Baker's Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders [Hardcover]

Lillian Baker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

This new edition of the classic reference is enhanced with hundreds of new color photographs depicting a wide array of collectors' treasures. Victorian hatpins, required to fasten large hats, and the holders used to store them when not in use, are presented in close views with extensive text to interpret their use and place them among popular historical fashion accessories. Precious and everyday materials alike are found in hatpins, and the holders are generally glass or porcelain. This new book will be a valuable aid to collectors and all who are interested in period costume, jewelry, and memorabilia

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Lillian Baker, from Gardena, California, was founder and president of the International Club for Collectors of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders for twenty years and an enthusiastic and knowledgeable expert in their identification.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764304852
• ISBN-13: 978-0764304859
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,740 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The hatpin and hatpin holder collectors bible, October 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Baker's Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders (Hardcover)

This superb book will interest the collector and historians alike. It is a great tribute to Lillian Baker, the queen of hatpin collectors. She passes on her tremendous knowledge and experience with the aid of a well catalogued album. This shows colour plates of many hatpins indexed by the different types of materials used. Gold, silver, brass, glass, porcelain, ivory and many other hatpins adorned with diamonds, pearls, amethysts, etc show what a diversity of collections are possible. They are catalogued by type, manufacturer, style or period over the past 150 years or so. A historical perspective on their development shows how they were made and the many types of legitimate fixings. Examples of fake hatpins are also shown. There is also a similar catalogue of a vast range of hatpin holders and vanity sets also in colour. The book is worth the money for the pictures alone and is what you would expect of the author who managed to persuade friends with rare and expensive or unusual hatpins and holders to allow them to be catalogued. There is even an explanation of the origins of pinmoney and the need for hatpin to be one word not two. The only disappointment is the lack of any indicator of values, as this was also the authors area of expertise. This book is unlikely to be repeated so buy it now - it will be a collectors piece soon.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hat Pin Bible, December 13, 2005

By 

Fred Belinsky "Village Hat Shop" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baker's Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders (Hardcover)

This 200 page compendium complete with photographs, illustrations, history (including legal rulings and laws regarding the hat pin's use as a weapon), etc. is the hat pin fancier's bible.

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book but nothing for a beginner like me, August 16, 2008

By 

Grottis - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baker's Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders (Hardcover)

This is a beautiful book with great photos but some of the things she writes about needs to be explained and they are not. Very hard to understand some of it if you are a beginner on hatpins like me.