This column would be almost impossible to write without a good library of reference books. These are the ones that I have found especially helpful. Most are available at www.amazon.com.
Lehner’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay
By Lois Lehner (Collector Books, $24.95)
Want to find out more about a teacup marked Monmouth Pottery Company or learn more about Coors porcelain? If so, this is the book for you because it includes almost every mark found on American pottery, porcelain and clay pieces. The research is first rate and the format user-friendly.
Collecting Toys
Edited by Karen O’Brien (Krause, $24.99)
More than 18,000 toys are featured, from banks and erector sets to soldiers and vehicles. The up-to-date pricing covers three condition grades. This is one of the more respected guides for pre-World War II toys.
The Blue Book of Dolls and Values
By Jan Foulke (Hobby House Press, $55.88)
There is not a more trusted guide to dolls than this one. Now in its 16th edition, it covers both antique and modern dolls with up-to-date prices and manufacturer’s information. Fully illustrated in color, this reference is comprehensive and essential.
‘The Official Price Guide to Collecting Books’
By Marie Tedford and Pat Goudey (House of Collectibles, $18)
Although there are dozens of price guides for books, this is the one I’ve found the most useful. Revised and updated on a regular basis, the books are listed by author, making it user-friendly. In addition to values, there are practical tips on buying, selling, and preserving books, as well as a complete glossary of book-collecting terms.
Comics Values Annual
By Alex G. Malloy (Krause, $19.99)
This book features current prices and expanded listings for more than 94,000 comics issued from the Golden Age through the present. Black-and-white comics, titles from independent and underground publishers, Golden Age favorites, and extensive listings for perennial powerhouses Marvel and DC Comics are all covered.
Official Price Guide to Disney Collectibles
By Ted Hake (House of Collectibles, $29.95)
Every time I get a question about a Mickey Mouse watch or a Donald Duck figurine, I grab this excellent book, which lists more than 28,000 items in some 125 sections.
Warman’s Political Collectibles
By Enoch L. Nappen (Krause, $24.99)
Almost everyone has a small collection of political buttons. If you’re curious about how much they might be worth, this handy guide features color photographs of more than 1,100 political items from Lincoln to Bush, including pins, posters and signs, medals, bumper stickers, clothing, magazines and much more.
The Official Stamp Collector’s Bible
By Stephen R. Datz (House of Collectibles, $22)
This is the ultimate compendium for all things philatelic. It is jammed with practical advice on every aspect of collecting and trading. Novices will learn such valuable information as how dealers price stamps and the best way to develop Internet auction strategies.
The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards
Edited by Don Fluckinger (Krause, $39.99)
This comprehensive guide stands alone in depth of coverage, ease of use and accurate information in the buying, selling and trading of baseball cards. Referencing more than 15,000 sets issued between the mid-1800s and 2008, more than 1 million cards and collectibles are listed in its 1,848 pages.
Warman’s Antiques & Collectibles 2009 Price Guide
By Ellen T. Schroy and edited by Tracy L. Schmidt (Krause, $24.99)
More than 2,000 color images and an easy-to-use friendly color-coded format make this one of the better general guides for both antiques and collectibles. In addition to current values, the guide contains must-have information such as history, fakes, reproduction alerts and manufacturers’ marks.
The Standard Catalogue of American Records: 1950-1975
By Tim Neely (Krause, $34.99)
The 150,000 listings include updated prices for pop, rock, country, soul, rhythm & blues, and virtually all other genres of music released in America from 1950-75. No other book comes close to providing the sheer volume of information that is found in this landmark Goldmine reference.
The U.S. Coin Digest: The Complete Guide to Current Market Values
Edited by David C. Harper (Krause, $14.99)
This affordable guide covers thousands of coins and features hundreds of high-quality color images, prices for 11 grades of condition, current values, and U.S. error coins, and everything you need to know to keep your coin up to date.
CLARIFICATION
Karen Grim, one of the owners of Tumbling Tumbleweed, 2319 N. Country Club Road, spoke to me this week about one of my recent columns. She said her shop does, indeed, sell large iron crosses but only ones that have been recycled from cemeteries in France. According to Grim, crosses are often replaced after about a century and many of these are then shipped to the U.S., where they are brokered and resold through a company in San Francisco. Grim points out that crosses sold by Tumbling Tumbleweed are legally acquired and fully documented as salvage.
