Tokens-Reviews

This book is a triple winner. It is beautifully produced, lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 photographs, and serves as a well-needed reference on a subject that little has been written about.

The book traces the historic development of photography, and the cultural needs photo-jewelry was perfectly positioned to fill in both America & Europe. It also discusses the largest photographic galleries of the period from 1840-65 that produced photo-jewelry. The authors explain how the businesses operated, from the assembly of the jewelry, the marketing and the pricing, in a highly competitive market.

The moneyed class in every Western country had long enjoyed the painted portrait miniature. But photo-jewelry offered almost all the same attributes, and in addition, an exact mirror image of a loved one, in a small, jewel-like, wearable object of charm and sometimes great beauty. It was a personal item to be shown off proudly in public & handed down in a family, to be cherished for generations to come.

The book is divided into chapters on: categories of photographic jewelry, American & European pieces, the 19th century woman, the photo-jewelry industry, identifying, collecting and research, and a glossary.

It has been printed in a limited edition of 1,500. It can be ordered on PhotojewelryBook.com or email Photographicjewelry@Yahoo.com. Use the code ASJH when you write.

By Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott (West Companies, Inc, 2005, 256 pp., hardbound, $125 by check to West Companies, Mr. L. West, PO Box, 7371, FRD Station, N.Y., N. Y. 10150; order on line (WWW.PhotojewelryBook.com ) using PayPal.

The wearing of photographic jewelry flourished from 1840 to 1875 and beyond. This book, which begins to tell the story of photographic jewelry, focuses especially on daguerreotype examples. It includes an introduction to photographic jewelry and discusses all photographic jewelry types, including America & European pieces. The photographic jewelry industry in general is

covered, along with specific information on 12 better known photography galleries.

The authors do state this book “is not a general guide for collectors”, but they do provide a chapter of information for collectors on identifying, collecting, and researching antique photographic jewelry. The book is illustrated with color photographs of the jewelry, black and white vintage shots, and reproductions of ads & engravings. All of this is presented in a book with gold-edged pages and padded covers that resemble a gilded metal book-form daguerreotype.

Also timed for Valentine's Day is a new book, "Antique Photographic Jewelry: Tokens of Affection and Regard," by Larry J. West, a Manhattan collector since 1975, and Patricia A. Abbott, a photography historian.Mr. West says his book is the first to examine Victorian photographic portrait jewelry. (It was Queen Victoria who made the custom of wearing photographic jewelry fashionable after Prince Albert's death in 1861.)Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes (negatives mounted behind glass against a black background), tintypes and paper photos were displayed in pins, watch fobs, lockets, buttons, bracelets and pendants. The photo mounts ranged from mass-market electroplated frames to fine gold and gem-encrusted jewelry.Though the subjects are rarely identified in his book, this is jewelry that was made for someone, to portray a special person — husband, child, fiancée or friend. It is assumed to be commemorative, to mark an engagement, wedding, christening, birthday, anniversary or death. Soldiers going off to the Civil War, for example, commissioned photographic jewelry for loved ones to wear in their absence.

Collecting photographic jewelry is a relatively new field. Few antiques dealers specialize in it, although David B. Chow of Providence, R.I.; the auctioneer Wes Cowen of Cincinnati; Graham Pilecki of Berkeley, Calif.; George Whiteley of Atlanta; and Dennis A. Waters of Exeter, N.H., sometimes carry it. Mr. West said eBay was the biggest source for him, along with Stereographica.com and Be-Hold.com.

iIt is typical to see examples at $100 to $500, but rare pieces can go up to $7,000," Mr. West said. "If the photo is of someone known, or there is historical substance, the piece is worth more. There is a lot going on in the field now because of the depth, breadth and worldwide nature of auction sites, which are drawing out pieces that would not otherwise come to market."

Mr. West will lecture on photographic jewelry on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. His book can be bought there, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Center of Photography or at photojewelrybook.com.

