ANTIQUES: A Browser's Handbook

Jumeau, Kakiemon, Kas/Sofa, Souvenir spoons, Spangled glass: here's a grand dictionary of antiques that must have been as much fun to compile as it is to consult (Jumeau: ""A French bisque doll characterized by beautiful large eyes. . . . The swivel head dates after 1860""). Plus line drawings of many of the objects (regrettably, the dictionary entries don't tell which) and of identifying marks; a mini-almanac of dates (fairs, wars, periods, reigns) and artisan's names; a guide to the care of glass, porcelain, and other materials; glossaries of furniture, ceramics, and glassware terms; and a big bibliography to burrow into. The book is especially strong on Americana, from Cambridge glass (an entry as long as Chippendale) to Cap pistols, and refreshingly untainted by snobbery or camp. Compact, orderly, eminently collectible.