Any devoted collector of M.I. Hummel figurines knows there’s more to the brand than just the small adorable figurines themselves. You’ll be able to explore the value and history of Hummel treasures in Robert L. Miller’s “The No. 1 Price Guide to M.I. Hummel: Figurines, Plates, Miniatures, and More.”

First published in 1981 and regularly updated thereafter, the figurines are accompanied by the Goebel company’s other collectibles. These include plates, which the company sold from 1971 through the mid-1990s; they depict children at play. The cherubic boys and girls, of course, are modeled after the figurines and the artwork of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, who died in 1946. In addition, the book reviews details and pricing for Hummel miniatures, also modeled after their larger counterparts.

Robert L. Miller’s book is comprehensive in its presentation of each piece, identifying differences between them, as well as price ranges. Although Hummel collectibles have declined in value due to market oversaturation, they have amassed a sizable following since their introduction in 1935, and collector groups exist throughout the world. The original Hummel factory is still in operation in Germany.
True to its title, the price guide is a valuable resource any collector will treasure – just as much as Hummel collectibles themselves, in fact.

About the author

Robert Miller is considered the foremost expert on M.I. Hummel collectibles, having written multiple books and columns on them over the years. His column “Miller on Hummel” was published only in Collectors News. Mr. Miller introduced the hobby of collecting Hummel figurines to CN’s readers in June of 1978, and his column then started in May of 1979, running for 20 years.

About the publisher

Bristol Park Books is a publisher of puzzle books, gift books, calendars, and hardcover reprints. Find them on Facebook @bristolparkbooks.

Size: 5.25”x8.25”, 480 pages, ISBN13: 978-0884861881, softcover, price: used copies from $8.46 on Amazon.com

School days have officially returned, and with it, memories of that fabulous piece of pop culture, the lunch box.

The second edition of Allen Woodall and Sean Brickell’s “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Metal Lunch Boxes” stands as a loving tribute to those sturdy metal buddies who accompanied us to the cafeteria every day at lunchtime. The details in Woodall and Brickell’s research come to life in the text, but here, as one might assume, the photos are the stars of the show. Every angle of every item photographed is captured in brilliant color, and you’ll likely find one or two that you just had to have as a child. Woodall should know a thing or two about lunch boxes – after all, the Georgia-based author has even organized a small museum that features his lunch box collection in its entirety.

In addition to the images themselves, you’ll find sections on caring for and cleaning your metal lunch box, as well as a list of manufacturers, samples of advertising and original art. This second edition includes a revised price guide, too. Boxes made in both the U.S. and overseas are covered here.

The book brings to life the heyday of the metal lunch box, from the 1950s through the ‘70s, and is a useful guide for new and seasoned collectors alike. Perhaps just as interesting – the lunch boxes featured in the book show the hottest pop culture trends as they came and went out of the public consciousness throughout the mid-20^th century.

About the author

Allen Woodall has been collecting for over 30 years and lives with his wife Bonnie in Columbus, Georgia. Sean Brickell’s interest in metal lunch boxes started with his Roy Rogers Chow Wagon box. He lives with his wife Bean and two children in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

About the publisher

A family-owned, independent publisher of high-quality nonfiction books since 1974, Schiffer has published thousands of titles on the diverse subjects that fuel our readers’ passion. From our traditional subjects of antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts and military history, Schiffer has expanded its catalog to publish books on contemporary art and artists; architecture and design; food and entertaining; the metaphysical, paranormal and folklore; and pop and fringe culture, as well as books for children.

 Schiffer Publishing is located in Atglen, PA. Website: www.schifferbooks.com.

 Size: 8.5” x 11”, more than 500 photographs, 176 pages, ISBN13: 9780764308949, binding: soft cover, price: $29.95

Ladies of the 1960s and ‘70s often looked pretty in polyester (and paisley, too).

Twenty years of fashion trends for women are covered in Trina Robbins’ “Tomorrow’s Heirlooms,” a fun and funky look at the threads you might have had hanging in your closet.

The decades were defined by dresses, bellbottoms, hot pants, and disco clothes in a variety of dazzling print designs. Robbins writes that the social issues of midcentury America helped “interpret the moods that helped to popularize these new styles.”

The book examines clothing from every variety, from the more conservative items like granny dresses and patchwork designs, to the more bold and original designs from designers like Oscar de la Renta and Diane Von Furstenburg. By the time you’ve devoured this tome, your eye will be perfectly trained to spot these fashions in thrift stores (and you’ll even learn the difference between ‘vintage’ and ‘retro.’ Yes, there is one!).

Besides the historical context in which Robbins places the fashion, readers will also find helpful the book’s foreword, written by Richard Martin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. All around, Robbins provides a fun, colorful look back at some of the most fascinating styles of the 20th century

About the author

Author Trina Robbins had a boutique in New York in the 1960s before she moved to San Francisco and continued her love affair with vintage fashions.

