Customer Reviews

Fiesta: The Homer Laughlin China Company's Colorful Dinnerware (A Schiffer Book for Collectors)

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

 

 

I am not sure exactly how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it's got some excellent photos, beautifully lit, lush with color. On the other hand it is not in any way an exhaustive reference of Fiesta, as one would expect with a collectible as popular as this. I like the fact that photos are shown of the various backstamps (marks), but I'm not wild about the lack of organization and skimpy table of contents. I'd like to see more examples added, categories more organized, and prices more accurate (mind you, prices in reference books these days are hard to pin down, due to the affect of online auctions on collectibles). Long on nice visuals, short on information (and a bit too expensive for what one gets!)

I don't care what Martha Stewart says. I love her show and all... but this book stinks and was the worst recommendation she has ever given!
There are just not really good books on fiesta ware out there. T

All this book was to me (i returned it as well) was a nice picture book with beautiful color representations. If I didn't care about the rip of price of [cost] I would have laminated it and given it to a baby as a picture book.

Outstanding photography and color accuracy just don't make up for the lack of valid information. I read the book cover to cover and I just missed the reference part of the book aside from a list of prices. It is full of errors and distorted information. When you do find something reference about the book it is mostly confusing or plain wrong.
Things are mislabeled... etc.
This is more of a coffeetable book than a reference guide.

Overall [the price] is too much for picture book.

An antique dealer friend of mine told me about this book, as I'm an avid Fiesta collector. She said the pictures were gorgeous and true to color; however, the prices were from the results of an auction and not "standard."

Boy, how right she was -- this book is nothing more than pretty pictures! The author does say the values are from the results of an auction, but he goes on to mention that collectors "might realistically expect to pay (these prices) at retail or auction." That statement is untrue. The values in the book are lower, in some cases much lower.

One misleading statement -- repeated several times throughout the book -- infuriated me. The author says medium green was one of the original colors of Fiesta introduced in 1936. Anyone who has read even a little about Fiesta knows light green was one of the original colors -- medium green wasn't introduced until the late 1950s. The author never mentions when light green was introduced, by the way.

For great pictures of colorful Fiesta, check out this book. For a handy and helpful reference guide, you better look elsewhere.

If you are looking for an in-depth book for Fiestaware, including accurate item descriptions, history, and a current updated value guide, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!

The prices reflected for the highly-valued collectible Fiesta represents those prices at a recent auction. Many pieces in the auction were damaged....and the values provided do not reflect that.

The author incorrectly lists "medium green" as one of the original shades of Fiesta dinnerware, launched in 1936. Most people know that this color was not introduced until the 1950's.

Another example of poor research.....On page 90, the author lists a teacup that would sell at 600 times normal value (about $18,000). In my 15 years of fiesta collecting, I have NEVER heard of something so outrageous.....niether have any of my network of Fiesta collecting friends. I have even written the author (Mr. Snyder) about this (he has not replied to my inquiry). I also telephoned and wrote the Homer Laughlin China Factory about this and they said they were surprised by this value.

All in all, the book is nearly worthless in my opinion as far as information on Fiesta. I give it a "2" rating only because some of the color pictures are pretty...but then again, Fiesta is such a wonderfully colorful dinnerware, any pictures of it are usually neat!

I love this book!! I think that the photos are great very useful information.

If I had gone by the first reviews I would have left this book alone and that would have been a mistake. If the text had errors in the past they are long one. The images are fantastic, the text is informative and very readable, the prices are right on target. Particularly good for those new to the field but of use to anyone. Maybe old reviews should be removed now and then. This is a great book!

This book as some interesting info but not great. The book is 97% Fiestaware, most of that being the vintage pieces.

Being a collector of the post 86 Fiestaware, the book didn't do much for me.

The book is replete with errors, ommisions, and distorted information, escpecially when it comes to pricing on Fiestaware. I thought I was buying a quality reference book. I was wrong. I found my receipt on this book, which I purchased in October, 1997. Here in February, 1998, I took the book back. My money was cheerfully refunded. I was so surprised by the content of this book that I will never again by a book written by this author, nor by the publisher. Sorry. If you don't believe me, my only advice is to hang on to your receipt if you anyway buy this book. Thank you.

The photos and accompanying text provided exactly what I was looking for - verification of the Fiesta pieces that have been handed down through the family, and valuation (year 2002). While the valuation is not current, it did provide information I had not previously known.
The material arrived very promptly, and was in the condition listed, or even better.
Thank you.