This edition is Santi's pocket mini version of his full sized price guide last published in 2003. Though I haven't done a book to book comparison, this guide includes well over 1,000 listings and over 700 color pictures. Of course the bonus with this guide is it's compact size that, like all other guides in this series, lends itself so well to the buyer of today who is usually on the go trying to find the ever dwindling valuables.

There are less and less Collectible categories today that are not only affordable but also present a good investment towards future value. Though most Little Golden books are still well under $20 each, they tended to be less than $15 not that long ago (where else can you get this kind of increase in an investment in such a short period of time?). As with everything in the Collectibles arena, they are becoming scarcer and scarcer and it pays to know what the up and comers are.

Bottom line - KP has yet to produce one of these field guides that I have not been able to get behind. Compact and concise, new buyers will benefit most but all buyers and sellers will appreciate the relative rarities called out in the guide that often sell over the $100 mark.

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

Book information: 2005, 512 page paperback, 4 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Author: Steve Santi
Price:$12.99

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Title: Radio and Television Price Guide, Antique Trader

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It's been a couple of years since I've seen a radio guide published and many, many more since one has been produced on televisions. Prices for many years were fairly stable for both of these categories but not unlike many collectibles today the combination of a renewed interest and popularity combined with scarcity of many models have necessitated revisiting these markets. More often than not, price guide publishing is a reflection of the current markets so often times a new guide indicates the increased/renewed popularity of a Collectible or Antique.

You'll find over 1000 listings and surprisingly (based on passed guides) there are more listings for Televisions than Radios. That's a welcome change since there are very few past guide references to Television sets in existence. About 75% of the listings include full color pictures as well.

15 pages of original advertising reprints give you a nice glimpse to many of the items original presentation to the public.

Bottom line - as I previously mentioned, it has been some time since a Radio guide has been published and you have to go back even further to find even a small percentage of similar Television values in print. If your interests lie in these great displayable Collectibles then this guide is a must. Even if your not ready to buy/sell now, when you need such a guide there may not be one available on the retail market.

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

Book information: 2005, 272 page paperback, 6" x 9"
Editor: Kyle Husfloen
Price:$19.99

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Title: Hot Wheels, The Ultimate Redline guide Identification and Values 1968 - 1977

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Arguably the most collected, and more often than not valuable, Hot Wheels are the "redline" era vehicles. Redline simply refers to the red rim line around the tires on the vehicles. Hot Wheels currently are the hottest vehicles collected, even hotter than Matchbox!

If the definition now makes you recall passing up a few of these at a yard sale or even a retail shop your in for some distressing news - these babies ain't cheap! If you passed up some in the package, you had better sit down.

Of course condition is key with most things and though there is lead way (given their intended use as hard play toys) this guide does a wonderful job of illustrating the condition to shoot for. This guide does the best job I've seen to date in picturing the vehicles. Not content with even 2" x 2" color photos as is the norm, this guide presents you with an oversized shot AND multiple angle additional pictures which often highlight details and additional colors available.

Also extremely well done are the description and pricing features. Descriptive text is not simply the year of manufacture but usually goes into some length providing behind the scenes information on the making of the vehicles, important variations and much more. Pricing is broken down into colors/variations and provides you with base prices for Mint and Mint on card values. The introductory text gives you straight forward descriptions along with percentages of "mint" value to evaluate any vehicle you might have.

This would be a must have guide even if I stopped here but this guide provides another 60 pages of so of additional information including; vocabulary, color charts and value sections for Club cars, Carrying cases, Catalogs, Playsets and just about everything else Hot Wheels put out in the redline era.

Bottom line - a beautiful hardback edition that will be a welcome addition to any toy or Hot Wheels collector's shelves. Hard to find a flaw with this guide.

