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Rene Lalique was one of the giants of twentieth century decorative arts and a master of the Art Deco idiom. Born in 1860, early artistic talent led to an apprenticeship with Paris goldsmith Louis Aucoc. By 1885 Rene had established his own workshop, and for the next twenty years he designed and made jewellery of great originality and beauty. Though this became famous worldwide, before the turn of the century he began experimenting with glass, and it is for this that Lalique is today most famous:...

Dinky Toys were introduced in 1931 and these diecast metal toys became bestsellers. More than 1000 different subjects were modelled, mostly transport related. They were created by Frank Hornby, a Liverpool entrepreneur, and Dinky Toys were part of the successful Hornby empire, which also manufactured Meccano and Hornby trains and establish factories in France, Germany, Canada and other parts of the world.

Britain has issued medals rewarding war service since at least the early nineteenth century, and increasingly through the period of its imperial expansion, but examples of many of the early types are now scarce. However, few families escaped some involvement with the 'Great War' of 1914–18 and many still treasure the medals awarded to their ancestors for wartime service. Today, with a growing interest in British military history and particularly in family history and genealogy, increasing number...

To many people a thimble may seem to be simply a mundane and commonplace object with unromantic shape and associations, even if the work with which it assists can frequently be exquisite and imaginative. This book will open a door to the charm of the humble thimble in all its variety, from the simple workaday type to the rarer and more exquisite examples that gave scope for artists and craftsmen, and indeed still do. It will give those new to a fascinating collecting field an introduction to the...

Weights and measures being small antique objects with a background of great interest, have become an ideal and popular subject for the collector. The story of how they came to be used and developed is a long and fascinating one and this book not only tells that story but provides much information for collectors. In addition to their history, the book explains the reasons for the shapes, sizes and materials in which weights and measures are found. It also considers the legal controls exercised ov...

While the prices of most antiques have soared in recent decades, rising well beyond the price-range of the average person, bottles have remained comparatively inexpensive. In Victorian times, our forebears packed everything from tea to hair-restorer in glass bottles that were discarded with general household refuse - with the result that, in rubbish dumps all over Britain, these bottles are waiting to be dug up, each non-machine-made bottle a collector’s item that affords the collector a rare op...

Each year brings hundreds of new wristwatch designs, with aesthetic and mechanical changes and improvements, limited edition watches, and new producers, keeping this field exciting for collectors. This twelfth edition of what has become a watch industry classic features over 1,400 of the worldGCOs most luxurious wristwatches and provides color photographs and complete specifications for each watch. With Wristwatch Annual 2010, collectors have a wealth of information close at hand: the book is ar...

Beginning with a history of furniture construction covering various periods, this is a guide to the practical care and repair of a range of furniture types. It discusses the qualities and applications of most wood types the restorer will encounter. Topics covered include: processes for dismantling furniture; removal of old nails, screws and releasing old glues; repairs to dowel, knuckel, mortice and tenon joints; repairing damage turnings; tackling veneers and marquetry and advice on restoring g...

Explores Tereasa's passion for collecting while encouraging you to tap into your own with ideas on where to look to see collectibles. Throughout the book, she shares her secrets and historical tidbits behind these prized antiques, now used to create innovative displays and for entertaining guests at her renovated lakeside retreat. From vintage wine taster cups turned into a wind chime to cheese boxes reinvented as drawer organizers, to a chicken feeder that houses old tea cups for impromptu coff...

Turn dispensable knickknacks intocash with Jamie's indispensible knowledge of all things collectable. This is a one-stop guide to jumping on the bric-a-brac bandwagon and riding it with style! Over the last few years, antiques and collectibles have exploded into the popular imagination spurred on by television shows, a boom in nostalgia, and the rise of the Internet auction. And author Jamie Breese has been at the very front of this revolution. Today, huge numbers of individuals of all ages and...