Your book is SPECTACULAR! It's not only a labor of love, but a labor of genuine scholarship and generosity (to the field). My hearty congratulations!! I'll recommend it to everyone I know. Thank you for your wonderful work, and your remarkable contributions to our collective knowledge...With thanks and admiration,

In recent years, due to rapid advances in the printing art, connoisseurs of fine books on the visual arts have been treated to more and more sumptuous volumes that provide virtually facsimile reproductions of their subjects. One such, published recently in December 2005, entitled “Tokens of Affection and Regard” weighs in at over four pounds and contains nearly 300 illustrations of 19th century photographic jewelry. Most of the illustrations are in full color and previously unpublished. Because of the large scale of the book (9”x 12”) they represent the diminutive pieces in large scale so that they may be easily examined. Even at the outset, this is a rare book, having been produced in a limited edition of only 1500 copies, so it promises returns both in pleasure and investment. The principal authors, Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott provide other ample returns on its asking price of $125.00. The large cover is padded and, on the entire front and back are gold-tinted photographs of an actual gold photo-jewelry book/locket, causing it to look less like a book than an heirloom. To complete the effect, the book’s page edges are gilded.

Larry West has been a collector of nineteenth century photographs and an avid photo-historian since 1975 and has lectured before the Daguerreian Society. Patricia Abbott, the founding Secretary of the Daguerreian Society, has collected daguerreotypes and photo-jewelry since 1987. Veteran members of the Society may remember reading West and Abbot’s first article about photo-jewelry in 1990, entitled “Daguerreian Jewelry: Popular in its Day.”

In the book’s 256 pages, the authors, joined by contributors Joyce Jonas, Grant Romer and Joan Severa, treat the hitherto undeveloped subject of small photographs embedded in hairpins, lockets, stickpins and many other forms of wearable art popular in the Victorian era in Europe and America. The volume’s title, “Tokens of Affection and Regard,” points directly to the fact that these mementos were, for the most part, worn publicly as testaments of emotion rather than strict record. Like the more expensive miniature paintings that preceded them, they recorded and publicly presented the visages of those who were not only respected, but loved or missed by the wearer. In the early years of photography, the inherently miniature size of figures depicted in daguerreotypes would have plainly suggested their application to the form of photo-jewelry. And, the daguerreotype was deemed particularly appropriate as a vehicle for remembrance, since the very essence of sitters, in the form of light reflected from their countenance, was directly recorded on the plate. In fact, as contributor Grant Romer states, these items are four times precious: “once in their subject, once in their illusion, once in their noble silver and once in their mounts.”

While most long-term image collectors have run across examples of photo jewelry, they usually have only a few token examples, such as pins or lockets, which to them may represent the entire genre. Most readers will be surprised to discover, however, that during their heyday in the 19th Century, these articles were produced in astounding variety and profusion. The extensive and innovative nature of these offerings is one of the most engaging revelations in this book.. It has probably occurred to many collectors in the course of their search that photo-jewelry is not encountered with the expected frequency. The current relative rarity of these once- popular forms of jewelry is explained in the text by the fact that many of the pieces were re-cycled as tastes changed, and, as one antique dealer said, candidly, “few people want to buy jewelry with pictures of dead people in them.”

The authors have taken a subject in which there has been comparatively little scholarship and, by doing as much primary and secondary research as the years permitted, thoroughly laid the groundwork for later researchers to build upon. The result of over ten years of research by West and Abbott, “Tokens” transcends the specialized subject of jewelry to become a resource on many well-known mid-nineteenth century gallery owners, such as Brady, Plumbe, Whipple and Root, who included photo jewelry in their creative marketing strategies. To develop the fact of major daguerreian artists’ involvement, we are treated in the course of the book to visits to twelve of the most interesting and better-known photograph galleries, so as to better appreciate some of the master marketers and promoters who offered photo-jewelry to their customers.

“Tokens” is impressively comprehensive in its offerings to the reader. Following their introduction, the authors go on in successive chapters to examine “Categories of Photo Jewelry,” “American and European Pieces,” “The 19th Century Woman” (men wore some photo-jewelry, too), “The Photo Jewelry Industry, and “Identification, Collecting, and Research.” Towards its conclusion, the book includes a reference compendium consisting of an illustrated selection of fifty pieces in seven categories to which collectors can compare items in their own collections. In an appendix, a selection of period “helpful documents” is included. Finally, in an intimate afterward, Larry West offers “A Collectors Reflections” which sensitively touches on the scope and nature of collectors in general, and his experience in particular..

