Newly Updated and Expanded Critical and up-to-the-minute information for the novice, advanced collector, jewelry dealer, curator and appraiser—for all who buy and sell cameos, or who are just fascinated by them. Antiques Roadshow Book Club Selection Since ancient times, cameo making has allowed artists of every era to capture and reflect on the history, literature and lore of their culture. Today, the allure of finely carved cameos is drawing a new generation of both savvy collectors and gifted artists who are captivated by their transcendental elegance. This first and only comprehensive reference guide offers valuable information on: Where to successfully hunt for cameos How to separate old from new, imitation and newer synthetic materials from original shell and stone cameos How to differentiate between ultrasonically produced and hand-carved cameos Richly illustrated with many new cameo photographs, this new edition will facilitate the recognition and evaluation of quality in cameos and increase your confidence in buying and selling cameos with: Key factors for defining value Information on how to buy cameos from retailers and antique dealers, via the Internet or at auction A clear explanation of The MasterValuer Program of Quality Ranking that serves as a vital guide for use when evaluating cameos An extensive review of outstanding contemporary cameo artists throughout the world, their style, subject matter, unique and identifiable techniques, contact information ... and more

The first scholarly treatment of the life of William Maginn (1794-1842), David Latané’s meticulously researched biography follows Maginn’s life from his early days in Ireland through his career in Paris and London as political journalist and writer and finally to his sad decline and incarceration in debtor’s prison. A founding editor of the daily Standard (1827), Maginn was a prodigal author and editor. He was an early and influential contributor to Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, and a writer from the Tory side for The Age, New Times, English Gentleman, Representative, John Bull, and many other papers. In 1830, he launched Fraser’s Magazine for Town and Country, the early venue for such Victorians as Thackeray and Carlyle, and he was intimately involved with the poet 'L.E.L.' In 1837, he wrote the prologue for the first issue of Bentley’s Miscellany, edited by Dickens. Through painstaking archival research into Maginn’s surviving letters and manuscripts, as well as those of his associates, Latané restores Maginn to his proper place in the history of nineteenth-century print culture. His book is essential reading for nineteenth-century scholars, historians of the book and periodical, and anyone interested in questions of authorship in the period.