Figurines Books

You don't even have to be a collector to appreciate Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers. Well researched and written in a personal and engaging style, it's a fascinating book for hopeless romantics. The photographs, however, do make you consider beginning a collection!

I am an avid collector and seller of antique dolls. I purchased this book in order to learn more. I found it to be well organized, very interesting and informative. You can see the author's passion and love for her subject matter. A definite addition to any reference library.

I purchased this book as a gift for a wonderful collector of beautiful things including a single antique cake topper. I was planning on taking a quick look through the book before presenting it but that was several days ago and the book still hasn't made it to its destination as I've been so intrigued with the topic and fascinated with the history, photographs, and dating and pricing information. As an antique dealer, I'm always looking for informative books on specialized and/or obscure areas of collecting. I highly recommend "Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers" as a most readable, enjoyable, and informative guide. I think the author should be congratulated for her efforts, including her integrity and clarity in the cake topper descriptions and prices, and for avoiding the tendency of some price guides to inflate prices for the purpose of selling more books. This really is a super book that will entertain and inform anyone who collects cake toppers or who simply has an appreciation for social history, antiques, and collectibles.

My collection of wedding cake toppers consists mostly of the newer and less-expensive varieties. However, this book has given me the opportunity to acquaint myself with some enchanting antique and vintage toppers that I probably will never be in a position to own--or indeed even glimpse "up close." Alas, my taste seems to run to toppers that are either extremely rare or prohibitively expensive (or both).

Opening this book is comparable to stepping into another time. As I read I felt like I was taking a trip down memory lane, and back to gracious, long-past eras.

I gifted copies of "Vintage Wedding Cake Toppers" to two non-collecting friends, both of whom enthusiastically perused its pages. Among their comments to me: "text is easily understood, while at the same time extremely informative.... " ...wonderful photographs and charming line drawings beautifully supplement and complement the author's text."

Without hesitation or reservation, I recommend this book to collectors and non-collectors alike. Enjoy!

What a great book! This field of collecting has ceertainly been neglected, and thanks to Ms. Henderson, it has now been brought to my attention, I found the photos of the Victorian toppers captivating, as I had never seen any qute like that before, Now I will scour antique malls looking for cake toppers to go with my own wedding cake topper from the 70's. I hope this book hasn't started me on another collection, but that is a possibility!

Especially for those who are passionate about Beatrix Potter. Sewall and Dubay do an excellent job in showcasing items often overlooked in other price guides. This is not to imply this book is simly a price guide. It is much more - a true delight!

Charming book documents Beswick, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert, Wedgwood, Crummles, Eden Plush, Giants, Pull Toys, Musical Toys Hand Puppets, Beanie Babies, etc., Schmid Music Boxes, Anri, Border Fine Arts Figurines, Steiff, Tins, R. John Wright, etc. by author Debby DuBay, foreword by Potter expert Judy Taylor, highlighting Kara and John Sewall's private collection. Fabulous colored photographs with complete descriptions and a value under each. This price guide is easy to read and the only one I could find on general B. Potter collectibles. Highly recommend this lovely yet inexpensive book.

Collecting is wonderful and documenting a collection is an honor that Ms. Dubay has bestowed on her friends the Sewall's. There are many books on the market that go into Ms. Potter's life like expert Judy Taylor who wrote the foreword for this book! As a novice collector, of many porcelain pieces, this is the first book I could find that has the values and is actually a useful price guide for the diverse Potter collector. I highly recommend.

I have collected Beatrix Potter for many years and finally a price guide is available on many of the pieces I have collected. I highly recommend this book to collectors of Beatrix Potter memorabilia from Wedgwood, Crummles, Schmid Music Boxes, etc., from the 1970s to today. LOVE this price guide!

This charming book opens with Debby DuBay chatting away on how she met the Miss Potter and collector of today - Kara Sewall. I love this book and highly recommend it to all collectors, Peter Rabbit and Potter fans. Thanks to Debby DuBay for another charming book; she has a unique way of inviting us into her life and the lives of her friends and then getting us addicted to whatever the subject is that she is documenting. I am now a Limoges and Potter collector.

Tom Heaton's book is an excellent resource for Marx collectors or those who used to play with Marx toys in their childhood. It is packed with clear and colorful photos of the toys, packaging, accessories, etc...

For many years, Santa left me a Best of the West figure under the tree. Being able to flip through the pages and remember the toys and all the neat stuff they came with is a wonderful walk down memory lane.

Although I still have most of my childhood collection, they are in a terrible state of repair. It is comforting to know there are current versions being made (details in this book).

