“The Wizard of Oz” has captured our collective imagination since its theatrical release in 1939. And authors and Oz experts William Scarfone and Jay Stillman bring to life the Oz merchandising empire in their new book “The Wizard of Oz Collector’s Treasury.”

 Scarfone and William previously co-authored “The Wizard of Oz: The Fiftieth Anniversary Pictorial History” in 1989, and their new contribution to the Oz universe is a delightful deep dive into more than 1,000 Oz collectibles and merchandise. Autographs, books, buttons, dolls, games, puzzles, figurines, drinking glasses, postcards, novelties, publicity and promotion, posters and lobby cards, records, sheet music, and more are thoughtfully catalogued in full color, accompanied by an up-to-date value guide. Lovers of movie memorabilia and Judy Garland, too, are sure to marvel at the diverse offerings in this comprehensive guide to all things Oz. Who knows? You might even learn something new about this beloved classic.

 A bit of related trivia – according to the Wizard of Oz Museum in Cocoa Beach, FL, the top three rarest Oz collectibles are the gloves worn onscreen by Bert Lahr as The Cowardly Lion (#3), the earliest-known Wizard of Oz screenplay (#2), and an original, screen-worn, blue gingham dress worn by Garland’s Dorothy (though, of course, you won’t find any of those in the book).

About the author

Jay Scarfone and William Stillman are nationally recognized as authorities in the field of Oz memorabilia, merchandise and collectibles. As co-authors of 1989's best-selling The Wizard of Oz: The Official Fiftieth Anniversary Pictorial History, their expertise in authenticating and appraising Oz rarities has been consulted by major auction companies as well as by numerous private collectors. 

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”, full-color photographs, more than 1,000 artifacts, 244 pages, ISBN-13: 978-0887404306, binding: hardback, price: $59.99

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com.

As we continue our deep-dive into Route 66’s history and culture during this, the Mother Road’s centennial anniversary, one book examines one of the most illuminating features of roadside attractions -- the neon sign.

Len Davidson’s 192-page tome “Vintage Neon” is a love letter to the signage that, in mid-20^th century America, turned our roadsides into a “luminous wonderland” – and, as someone who began restoring neons in the 1970s, Davidson has navigated that wonderland throughout his illustrious career. These signs aren’t just creations; they’re friends met along the way on a grand adventure; according to a description on the publisher’s website, “The most compelling signs were figural: imaginative, cartoon drawings in light. These unforgettable depictions of exploding bowling pins, crashing cars, baton-twirling majorettes, and lassoing cowboys were the fodder for legend and lore.”

You’ll find the work of both renowned photographers and amateur shutterbugs in this book, offering a colorful, dazzling array of more than 360 vintage neon signs. Architects, artists, and anyone who has been mesmerized by the humming allure of such signs will delight in Davidson’s book. Notes and observations from each photographer offer a glimpse into their own love of these glowing monuments that beckon the traveler to pull over and appreciate another slice of Americana that seems to continue its gradual disappearance with each passing year.

Author’s note: Although this book is listed as being sold out on the publisher’s website, it may still be purchased online at Amazon and eBay or multiple independent booksellers, such as Alibris, AbeBooks, and the Chamblin Bookmine, among others. 

About the author

Len Davidson began collecting and restoring vintage neon signs in the mid-1970s, which led him to establish Davidson Neon Design, a custom sign business. In 1985, he founded the Neon Museum of Philadelphia to showcase his vast collection (the museum closed in 2022). Currently, Davidson lives with his wife, Judy and son Cory in a house full of historic signs.

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”, 362 color photographs, 192 pages, ISBN: 9780764308574, binding: hardback, price: $59.99

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com.

Just in time for America’s semiquincentennial anniversary (that’s 250 years for the numerically challenged) is the new book “Commemorative American Quilts: Stitching Our History From 1876 to Today” by Sandra Sider, stitching a tale of America’s history as told through the art of quilt making.

With a foreword by Pamela Weeks, Sider’s book reveals how quilt making from the country’s 1876 Centennial to present day has “acted as a tool for preserving stories, bridging cultural divides, and celebrating important moments both local and national—an easily accessible ‘scrapbook’ in cloth,” according to the publisher’s website. The book is a comprehensive deep dive into the history of quilting over that 150-year period and includes overviews of commemorative quilting as it fits in with many key points in the history of the United States. More than 200 photographs the myriad variations within this art form, and explanations of how quilt making intersects with eras such as the civil rights and women’s rights movements provide rich historical context.

Along the way, you’ll meet some of the women who have made pioneering contributions to this field in the infancy of U.S. history, and how women’s roles, the goal of racial equality, and the feeling of civic pride all influenced the quilt makers and their works.

About the author

Sandra Sider, an expert quilt historian, is a past president of Studio Art Quilt Associates and served as curator of the Texas Quilt Museum from 2012 until 2022. She has taught textile history for the MFA Textiles program at Parsons School of Design and elsewhere and has written or edited more than a dozen books concerning contemporary quilt art. sandrasider.com

Foreword writer Pamela Weeks is the Binney Family Curator of the New England Quilt Museum and has written and cowritten several books on quilt history, including “Civil War Quilts.”

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”, 200 color and black-and-white photographs, 256 pages, ISBN: 9780764371318, binding: hardback, price: $39.99

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com.

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

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.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

Contact Corbin Crable at editor@discovervintage.com.