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

Book information: 2005, 396 page hardback, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Author: Jack Clark & Robert P. Wicker
Price:$29.95

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Title: Antiques & Collectibles 2006 Price Guide, Antique Trader

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Time sure flies, seems like yesterday the 2005 top level guides came out! Every well armed reference library should have at least one of the well known general guides and this one is a good candidate

This guides does a great job checking the pulse of the current collecting markets with deletions and additions of categories every year based on current trends. This year sees the addition of listings for; Chase Brass & Copper, Whiting & Davis purses (old category but hot again), Moss Lamps, Higgins Glass and Educational & Scientific toys.

Over 12,000 items are listed and this year adds an additional 500 or so color pictures for a total of over 5,500 pictures which are critical with top level guides which can often include all to brief descriptions.

Bottom line - With only improvements since it was placed on the must have book list for Antique dealers last year, it will remain there!

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: 2006, 1072 page paperback, 6" x 9"
Editor: Kyle Husfloen
Price:$19.99

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Title: Comics, Standard Guide to Golden Age

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One of my first really extensive collections (I'm not including my collection of every gum machine toy I ever bought!) was comic books and it is a collection that I not only still have but also still covet. The comic market is a little more complicated then many other Collectible markets. In addition to having a breakdown by "age" (e.g. Golden), these various broad categories determine their values from different criteria (i.e. age, condition, contributing authors/artists, limited runs/rarity, etc.). Though age is not a guarantee of value with any Collectible, with the Golden age comics it is almost a given that comics from this era, in decent shape of course, will have significant value.

Obviously as values for items increase it becomes more important to stay in touch with the market and its values. Leafing through this guide you'll see a lot of comics in the $100-$300 range but it is the $10,000+ items that you want to make sure your aware of. Nothing worse than making costly generalizations but it happens all the time.

I'm actually a fan of these broken down comic price guides. General price guides have their place of course but by breaking comics down to their "age" you are better able to concentrate on your particular interests if your more than a general collector or dealer. Most serious comic collectors I know tend to narrow their interest in older comics and these breaks tend to fall within the current "age" breakdowns so these individual guides make sense for the serious buyer and seller alike.

The introductory section provides you with a basic knowledge of how comics are generally valued. Condition is key and comic value ranges are some of the broadest of any Collectible fields, particular with the CGC rating service which starts at a low 1.0 and includes every decimal in-between to 10.0. Values in this guide stick with the near mint (CGC 9.4) values and if you don't pay CGC to grade them for you, this introductory grading information will certainly help.

The layout is straight forward and provides the years and issue values along with some more detailed information in the form of a rather extensive list of abbreviations to highlight desirable features such as character introductions, important writers/artists and the like. Full color examples of covers provide the fun factor.

Bottom line - with a current boom in Golden age comic values, if your going to dip your feet into this pond you had better have this guide handy. This is another of those markets where failure to be prepared can hit your bottom line significantly.

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: 2006, 304 page paperback, 6" x 9"
Author: Alex G. Malloy & Stuart W. Wells, III
Price:$19.99

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Title: Furniture Field Guide Values and Identification

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There is no guide out there that will allow you to value ever piece of furniture you come across when your out there searching for bargains, there's just too much to list. If you don't specialize in a particular style or period then your best defense (and offense) is to have a good general knowledge of styles along with the telltale indicators of period pieces.

Having this kind of broad information on the top of you head takes time and experience so, in the meantime, throw this guide in your purse or pocket.

The first 70 or so pages are dedicated to the basic knowledge needed to identify furniture pieces. It starts with a straight forward chronological listing of furniture "periods" along with their dates. This is followed by a lengthily section that includes important details to look for including terminology, feet, pediment (top) and skirt (bottom) and leg details along with other construction details that often indicate quality along with the period of the piece. Sketches of important details are illustrated as well. The last section provides a single page per style for an easy overview. If you only read one portion of this guide, this is the one to read. In a single page you'll get the styles name and time period along with woods used and general characteristics used to identify the period. The characteristics section is further broken down between chars and other pieces.

Of course, this IS a price guide and the remaining 400+ pages, organized by type of piece (e.g.. chairs) finish the story and give you price points for pieces from a couple of hundred dollars to multiple thousands.

