Lifestyle and Hobbies

This out-of-this-world kit for sci-fi lovers is loaded with special effects! It includes: -3-inch diameter spaceship, equipped with a hinged cockpit dome from which a curious alien peers, and featuring multiple light and sound effects: - By opening the cockpit dome and pressing the alien's head, sound of spaceship engine plays, followed by eerie pre-abduction music. Six blue lights around the

Pickle Rick is back! Bring your favorite Rick and Morty character home with this talking collectible figure of Rick Sanchez's pickle alter ego. It includes: - 3-inch squeezable Pickle Rick mounted on a base. Says "I turned myself into a pickle, Morty!" and "I'm Pickle Riiick!" - 48-page book on Pickle Rick, featuring full-color illustrations from Rick and Morty

If you are new to the wild, wonderful world of sushi cats (or, Neko-Sushi), we're happy to formally introduce you to these magical creatures. The brainchild of a Japanese company, sushi cats are an extremely unusual life-form consisting of a cat on top of a portion of sushi rice. But make no mistake, these sushi cats are not for eating. As the story goes, the history of sushi cats is nothing mor

A real gem for the student of jewelry design, three preeminent, international jewelry designers offer step-by-step instruction. Walk with them through the creative drawing process for twenty-five different styles of jewelry sets, with four variations for each style. From each specific design idea, you will see jewelry being developed in silver and gold, old gold, gold with diamonds, and platinum w

A comprehensive and abundantly illustrated collection of the most outstanding modern furniture around the world. Now with a guide to current values, this is an indispensible book for collectors, architects, designers, and furniture historians. Over 1000 of the most innovative designs are shown, many of which have become classics of the late-twentieth century. Pieces range from simple modern chair

Cigar Box Labels: Portraits of Life, Mirrors of History pays tribute to cigars and the pictorial glory of Victorian-era cigar box labels, a unique form of commercial advertising that flourished in the business place a century ago and helped drive cigars to widespread prominence in American society. Those who fancy these stunningly beautiful paper images as a hobby are in the midst of the hottest a

As an increasingly popular line of collectible jewelry, creations distributed by Sarah Coventry, Inc. have made their mark. From the 1950s through the 1980s, women purchased the jewelry exclusively at home jewelry parties. The success of the jewelry made Sarah Coventry, Inc. one of the largest distributors of costume jewelry. Although the parties are a thing of the past, Sarah Coventry jewelry has

An armchair guide to corkscrews with over 700 color photographs and 3600 illustrated and documented examples, The Ultimate Corkscrew Book showcases the diversity and creativity that has occurred in the production of corkscrews over the last several hundred years. Remarkably, all examples featured in this extensive volume come from one source: the author's personal collection. Longtime collector of

Hundreds of beautiful color pictures and recently-discovered, important information give this new study of 19th and 20th century Japanese porcelain a most refreshing approach. Visual comparisons of the major styles can be made even by the beginning student because there are so many fine color pictures of the examples. Kakiemon, Nabeshima, Arita, Hirado and Fukagawa styles of Imari; Kutani; Satsuma

Only recently recognized for its many contributions to ceramics found throughout the world, the Scottish pottery industry has existed for more than two hundred years. Rather than compete with England's famed potteries to the south, Scotland focused on the export market, sending its colorful and decorative wares to America, Canada, and many parts of Southeast Asia. Widely enjoyed, these popular and

Since the 1930s, more than 1.5 million glass paperweights have been made in Britain. Here is the first comprehensive reference to identify them. Whether you have been given one paperweight as a gift and know nothing about the subject, or are a serious collector who owns hundreds of items, this book is certain to prove indispensable. For the beginner, the illustrations and listings will help in ide

During the second half of the twentieth century, Scandinavian potters and glassmakers drew on elements present in China and Japan during the period of the Sung Dynasty to produce pieces of beauty and elegance that combined subtle glazes and classical shapes. The qualities came to characterize Scandinavian design in combining the fundamentals of craftsmanship, quality, subtlety, and a relationship

German Meissen porcelain figures made during the Kaendler Period are considered the best era in the Meissen factory’s history. They are organized here by their subjects, depicting Street Traders, Court Life, Military and Hunting scenes, Italian Comedy, Children, Mythology, Artisans, and various nationalities. Many figures are matched to the original engravings that inspired them. By recognizing th

In the world of costume jewelry, the name Lea Stein Paris® is recognized as the most notable and innovative designer of plastic jewelry of the 20th century. Her use of sculptured laminated celluloid in many novel combinations of textures, colors, and designs resulted in her whimsical and colorful world of original animals, people, and geometric delights. Here you will find bracelets, pins, necklac

Contains 124 extraordinary color profiles, portraying examples of nearly all types of single-seated fighter aircraft used by the Luftwaffe in World War II. All of the detailed profiles represent aircraft flown by German aces, some of the most famous and successful as well as those of lesser known. Also contains over 100 color illustrations of Luftwaffe unit markings, uniform insignia, camouflage c

Among the great designers at Herman Miller in the 1950s and 1960s, Alexander Girard enhanced Eames' and Nelson's furniture with innovative textiles. As head of Herman Miller's Textile Division since it was formed in 1952, he designed some of the most colorful and exciting fabrics available anywhere. He also designed the 25-piece Girard Group of modern furniture, and the 40-item series of Environme

Here is the comprehensive guide to forty years of collectible Swedish-made reels. It contains background information on every manufacturer and discusses every production model made between 1940 and 1980. It includes baitcasters, spinning, and fly reels. With over 675 color photographs, vintage advertisements, and patent drawings, plus a guide to current values, it is a must have reference book for

Explore the broad range of beautiful, high-quality porcelain figurines manufactured by the Bing & Grondahl Porcelain Manufactory, of Copenhagen, Denmark, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, collectors worldwide appreciate the sculptors’ and decorators’ skills, as reflected in their charming figurines.More than 700 animal and human figurines are shown, along with date marks, shop sign

This beautiful and comprehensive volume on easy-to-grow geraniums (pelargoniums) provides a wealth of new information for hobby growers from all climates, including valuable tips on the challenges each region presents. Chapters provide detailed background on the many varieties of geraniums, including scented leaf pelargoniums, zonals, dwarfs, stellars, regals, angels, and more. Hundreds of stunnin

Chinese pottery and porcelain has been admired, sought after, fought over, and emulated throughout the history of the civilized world. In form, color, and technique, China led the world in the ceramic arts. Its perfection of hard paste porcelain in the Ming Dynasty followed a fascinating record of ceramic production that is traceable back to 5,000 B.C. The Ceramics of China provides text and pictu