A must have addition to your library if you collect, or used to collect, Marx Action Figures.

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.

This is the most outstanding collection guide I have ever read! The author seems to have put unlimited hours into research to come up with such a thorough history of Marx action figures. The photos are fabulous! I've never seen such a variety of great pictures. This book will inspire many others to become new collectors and relive their childhood with Johnny West! A totally awesome book! Many thanks to the author, Tom Heaton, for finally putting a book like this together for us diehards! Cheri Basham

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 the best of the west toys.

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.

I have one and will give you information on the Hummel Silk Carpet.(The Book lacks this information)
On the back is a tag stitched to it saying:

M.J. Hummel
ORIGINAL HUMMEL SILK CARPET
HANDKNOTTED IN BEIJING, CHINA.

ARS AG, ZUG, SWITZERLAND

LIMITED EDITION :10 /50

Also there is a tag attached to the SILK CARPET written in both Chinese and English
ZHE JIANG SILK RUG

I am giving this information because the book does not have a picture of this HUMMEL SILK CARPET and not sure about the information I just posted.
VALUE UNKNOWN but it is Very Beautiful

not only is this a complete guide -- but it is so easy to use -- anyone owning or buying Hummel's should have this -- I only wish I could find Guides like this for my other collectables --

This book is very well illustrated, well layed-out, easy to use, and the pictures are very beautiful. It's full of information, explains more than I expected, and it is a MUST for Hummel collectors.

I have all, since the first publication, of Robert Miller's Price Guide to MI Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures and More.
Mr. Miller has all the knowledge one would expect & want to find in his books after much research and many trips to Germany to gain this knowledge. This is THE HUMMEL BIBLE! I highly recommend this book to all Hummel collectors or to anyone interested in the collecting of fine arts. Very well written with explicit details about Sister MI Hummel's life in Massing, Germany & her schooling. Each known Hummel is pictured & tells of the Master Artist who molded each three dimentional figurine from the drawings by Sister beginning in the 1930's to the present TMK markings. A great investment for Insurance purposes when appraising your figurines by The Hummelking!

Even though it's proclaimed by expert collectors as the absolute source of information about Hummel figurines, Robert Miller's reference work is easy for amateurs as well. He provides insightful guidance in determining value and quality as well as interesting tidbits about production and variations in the figurines. His work is referenced by many sellers in internet auctions, but is also helpful in figuring out just what you already have. As a rank beginner, I had no problem in following his material and ascertaining the value of an inherited collection. It was also useful in helping me determine additions that I wanted to make to the collection.

The Gnome itself is very cute. The little story book is a delight!

This is such an adorable and charming little gnome. He makes a great figurine in general, or as someone suggested great for vacation pics. I ended up getting one as a little gift for my mother, who has a small garden on her window. He looks great on the window. Very nice quality, cute design, the little book is a fun read - for adults and kids. And it comes in a neat gift box, makes a delightful gift or for yourself. I may end up getting myself one, since it's charming.

These wee little gnomes make the cutest little "bag stuffer" to include with your housewarming or feel better gifts.
Adorable!

This little guy makes a wonderful travel companion, or he'll wait patiently on your desk or dresser. I especially like his friendly appearance and small stature.

He's solid, made of some kind of plaster-ish composite material.

If you need a miniature friend, this is the guy for you.

My boyfriend and I took this little guy on our recent trip to Europe and he was awesome, very portable and handy. He makes photos much much more entertaining. Though I do caution that if you put him down in a train station in Rome and then get distracted, it is very devastating when you forget him there. Good thing I got another one!

Best book I've read in years that provides collectors with a visual guide, some great photographs, and history. These photos show some realistic and some whimsical figurines. They are made of glass, diamonds, gold, silver, Vienna Bronze, porcelain, etc.

The author has written a book that makes identification, date of manufacture, material, artist, country of origin easy and enjoyable to read. Anyone who collects anything will positively enjoy this collection. The book and author Eschen deserve top honors.

I just received this book, Collectible Mice, as a gift.  This is the best book about mice figures --some serious, some fanciful --that I have ever seen.  It is pleasant reading with a great bibliography and superb photos.  I wish the book were twice the size; it is one of the most enjoyable collector books I've read in years.  Eschen should write a sequel.

Don't miss this book. It's a winner. This work is so entertaining both the amateur as well as the seasoned collector will derive great pleasure reading and viewing the great photographs. You dare not miss a word. Atypical, odd, comical, extraordinary and life-like pictures fill the pages (over 300 pictures) with these remarkable figurines. The author and the book each deserve five stars!