Bottom line - though there are other guides that can provide some or all of the information including in this guide, none is more convenient for the buyer of today with it's compact style that doesn't sacrifice the quantity or quality of information provided.

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

Book information: 2006, 512 page paperback, 4 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Author: Mark Moran
Price:$12.95

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Title: Kitschy Kitchen Field Guide Values and Identification

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Being able to actually use your Collectibles around the house is a big bonus in the collecting world and, despite the "mint in box" crowd, I'm all for enjoying your stuff with everyday use. There is no better category for a new life then kitchen Collectibles.

Bright colors, weird uses and just plain whimsey make up the bulk of the items covered in this nothing but fun guide. Full color pictures take you through category through seemingly endless category covering everything from Aprons to kitchen clocks and advertising. All the basic information is provided including dates and manufacturers when known.

The guide also provides a nice section on the big names in kitchen Collectibles; Lustro-ware, Rubbermaid and my personal favorite Tupperware (in fact our retail location is painted in Tupperware Orange! How sick is that?).

Bottom line - generalization within kitchen Collectibles are fairly easy to make (with some noted exceptions like scarce Lustro-ware pieces) so this guide is likely to be the only one you'll need on the subject. Even for the non-collector, this guide is sure to bring back memories of your Mom's or Grandmother's kitchen regardless of how old you are.

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

Book information: 2006, 510 page paperback, 4 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Author: Brian S. Alexander
Price:$12.99

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Title: Greeting Cards Identification and Values, Collecting Vintage Children's

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Having recently shopped for a greeting card only to find that all of them were lame I turned to my box of vintage cards for a better impact. The reaction was great and here is a category ripe for reuse.

The listings are arranged not only utilizing known holidays but also by image based listing as many collector's look for the image (ie. animals, characters, particular artists, etc.) without regard to the overall theme of the card. Beautiful full color pictures accompany brief, but complete, listings and value ranges.

There are a good number of values listed that I would have liked a much narrower range of values for the reading collector. With the noted expected mint condition online values, a range of, for example, $8-45 doesn't make too much sense. I expect this is to take into account the hit or miss values online depending on a number of factors but a little more guidance is necessary in a price guide, particularly one so specialized.

Most of the guide is dedicated to showing as many examples as possible though there are introductions for many of the section where the author shares her market and historical knowledge

Bottom line - a nice glimpse into the market of vintage greeting cards and even though it lacks overall firm pricing guidelines

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

Book information: 2006, 224 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 11"
Author: Linda McPherson
Price:$24.95

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Title: Americana Price Guide Volume 1, Raycrafts'

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With every guide I receive I do a first blush leaf through to get an initial overall feel regarding the content, layout, etc.. At first glance my feeling with this guide was that it was like many guides I saw come out at the real beginning of the true recognized Collectibles market some years ago. Many authors took their handful of collections and provided pictures and values. More often than not these guides were flawed in more than one way.

Of course I never do my reviews based on this top level look and I follow this with a more critical and in-depth look including reading introductory information and the authors intentions with regards to what is presented in the guide.

In the case of this guide looks can be deceiving. Reading between the lines it is clear that the authors take a refreshing look on the market itself and they are one of only a handful of dealers and authors that identify the changing markets and the ever increasing values not only of true Antiques but of Collectibles that provide the opportunity to get a jump not only on the value of many often overlooked items but also a jump ahead of other collectors and dealers.

Where one might see this guide as a random selection of categories,they are chosen with purpose. The categories represent some well known categories (e.g.. advertising) but more often illustrate categories that are still "sleepers" to some extent and provide the ever decreasing opportunity to get a good buy and/or make a profit. The authors even lament in their opening pages about a story that many or us have involving opportunities years ago to get in on the ground floor of a collecting category that, today, has increased multi-fold in terms of value. This guide attempts to prevent those "what if" stories that all of us dealers have.

The guide takes you through 14 categories of Collectibles. Each section begins with a brief introduction along with some insight as to why the particular market is collected and some hints to finding some of the better and more valuable items within each of the categories. Full color pictures along with brief descriptions and values fill the bulk of the guide section.

