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PLEASE CLICK ON PICTURE TO READ ENTIRE REVIEW

BY MANON KAVESKY


Title: Warman’s Jewelry: Fine and Costume Jewelry, 4th Edition Identification and Price Guide

Author: Kathy Flood

Type of Book: Hard Cover

Average Price: $20.00

In Print: yes

Pages: 288



Brief Description of Book: This is the fourth edition of Warman’s Jewelry the publisher has changed everything about the book. It hardly seems to be a continuation of the previous three volumes.

New author, Kathy Flood
New layout all color no black and white
Does not look like a traditional price guide it is a lot more glitzy
Interviews with jewelry dealers, collectors and jewelry makers
Lots of text
1000 photos all in color


Quantity of Illustrations: 1000 according to the press release, I don’t count these things. That works out to be about 3.5 photos per page.

Score: 9



Quality of visual material:

Very nice, really good photography. The photos are all captioned and they come from a wide variety of sources. For example on the front cover there are photos submitted by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers (Chicago), Alderfer Auction and Appraisal, and the author Kathy Flood. Other contributors include The Lush Life, Worn to Perfection, Great Vintage Jewelry, JazzleDazzle, and if I missed mentioning your shop, it is an over sight and I apologize.

Color Photos: 9

Score: 9

           

Quantity of Information:

Chapters on pearls, jadeite, cameos, Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, plastics, costume, advertising, silver rhinestones, figurals beads, diamonds, couture, fads and classics and finally art jewelry. In other words all the usual suspects are covered in Warman’s 4th.



Is the information thorough?



Some topics are better than others. I really liked the section on jadeite, 20 pages long and loads of really yummy first class photos from (most from) MasonKay, a jade specialist. I think I finally understand what makes jadeite so desirable.

The costume section is probably the one most readers will turn to first, and it has great photos. The photos represent a small sample of the Dr. Thomas Portzline Collection photographed by Carloyn Louise Newhouse. Most of the items are described as being rare or very rare including quite a few Reja, Dujay Boucher and Mazer. The prices are dazzling just like the photos.



Score: 8



Quality of Information: Interview, research, captioned photos, and prices

Accuracy: Seems accurate to me.

Score: 8



Values Listed (Prices) Yes

Comments: The pricing aspect is always the most difficult to judge. I just can’t comment on the accuracy. I would love to get feedback on this topic from readers who have this book



Score: NA



User Friendly: Yes

Is the book easy to read and follow? Easy to read

Is there a table of contents? yes

Is information easy to find? Yes

Score: 8

Average score: 8





Is this book a must have? The photos are great so I would suggest picking it up. This book reminds me of Judith Miller’s book on Costume Jewelry from DK Publishers. Warman’s Jewelry 4th is closer to a coffee table book than a hard working price guide.



By the way, if you don’t have Warman’s 3rd get that too. I purchased it online for $6.00 with the shipping. It will be out of print, that means there will be no more published. There will always be used copies available but no more new.
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