Antiques Detective [Hardcover]

Judith Miller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 7, 2007

This is the super-sleuth's guide to spotting, buying and collecting antiques. Looking to discover a valuable treasure or nab a bootsale bargain? "Antiques and Collectables" expert Judith Miller shows you how to solve any collecting case. Find out how to tell a genuine piece from a fake. Spot signs that indicate an object has been restored. Discover makers and styles to look out for, and whether an object should be kept, or not. It includes expert advice on makers, questions to ask, tips for identifying the best examples in furniture, ceramics, glass, silver, dolls, teddy bears, textiles and more. With hundreds of photographs that reveal every detail of each piece, you'll soon know how to crack any antiques case. It also includes over 30,000 colour photos, descriptions and price guides.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Antiques expert Miller has amassed a wealth of information about antiques in her latest book, part of the "Collector's Guide Series" from DK. Covering furniture, ceramics, glass, metalware and collectibles, Miller is guilty of both overreaching and under-performing; that said, she has put together a sound introduction to several areas. Particularly in her overview of major styles and their specifics, such as chairs from the 18th century to the Arts and Craft movement, Miller is confident and informative; however, a less-than-clear presentation and fuzzy details (is the dollar amount cited next to a particular item retail price, value price or original cost?) will frustrate. First published in the UK, American audiences will find several significant gaps: her expertise seems to skew toward the 18th and 19th centuries, leaving America's Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Modern collectors out; for instance, focusing in depth on "18th Century wine glasses," Miller barely mentions pressed or carnival glass. A Photofit section is quite helpful but hardly comprehensive (a section on silver marks doesn't show Paul Revere's, one of the most widely sought-and imitated-of American antiques). Still, beginners and novices will find much to appreciate here, especially if their interests happen to line up with Miller's. Photographs.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

About the Author

Judith Miller began as a regular lecturer and contributor to newspapers and magazines, and is Antiques and Collectables Magazine's Agony Aunt. Her TV work includes The House Detectives, The Antiques Trail and Antiques Roadshow (from August 07). Judith lives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Dorling Kindersley (June 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405318074
• ISBN-13: 978-1405318075
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,948,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Judith Miller began collecting in the 1960s while a student at Edinburgh University in Scotland. She has since extended and reinforced her knowledge of antiques and design through international research, becoming one of the world's leading experts in the field. In 1979 she co-founded the international bestseller Miller's Antiques Price Guide and has since written more than 100 books, which are held in high regard by collectors and dealers. Judith Miller appears regularly on TV and radio. She is an expert on the BBC's "Antiques Roadshow" and co-hosts the popular BBC TV series "The House Detectives," "ITV's "Antiques Trail," and Discovery's "It's Your Bid." She has appeared on "The Martha Stewart Show" and CNN. She is a regular lecturer and contributor to numerous newspapers and magazines, including Financial Times, BBC Homes & Antiques and House & Garden. She has lectured extensively, including at the V&A in London and the Smithsonian in Washington.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for all types of antiques, September 21, 2007

By 

aebu "Antique Lover" (Little Rock, AR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Antiques Investigator (Hardcover)

This book is exactly what I was looking for even earlier in my antique experience. It touches on everything from porcelain to styles of furniture, fakes, how to detect quality, and much, much more. Every page is full of color photographs and examples. It's a great place to start for anyone who wants to know the basics of different types of antiques. Definitely worth the money!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars antique investigator, December 14, 2007

By 

C. Crittenden "cc @ c" (chautauqua, ny) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Antiques Investigator (Hardcover)

This book was selected as a Christmas present to help a young couple learn to look and notice important details in older objects. The techniques would be helpful to anybody regardless of experience with antiques.. We were so impressed with the content as we thumbed through that we then bought a copy for ourselves

1.0 out of 5 stars Too much ground, too little information, September 5, 2011

By 

Lee Bradshaw (Carlton, Victoria Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Antiques Detective (Hardcover)

Trying to cover 90 subjects in 180 pages leaves the reader feeling vexed and frustrated. You get a few titbits of information on the subject, then the article is finished. Not even enough information to qualify as an introduction on most subjects.

And just to make things even more frustrating, the book gives values for example objects without telling you anywhere whether they're auction or retail values.