Pottery & Ceramics Books

500 Plates & Chargers: Innovative Expressions of Function & Style (500 Series)

Lark

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Awesome book! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This book is wonderful! If looking for creative ideas, methodology, glazing suggestions, or just browsing the photos, this is the book for you! As someone who has just finished my own home studio, I found this book to be incredibly helpful!

Beautiful Design Ideas 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wonderful photographs. VERY brief descriptions are given about the techniques used - so this is not a how-to book. However, it is rich in lovely design ideas and enjoyable to peruse.

Editorial Review:

Plates and chargers can serve as more than just places to put your food: they can be glorious art to show off on a table, sideboard, or hutch. These 500 spectacular pieces chosen by esteemed juror Linda Arbuckle range from the utilitarian yet beautifully glazed plate to dramatically decorated work, and they're crafted from a remarkable variety of materials--including pristine porcelain and bold earthenware. Nick Joerling's stoneware is the perfect canvas for a design: vigorous brush strokes set in wax resist race across its attractive surface. Kelly McKibben's hand-built Going for a Stroll showcases delicately inlaid and silk-screened images. The stunning gallery provides a unique and wide-ranging snapshot of contemporary ceramic arts.

Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: Pottery and Porcelain, 1850 to the Present

Ralph Kovel, Terry Kovel

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 33 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks Pottery & Porcelain 1850 to the Present 2 out of 5 stars.
4 of 6 people found this review helpful.

I haven't been happy with this book since I purchased it. Haven't found one mark from any of the pottery or china I have from this book. Only one or maybe two examples of the companies which made the pottery but not the marks. For example I can't even find the simple "Anchor" from Anchor Hawking Co.(There are plenty of other anchors). I have a very nice Blue "Old Fashion"/juice glass fron A.H. but I have never seen one in blue. Looked it up and could not find MARK in this book. I was very surprised. I've been thinking about purchasing the Second Edition of Kovels' book, but been holding back... Can anyone tell me if it is better or if it's just me, I hope..Mary, techmom@usamedia.tv (No Solicitors Please! Only those wanting to talk about this book please reply. NO SPAMMERS!!)

Editorial Review:

You may be the owner of a valuable piece of porcelain or pottery, but the cryptic symbol on the underside of the piece may be your only clue to its value. Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks: 1850 to the Present will help you identify your pieces.

Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks provides the quickest and easiest way for professional and amateur collectors to identify more than 3,500 American, European, and Oriental marks. The perfect companion to the Kovels' original best-seller, Kovels' Dictionary of Marks--Pottery and Porcelain: 1650 to 1850 (still in print after more than 42 years and 41 printings), Kovels' New Dictionary of Marks is the most comprehensive reference for nineteenth- and twentieth-century marks. Together, the two volumes are an indispensable guide to porcelain and pottery marks of the last four centuries.

Also available from Three Rivers Press, Kovels' Dictionary of Marks--Pottery & Porcelain: 1650 to 1850

500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series)

Lark Books

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 8 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

I concur, Inspiring it is! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I must agree with the previous reviewers, the work in this volume certainly merits "Inspiring" being in the title.

As the juror states in the book's introduction, so much of the fun of this book is seeing the widely varied approaches the artists have taken with this format: figurative, abstract, painterly, sculptural, small-scale, architectural.

Full disclosure: my work is also included (p 409), and I am honored to have been selected and published next to so many visionary artists.

What a pleasure it has been to explore the works contained here, some by artists I know personally, or by reputation, and still others I am encountering for the first time. Highly recommended!

Editorial Review:

From press-molded pieces to carved works showcasing spectacular surface treatments, these magnificent tiles will inspire beginners and professionals, as well as collectors and enthusiasts. Some of the larger handcrafted displays here were made to decorate public and private spaces; others use single tiles to interpret nature, tell a story, or make a bold cultural observation. As always in this acclaimed series, all the contributors are accomplished artists, renowned in the field. Mary Lynn Buss creates the ultimate kitchen backsplash: a field of mosaic-tiled long-necked irises. Peter King and his wife and working partner Xinia Marín fashion large, expressively rendered, and sculptural installations. And Melody Ellis’s low-relief earthenware tiles pack intriguing narratives into every tile.

