300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles

This is packrat Linda Campbell Franklin's fifth edition...for many good reasons! What first seems like a hodgepodge of items to a beginner-collector or student, has a certain logic or shorthand to those in the know, and to those getting acquainted with kitchen collectibles, it's an eye opening education! All sorts of pointers, reproduction alerts and historical notes are placed throughout the book, to avoid being duped by many fakes. Yes as one reviewer noted, there is scant information on items less than 75 years old, and that's just fine with me..these 890 pages are going to keep me interested and learning for quite a while! The little color section isn't terribly helpful...more smaller photos of items could have been placed in these expensive pages. Still for most of these mechanical items, color is not the key in identification. I'm just tickled to be able to recognize what a peculiar gadget is/was used for! So if someone realistically wants more black and white pictures/drawings, bring them on..and yes there could be sharper photos of some blurry items taken for better clarity in a future edition-it's not a problem for me! She lists many references for those seeking more information, and addresses to contact specialized collectors or clubs. Well worth the price of admission, alone! This is a delightful "must have" for the "kitchen curious" and beginning collectors!

We have just begun trying to collect kitchen items. This book has great descriptions, lots of pictures, recipes and informative items about different kitchen gadgets.This book is wonderful! I have already spent hours thumbing through it, learning what some of the "weird items" really are and enjoying all the extra tidbits she has added to the book. Right now I'm heading to buy section to get her Housekeeping Collections.

I bought this book as a price and identification guide but ended up reading it from cover to cover. Franklin has really done her research. She also includes vintage recipes, anecdotes, patent information, reproduction alerts, and more. Highly recommended.

This text is quite thorough and includes many photographs and diagrams. I have numerous similar books of antiques and this is one of the best ones. It is also one of the most interesting and informative books on antique kitchen utensils that I have read. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in kitchen collectibles and antiques.