As West and Abbott’s promotional material mentions, “Tokens” will have broad appeal to anyone interested in American history, culture, fashion and the remembrance of birth, love, friendship and death. In this pioneering study, they open windows to history, design and “the surprising tokens of affection commonalities we share with our nineteenth century American ancestors.” Considered in all of its spectacular aspects of size, lavish production and content, this book is a rare and precious object which daguerreotype collectors, in particular, will feel driven to collect.

**There are always a few labor of love outsize coffee table books that catch the eye. One, Tokens of Affection and Regard by Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott (West Companies), is an elegantly bound and illustrated history of American photographic jewelry of the latter half of the 19th century. It is a definitive reference work that provides also a social history of the time. (PhotographicJewelry@Yahoo.com). December 2005

*I've just received a copy of "Tokens of Affection and Regard" and thought I'd urge anyone interested in photographic jewelry or early studio practices to get this book before the edition is sold out. Larry West and Patricia Abbott have added greatly to our understanding of these most personal and treasured objects. Their information explains the important role of daguerreotype jewelry in the overall business of early photography studios. And the pictures are dazzling -- hundreds of glittering rarities that remind us how intimate and prized were these first photographs.
Beyond that, the book is a precious object in itself. The design -- especially the binding and the fully-gilded pages -- marks "Tokens of Affection and Regard" as a luxurious keepsake befitting the delightful gems it showcases.
I'd recommend that you put it on your holiday wish-list, but considering the limited number of copies printed, it might make more sense to buy a copy for yourself now (and perhaps an additional copy to give to someone special...)
Bill Becker
www.photographymuseum.com

**From Cliff & Michele Krainik of Krainik Galleries (a contributor): "Thank you so much for the copy of your wonderful book, Tokens of Affection & Regard. We have enjoyed looking at the beautiful photographs and look forward to reading it cover to cover. It is a great achievement & will undoubtedly be sought after by the collecting community as a classic in the field. We wish you & Patricia the very best & know your work will be recognized & acclaimed for years to come".

** From Carol Johnson, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division (a contributor): "Congratulations on your new book. It will be a great addition to our photography reference books. It is a tremendous resource for the study of photographic jewelry. You have found so many wonderful & unusual pieces of jewelry & images of people wearing jewelry. I am looking forward to reading the entire book soon".

**This is a really great book. Lots of fine photos and a wealth of info. on these pcs. Well worth the price! Feel free to use this in your listing.
A satisfied customer....ImageBob

Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britian

By: Dr. John Hannavy

For: Tokens of Affection & Regard

By: Larry J West & Patricia A Abbott

2005, West Companies Inc, New York, 256 pages, illustrated throughout in colour. Special price $80.

Despite the proliferation of books on aspects of photographic history, there have been several gaps to the published history of our subject, and one such gap – a study of the history of photographic jewellery was finally filled in late 2005 with the publication of Larry West and Patricia Abbott’s remarkable tour de force Tokens of Affection and Regard.

The book’s raison d’etre is ably and aptly summed up in Grant Romer’s introduction which opens with the stark statement that “The major histories of photography make no mention of photographic jewelry, which flourished throughout the period 1840 to 1875, and beyond.” While not strictly true, it has certainly been the case that whatever mention of photographic jewellery there has been in major histories in the past has been cursory and uninformative – perhaps driven by the writers’ lack of interest in that aspect of our subject. West and Abbott have devoted many years of serious research to filling that void, and have done an enviable job.

What strikes the reviewer first when confronted with this book is the uncompromising nature of its production. West, a passionate collector for many years, has not shrunk away from the unavoidable fact that to produce a large, lavishly illustrated and beautifully printed book on a niche subject – for that it undoubtedly is – with its attendant short print run, results in an expensive product. But Tokens of Affection and Regard looks and feels well worth its cover price – just for the joy of owning such a beautiful book it is worth buying – and with the added fact that it contains a wealth of hitherto unpublished material, both visual and verbal, and any serious collector or historian of photographic miniatures will find it a wonderful addition to the bookshelf. Perhaps the production is just a tad over the top, but the result is genuinely a thing of great beauty, and when compared with other great books on photographic history, the price is not too great!

