American Tin-Litho Toys [Paperback]

Lisa Kerr (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1995

Tin-lithographed toys have enjoyed tremendous popularity among collectors. Banks, wind-up toys, tea sets and sand pails are but a few of the playthings produced from the 1920s to the 1960s by such great toy manufacturers as Ohio Art, Wolverine, Marx, and Chein. They are now widely treasured and increasingly valuable as they become harder to find. Includes value references.

Editorial Reviews

Review

".... I like the way the book is laid out. Each photo is numbered, and captions are listed at the side..." -- Don Johnson, AntiqueWeek, Monday, March 18, 1996

".... Lisa Kerr has compiled an informative volume for the whole family to enjoy." -- Antiques & Auction News, December 1995

"....authoritative, reliable guide to the history, identification and pricing of these colorful collectibles and is profusely illustrated throughout..." -- Reviewer's Bookwatch An Official Newsletter of The Midwest Book Review, July 1999

Product Details

• Paperback: 141 pages
• Publisher: Collectors Pr (November 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096352027X
• ISBN-13: 978-0963520272
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419,695 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well constructed, but Very limited. . ., February 7, 2000

By 

R. Sparks "middle_path" (Norman, Oklahoma United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: American Tin-Litho Toys (Paperback)

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I've just gotten into Tin-Litho toys and I wanted my first fairly expensive (for it's size) book to contain at least SOME the information I required. No go.

There is information on the manufacturers, but it is extremely limited, and not very tight. In some cases, the information is limited to half a page or so. . . And this was on one of the biggies.

There are tons of pix, but not in color. That's a big part of Tin-Litho! If you don't know what the color was to begin with, how do you know what condition it's in now?

Another problem I had with the book is the valuation scale that the author kind of thought up. With as many different (and accepted) scales to determine the value of a collectible today, it seems odd to me that she needed to invent another. It's sort of like re-inventing the wheel; Sure, you COULD. . . But why?

Again, I'd like to be able to give more credit to this book, but it's just not there. . . Really great cover, but not much behind it. . . Maybe next edition.

3.0 out of 5 stars TOO FEW PHOTOS IN COLOR, July 14, 2008

By 

Janie Eilers "Farmer's Daughter" (Minneapolis, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Tin-Litho Toys (Paperback)

THIS BOOK DOES HAVE LOTS OF GOOD INFO, BUT IN MY OPINION, MORE PHOTOS IN COLOR WOULD HAVE IMPROVED IT. I ENJOYED SEEING MANY TOYS FROM MY CHILDHOOD - THAT I STILL HAVE, ESPECIALLY THE TIN LITHO TEA SETS OF THE 30'S AND 40'S BY OHIO ART AND WOLVERINE. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK IN COMBINATION WITH LISA KERR'S LATER EDITION CALLED "OHIO ART THE WORLD OF TOYS", WHICH HAS A COPYRIGHT DATE OF 1998. THAT EDITION IS ALL IN COLOR. I HAVE BOTH AND AM GLAD TO BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR BY CHECKING EACH OF THEM. ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE "COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO HOUSEKEEPING TOYS 1870-1970", BY MARGARET WRIGHT, COPYRIGHT 2007. IT'S ANOTHER GOOD COMPANION TO THE TWO MENTIONED ABOVE AND ALL PHOTOS ARE IN COLOR, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SAMPLE PAGES OF EARLY CATALOGUES. I HIGHLY ADVISE GETTING ALL THREE.

4.0 out of 5 stars I wish I had taken better care of my toys, July 25, 2002

By 

"johns0082" (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Tin-Litho Toys (Paperback)

American Tin-Litho Toys by Lisa Kerr is a lovely initial introduction to collecting tin-litho toys. While it may not be as comprehensive as other resources, for someone gettting started it's very compelling. The illustrations are beautiful and the book is well laid out. I saw many familiar friends that long ago went into the trash or took the trip to Goodwill.