No. 1 Price Guide to M.I.Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures, & More (Mi Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures & More 10th Ed. (Mi Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures & More Price Guide)

Robert L. Miller

Amazon Price: $29.95 List Price: $29.95 In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served. By: Reverie Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 9 new & used starting at $29.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Prices in this guide are NOT based in reality. Waste of money. 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

These prices are not only inflated, they are downright lies. It's as if they didn't take the internet into account at all! The only redeeming quality of this guide is that it helps you identify the names and the pics are nice, but as i found out, nearly all the information you need is already located on the bottom of your hummel. If you want truth, do some completed auction research on ebay or contact vintagerarestuff. You can google it. You may not like what you'll hear, but at least you will know what you will get for your item and what you can count on! My advice? Save your money and contact someone who will tell you the truth.

Editorial Review:

Now, for the first time in full color, the latest edition of the most widely respected price guide to M.I.Hummel collectibles includes thousands of listings and a larger number of photos than ever before. Compiled by internationally known expert Robert L. Miller, the 10th edition of this classic provides the most up-to-date secondary market prices. Universally recognized as the most complete compilation of M.I. Hummel values, this book provides a numerical listing of all M.I.Hummel designs issued by W. Goebel, a history and explanation of back stamps and other marks, a profile of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel and biographies of the sculptors who bring her illustrations to three-dimensional life. Sharply detailed, full-color photos of every piece make this newest edition the most valuable guide ever.

Florence's Big Book of Salt & Pepper Shakers: Identification & Value Guide

Gene Florence

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This is the first salt & pepper shaker book for Gene Florence. Over 5,000 full color photos are featured. Categories include advertising products, animals, Christmas, decorative, ethnic groups, famous characters, gambling, glass, heads, lamps and lighting, metal, miniature, musical, nodders, Occupied Japan, plastic/celluloid, pottery, religious, risque, souvenir, sports, steins, transportation, Western themes, wood, and World's Fairs. Famous potteries are represented - Lefton, Holt Howard, Vandor, Shawnee, and more. Depression glass shakers are also included. 2005 values. AUTHORBIO: A collector since childhood, Gene Florence's hobby of buying and selling glassware turned into a full-time career. First writing a book on Depression Glass, Florence has gone on to author many popular glassware titles including books on Depression Glass; Occupied Japan Collectibles; Kitchen Glassware; Very Rare Glassware; 40s, 50s, & 60s Glassware;Elegant Glassware; Stemware; Glassware Pattern Identification; Anchor Hocking's Fire-King; Glass Candlesticks; and Salt & Pepper Shakers. REVIEW: You'll find all kinds of shakers in this excellent reference. They're grouped alphabetically, from Animals to World's Fair. There are listings by subject matter and by material. There is an excellent section on glass shakers, including Depression, Elegant, and kitchenware examples. Altogether, over 3,000 different shakers have been pictured. Dealers and collectors alike should find it a very useful book. The pictures, in full color, are excellent and the format is easy to use.

Southwestern Pottery: Anasazi to Zuni

Allan Hayes

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Great Place to Start 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent book for both the beginner or serious student of Southwestern Pottery. It gives examples of all styles, types, and designs, making it easy for anyone to understand what makes each Pueblo's pottery unique. Perhaps not as "in depth" as some others, this book is easily the best book out there today as far as explaining and illustrating the basics. It really is an indispensable guide and reference book. The authors are regular guys rather than scholars, so it is easy and enjoyable to read, and filled with great photos of their quite amazing collections. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a place to begin learning about Southwestern Pottery.

Excellent overview of every pueblo's pottery 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I'd been looking for a book like this for ages. It goes through every pueblo's pottery, describing the special characteristics of each, and talks about the important potters in each pueblo.

This is very well written in an easy going, non-snobish style, instantly increasing your depth of knowledge in southwestern pottery. The photographs are excellent and plentiful, giving many diverse examples from each pueblo/region/era.

Highly recommended for those new to collecting. I gave a copy to my parents in New Mexico, and even though they had been doing a bit of collecting for years, they have a much better understanding of the history of some of the pottery sitting on their shelves. They love this book.

Editorial Review:

An art book, a history book, and a reference book showcasing more than 1,100 pots. There isn't a more complete southwestern pottery guide.

Thrown Pottery Techniques Revealed: The Secrets of Perfect Throwing Shown in Unique Cutaway Photography

Mary Chappelhow

List Price: $29.95 By: Krause Publications Amazon Marketplace: 12 new & used starting at $16.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This comprehensive guide takes the mystery out of throwing clay by revealing in step-by-step demonstrations precisely what is happening at each point in the throwing process. With clear photography, instructive text and unique cutaway photographs, potters will easily learn throwing techniques and how to make beautiful objects.

