Customer Reviews

Florida's Golden Age of Souvenirs, 1890-1930

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This remarkable book looks at all sort of souvenirs, covering a 40 year span. Intelligently organized, passionately written, and loaded with beautiful photographic images, Roberts provides insight into the making of souvenirs and the marketing of the concept of Florida. The objects here quite diverse: some kitsch, some folk art, some "conversation pieces," some objects of palpable beauty, and some objects that are a mix of all or some of these categories.

While there's certainly unintentional camp to be enjoyed here, these objects are not detritus. Many of them are beautiful, exhibit great levels of craft, and hold their own if not quite as "art," then certainly as objects d'art. (Apparently one had to wait until the middle of the 20th century before Florida's souvenir emporiums were overloaded with disposable dreck!)

Hardback, cloth and paper over boards with a sewn binding. Released with dustjacket. 217 pp, 2.5 pounds. Something like 350 color illustrations. Bibliography and Index.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Abbreviations
Introduction

Historical Sketch of Florida Tourism
Florida Souvenirs
Souvenir China
Souvenir Spoons

Carved Alligator Souvenirs
Harris and Barnhill Prints
Orangewood and Mauchline Souvenirs

Seminole Dolls

Souvenir Glass
Souvenir Jewelry
Olive Commons Jewelry and Porcelain

Silver Springs Pottery
Metal and Shieldware Souvenirs