Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2012

Is this book a collectible? Probably so, Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2012 is the 100th book published by the Kovel family, quite a legacy to uphold. This latest edition does hold its own among all their previous books. It's big, comprehensive and well worth adding to your library.

The Kovel family has been involved in the antiques and collecting field for decades, as evidenced by their first book way back in 1953. Although Ralph has passed away (2008), Terry and daughter Kim are still producing books that are considered bibles by all who buy and sell antiques and collectibles.

There aren't any! There is an introductory section at the front of the book, explaining how prices are arrived at, notes about the current market and record prices achieved during the past year. The record prices are in such categories as furniture, glass, paintings, paper, photography, porcelain/pottery and toys.

After the few pages of explanation, the alphabetical price guide starts right off with A. Walter glass (under contract to the Daum glassworks. ABC Plates, Abingdon Pottery and Adams China made up the first page. And it goes on from there. Eventually including 40,00 prices in over 700 different categories on 722 pages.

If you're looking for a comprehensive price guide in a specific category, you won't find it in this book. There are too many things to include. But if you're looking for a great book that will give an overall feel about the values of a long list of various antiques and collectibles -- look no further.

The book is laid out quite simply, a reader is taken from A. Walter to Zsolnay Pottery (Hungarian). Each page has almost seventy text listings which includes a brief one line explanation, along with a current value. The heading for each different category is set off with a color block and a short description of the company or items in that particular category.

The text is bordered with three - five color photographs typical of the listings on that particular page. Sporadically throughout the book are pages with slightly larger images and no text listings. It would be nice if there were a few more all-picture pages. That being said, there are over 2,500 photographs in the book.

Tips
Thoughout the book are short tips about collecting, cleaning, and shopping. I do like the fact that know now what I can do with ketchup -- quick copper cleaner!

The Values
Over the past few years prices have plummeted for many popular items that people collect. It's a bit hard to keep up with these values, but the Kovels have it under control.

All photographs and prices are new each year, nothing is updated or estimated. The antiques and collectibles pictured are items that were offered for sale or sold for the amount listed in 2010 - 2011.

Also noted is that the book does not contain many items that would sell for over $5,000. A few higher prices may be shown, but the Kovels like to show the prices that we, as average buyers, might see or pay.

Also noted is this statement:
We take the editorial privilege of not including prices we think result from "auction fever">

The Kovels are the best known, reliable and most trust-worthy in the Antiques and Collectibles field. Other books and authors are very good, but the Kovels are the best.

• Did you know that Terry's Kovels: Antiques and Collectibles newspaper column, is the oldest nationally syndicated newspaper column that is still written by the original author?
• Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles is a monthly newsletter with over 50,000 paid subscribers
• Kovels Komments is a free weekly ezine with over 200,000 readers.

The Nitty Gritty
Black Dog & Leventhal
Format: Paperback/722 Pages
ISBN 978-1-57912-883-8

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.