As well as the perfect reproduction of many priceless pieces, the book offers a wealth of information. Especially interesting is the material on production, marketing, pricing and retailing practices of the period – an area of research which has hitherto not been taken up by many. The relationship between the beauty of the objects – images contained within finely crafted lockets, rings, pendants, brooches, chokers, etc etc etc – and the industry which created them is a revelation, and the company profiles of a dozen or so of the leading American photo galleries of the day is especially illuminating. It would appear that American jewellery manufacturers would place a miniaturised photographic portrait – daguerreotype, ambrotype or tintype – in just about any piece of jewellery they were asked to design if that was the client’s wish, from tiny images in the ends of pencils to portraits contained within clock winding keys. The sheer range of products illustrated is almost beyond belief.

While the illustrations are predominantly American in origin, there is a chapter on European jewellery which ably demonstrates the widespread popularity of such objects – and some very fine English images are to be found amongst them.

The design of the book is a breath of fresh air. So many American books cram words or pictures into every corner of every page and show a rather naive understanding of space, but the layouts by Abigail Sturges of Sturges Design, New York, is both fresh and innovative, giving the illustrations ample room to be enjoyed to the full. The text is also laid out in a fresh and spacious way, further enhancing the enjoyment of the book as a whole.

But no book is perfect, and the only major criticism of this book is that some of the tiny pieces are reproduced at several times their actual size. While this does allow the viewer to marvel at their intricacy, it does rather detract from the intimate nature of the originals. But that is a minor criticism of what is a truly remarkable publication.

The book can be ordered direct from the publishers at photographicjewelry@yahoo.com and is priced at $80. Shipping is $24 surface mail, or $34 air mail – this is a big and very heavy book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Published by West Companies, Inc. Requests for information should be emailed to: PhotographicJewelry@Yahoo.com