Presumably, based on the title, this is the first of a number of volumes that will likely cover other popular and not yet so popular collecting areas.

In addition to the guide you also get a DVD which provides a look at an additional 12 collecting categories through interviews with various dealers. Presenting the information in this manner not only lends the personal touch that makes the Collectibles market so full of life but I believe also provides information that the collector is more likely to recall when out in the buying field.

Bottom line - this guide provides a fresh look at Collectibles in general and certainly meets the authors primary purpose, to entertain and enlighten. The addition of the DVD certainly scratches the entertainment part and the unique approach and category selection will likely enlighten all levels of collectors.

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

Book information: 2006, 351 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 5 1/4"
Author: Don & R.C. Raycraft
Price:$19.95

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Title: Marbles a Comprehensive Identification & Value Guide, Everett Grist's Big Book of

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Yet another collecting category that I have very little knowledge about. Despite having all of my original marbles and a few groups of finds from many years ago, I have little idea of the values of the individual marbles and whether I have a treasure chest or just a bag of nice looking glass.

Even given the technical descriptions of hand made versus machine made marbles in this guide, it is the pictures that will help the collector and dealer differentiate between beautiful pieces of glass with relatively little value and pieces of art worth hundreds and even thousands. Yes, thousands. Interested now?

Of course market experience is nearly critical when your playing with the big boys in this collecting field but this guide will certainly narrow down your questionable marbles as well as weed out the under $10 crowd from the over $100 bunch.

In addition to the many close-up color pictures of individual marbles and sets, the author provides a detailed description with some nice additional comments that range from personal impressions/experiences to important details to note.

In depth history of the making of marbles and it's manufacturers along with further information on individual types of marbles and other pertinent information provide a nice background to the field itself. Values provided but do not indicate where they are derived from (i.e. auction results, retail prices, etc.) but based on my reading I would assume they are retail prices.

Bottom line - before you set up the shooting ring and play another game for keeps you had better consult this guide, it's the next best thing to actually spending a lot of time out in the market itself (which you should do as well!).

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

Book information: 2006, 204 page hardback, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Author: Everett Grist
Price:$24.95

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Title: Majolica Identification and Price Guide

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Beautiful? Ugly? Depend on who you are and what you like. Valuable? Yes!

Though identifying pieces of Majolica is fairly easy due to its distinct look and finish, placing a value on individual pieces is not that easy. With over 45 subcategories listed it is a broad market indeed and you can't make vale generalizations from one of these categories to another without the potential of loosing hundreds of dollars.

The various subcategories are well represented with full color close-up pictures and brief descriptions. Values have been derived from a number of sources including auctions which are always noted in the value listing.

Bottom line - this guide does a very nice job of representing the Majolica market as a whole with a no nonsense layout dedicated mostly to providing the most information and breakdowns to collected subcategories as possible.

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

Book information: 2006, 2544 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 11"
Author: Mark F. Moran
Price:$24.99

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Title: Antiques & Collectibles Price List, Kovel's

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O.K., I admit it, occasionally I make a mistake. Such is the case with my review of the last edition of this guide. I had made the assumption that what seem like items from the previous edition with updated prices is merely a coincidence and that ALL of the items in this oversized guide are NEW. My assumption is based on the norm in the industry and who would expect that Ralph and Terry (though not shirkers of work by any means!) would go to such an effort with every new edition. I stand corrected. Additionally, I am told that more often than not prices quoted are actual prices realized as opposed to asking prices which, again, I had to assume based on industry norm as I could not find mention of this fact in the previous edition.

These mistakes were somewhat fortuitous however as I can now welcome Random House Publications as a regular contributor to this feature thanks to the cutting of red tape by the Kovel's staff. If for no other reasons than the Kovel's contributions it is well worth admitting my weakness!

Despite my honest mistake, I have always had great respect for the Kovel's and the quality (and quantity) of their contributions to the Antiques and the Collectibles businesses. They've been in the game for a long time.

This years edition now includes full color photos throughout the guide in addition to the always interesting center section where the Kovel's focus on some aspect of the business.

