Marks are one of the collector's most important tools when it comes to identifying and dating antiques. Of course, it is important to understand that they should never be relied upon completely, as many have been copied or faked. What you should rely on is experience. Handle as many antiques as you can and learn to combine your knowledge of marks with the knowledge of how an authentic piece looks and feels. Whether you are buying at auction, flea market or antique shop this is the book you need to identify and date what you find. More than 6,000 marks are organized for quick, at-a-glance reference with full-colour sections on silver, Sheffield plate, bronze figures, ceramics, glass, costume jewellery, toys and dolls. This comprehensive guide can be kept handy to identify antique finds and valuate them from a catalogue of the most common marks that you will encounter, as well as any unidentified treasures you already own.

Offers tips on identifying, collecting, and caring for furniture, photographs, posters and illustration art, costume jewelry and wristwatches, dolls, toys, advertising and sports memorabilia, and glass and pottery.

Need an eye for your teddy bear? Searching for another soup spoon to complete Grandma's silver? Looking for someone to repair your porcelain doll? Wondering if restoring your carousel horse will lower its value? Kovels' Yellow Pages is the ultimate directory for collectors. It helps you find sources for repair, restoration, and parts, and it lists matching services, appraisers, and auction houses--all you need to help you maintain the value of your antiques and add to your enjoyment of collecting. America's antiques experts, Ralph and Terry Kovel, also give you "insider" information on how to navigate the complicated world of buying, selling, and collecting antiques. They have distilled a lifetime's worth of information to give you the last word on Where to start when you've inherited a house full of stuff How to know if you need an appraiser and where to find one When giving away an antique is more profitable than selling it If repairing or restoring an object will lower or enhance its value How to bid in out-of-town auctions Kovels' Yellow Pages gives you firsthand information from more than 3,000 suppliers, clubs, auctions, services, and industry sources nationwide. You'll find names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, plus e-mail and Internet addresses. There's also an extensive bibliography of price books and reference books most helpful to collectors. With this guide, you have at your fingertips the most complete and up-to-date collector's reference available anywhere.

This new edition of The Bottle bible is loaded with listings, current market values and trademark data for 50 years of bottles produced during the 19th and 20th centuries. With this book in hand, the tools to positively identify and accurately assess bottles in your collection are at your fingertips. Review tips for spotting reproductions, determining rarity and identifying factors that affect values and for 50 plus categories of bottles (with 20 new areas) including bottles from Avon, Ballantine, Jim Beam, Lionstone, Miniatures, and Violin and Banjo among others.

First published in 1998, Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia has gone on to sell more than 150,000 copies worldwide and been published into seven languages. This new edition includes a thoroughly updated directory, list of suppliers and up-to-date price codes for each item. Compiled by an international team of over 40 consultants and writers, and offering clear and wide-ranging coverage of antiques and collectables, this book contains valuable information for both the enthusiast and the experienced dealer. An extensive glossary explains the terms used throughout the book and clear cross-referencing leads you into related areas of interest. All the traditional areas of collecting are featured, with extensive sections on furniture, ceramics, silver and glass. More specialist subjects, such as jewellery, scientific instruments, Oriental art and sporting memorabilia are also included. Clearly and logically organised, practical and packed with absorbing and useful information, Miller's Antiques Encyclopedia is an invaluable aid to collecting and the definitive reference book on the subject.