Customer Reviews

Collecting Western Memorabilia

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Tim Lasiuta's book, "Collecting Western Memorabilia" (published by McFarland) is a dandy and highly recommended. It's user friendly and loaded with relevant material.
With a foreword is by George Coan, "Collecting Western Memorabilia" runs 183 pages and boasts 91 black and white photographs, a bibliography, an index and comes in soft cover. It serves as a guide for collectors of Western film, television, radio and comics memorabilia. Lasiuta, an established author and B-Western aficionado, has documented regional Western festivals and conventions, the best museums, which newsletters and magazines to subscribe to, a list of collector clubs, even which Web sites to check.
"Collecting Western Memorabilia" covers lots of ground: commemorative artwork, posters, production stills, lobby cards, autographs, books, costumes, newspaper strips, comic books, commemorative weapons and play sets, toys, games, models, lunch boxes, Christmas ornaments, magazines, movie and TV memorabilia, scripts, press packets, audio and video recordings, and cereal box premiums. Lasiuta even discusses how best to preserve one's treasures and how to get in touch with other fans, whether buying, selling, or swapping. He presents a survival guide to auctions, garage sales, flea markets, estate sales, and antique stores. As if that were not enough, "Collecting Western Memorabilia" boasts systems for ranking item quality, cataloguing guides, and format diagrams for listing and insurance purposes.
Needless to say, it would be impossible to produce a book of this scope without some omissions and a tiny bit of editorializing that might raise an eyebrow or two. Take for example the section on books. Still, Lasiuta put together a diverse list. I'm elated Lasiuta mentioned some obscure and out of print titles ("They Went Thataway" and "Stuntman").
I commend Lasiuta for acknowledging Allan G. Barbour's work ("Days of Thrills and Adventures" among others), "we lovers of movie serials, B-Westerns, or anything Republic owe an eternal debt." And thank you for listing Robert W. Phillips definitive "Roy Rogers" book.
I was surprised by the $35 price tag ($39 with postage). It would be a shame if this puts off prospective buyers because "Collecting Western Memorabilia" is a great resource. Lasiuta managed a large and diverse agenda within a modest number of pages. Lasiuta even got personal with a heartfelt introduction that demonstrates his passion for his subject. "Collecting Western Memorabilia" is a professional job all around, well organized and expertly researched. It's a great addition to a library of related B-Western books. Good job cowboy, ya done yourself proud! Leo Pando