Best Antique & Collectible Art

In recent years, several of America’s leading art museums have voluntarily given up their finest pieces of classical art to the governments of Italy and Greece. In an authoritative account, two reporters who led a Los Angeles Times investigation, reveal the details of the Getty Museum's illicit purchases, from smugglers and fences, of looted Greek and Roman antiquities. In 2005, the Italians indicted former Getty curator Marion True for trafficking in looted antiquities, and by 2007, after protracted negotiations, the Getty agreed to return 40 of 46 artifacts demanded by the Italian government; Italy in turn agreed to loan the Getty comparable objects. One of the major pieces lost by the Getty was an Aphrodite statue purchased by True to put the Getty on the map. But still eluding the Italians is the Getty Bronze, a statue of an athlete hauled out of international waters in 1964 by Italian fishermen; it was the prized acquisition of the Getty's first antiquities curator, Jiri Frel, who brought thousands more looted antiquities into the museum through a tax-fraud scheme. The authors offer an excellent recap of the museum's misdeeds, brimming with tasty details of the scandal that motivated several of America's leading art museums to voluntarily return to Italy and Greece some 100 classical antiquities worth more than half a billion dollars.

Antique print dealer Maggie Summer's back in Maine .. will she and beau Will Brewer celebrate a romantic Christmas with snow and mistletoe? Lea Wait has been an antiques dealer (fourth-generation) since 1977.

Into the Antiquities Trade is a true story that documents the author's global exploits in the international antiquities trade. Mr. Cheek has been published in the Celator and Moneta In.

Tired of searching for special toys that weren't mass-produced, former Lucasfilm animator Jackie Huang created the beloved Woolbuddy, a collection of all-natural stuffed animals that reflect his unique imaginative vision. -Library Journal Jackie Huang is the creator of Woolbuddy, a collection of premium, handcrafted stuffed animals with more than 300 characters.

The message was clutched in the fist of a destitute former doll collector found dead at the bottom of a cliff with a valuable French doll’s parasol in her pocket. "A trio of smart, independent women...the peek into this world is fascinating" ~ Romantic Times.

Intermittent fasting offers various health benefits that even go beyond weight loss. ●The basics of intermittent fasting, ●Benefits of following this diet, ●Different variations of intermittent fasting, ●Tips for following the diet, ●Various supplements you can use, ●What to eat and not to eat while fasting, ●Steps for getting started with this diet, and much more! By making use of the information provided in this book and by incorporating the straightforward dieting protocols, you can achieve your health and weight loss goals within no time.

Beautifully designed and illustrated with color photographs throughout, The Smithsonian's History of America in 101 Objects is a rich and fascinating journey through America's collective memory, and a beautiful object in its own right. This humanistic approach to storytelling makes for immersive, addictive reading.” Kirkus Reviews : “Smithsonian Undersecretary Kurin’s tales are abundant, so much so that it seems almost a shame to stop at a mere 101 items....A well-conceived and well-illustrated pleasure to read, combining narrative history and keepsake volume.”. He is the author of several books, including Hope Diamond: The Legendary History of a Cursed Gem , and his scholarship and museological work have been recognized by the International Council of Museums, UNESCO, and Harvard's Peabody Museum.

Having earned the respect of the Allied forces who fought against it during World War II, this work will inform current readers of the full record of Fallschirmjäger Regiment 6, and why the Allied advance into German-held Europe was so painstaking to achieve. ”…a compelling history… Recommended for soldiers (particularly paratroopers), historians, and students of World War II ad airborne operations.” ( Les Grau, PhD, Foreign Military Studies Office ). It is said that it is the victors who write the histories of the wars, so it is especially revealing to discover a book that was written from the viewpoint of those on the losing side. “…wonderfully documented book…Within each chapter are numerous detailed and insightful personal accounts of combat, troop movements and war experiences… provides an excellent account of what it was like fighting in WWII from the German soldier’s perspective. “prose is simple and efficient...cleverly synchronizes the memories and fragments of past events with his own academic narrative of military history… On the surface the work can simply be enjoyed as a resource book of the regiment or as a lively but academic history… I read it as a contemplative book which explores the human cost of war.'.

