Western Book Shelf, Volume II
One of the greatest joys a collector has is when he shares his collection, or knowledge with other collectors. Some join chat groups that can be found on Yahoo, some go to shows and 'quiz' the exhibitors, and some write books.
I am the latter. In the course of my collecting over the last few years, I have amassed many great reference books and much knowledge gained from conversations with other collectors. I am always on the lookout for new reference books that will enhance my collection and what I can find if someone asks me a really tough question.
This week's column features four great books from Krause Publications. Krause is a great resource for the collector, and has books on numerous topics from coins to paper goods. First up to bat is
Television's Cowboys, Gunfighters, and Cap Pistols
Rudy D'Angelo
Rudy D'Angelo has produced an excellent book for the collector of pistols, and pistols. In this exquisitely detailed work of love, he has researched over 75 TV Westerns, presenting material on the actors, the characters they portrayed, and the real people that inspired them. There are more than 850 photographs of the packaging, the guns, and the actors or real life characters.
A price listing for the 'weapons' in question is also included. Roughly accurate to the time of printing, the 'value' of these 'toys' varies quite a bit, so the pricing section is secondary in importance compared to the information on the guns and sets. Detailed information on the sets is here, right down to distinctive marks, features, and logos each pistol has. This book is highly recommended for the western collector, and should serve as a reference book for years to come.
The Ultimate Roy Rogers Collection
Ron Lenius
Like the Rudy D'Angelo book above, Ron Lenius has also produced a landmark edition that collectors of Roy Rogers merchandise everywhere should have.
Mr. Lenius has separated the Roy Rogers items into 21 categories. They are: Advertisements, Autographs, Badges, Books, Guns, Cards, Story Books, Activity Books, Comics, Clocks, Clothes, fan club items, Furniture, magazines, movie posters, music, pictures, counter displays, and toys. Each section is clearly illustrated with crisp photographs, and a rough price range for each item is presented. The book has over 1,000 photographs and is an excellent resource for the Roy Rogers collector. Ron Lenius even includes an interview with Dusty Rogers. Part of the appeal of this glossy, softbound book is the Roy Rogers ink mark on every page.
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