Bottom Line
If you're strictly looking for a price guide, don't bother to pick up this book. But if you want to know more about dating items, researching antiques and collectibles or figuring out the history of certain pieces, this is the book for you.
You might not become an expert after reading Kovels' American Collectibles 1900 - 2000, but will certainly be able to better assess what you have or what you might be interested in purchasing. Beginner or expert, this book will become an essential resource that will be turned to over and over again. It could be one of the best purchases you'll make this year.
Each chapter includes information on relevant companies, pictures, timelines, pages of marks and descriptions, along with those always interesting important facts and fun tips/trivia in the sidebars.
One helpful example is the chart on "Clues to Dating American Dinnerware by Color, Pattern and Shape". Can't read the mark? This chart can help determine the time period it was made by the different characteristics. But this is just one instance, each chapter/topic has something equally useful!
Chapters include
- American Pottery and Porcelain
- Tableware
- Tile
- British Art Pottery
- Pottery and Porcelain from Europe and Japan
- Glass
- Furniture
- Lamps and Lighting
- Silver and Other Metals
- Jewelry
- Toys and Dolls
- Prints, Photos and paper Ephemera
- Advertising and Packaging
- Kitchenware
Kovels' American Collectibles 1900-2000
Publisher: Random House
Date: July 2007
ISBN: 9780609808917