Includes eight simple, creative projects that clearly demonstrate all the basic techniques of thrown pottery. Potters will be able to create great pieces like a shallow bowl, straight vase, plate, mug, storage jar, teapot and more on the wheel with confidence and style.

-More than 400 full-color illustrations with unique cutaway photographs demonstrate the effect of the technique on the inside as well as outside of the form
-Comprehensive guide to all the equipment, tools and accessories necessary to get started
-Covers basic clay preparation techniques that are required before the throwing process can begin, such as wedging, kneading, centering and opening

The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Figurines

John Bomm, Malinda Bomm

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 21 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book, brought to you by the authors of The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Company Dolls, will become an indispensable resource for collectors everywhere. With more than 2,300 bisque figurines presented and including current as well as retired pieces, this book is undoubtedly the most comprehensive, official guide to Precious Moments figurines on the market. 2004 values. AUTHORBIO: John Bomm is a warranty technician for one of the largest insurance companies in the country. He and his wife Malinda collect Precious Moments figurines, dolls, plates, water globes, and more. They have co-authored two books, The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Company Dolls, and The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Figurines. AUTHORBIO: Malinda Bomm is a health claims examiner in Orlando, Florida. She and her husband John collect Precious Moments figurines, dolls, plates, water globes, and more. They have co-authored two books, The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Company Dolls, and The Official Precious Moments Collector's Guide to Figurines. REVIEW: This book is presented in a handy format for collectors to log their finds. Presented in a checklist-type format, the book showcases more than 2,300 Precious Moments company figurines, accompanied by descriptions, collector values according to mark/understamp, dates of issue, and item numbers.

Pictorial Guide to Pottery & Porcelain Marks

Chad Lage

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

This book features photographs of marks alongside their actual pieces for perspective. Other books simply show line drawings, but this massive encyclopedia educates collectors and researchers on what the marks actually look like on a piece of pottery or porcelain. Over 7,500 photographs of around 4,000 marks and items, from Abingdon to Zsolnay, are featured in this huge publication. Organized alphabetically by company, this book is the most user-friendly marks book you'll find, telling readers quickly what it looks like, when it was made, and who made it. Appraisers and dealers will find this guide extremely useful; they can learn a little bit about many different marks, rather than having to weed through extensive historical information on the thousands of marks produced. As an added feature, cross-referencing indexes are provided, by date, shape, and company. AUTHORBIO: Chad Lage is an appraiser of antiques, collectibles, and residential contents, and owner of Hidden Treasures Enterprises in Evansville, Indiana. He has been accredited by the International Society of Appraisers and has been an appraiser for the PBS television series, Antiques Roadshow. Chad is also involved in his local prestigious antiques show as a dealer and porter, and volunteers for the Evansville Museum of Arts and Science. REVIEW: This book is the first book on marks that is a pictorial reference, with actual photographs of marks alongside the pieces they appear on. Arranged alphabetically by company, this massive encyclopedia educates collectors and researchers on what the marks actually look like on a piece of pottery or porcelain. Over 7,500 photos of around 4,000 marks and items from Abingdon to Zolsnay are featured.

Warman's Roseville Pottery: Identification and Price Guide (Warmans)

Denise Rago

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A Coffee Table Book, Not a book for collectors 2 out of 5 stars.
16 of 18 people found this review helpful.

July 5th 2007. Another "overview" book from Warman's. It states updated prices, but there are only prices for what is shown. I'm not sure how useful updated prices would be when you need a price on a piece not included in the book. There are some Roseville lines that are not included.

On the other hand, the photography is the best. The colors and details are amazing, which would make it a great coffee table book or gift.

For collectors; The Bomm book (2004), Mollring's 11th edition book (2006)(B&W pics only), Bassett's Prices book, Bassett's Introducing book and Bassett's Understanding book are the most comprehensive.

Editorial Review:

*Originally an affordable pottery popular with middle class America - now a top collectible category - with pieces selling for $100 - $11,000 at auction

This highly sought after collectible pottery was affordable and plentiful in its heyday, and inside this comprehensive Roseville reference you'll discover all the details needed to make the most of your collecting, whether you're a seasoned collector or just getting started in the hobby. With 1,800 color photos, an introduction to Roseville, history of the company, updated market report and a compendium outlining proper procedure for caring for the pottery it's clear this guide is unmatched in depth of data.