CHAPTER 3: Autograph Collecting Supplies. CHAPTER 4: Finding Your Niche. CHAPTER 5: Finding Celebrity Addresses. CHAPTER 6: Through The Mail (TTM) Collecting. CHAPTER 7: Real or Fake? CHAPTER 8: In-Person (IP) Collecting. CHAPTER 9: Comic-Cons and Private Signings. CHAPTER 10: Buying Autographs. CHAPTER 11: Storage & Display. CHAPTER 12: Social Sharing. CHAPTER 13: Selling Your Collection. CHAPTER 14: The Future of Autograph Collecting. Appendix A: NFL Football Addresses. Appendix B: Major League Baseball Addresses. Appendix C: AAA Baseball Addresses. Appendix D: Movie and TV Studio Addresses. Appendix E: International TTM Postage Guide. He is active on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and other social networking sites where he shares his love and knowledge of the hobby with thousands of fans and followers.

Rounding out this comprehensive guide is care and maintenance information, including how to properly clean leather, polish hardware, fix a broken leg, and replace felt pads, as well as recipes to make your own wax, shellac, varnish, stain, and more. Pourny’s practical advice on all things antique is coupled with historical notes.” —Time “A comprehensive but accessible guide to restoration that lays out everything you need to know about making over wooden furniture.” —Martha Stewart Living. “Authority wafts from [Pourny’s] handsome how-to book like the sweet smell of lemon oil.” — New York Times “A practical, visual guide for anyone who wants to restore a cherished heirloom or simply correct a water stain.” —San Francisco Chronicle. This guide will find a wide audience among those who simply want to learn about and appreciate good furniture, as well as those who are more hands-on.” — Publishers Weekly , starred review. Descended from a long line of artisans, he was reared in his father’s atelier in the South of France and apprenticed at his uncle Pierre Madel’s legendary antiques shop on rue Jacob in Paris.

Wilkes-Barre, located along the Susquehanna River in the Wyoming Valley, is the county seat of Luzerne County. Elena Castrignano is the author of Wilkes-Barre in Arcadia Publishing’s Postcard History Series.

144 new pages for a grand total of 528 pages of pure Smith & Wesson 14 new revolver models added since last edition Dozens of new variations of the M&P pistol New S&W rifles and shotguns, including many new M&P 15 rifles Hundreds of detailed, full-color photos Smith & Wesson gun values and collector information. Jim Supica is Director of NRA Museums.

When award-winning journalist Dave Jamieson’s parents sold his childhood home a few years ago, he rediscovered a prized boyhood possession: his baseball card collection. In Mint Condition, his fascinating, eye-opening, endlessly entertaining book, Jamieson finds the answer by tracing the complete story of this beloved piece of American childhood. It's a form of megalomania, of course, one famous card collector once said of his hobby—and, as Jamieson explains, there are plenty of people willing to cash in on collectors' obsessions; the secondary market for baseball cards may be as much as a half-billion dollars annually. *Starred Review* Every time a rare baseball card brings a million-dollar price at auction, thousands of aging former collectors wistfully recall shoeboxes full of rookie cards and wonder if they lost a fortune when Mom cleaned out their rooms. Jamieson doesn’t supply lists of valuable cards (there are collectors’ journals for that); rather, he chronicles the history of collectible cards, profiles a few unique collectors, and tracks the development of the hobby and ponders its future. In tracing the history of collectible cards, Jamieson shows the extraordinary lengths to which the early cigarette and card companies went to separate young boys from their money, a penny and then a nickel at a time.