Best book I've read in years that provides collectors with a visual guide, some great photographs, and history. These photos show some realistic and some whimsical figurines. They are made of glass, diamonds, gold, silver, Vienna Bronze, and porcelain, etc.

The author has written a book that makes identification, dates of manufacture, material, artist, and country of origin easy and enjoyable to read. Anyone who collects anything will postively enjoy this collection. The book and author Eschen deserve top honors!

I have been a collector of mice for quite some time and I was very happy to see a reference guide on the subject published. The author does an excellent job of covering a wide variety of types of mice collectibles and photos are excellent. My only qualm with the guide is the lack of more common mice antique mall / store finds. Most of the items that are illustrated in the book are items that most likely would be found on eBay. I have worked with the Brass Armadillo Antique Mall in Omaha for six years and have very rarely seen the items that are in this book. If you are a mouse / rodent collector, this is an obvious must have book. My thanks to the author for bringing this great hobby into a published form!

For those of us who could never afford a Lichtenfels piece, this is the next best thing. The realism and detail she is able to achieve in cloth is phenomenal. The beautiful large-format all-color photography does justice to these amazing works. One of the most important artists in the field.

You don't have to be a doll collector to appreciate the art dolls created by Lisa Lichtenfels. Her dolls are more like people than anything else. The work she does with needle and thread, batting, wire and nylons is phenomenal. If you are a doll artist, then this is the book to take you to the next level in doll artistry. I would highly recommend this book for the art collector, doll collector as well as doll makers who want to become doll artists like Lisa.

Outstanding book on a unique artist with the professional photography that matches her work.

Buy for yourself, coffee table, inspiration!

A must have for all doll makers for whatever reason!

For those of us who could never afford a Lichtenfels piece, this is the next best thing. The realism and detail she is able to achieve in cloth is phenomenal. The beautiful large-format all-color photography does justice to these amazing works. One of the most important artists in the field.

For those of us who could never afford a Lichtenfels piece, this is the next best thing. The realism and detail she is able to achieve in cloth is astonishing. The beautiful large-format all-color photography does justice to these amazing works. One of the most important artists in the field.

I was engrossed by this very human, powerfully honest memoir. Her relentless search to put together the pieces of the puzzle that would give meaning to her life is a testament to the writer's courage and spirit, and a vivid example of what it means to lead a truly examined life. It is also an exploration of that most complex of human relationships: that between a mother and a daughter. And in her case, having three mothers and having to navigate, however perilously, between two dissimilar cultures makes for especially compelling reading. Anyone in search of meaning in their lives and the truth about themselves will not only relate to, but learn from this inspiring personal account.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It is heartfelt and deeply personal. It takes you on a bittersweet journey where the author really gets down into your emotions. It really makes you feel and the captioned pictures engage the reader. I did not want to put it down!

Susannah McCallum's book is a personal journey that starts in WWII London where she barely escapes the Nazi blitz and ends, sixty years later, back in a very different England where she finds her natural mother and a new family. In between there is a childhood in Cuba, leaving for the United States after the Castro revolution and starting life, once again, in a different country and culture. But it is mostly is a story of survival and constant quest for a mother that had to give her away at birth. It is riveting and loving.

This easy-to-read book poignantly illustrates the innate need we have to discover the source of our origin. Through sheer persistence and patient detective work the author finds her biological family living on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. In a heart-warming way we see how the author's lifelong yearning for her mother and siblings finally allows her to experience the peace that has eluded her all her life.

A great book that touches your heart. I found it beautifully written from the heart.

What a great read! This is a study of not only Staffordshire figurines but the people who made and decorated them and the life and times that these people existed within. It is a wonderful fresh social history and commentary of especially Victorian times based around ornamental objects that were produced for the masses, rather than the elite and wealthy. It is a fascinating book to read and requires on previous knowledge of the subject. Chapters include an excellent introduction to "the potteries" and the makers, modelers and decorators followed by indepth studies of predominately Victorian life as reflected by chapter headings such as Never-never land : children; rogues and renegades : the criminal element; country life : a rural romance; and entertainment : streets, spirits, sawdust, spotlights and stirrups.
The book is extremely well written and beautifully illustrated (often with previously unpublished figures). The index is prolific and all en-compassing. It is elegantly produced by the publisher Schiffer. This is a fascinating reference work that one just wants to sit down and read from cover to cover-unlike most reference books that are just "dipped into". It is not simply a catalogue of Staffordshire figures but an engaging study of the period.

