Home » Home & Style » Antiques & Collectibles » Book Review - Another First!

Book Review - Another First!

© Barbara Nicholson Bell

The serious collector of antique china and pottery is wise to build a comprehensive library of reference books. Much can be learned from surfing the Internet, of course (or else I wouldn't be writing this column!) but nothing replaces the authority, in-depth research, and ease of use provided by a good reference work on your home bookshelf.

I'm fortunate to have been able to review Dorothy Kamm's latest reference book, Antique Trader's Comprehensive Guide to American Painted Porcelain, with Values, published by Antique Trader Books, 1999. With a foreward by Ralph and Terry Kovel, deans of the antiques price guide world, this large-format soft cover book begins with overviews of styles and movements in the china-painting genre as well as descriptions of decorative techniques.

Most of the china and pottery reference books available on the market today are specific to certain manufacturers, countries of origin, or styles. Their focus is on the history of the manufacturer, or identification and authenticity, and as such are particularly valuable to the beginning collector. No collector's library should be without the requisite volume on Roseville, Rookwood, Nippon, or Kovel's Dictionary of Marks. Dorothy Kamm's newest guide is a "must-have" addition, for it will educate you about the evolution of tableware, manners, and lifestyle which culminated in the Victorian era and continued to evolve until after World War II.

To achieve this historical perspective, the book is divided into the following chapters:

Chapter 1: The History of the American China Painting Movement
Chapter 2: Lasting Impressions: The Front Hall
Chapter 3: Socializing with Society: The Parlor
Chapter 4: Dealing with Decoration: The Dining Room
Chapter 5: Condiments and Compliments: Food Flavorings
Chapter 6: Breakfast and Lunch
Chapter 7: The Dinner Party
Chapter 8: Male Order: The Library
Chapter 9: Feminine Retreat: The Bedroom and Boudoir

At the end of the book, there is an Appendix which lists resources and references for the reader to use in researching, as well as a good glossary (I learned the meaning of "bar-le-duc"!), a bibliography, and alphabetical listing of artists and studios.

I enjoyed learning about such old-fashioned Victorian concepts as the twelve-course dinner party, the differences between salt shakers, talcum shakers, and hatpin holders (which resemble each other mightily), and the growing purchasing power of the middle-class. Adding to this pleasure were the many side-bar descriptions of Victorian life and instructions which Kamm has taken from original sources such as The Boston Cooking School Cookbook (1887), The American Girls Handy Book (1898) and Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management (1915).

The copyright of the article Book Review - Another First! in Antiques & Collectibles is owned by Barbara Nicholson Bell. Permission to republish Book Review - Another First! in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.