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2 Reviews
This is a design nightmare. Don't pay more than $10 for it.
The poor design does not do justice to the beautiful glass, ceramics and enamelware assembled within the book. It stands as yet another collector-turned-publisher/writer publishing venture with little regard for artistry, clarity, organization or writing.
Collectors look for clear marks and designs to identify their vintage piece. This is the most disappointing aspect of Pina’s book. There are ample photos, obtained from a variety of sources. But there is no consistency in size, set-up or background. There are murky black-and-white photos, gigantic enlargements and poor reproductions. To add to this lack of clarity, photos are presented randomly with no regard to pattern or year. The result is a confusing hodge podge that will likely irritate many a reader looking for a quick reference. The most offensive design fault is with the Appendix of Georges Briard patterns – page after page of smudged line art that bear little resemblence to the designer’s intricate and beautiful work.
Pina’s writing is passable and shows some research on the subjects. But there are also irrelevant anecdotal passages and vaguaries that have no value. The accuracy of some of Pina's information has been disputed by at least one expert in the area of vintage glass, specifically Blenko (Damon Crain). Visually, the small font size and truncated blocks of text detract from ease of reading and show the result of amateur layout and design.
Altogether, this is a design nightmare. If it can be purchased for under $10, then Pina’s book can act as a second or third resource for the collector.Read full review...
Good overview.
Nice book with great photos. There are some odd, out of focus shots but it’s a good overview of the designer art glass of the period.