If you are looking for the WHOLE story of Staffordshire figures, this is the book for you. Written in an intelligent, literate style, here is a reference text that draws the reader into the world of Staffordshire figures as well as into the world of the potters who made them and the people who purchased them. This book presents a new reading of Staffordshire figure history through highly engaging and compelling text that is enhanced by hundreds of superb illustrations. The authors' carefully researched and insightful study is powered by the highest standards of scholarly, yet eminently reader-friendly, writing.

I'm an avid reader of "antiques" books, as well as being a collector of antiques. It's not very often that a book about antiques comes along that not only gives you the information you want to know about your antique, but also manages to let you into the world of the people who made that antique.
Not only did I find this work a way to help me better appreciate where the pottery of Staffordshire was coming from and why it happened when it did, but I ENJOYED reading it! The work is entertaining - a real surprise for a book about antiques. I found it a breath of fresh air for Staffordshire figure and antiques writing in general.
Congratulations to the authors. Informative and entertaining and comprehensive text and great pictures to support it.
I highly recommend this work not only to those who collect Staffordshire figurs, but to anyone interested in 19th century history and society.

As a long-time Staffordshire collector, I was delighted when my copy of this book arrived. My personal library contains numerous Staffordshire figure catalogs and "studies," but I've never read anything like this incredible book before. The authors have brought the Staffordshire figure-making era into remarkable focus with an immediacy that takes the reader into that long-ago time when Staffordshire figures were first placed on the mantelpieces of homes and inns throughout Britain. This is clearly a book about Staffordshire's earthenware figures and groups, but it is also a book about the era in which they were crafted and the people who made and owned them 100-260 years ago. Kenny and Moriarty have gone where the "catalogers" and previous Staffordshire authors have failed to go - directly and comprehensively to the essence of the Staffordshire figure era. This is a wonderfully readable "history" book, abundantly illustrated with Staffordshire figures and groups, and filled with the vitality and drama of the dawning Industrial Age. A long forgotten potter once stated, "No art with potters can compare, we make our pots of what we potters are." It may now be said of this new and exciting book's authors, Adele Kenny and Veronica Moriarty, "No other authors can compare, they made their book of what the figures are."

This fabulous new book has been flawlessly researched and written, generously illustrated, and elegantly produced in a hardbound edition complete with a very attractive dust jacket. It is a reference that provides inclusive historical information on the social, cultural, economic, and religious conditions that provided the backdrop for earthenware figure production in North Staffordshire from the mid-eighteenth century through 1900. In this volume, Staffordshire figures are not merely catalogued and illustrated - they are presented as historical "documents" that illustrate various aspects of British life during the time of their making. The 240-page book contains twenty chapters, an introduction, a conclusion, a very complete bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Over 565 illustrations complement text that is written in an intelligent and lively style that draws the reader into the changing, turbulent, gritty, and gutsy world of the Staffordshire figure. The authors have skillfully designed each chapter as a separate content area that may be read and savored individually or studied and enjoyed within the larger context of the whole book. Detailed captions provide descriptive data that adds to the already substantial text. The value ranges noted are honestly wide and reflect the current market. Kenny and Moriarty have created a masterwork that is destined to become a standard reference in the field.

This book inspired me to start carving again. The history in the book as well as the great pictures of works by the masters of this style including Harley Refsal made this not only an interesting read but also an excellent how to guide.

Anyone who wants to try their hand at figure carving...get this book!. It has a few pages giving a background behind this style of carving, but has an EXCELLENT step by step project in the back. I thought I could never do it; all the figures I have seen looked like it took someone years to learn the trade. This may be so but I was able to finish my first figure over about 3-4 days and everyone is astonished at what I have done. Seriously, this book is one of the best Ive seen. Its a "must-have".

I have long wanted to learn how to carve, and jealously watched a friend develop this talent. He recommended this book to me. A weekend's worth of following the instructions in the book produced three carvings each a little better than the other. This instructive book also mixes the history of Scandinavian Carving along with rich color pictures of completed carvings. Take your wood working to another level. You to can create a masterpiece.

This is the book I have been looking for! It clearly teaches step by step technique with GOOD photos. The many patterns are all easilly adaptable to whatever kind of character you wish to create. If you like to carve interesting characters, this is THE book!

Harley's book leads off by providing a history of Norwegian wood carving, he then provides a large number of examples that represent not only his work but also the work of many leading artists in this field of wood carving. Harley then provides a step by step, easy to follow, lesson on carving Oskar with over 80 pictures. The final section of the book is a large number of patterns that can be used to carve some of the characters highlighted in the many high quality pictures included in the book. This book will become one of the most used books in my collection of wood carving books.