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

Vintage cigarette lighters can be found just about everywhere you look, including at garage sales, estate sales, swap meets, online auctions, and maybe tucked away somewhere in your own house. And though smoking isn’t as commonplace as it is today, perhaps you even remember the items associated with it if you grew up in a house where it was done all the time. If you’re a collector of such items, give Stuart Schneider and Ira Pilossof’s “The Handbook of Vintage Cigarette Lighters” a read. Cigarette lighters are collected not only for their value, but also for both their style and their beauty.

The book is comprehensive in its coverage of this everyday item. Not only will the reader be introduced to lighters and their history; they will be able to trace the biggest names and styles in the industry using an alphabetized guide that spans a century, from roughly 1880 to 1980. The book’s many illustrations, most of them in color, show nearly 700 lighters ranging from companies that became household names (including Ronson, Evans, and yes, of course, Zippo) to the lesser-known makers around the world. The newest edition includes updated market values. Watch out, though – collecting cigarette lighters can be just as addictive as the act of smoking itself. This slim tome is sure to be an illuminating addition to the library of both seasoned and novice collectors of lighters.

About the author

Ira Pilossof is a proud native of the Bronx and is a leading authority on vintage cigarette lighters. Stuart Schneider is a writer and an attorney who has written 15 prior books on collectibles and antiques.

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: 6” x 9”, 698 photographs, 176 pages, ISBN13: 780764349751 binding: soft cover, price: $24.95

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com.