This book offers an introduction to collecting antiques, brought to life by one of the longest-serving members of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow team. It provides an invaluable introduction to the different collecting areas, ranging from furniture to ceramics, silver to glass. Eric Knowles describes the items available to the amateur collector and enthusiast, and how to get started. Organized by genre, the book introduces each category's major stylistic eras, telling the reader what to look out for. Each item has been valued by Eric, and examples from all price ranges are included, enabling readers to see both affordable objects and those that may be out of budget but nevertheless of interest in developing knowledge and understanding. Throughout the book, Eric has selected examples to illustrate at a larger size, with detailed annotation. These help the reader to learn more about a chosen topic, identify the typical, appreciate the extraordinary, and understand why some pieces are worth so much more than others.

Once neglected by collectors of "traditional" antiques, Art Nouveau & Art Deco are now 2 of the most popular collecting fields. This buyer's guide examines both these fields & is the essential reference work for both new & experienced collectors.

The story of English furniture really begins in the sixteenth century, when the crudities of medieval domestic tables and stools gave way to more sophisticated, jointed designs. This Tudor furniture is the earliest to survive in any quantity and it is where John Bly's classic history of English furniture sets out on its journey of illumination. Over the years, changing fashions, influences from around the world, different materials and developing manufacturing techniques have all had an impact on English furniture, causing it to change over the decades, sometimes quite suddenly. Each of these changes is fully explained, along with studies of completely new types of furniture as they appear in the story. Oak gives way to walnut, and then mahogany, and over the course of the Eighteenth century furniture becomes finer and more formal and the great names - Chippendale, Sheraton and Hepplewhite - emerge and shine a light that takes the story to the next stage. This brand-new, full-color edition of a classic text traces the story up to the twentieth century, with a new coverage of Art Deco furniture by Eric Knowles. It concludes with a masterclass in detecting alterations and fakery that can significantly affect the worth of a piece of furniture. An invaluable tool for the collector, and a delight for the museum visitor, this book is the only one you will need to gain a thorough grounding in the fascinating subject of English furniture.

Although usually associated with the 1920s and the '30s, in fact the Art Deco style had begun to emerge in France prior to the advent of the First World War. But it was during the interwar years that the style, reaching full maturity, was adopted by the international elite as the perfect expression of modern opulence and elegance, and to this day Art Deco designs are redolent of the age of Jazz, cocktails, the Charleston, speakeasies, Hollywood glamour, New York skyscrapers and, above all, style. The '20s was also a period of great technological advances in engineering and transportation, and the perpetual modernity and futuristic aura of Art Deco are evocative of this too. Here, BBC Antiques Roadshow expert Eric Knowles provides a lavishly illustrated guide to this most alluring and timeless of styles.

Miller's Antiques Checklist: Jewelry offers a comprehensive guide to the vast range of jewelry produced in Europe and America from the 19th century to the present Jewelry is divided into easy-reference sections by type, and everything is covered from Victorian Etruscan Revival brooches to 1980s designer costume jewelry.

In their companion volume to British Army Cap Badges of the First World War, authors Peter Doyle and Chris Foster present an overview of the main cap badges worn by the British Army during the Second World War, which continued the rich and varied tradition of British regimental insignia. This book describes and illustrates, for the first time in high quality full colour, the main types of cap badge worn. With many amalgamations, war-raised units and special forces, British military insignia from the period have a surprising range that differs substantially from that worn by the soldiers of the previous generation. As in the first book, this volume contains contemporary illustrations of the soldiers themselves wearing the badges. Employing the skills of an established writer (and collector) and artist, it provides a unique reference guide for anyone interested in the British Army of the period.

20th-century French glass designer René Lalique was known for his art deco creations of glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and - the unusual subject of this book - car radiator cap ornaments. Stunningly beautiful and now highly collectible, these glass mascots range in design from a peacock's head to the goddess of speed, from a boar to an owl, from a fox to the king's greyhound, some in clear, strikingly coloured glass, others frosted, some electrically illuminated and all with their Lalique provenance etched somewhere into the glass.

Thanks to television programs like The Antiques Roadshow, collecting antiques is hotter than ever—but it's easy to overpay. That's why this guide provides actual prices for items sold through auctions and antiques dealers in the preceding year, along with 1,500 color photographs that take the guesswork out of identification. Professional tips make it simple to buy outstanding antiques even on a limited budget, and the book covers everything from antique furniture to watches, glass and pottery to scientific instruments, arms and armor, jewelry, and more. Current market trends are outlined, while the guide's popular ‘Miller’s Compares’ feature contrasts similar items to explain why one sells for big money, while the other fetches only a fraction of that price.