Recieve 36% off Regular Price! & Free Shipping and Handling

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			TOKENS OF AFFECTION AND REGARD Daguerreotype American History Photography NATIONAL REVIEWS American Society of Jewelry Historians newsletter Volume20, Winter 2006 Review by Elyse Zorn Karlin Antique Photographic Jewelry: Tokens of Affection and Regard This book is a triple winner. It is beautifully produced, lavishly illustrated with nearly 300 photographs, and serves as a well-needed reference on a subject that little has been written about. The book traces the historic development of photography, and the cultural needs photo-jewelry was perfectly positioned to fill in both America & Europe. It also discusses the largest photographic galleries of the period from 1840-65 that produced photo-jewelry. The authors explain how the businesses operated, from the assembly of the jewelry, the marketing and the pricing, in a highly competitive market. The moneyed class in every Western country had long enjoyed the painted portrait miniature. But photo-jewelry offered almost all the same attributes, and in addition, an exact mirror image of a loved one, in a small, jewel-like, wearable object of charm and sometimes great beauty. It was a personal item to be shown off proudly in public & handed down in a family, to be cherished for generations to come. The book is divided into chapters on: categories of photographic jewelry, American & European pieces, the 19th century woman, the photo-jewelry industry, identifying, collecting and research, and a glossary. It has been printed in a limited edition of 1,500. It can be ordered on PhotojewelryBook.com or email Photographicjewelry@Yahoo.com. Use the code ASJH when you write. ---- Maine Antique Digest By M.A.D. Staff Antique Photographic Jewelry: Tokens of Affection and Regard By Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott (West Companies, Inc, 2005, 256 pp., hardbound, $125 by check to West Companies, Mr. L. West, PO Box, 7371, FRD Station, N.Y., N. Y. 10150; order on line (WWW.PhotojewelryBook.com ) using PayPal. The wearing of photographic jewelry flourished from 1840 to 1875 and beyond. This book, which begins to tell the story of photographic jewelry, focuses especially on daguerreotype examples. It includes an introduction to photographic jewelry and discusses all photographic jewelry types, including America & European pieces. The photographic jewelry industry in general is covered, along with specific information on 12 better known photography galleries. The authors do state this book “is not a general guide for collectors”, but they do provide a chapter of information for collectors on identifying, collecting, and researching antique photographic jewelry. The book is illustrated with color photographs of the jewelry, black and white vintage shots, and reproductions of ads & engravings. All of this is presented in a book with gold-edged pages and padded covers that resemble a gilded metal book-form daguerreotype. ---- Antiques The New York Times By WENDY MOONAN Published: February 10, 2006 Tokens of Affection Also timed for Valentine's Day is a new book, "Antique Photographic Jewelry: Tokens of Affection and Regard," by Larry J. West, a Manhattan collector since 1975, and Patricia A. Abbott, a photography historian.Mr. West says his book is the first to examine Victorian photographic portrait jewelry. (It was Queen Victoria who made the custom of wearing photographic jewelry fashionable after Prince Albert's death in 1861.)Daguerreotypes, ambrotypes (negatives mounted behind glass against a black background), tintypes and paper photos were displayed in pins, watch fobs, lockets, buttons, bracelets and pendants. The photo mounts ranged from mass-market electroplated frames to fine gold and gem-encrusted jewelry.Though the subjects are rarely identified in his book, this is jewelry that was made for someone, to portray a special person — husband, child, fiancée or friend. It is assumed to be commemorative, to mark an engagement, wedding, christening, birthday, anniversary or death. Soldiers going off to the Civil War, for example, commissioned photographic jewelry for loved ones to wear in their absence. Collecting photographic jewelry is a relatively new field. Few antiques dealers specialize in it, although David B. Chow of Providence, R.I.; the auctioneer Wes Cowen of Cincinnati; Graham Pilecki of Berkeley, Calif.; George Whiteley of Atlanta; and Dennis A. Waters of Exeter, N.H., sometimes carry it. Mr. West said eBay was the biggest source for him, along with Stereographica.com and Be-Hold.com. iIt is typical to see examples at $100 to $500, but rare pieces can go up to $7,000," Mr. West said. "If the photo is of someone known, or there is historical substance, the piece is worth more. There is a lot going on in the field now because of the depth, breadth and worldwide nature of auction sites, which are drawing out pieces that would not otherwise come to market." Mr. West will lecture on photographic jewelry on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Museum of the City of New York. His book can be bought there, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the International Center of Photography or at photojewelrybook.com. ---- Dear Larry & Patricia: Your book is SPECTACULAR! It's not only a labor of love, but a labor of genuine scholarship and generosity (to the field). My hearty congratulations!! I'll recommend it to everyone I know. Thank you for your wonderful work, and your remarkable contributions to our collective knowledge...With thanks and admiration, Keith F. Davis, Curator of photography, The Hallmark Collection ---- The Dagurreian Society *Antique Photographic Jewelry: Tokens of Appreciation and Regard* By Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott; With experts Joyce Jonas, Grant Romer and Joan Severa HARDCOVER, 256 PAGES, ILLUSTRATED, ISBN 0-9777107-7-7 Published in 2005 by West Companies, Inc., New York $125.00 Review by Grant Dinsmore In recent years, due to rapid advances in the printing art, connoisseurs of fine books on the visual arts have been treated to more and more sumptuous volumes that provide virtually facsimile reproductions of their subjects. One such, published recently in December 2005, entitled “Tokens of Affection and Regard” weighs in at over four pounds and contains nearly 300 illustrations of 19th century photographic