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New Books for Collectors
—
July 2006
The Wonderful World of Collecting
Perfume Bottles
by Jane Flanagan
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
 |
The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles holds a sweet
scent
for lots of collectors.
Included in the newly released book is coverage of 19th century perfume
bottles plus chapters on the specific decades of the 20th century. There
are hundreds of color photographs ranging from an 1880s French cologne
item to Alexandra Essence of the 1990s.
The author Jane Flanagan is a licensed interior designer, a veteran writer
on decorating topics, and a collector of perfume bottles for over
35 years.
"It is my hope that all women, and men, too, come to see the beauty
of
the perfume bottle," notes Flanagan in the book's introduction. "And
now that we have entered a new century, a whole new outlook will be seen
for bottles of the 20th century. Their value will undoubtedly rise."
Concerning collectible perfume bottles, the author offers several
factors to consider. Among them are the ever familiar supply and demand,
rarity and age. Also included are condition, aesthetic appeal, design,
category, size and historical significance.
In additional to color photographs the book also provides vintage
catalog illustrations of some perfume bottles and reprints of some
articles from the 1940s for further reader review.
Flanagan's hundreds of photo captions are quite descriptive. In the chapter on 1920s perfume bottles, an item from the Aucoin Perfume Company is depicted. According to the author, the 1920s company was based in New Orleans, Louisiana. The bottle itself held the scent Vetivert and was produced around 1925. The clear glass bottle stood just under three inches tall and came with a frosted, ground glass stopper. Its value on the collector market today, according to the author, would be around $40 to $60.
Additionally the book offers a special chapter on the Barcorn Company,
marks and abbreviations and mini-bottles of perfume. There is also a section
which provides French to English translations of perfume fragrance names.
The Wonderful World of Collecting Perfume Bottles by Jane Flanagan,
hardcover, color illustrated, 176 pages, is $29.95 plus shipping from
Collector Books, 1-800-626-5420.
The Ultimate Fruit Label Book
by John A. Baule
Reviewed by Robert Reed
(Antique & Collectible News Service)
 |
Anyone with a taste for fruit labels will adore The Ultimate Fruit Label Book. It delivers more than 1,700 bright and colorful images in one grand package.
Ultimate covers the period generally from the 1890s through the 1960s when glowingly illustrated paper labels were used to proudly proclaim the brand names of fresh produce.
Arranged in alphabetical order, the whirling assembly sweeps the reader
from Acme and All American to Yakima Valley and Zirkle.
"A brightly colored, attractively design label affixes to the end
of
each box of fruit soon developed into the foremost device for drawing
attention in the wholesale and retail marketplace," notes author
John
Baule
Baule is the director of the Yakima Valley Museum and formerly with the St. Lawrence County Historical Association in Canton, New York.
Baule offers that such appealing images and brand-name recognition on
a particular box proved to be effective in giving buyers a window on the
wrapped product. According to the author, "the more vivid and well
known the label image or name, the stronger and more effective the
impact on subsequent sales."
Generally the heyday of the individually designed fruit box label was
pretty much over by the middle of the 1950s Baule points out, "but
the
widespread interest in them as a collectible began soon thereafter —
especially among interior designers."
Included in this extensive volume is an enchanting account of the rise
and eventual decline of the use of box labels in the fruit industry of
the Pacific Northwest. Chapters include selected company histories,
specifics on collecting labels, and insights on valuing labels. Each of
the hundreds of illustrated labels are priced by the book's code key
which ranges from $10 or less to $500 and upward.
The Ultimate Fruit Label Book by John A. Baule, hardcover, color
illustrated, with 304 pages, is $69.95 plus shipping from Schiffer
Publishing, 4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310.
©2000-07 Discovery Publications, Inc.