Customer Reviews

Cultural Revolution Posters & Memorabilia (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Over the past few years I have started to see more and more cultural items from China appearing in the United States. The Buddhas and other religious artifacts are familiar to me, but I have noted other items from time to time, such as propaganda posters or statues depicting some sort of Chinese scene that didn't make any sense to me. This book has provided me invaluable information on what those items mean, both in isolation and in the context of Chinese history.



I am glad that I bought the book before I saw the review by "Collector". His/her criticisms suggest that he/she did not read the entire book, or not carefully. The authors are careful to point out that there is a large problem with fake Cultural Revolution items (the Chinese have proven adept and making replicas of Ming vases that fool the large auction houses, so that's no surprise) and that because even the authentic ones are of recent vintage so it is very difficult, and perhaps impossible, to know for certain that a particular item is authentic.



I thoroughly enjoyed the book, both the pictures and captions that describe each item and the text that provides historical context on their meaning and contemporaneous events in China. I did not expect the book to be an exhaustive guide to how to determine the authenticity of items, and enjoyed the overview of Chinese history and the item explanations immensely. I finished the book immensely informed, and I will recommend it to my friends and no doubt consult it in the future when new items pique my interest.

I fully agree with the comments of "Collector". To be a useful reference/guide book for the general collectors, techniques on how to distinguish authentic and new reproductions are of great importance. But this book obviously fails to do so. Besides, offering a reference price for the collectibles are always misleading in particular for the volatile cultural revolution relics market. A "star" system according to the rarity of the items would be much more useful in this respect. If you are not interested in collecting CR relics, you may still buy this book to enjoy its colorful pictures though. No harm at all but no gain either!

This is a fascinating book. The range of Great Proletariat Cultural Revolution (GPCR) memorabilia from China is amazing. Well printed and full of well photographed images.
Altogether good value.

I have for many years been collecting Mao memorabilia, however there is so little information available on what was available or the value of the items. This book is the only one I ever came accross this so much information and pricing. Well documented, good descriptions and pictures.

Another wonderful book from Schiffer!

Wonderful photos and good printing in a hard cover format. My favorite part of the book was the research of the authors in the communist symbolism of the items, described with a very intelligent and neutral approach and presentation. Their comments make you think, understand and get familiar with many details, peeking inside the party intrigues and describing this difficult and controversial time in Chinas history. A good book about art does exactly that - helps us understand the importance of a time period and how the art fits in.

Additionally, the book gives a general orientation about the price of these CR pieces. Although the subject matter of some of the items is troubling, I take them as a combination of kitsch and historically interesting items (the balance of those two in the eyes of the beholder).

The book has a big value, not only because gives information about the prices from the ex-communistic world, but it reminds us of the value of unique items and shows things from China that are not just mass-produced products offered in Wal-Mart for dirt cheap.