jewelry. Most of the illustrations are in full color and previously unpublished. Because of the large scale of the book (9”x 12”) they represent the diminutive pieces in large scale so that they may be easily examined. Even at the outset, this is a rare book, having been produced in a limited edition of only 1500 copies, so it promises returns both in pleasure and investment. The principal authors, Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott provide other ample returns on its asking price of $125.00. The large cover is padded and, on the entire front and back are gold-tinted photographs of an actual gold photo-jewelry book/locket, causing it to look less like a book than an heirloom. To complete the effect, the book’s page edges are gilded. Larry West has been a collector of nineteenth century photographs and an avid photo-historian since 1975 and has lectured before the Daguerreian Society. Patricia Abbott, the founding Secretary of the Daguerreian Society, has collected daguerreotypes and photo-jewelry since 1987. Veteran members of the Society may remember reading West and Abbot’s first article about photo-jewelry in 1990, entitled “Daguerreian Jewelry: Popular in its Day.” In the book’s 256 pages, the authors, joined by contributors Joyce Jonas, Grant Romer and Joan Severa, treat the hitherto undeveloped subject of small photographs embedded in hairpins, lockets, stickpins and many other forms of wearable art popular in the Victorian era in Europe and America. The volume’s title, “Tokens of Affection and Regard,” points directly to the fact that these mementos were, for the most part, worn publicly as testaments of emotion rather than strict record. Like the more expensive miniature paintings that preceded them, they recorded and publicly presented the visages of those who were not only respected, but loved or missed by the wearer. In the early years of photography, the inherently miniature size of figures depicted in daguerreotypes would have plainly suggested their application to the form of photo-jewelry. And, the daguerreotype was deemed particularly appropriate as a vehicle for remembrance, since the very essence of sitters, in the form of light reflected from their countenance, was directly recorded on the plate. In fact, as contributor Grant Romer states, these items are four times precious: “once in their subject, once in their illusion, once in their noble silver and once in their mounts.” While most long-term image collectors have run across examples of photo jewelry, they usually have only a few token examples, such as pins or lockets, which to them may represent the entire genre. Most readers will be surprised to discover, however, that during their heyday in the 19th Century, these articles were produced in astounding variety and profusion. The extensive and innovative nature of these offerings is one of the most engaging revelations in this book.. It has probably occurred to many collectors in the course of their search that photo-jewelry is not encountered with the expected frequency. The current relative rarity of these once- popular forms of jewelry is explained in the text by the fact that many of the pieces were re-cycled as tastes changed, and, as one antique dealer said, candidly, “few people want to buy jewelry with pictures of dead people in them.” The authors have taken a subject in which there has been comparatively little scholarship and, by doing as much primary and secondary research as the years permitted, thoroughly laid the groundwork for later researchers to build upon. The result of over ten years of research by West and Abbott, “Tokens” transcends the specialized subject of jewelry to become a resource on many well-known mid-nineteenth century gallery owners, such as Brady, Plumbe, Whipple and Root, who included photo jewelry in their creative marketing strategies. To develop the fact of major daguerreian artists’ involvement, we are treated in the course of the book to visits to twelve of the most interesting and better-known photograph galleries, so as to better appreciate some of the master marketers and promoters who offered photo-jewelry to their customers. “Tokens” is impressively comprehensive in its offerings to the reader. Following their introduction, the authors go on in successive chapters to examine “Categories of Photo Jewelry,” “American and European Pieces,” “The 19th Century Woman” (men wore some photo-jewelry, too), “The Photo Jewelry Industry, and “Identification, Collecting, and Research.” Towards its conclusion, the book includes a reference compendium consisting of an illustrated selection of fifty pieces in seven categories to which collectors can compare items in their own collections. In an appendix, a selection of period “helpful documents” is included. Finally, in an intimate afterward, Larry West offers “A Collectors Reflections” which sensitively touches on the scope and nature of collectors in general, and his experience in particular.. As West and Abbott’s promotional material mentions, “Tokens” will have broad appeal to anyone interested in American history, culture, fashion and the remembrance of birth, love, friendship and death. In this pioneering study, they open windows to history, design and “the surprising tokens of affection commonalities we share with our nineteenth century American ancestors.” Considered in all of its spectacular aspects of size, lavish production and content, this book is a rare and precious object which daguerreotype collectors, in particular, will feel driven to collect. February 2006 ---- *There are always a few labor of love outsize coffee table books that catch the eye. One, Tokens of Affection and Regard* by Larry J. West and Patricia A. Abbott (West Companies), is an elegantly bound and illustrated history of American photographic jewelry of the latter half of the 19th century. It is a definitive reference work that provides also a social history of the time. (PhotographicJewelry@Yahoo.com). December 2005 Cymbre Foster, Editor cymbre@forewordmagazine.com -------- I've just received a copy of "Tokens of Affection and Regard" and thought I'd urge anyone interested in photographic jewelry or early studio practices to get this book before the edition is sold out. Larry West and Patricia Abbott have added greatly to our understanding of these most personal and treasured objects. Their information explains the important role of daguerreotype jewelry