"The Comb" surveys the wide spectrum of the subject from ancient cultures to the twentieth century. The principal materials together with the combmaker's craft are described, up to and including the important plastics developed since the mid-nineteenth century. There are brief descriptions of the decorative elements that further embellish combs, together with a comprehensive glossary of terms associated with the subject. The book elaborates on the use of combs as articles of grooming and dressing, on ornamental combs as costume accessories, and on combs which have had specific purposes at various points in history such as those used within a liturgical setting.A short section also refers to combs depicted in paintings and stained glass, on family shields and tombstones, and on ceramics and textiles. Global in content, the study illustrates the comb as a personal possession with the context of widely differing cultures. The author has drawn on the knowledge, expertise and experience of other collectors and scholars which, together with the results from her own original research, form a wide-ranging reference book to fascinate and beguile anyone interested in the many facets of the subject.

Handbags have been an essential part of the feminine attire for nearly 200 years. This all-inclusive book showcases hundreds of unique handbags, from pouches worn in the dark ages to contemporary clutches, illustrated in 450 beautiful color images. This book traces the handbag's evolution as it has related to fashion and been influenced by history. The handbags range from delicate beaded reticules, to bold metal ring mesh bags and rhinestone-accented velvet evening bags. Leather, silk, plastic, and even wooden handbags are shown, each with current market values in the caption. The factual text and period advertisements will appeal to enthusiasts. This book is an invaluable reference for collectors and antique professionals, and a great resource for designers.

This book is a marvelous, lavishly illustrated jaunt through one hundred years of handbag history. Decade by decade, examples of the main trends are illustrated, along with samples of the eras' most remarkable and unusual high-quality pieces. Information and a price guide are provided to help modern collectors in their searches for wonderful examples. Significant manufacturers and designers are discussed, and interesting historical information is provided. The handbag is an essential accessory for the 20th century woman. Since 1900, the outside of handbags has become just as important as the inside. They are no longer just utilitarian accessories but have become fashion statements! Designers have been inspired to create beautiful bags to match or express every fashion movement through the century. Many of these handbags are works of art.

The silver box has fascinated and intrigued collectors for many centuries. It is perhaps safe to say that no other objets de vertu have attracted such vivid attention from maker and collector alike.

This book is a comprehensive study of the subject which concentrates on the development of the silver box in England from the sixteenth to the late nineteenth centuries. Because the interest of collectors lies not so much in the shape or type of boxes as in the wide variety of uses to which they have been put and the splendid enrichment lavished upon them, there is a penetrating analysis of the roots and derivations of ornament. The full colour illustrations show boxes with as many diverse forms and uses as possible.

The term box covers any receptacle (unless it is a vessel) whether it is a snuffbox, a pyx or a lancet case for use in phlebotomy, as long as it possesses a lid, hinged or otherwise. The usual snuffboxes and vinaigrettes appear in plenty but they have been carefully selected to show the ingenuity of silver craftsmen. More importantly perhaps we find the splendid variety of special purpose silver boxes: religious, dental and medical, skippet and seal, Masonic, jewel caskets, sweetmeat boxes, pomanders - there is even the unique sumptuous Henry VII Barber-Surgeon's case of circa 1512 with its glowing enamels.

There is much hitherto unpublished material including pieces from private collections and articles from Livery Companies and other institutions.

Eric Delieb was a London antique silver dealer, who conducted a highly successful business on both sides of the Atlantic and also devoted much of his time to research into Old English Silver. Author of a standard bibliography of books on hallmarks, many articles in antique journals and Investing in Silver, his name had become particularly associated with Collectors' Silver, a subject that formed the basis of his world-wide correspondence.