About the publisher

A family-owned, independent publisher of high-quality nonfiction books since 1974, Schiffer has published thousands of titles on the diverse subjects that fuel our readers’ passion. From our traditional subjects of antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts and military history, Schiffer has expanded its catalog to publish books on contemporary art and artists; architecture and design; food and entertaining; the metaphysical, paranormal and folklore; and pop and fringe culture, as well as books for children.

Schiffer Publishing is located in Atglen, PA. Website: www.schifferbooks.com.

Size: 8 ½” x 11”, 396 color photographs, 160 pages, ISBN13: 9780764303548, binding: softcover, price: $29.95

Snoopy, Charlie Brown, and the rest of the Peanuts gang have delighted readers for 75 years, bringing their own brand of humor and life lessons to comic pages the world over. The Peanuts comic strip has also given rise to an accompanying merchandise empire known for inspiring new generations of collectors who recall enjoying the comic in their childhood.

Jan Lindenberger’s “Peanuts Gang Collectibles: An Unauthor-ized Handbook and Price Guide offers collectors a glimpse at some of the hundreds of prod-ucts available that carry the Peanuts name. Descriptions and current values are listed along-side color photos of each pro-duct. This book isn’t the only Peanuts tome written by Lindenberger and her co-author, Peanuts collector Cher Porges; their follow-up book, “More Peanuts Gang Collectibles,” lists additional items from Porges’ vast collection, which includes comics, books, toys, figures, banks, and more. Both books, which focus mostly on the strip’s human characters, make wonderful, in-depth compan-ions to the duo’s third book, “The Unauthorized Guide to Snoopy Collectibles,” which includes color images, descriptions, and prices solely for items featuring everyone’s favorite beagle.

This volume is sure to be entertaining and informative to both the seasoned and novice Peanuts collector, bringing into focus the merchandising of one of the most beloved comic strips ever drawn.

About the authors

 Jan Lindenberger is a collector and dealer who resides in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has written several books on antiques and vintage collectibles of different kinds, mostly focusing on special-interest items.

About the publisher

A family-owned, indepen-dent publisher of high-quality nonfiction books since 1974, Schiffer has published thousands of titles on the diverse subjects that fuel our readers’ passion. From our traditional subjects of antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts and military his-tory, Schiffer has expanded its catalog to publish books on contemporary art and artists; architecture and design; food and entertaining; the meta-physical, paranormal and folklore; and pop and fringe culture, as well as books for children.

Collectors of Royal Doulton ceramics – for more than 200 years, the giant among other luxury home goods brands – “A Century of Royal Doulton Character and Toby Jugs” allows readers an in-depth and colorful glimpse at the company’s highly collectible jugs.

The jugs portray both everyday people as well as icons of the 20th century, and readers will delight in exploring both popular models as well as never-before-seen prototypes. The book is divided into four major sections, each of which containing profiles of characters in alphabetical order, as well as a biographical or historical profile and a large color photograph. Each profile presents details of each piece in the handle, trial colorways, and backstamps.

What really sets this book apart is its sizable appendix full of lists and tables that catalog pieces by size, production history, modelers, and model numbers, among other details. Even the general antique enthusiast will marvel at this collaborative work, packed with bright images and historical tidbits. “A Century of Royal Doulton Character and Toby Jugs” remains the seminal work on these sought-after Royal Doulton pieces.

About the authors

 Steve Mullins started collecting Royal Doulton character jugs more than sixty years ago. A life-long passion, today the collection numbers over 6,500 character and toby jugs from around the world. He lives in Evanston, Illinois. David Fastenau’s passion for collecting character and toby jugs was spurred when he inherited a small collection of Royal Doulton jugs from his grandmother. He lives in Northern California. Louise Irvine is a lecturer and writer with a special interest in 19th and 20th century ceramics. She began working for Royal Doulton in 1977 and became their Director of Historical Promotions. She is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on Royal Doulton wares. She lives in London.

About the publisher

A family-owned, independent publisher of high-quality nonfiction books since 1974, Schiffer has published thousands of titles on the diverse subjects that fuel our readers’ passion. From our traditional subjects of antiques and collectibles, arts and crafts and military history, Schiffer has expanded its catalog to publish books on contemporary art and artists; architecture and design; food and entertaining; the metaphysical, paranormal and folklore; and pop and fringe culture, as well as books for children.

Schiffer Publishing is located in Atglen, PA. Website: www.schifferbooks.com.

Size: 9” x 12”, 1,760 color and black & white photographs, 464 pages, ISBN13: 9780764329739, binding: hardcover, price: $125.00