Antiques Price Guide 2004

Rating:
Summary: Pretty pictures, but not much helpful advice
Review: This book has hundreds of very impressive photos of specific items, noting their defects, markings, and value. However, unless you happened to run across the exact same item, the information is next to useless. While it is interesting to see an unusual art deco lamp, I'd be more interested in meatier topics, such as (1) how prevalent is art deco?; how hard to find?; (2) what should you be looking for in an art deco piece?; (3) what are the trends? Is this passe? Up-and-coming? Likewise depression glass, Shaker furniture, Americana, and old toys. Instead of a pretty coffee table book, I'd appreciate the value of the author's experienced guidance much more

Rating:
Summary: Pretty pictures, but not much helpful advice
Review: This book has hundreds of very impressive photos of specific items, noting their defects, markings, and value. However, unless you happened to run across the exact same item, the information is next to useless. While it is interesting to see an unusual art deco lamp, I'd be more interested in meatier topics, such as (1) how prevalent is art deco?; how hard to find?; (2) what should you be looking for in an art deco piece?; (3) what are the trends? Is this passe? Up-and-coming? Likewise depression glass, Shaker furniture, Americana, and old toys. Instead of a pretty coffee table book, I'd appreciate the value of the author's experienced guidance much more

Rating:
Summary: Good but not the best ......
Review: This is a comprehensive, well illustrated guide. Like all guides of this sort, it can't cover everything. If you have a particular interest in a specific field then this book will not work for you (e.g. if you collect Silver E.P. from the 30's this book covers off on one manufacturer well). If you want a general price guide, can draw inferences from items of a similar age, quality, style and market this book helps.

In both style and content it is similar to Miller's: Antiques Price Guide 2005 by Elizabeth Norfolk. I think Norfolk's book has a definate edge; although it is a little more expensive.

Neither book is a "how to appraise" guide - they don't claim to be. Neither are they completely comprehensive - they couldn't be. They are illustrative guides of current market prices. If you are buying for this purpose you wont be dissapointed with either.