in the overall business of early photography studios. And the pictures are dazzling -- hundreds of glittering rarities that remind us how intimate and prized were these first photographs. Beyond that, the book is a precious object in itself. The design -- especially the binding and the fully-gilded pages -- marks "Tokens of Affection and Regard" as a luxurious keepsake befitting the delightful gems it showcases. I'd recommend that you put it on your holiday wish-list, but considering the limited number of copies printed, it might make more sense to buy a copy for yourself now (and perhaps an additional copy to give to someone special...) Bill Becker www.photographymuseum.com ------* From Cliff & Michele Krainik of Krainik Galleries (a contributor): "Thank you so much for the copy of your wonderful book, Tokens of Affection & Regard. We have enjoyed looking at the beautiful photographs and look forward to reading it cover to cover. It is a great achievement & will undoubtedly be sought after by the collecting community as a classic in the field. We wish you & Patricia the very best & know your work will be recognized & acclaimed for years to come". From Carol Johnson, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division (a contributor): "Congratulations on your new book. It will be a great addition to our photography reference books. It is a tremendous resource for the study of photographic jewelry. You have found so many wonderful & unusual pieces of jewelry & images of people wearing jewelry. I am looking forward to reading the entire book soon". ------- This is a really great book. Lots of fine photos and a wealth of info. on these pcs. Well worth the price! Feel free to use this in your listing. A satisfied customer....ImageBob ---- Photographic Collectors Club of Great Britian By: Dr. John Hannavy For: Tokens of Affection & Regard By: Larry J West & Patricia A Abbott 2005, West Companies Inc, New York, 256 pages, illustrated throughout in colour. Special price $80.** Despite the proliferation of books on aspects of photographic history, there have been several gaps to the published history of our subject, and one such gap – a study of the history of photographic jewellery was finally filled in late 2005 with the publication of Larry West and Patricia Abbott’s remarkable tour de force Tokens of Affection and Regard. The book’s raison d’etre is ably and aptly summed up in Grant Romer’s introduction which opens with the stark statement that “The major histories of photography make no mention of photographic jewelry, which flourished throughout the period 1840 to 1875, and beyond.” While not strictly true, it has certainly been the case that whatever mention of photographic jewellery there has been in major histories in the past has been cursory and uninformative – perhaps driven by the writers’ lack of interest in that aspect of our subject. West and Abbott have devoted many years of serious research to filling that void, and have done an enviable job. What strikes the reviewer first when confronted with this book is the uncompromising nature of its production. West, a passionate collector for many years, has not shrunk away from the unavoidable fact that to produce a large, lavishly illustrated and beautifully printed book on a niche subject – for that it undoubtedly is – with its attendant short print run, results in an expensive product. But Tokens of Affection and Regard looks and feels well worth its cover price – just for the joy of owning such a beautiful book it is worth buying – and with the added fact that it contains a wealth of hitherto unpublished material, both visual and verbal, and any serious collector or historian of photographic miniatures will find it a wonderful addition to the bookshelf. Perhaps the production is just a tad over the top, but the result is genuinely a thing of great beauty, and when compared with other great books on photographic history, the price is not too great! As well as the perfect reproduction of many priceless pieces, the book offers a wealth of information. Especially interesting is the material on production, marketing, pricing and retailing practices of the period – an area of research which has hitherto not been taken up by many. The relationship between the beauty of the objects – images contained within finely crafted lockets, rings, pendants, brooches, chokers, etc etc etc – and the industry which created them is a revelation, and the company profiles of a dozen or so of the leading American photo galleries of the day is especially illuminating. It would appear that American jewellery manufacturers would place a miniaturised photographic portrait – daguerreotype, ambrotype or tintype – in just about any piece of jewellery they were asked to design if that was the client’s wish, from tiny images in the ends of pencils to portraits contained within clock winding keys. The sheer range of products illustrated is almost beyond belief. While the illustrations are predominantly American in origin, there is a chapter on European jewellery which ably demonstrates the widespread popularity of such objects – and some very fine English images are to be found amongst them. The design of the book is a breath of fresh air. So many American books cram words or pictures into every corner of every page and show a rather naive understanding of space, but the layouts by Abigail Sturges of Sturges Design, New York, is both fresh and innovative, giving the illustrations ample room to be enjoyed to the full. The text is also laid out in a fresh and spacious way, further enhancing the enjoyment of the book as a whole. But no book is perfect, and the only major criticism of this book is that some of the tiny pieces are reproduced at several times their actual size. While this does allow the viewer to marvel at their intricacy, it does rather detract from the intimate nature of the originals. But that is a minor criticism of what is a truly remarkable publication. The book can be ordered direct from the publishers at photographicjewelry@yahoo.com and is priced at $80. Shipping is $24 surface mail, or $34 air mail – this is a big and very heavy book! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Published by West Companies, Inc. Requests for information should be emailed to: PhotographicJewelry@Yahoo.com Recieve 36% off Regular Price! & Free Shipping and Handling TOKENS OF AFFECTION AND REGARD NOW $80.00 BUY NOW !