This edition includes over 45,000 listings. Though some of us may need a magnifying glass, this guide is packed and worth the rude awaking of aging. As with many top level guides, the pictures are interspersed throughout the guide (there are a total of some 500 color pictures) but it is the listings that are the focus and the primary objective is to place as much information, and power!, in your hands as possible.

The previously mentioned center section is always informative and entertaining and this years focuses on the record breaking prices among many categories both in the Antiques and Collectibles field. Individual items are pictured along with lots of background and details including some staggering prices realized.

Bottom line - personally I haven't missed an edition of this guide for at least 15 years and I have scoured to find previous editions (back to their first!) as well as I have found them to be valuable references even years after publication. The choice of top level guides is always a personal one but this guide fits the bill and will always be a welcome edition to new or old collectors/dealers.

Publisher/Book info.:
Publisher: Random House Reference
(800)-733-3000 (consumers), (888)-591-1200 ext. 880 (retailers/wholesale)

Book information: 2006, 853 page paperback, 5 1/4" x 8"
Author:Ralph & Terry Kovel
Price:$19.95

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Title: Roseville Pottery, Warman's Companion

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Many hold Roseville on the top of their art pottery list not only for the many different lines produced and their beauty but also for the high values and history as a good investment.

Of course like most collectibles, how good an investment is determined by how much you know and how you put that knowledge into your purchases. Though you can generally always assume a value within the $200 range for many pieces, it's knowing when you find the $2000 piece that counts most. With a market with so many offerings it is key that you have your information either memorized or handy where ever you are. Many of the guides, though certainly nice, are large hard cover books that don't easily lend themselves to most buyers.

Chock full of lots of full color photographs of all available Roseville lines in this soft cover smaller format guide make it perfect for anybody on the road. Utilizing many sales from auctions, this guide provides superior descriptions including any noted damage on the example piece. As this is a fragile line of pottery it comes in handy as the prices noted also reflect what is often acceptable minor damage for some pieces.

Of course, when there is good money involved, there will be fakes and the last pages of this guide provide picture examples or real and fake markings to help save you from getting burned by unscrupulous dealers.

Bottom line - compact and cheap make this buy a no brainer for Roseville enthusiast.

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

Book information: 2006, 271 page paperback, 5" x 8"
Author: Mark F. Moran
Price:$17.99

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Title: Celluloid Dolls Toys & Playthings Identification & Value Guide

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Because of it's fragile nature, many celluloid items can have significant (hundreds of dollars!) value. Because many of these items are relatively small, I think many buyers overlook the potential value of some of these little gems when the price tag is more than $5. This guide will certainly make you take at least a second look.

Because of the whimsical nature of most of these items, this guide is just plain fun to look through. However, the wealth of information included in the listings as well as the cross over collectiblity (e.g.. Christmas items, dolls, etc.) of many of these items make this a valuable reference tool now and likely in the future. Remember, many of these specialized guides end up being produced for only one edition so once their gone, so is the information!

Every items listed includes not only at least one full color picture but, more often than note, a huge amount of background information and information on the individual pieces themselves. Factory information, pictures of markings and original catalog pages are but a few examples of the information covered in the guide and I would certainly say that if it's about Celluloid you'll likely to find it contained in its pages.

The back pages provide the often necessary picture guide for small repairs on these fragile items.

Bottom line - since examples in this guide include Christmas toys, Halloween toys, rattles and crib toys, figural animal and people, dolls and more the audience for this guide is wider than many might think. Even if your interest is not in Celluloid per. se. you might find this guide useful and you'll certainly find it enjoyable and informative.

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

Book information: 2006, 221 page hardback, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Author: Julie Pelletier Robinson
Price:$29.95

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Title: Gas Station Collectibles, Warman's

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You've seen his name before on many of the guides I've reviewed and Mr. Moran's offerings continue to improve with every new volume I receive. He works so much in fact that I've had to add his name to my spelling list!