Colonial and early American coins · Federal coins · Commemoratives Proof and Mint sets · Die varieties and errors · Civil War tokens · Territorial gold · State and territorial quarters · National Park quarters · Presidential dollars · Puerto Rican, Philippine, and Hawaiian coins · Error coins · Bullion. --Jeff Garrett, President, American Numismatic Association. When coin collectors, friends, and family ask for the single best guide book on American coins, my answer is simple: The Official Red Book . Expanded sections and new features in the second edition include: an overview price-guide of foreign coins that circulated as cash in the British American colonies; coverage of the U.S. Mint's 19801984 American Arts gold medallions; an 18-page illustrated history and price guide of So-Called Dollars; insight from Q. David Bowers on determining coin prices and values; advice on collecting and investing in modern gold and silver bullion coins; a state-by-state listings of American Numismatic Association clubs; more than 2,400 updated or new coin photos; a look at the Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of the USA and coin collecting; interviews with U.S. Mint coin designers; and more.

This spectacular collection of more than 125 letters offers a never-before-seen glimpse of the events and people of history—the brightest and best, the most notorious, and the endearingly everyday. "While some might argue that the art of correspondence died with the advent of the internet, it was Letters of Note-a popular website sharing correspondence across history and spheres-that paved the way for the exceptional hardcover of the same name. The book's introduction aptly describes itself as "a museum of letters" that are as addictive as they are enlightening; featuring letters from Ernest Hemingway, Fidel Castro, Nick Cave, Elvis and more than a few world leaders. London-based author Shaun Usher compiled the collection of over 125 letters over the course of four years and the subjects span both private and public theatrics. In Letters of Note: An Eclectic Collection of Correspondence Deserving of a Wider Audience (brought to you by the creator of the blog by the same name) you'll read letters spanning across centuries, from influential political leaders, authors, actors, murderers, and more. "This new book beautifully highlights fascinating letters ...The hardcover demands prime space on the coffee table." "Someone should write a love letter to a new book called Letters of Note . It's a splendid collection of all kinds of correspondence through the ages: Elvis Presley fans writing to the president, children making suggestions to famous cartoonists, a scientist's poignant love letter to his late wife."

I wish I had this book when I was just starting the hobby of metal detecting!” - Josh in Florida “I have been metal detecting for over 5 years and this great metal detecting guide book taught me plenty of new tips and tricks.” - Mike in Texas. From choosing the right machine to identifying your valuable treasure, Mark Smith covers these subjects and everything in between in an easy to understand way. Learn how to find more treasure by: understanding common metal detecting terminology, understanding which metal detectors work the best and where, understanding how and why a metal detector works, other equipment you will need, proper etiquette, what you can expect to find, why you should never throw anything away, how to identify your finds, how to identify jewelry, how to tell if it is real gold, how to metal detect with children, which recovery tools work the best, how to recover treasure, how to metal detect private property, how to identify unknown metal detecting finds, metal detecting creeks, rivers and lakes, pinpointing, making weak targets stronger, cleaning your finds, the best places to use your metal detector, selling your finds and more! Find out how you can maximize your treasure with this informative metal detecting book today.

Whether you’re a watch enthusiast, watch salesperson, aspiring watchmaker, or just looking to get into the watch industry, this book is for you. [The book] offers a perspective that is almost impossible to find when most modern horological literature focuses on history and brand identity rather than substantial facts... Anthony balances his knowledge base with a humor and candor that is rare in the conservative Swiss watch industry." (Talk about having a childhood...) I apprenticed under a master watchmaker at the time and boy did I hate it. If you expected to read a story about a young kid who loved horology and devoted his whole life to it, look elsewhere. I went to school for physical therapy and paid for my own tuition every step of the way by working as a watchmaker on the side. I contribute my unbiased views (I hope) to the fact that I actually hated watchmaking at one point in my life.

With over 630 striking color photos and illustrations, this Chinese art guide focuses on the rich tapestry of symbolism which makes up the basis of traditional Chinese art. "An ideal keepsake for collectors and art lovers, Chinese Art explores meanings behind the plethora of common motifs and symbols found in all sorts of Chinese art. A perfect reference for collectors, museum-goers, docents, students of Chinese art, and anyone else with a serious interest in the culture and history of China, the book includes both Chinese and Pinyin text, over 630 illustrations (including references to on-line collections), an extensive index in both Chinese and English, a bibliography, and a list of recommended museums and other places to visit with interesting collections of Chinese art.