Collecting Disneyana (Identification & Values (Collector Books)) [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

David Longest (Author)

Book Description

Series: Identification & Values (Collector Books) | Publication Date: September 1, 2007

Collecting Disneyana is exactly the book its title suggests a book all about the fun of collecting objects related to Walt Disney characters and movies. The book presents extensive examples of very early Disneyana in a chapter titled The Golden Years specializing in Disney's fab five: early Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto. Later chapters include The Feature Films, highlighting collectibles from Bambi, Pinocchio, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dumbo, and a host of other Disney films; and The Television Years highlights collectibles from the 1950s and 1960s including The Mickey Mouse Club and Disney's Wonderful World of Color. Finally, the book brings collectors right up to date with an informative chapter on Recent and Future Collectibles which showcases collectibles from Winnie the Pooh to Beauty and the Beast and also highlights the current Disneyana craze of pin collecting. Advanced collectors of Disneyana will appreciate some never before published photos of extremely rare Disneyana, and newer collectors will be excited about the substantial collecting tips offered. This impressive volume contains over 900 photos with reliable values and is an absolute must for any fan of Disney collecting! 2008 values.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Most collectors prefer those items related to what they call the "Fab Five" - Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto and Goofy. Mickey and Minnie are about to turn 80 and the other three aren't far behind. There have been a lot of items produced featuring them over those years. These "Fab Five" are responsible for making Disney marketing the Successful business enterprise that it has been for seven decades now.

About the Author

David Longest has written six books on collectibles, including titles on cartoon toys & collectibles, character toys & collectibles, Disneyana, and other antique & collectible toys. He has been a regular monthly columnist for Toy Trader magazine and has done feature writing for several other magazines.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Collector Books; Ill edition (September 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574325604
• ISBN-13: 978-1574325607
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #381,846 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Antiques & Collectibles > Toys

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AN EXCELLENT SAMPLING WITH GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY, February 4, 2008

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Collecting Disneyana (Identification & Values (Collector Books)) (Hardcover)

Let me start right off by saying that "Collecting Disneyana" is by no means a definitive guide on the hobby. Such a book, in one existed, would have to be beyond massive. There has been so much Disney merchandise produced over the past 80 plus years that it would be an impossible feat to catalog it all. Disney was a company who was at the forefront of marketing its characters and as such, there is simply a voluminous amount of material out there. What the book does do very effectively is give a sampling of Disneyana from the past eight decades although its main thrust is with the Golden Age of Disney from the 1930's.

Geared towards the novice or intermediate collector, even long time fans and collectors will find a lot to enjoy in the book, beginning with the hundreds of brilliant, full color photos of rare Disney collectibles. In today's era where things tend to be overly merchandised, you get a good idea of just how popular Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and the rest of the characters were back in the 30's. Their images could be seen everywhere...toys, books, salt & pepper shakers, figurines, radios, even on packaging for Noma Christmas lights.

The first 115 pages of the 240 page book are dedicated to these early years. Now this not a typical price guide listing. This isn't about long pages of tiny, hard to read text. There are typically three to five pictures per page and pricing information is provided for each item shown. These include the manufacturer and year (if known) and the value range. The items are enough to make the most seasoned collector drool...there's a Lionel Circus Train, a Mickey bandleader doll by Knickerbocker, a Disney windup balloon vendor toy, and some of the earliest Mickey Mouse watches.

The next chapter deals with characters other than the usual suspects. These include items that bare the image of Oswald the Rabbit, Ferdinand the Bull, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, and others.

The final two chapters cover the television years of the 40's through the 60's and a look at modern Disney collectibles. Perhaps the most valuable part of the book, at least for new collectors, is the collector's guide, which contains valuable information about buying, selling, and collecting Disneyana. There's great stuff about how best to store your items, buying on the Internet, and more.

WRITTEN BY TIM JANSON

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting, popular pick for any library catering to Disney collectors., February 3, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Collecting Disneyana (Identification & Values (Collector Books)) (Hardcover)

David Longest's COLLECTING DISNEYANA: IDENTIFICATION & VALUE GUIDE will prove an exciting, popular pick for any library catering to Disney collectors. Color photos pack a survey of early to later Disney items, from films and books to figurines, packing in notes on collectible items and their prices.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reference book for DISNEYANA enthusiasts!, October 15, 2008

By 

David K. Longest "toybookwriter" (Clarksville, Indiana) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Collecting Disneyana (Identification & Values (Collector Books)) (Hardcover)

As the author of this book, I would like to first respond by telling readers that this book is, indeed, MAINLY about vintage Disneyana collectibles. A previous reviewer regarded the Disney "antiques" presented in the book as junk...I would take exception to that statement as I, along with thousands of other collectors around the world, VALUE old Disneyana as the "Cadillacs" of the comic character collecting world.
This book was a labor of love written from the perspective of both the advanced and the novice collector...however, the book IS about vintage Disneyana. It is NOT a book about new Disney items, although a chapter in the book is devoted to newer collectibles. If you are a vintage Disney toy lover...I wrote this book for YOU!