Since by their nature the descriptive text for many of these items is brief it provides the opportunity to fill the book with full color examples of every items covered. For those keeping count, that's over 1800 items and they span most areas of interest within the collecting of gas station memorabilia even including gas pumps themselves. With so many items covered there is a much better chance of you finding a similar item to one you may have interest in, if not the item itself, and this is always critical since assumptions from one item to a similar item in the collecting world is often not cut and dry.

Bottom line - if it's ever been in a gas station or been held by a mechanic or do it yourself car enthusiast, it's likely to be in this guide. Large sections of gas globes, signs and containers provide for nice coverage of the collecting field as a whole and almost pack enough information for guides on each of these subjects. Obviously advertising collector will find this guide just as useful since many top level advertising guides merely touch on a handful of items within this category.

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

Book information: 2005, 256 page paperback, 8 1/4" x 10 3/4"
Author: Mark F. Moran
Price:$24.99

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Title: Shawnee Pottery, An Identification & Value Guide

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You find a great looking piece of pottery, planter or a cookie jar at the flea market. You turn it over....damn!..it's marked only "USA". You ask the seller but he/she is as clueless as you.

It a scenario that is repeated all over the country every single day. With many companies of the 1950's this is the case and with Shawnee it is more the rule than the exception.

Until you develop the "feel" for Shawnee you simply have to get a price guide. Again, not simply for the values but more importantly for the affirmation that a piece truly is Shawnee.

As with many companies of the time, the offerings are diverse and this guide takes you visually from ashtrays to wall pockets with everything in between. Color pictures make up the bulk of most pages with simple sizing, mark/no mark information and current market value ranges. Also included are the wide range of kitchen pieces produced by Shawnee along with their higher quality designer lines.

Bottom line - if your going to get serious with collecting then price guides are a necessary evil and blessing. Your investment in a guide such as this will pay for itself on that next flea market trip as you thank the seller for the "unmarked" cheap piece of pottery.

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

Book information: 2004, 255 page hardback, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4"
Author: Jim and Bev Mangus
Price:$24.95

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Title: Antiques, Schroeder's Price Guide

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Close your eyes, here comes a spoiler, once again this guide will remain on both my must have book list for Antique dealers as well as must have book list for Collectible dealers.

Schroeder's guide does one of the best jobs of providing a background summary of each of their 500 or so categories in a nutshell prior to listings with values. In addition to a the history of the field, these introductions often include subtle price variations (based on, for example, color) and notes on reproductions and/or fakes.

You'll find the occasional Black and White photo but mostly you'll get page after page of listings. They say there are over 50,000 of them...I'll take their word for it!

Bottom line - O.K., I gave it away but unless someone messes with Schroeder's format and they lose all of there 400 or so experts who work to put the guide together year after year it's going to get my nod. Once again, a must have.

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

Book information: 2006, 221 page paperback, 8 1/2" x 10 1/2"
Editor: Sharon and Bob Huxford
Price:$14.95

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Title: Bobbing Head Field Guide Values and Identification

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The last five years or so have seen a resurgence in these head shaking characters. Known by different names now such as Wacky Wobblers, Bobbing Heads and Bobble Heads, they are a purchase that constantly affirms your purchase as a good one, nodding approval at the slightest provocation.

Most people recall the sports related dolls but they come in a wide range of characters from known comic characters, advertising figures and generic figures. New issues have opened the market to almost any figure you can think of. Who can tell if your $14.99 investment in new ones will reap the prices of some of the older head figures which can easily hit the high three figure mark.

Don't let the great compact size fool you, this guide has full coverage of this collecting field. The introductory material includes the history of bobbing dolls along with many collector tips. Broken down into sports and non-sports categories, each section begins with a summary of the dolls to follow along with their values. Full color close up photos make this guide and each photo also includes some brief details and, of course, a value range.

Bottom line - Just because it is the only guide on the market for these dolls doesn't mean it takes any shortcuts in providing full coverage. These field guides are why they created cargo pants! Find an empty pocket for this one.

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

Book information: 2006, 512 page paperback, 4 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Author: Lou Criscione
Price:$12.99

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