The Antique Collector's Handbook By George Savage
The Antique Collector's Handbook
An Indispensable Compendium of Practical Identification Criteria and Market Strategy for the Connoisseur
An Indispensable Compendium of Practical Identification Criteria and Market Strategy for the Connoisseur
Bibliographic Specifications
• Title: The Antique Collector's Handbook
• Author: George Savage
• Publisher: The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, London / New York
• Publication Date: 1968
• SBN: 600000540 (Standard Book Numbering / Pre-ISBN)
• Edition Details: First Hamlyn Edition, Standard Hardcover Release.
• Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth-bound hardboards with crisp gold or silver-stamped spine typography, housed in the original illustrated commercial dust jacket.
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), approx. 320 pages. Meticulously enhanced with targeted black-and-white plates, hallmark reference tables, and classification diagrams printed on high-grade text stock.
• Language: English
• Title: The Antique Collector's Handbook
• Author: George Savage
• Publisher: The Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd, London / New York
• Publication Date: 1968
• SBN: 600000540 (Standard Book Numbering / Pre-ISBN)
• Edition Details: First Hamlyn Edition, Standard Hardcover Release.
• Binding: Original publisher's premium cloth-bound hardboards with crisp gold or silver-stamped spine typography, housed in the original illustrated commercial dust jacket.
• Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), approx. 320 pages. Meticulously enhanced with targeted black-and-white plates, hallmark reference tables, and classification diagrams printed on high-grade text stock.
• Language: English
Official Condition Report
• The Book: Very Good (VG)
o Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's clothboards are in very good condition, presenting perfectly square corner joints, straight borders, and clean joints. The spine remains completely straight, unbent, and undamaged, keeping its original secure binding geometry.
o Interior: Pristine, intact, and exceptionally clean. The text block leaves are uniformly flat and free of traditional defects such as thumb-soil, page-creasing, or liquid stains. There are no dealer pencil markups, previous owner gift plates, library ink stamps, or text highlights.
• The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
o Condition Details: The original vintage illustrated jacket remains highly complete and visually attractive. It exhibits traditional, honest signs of historical shelf handling, displaying limited, minor edge-wear, faint surface friction, and localized small tears along the margins and spine extremities. The entire jacket has been carefully encased inside a professional, removable clear cellophane archival jacket cover, which beautifully preserves the vintage jacket components and shields it from future handling friction.
• The Book: Very Good (VG)
o Exterior / Boards: The original publisher's clothboards are in very good condition, presenting perfectly square corner joints, straight borders, and clean joints. The spine remains completely straight, unbent, and undamaged, keeping its original secure binding geometry.
o Interior: Pristine, intact, and exceptionally clean. The text block leaves are uniformly flat and free of traditional defects such as thumb-soil, page-creasing, or liquid stains. There are no dealer pencil markups, previous owner gift plates, library ink stamps, or text highlights.
• The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
o Condition Details: The original vintage illustrated jacket remains highly complete and visually attractive. It exhibits traditional, honest signs of historical shelf handling, displaying limited, minor edge-wear, faint surface friction, and localized small tears along the margins and spine extremities. The entire jacket has been carefully encased inside a professional, removable clear cellophane archival jacket cover, which beautifully preserves the vintage jacket components and shields it from future handling friction.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1968 during the peak era of mid-century connoisseurship by the historic Hamlyn Publishing Group, The Antique Collector's Handbook stands as a remarkably concise, universally reliable landmark reference manual. Written by the highly respected international appraiser George Savage, this authoritative volume acts as a comprehensive roadmap designed to guide the reader through the intricate and challenging maze inherent in buying, selling, evaluating, and collecting fine decorative arts.
Published in 1968 during the peak era of mid-century connoisseurship by the historic Hamlyn Publishing Group, The Antique Collector's Handbook stands as a remarkably concise, universally reliable landmark reference manual. Written by the highly respected international appraiser George Savage, this authoritative volume acts as a comprehensive roadmap designed to guide the reader through the intricate and challenging maze inherent in buying, selling, evaluating, and collecting fine decorative arts.
The core text tells you the vital, precise points to look for across all major classifications of precious objects—offering dense, practical identification criteria for European and Oriental ceramics, antique silver hallmarks, vintage glassware, period furniture styles, tapestries, carpets, and fine textiles. Savage strips away confusing academic jargon to provide pragmatic advice on navigating auction houses, identifying deceptive reproductions, and preserving delicate materials over time. Filled with crisp reference outlines, this out-of-print classic bridges the gap between accessible instructional reading and professional curatorial study, making it an essential, high-utility addition to the library of any serious collector, estate evaluator, or antiquarian dealer.
Author Profile: George Savage
George Savage (1909–1982) was an exceptionally distinguished British art critic, professional antiquarian appraiser, and highly prolific reference author whose exhaustive text guides defined the standards of twentieth-century art market critique. Renowned for his uncompromising analytical precision, he served for decades as a consultant editor for prominent international art journals and auction networks. Over his legendary career, he authored dozens of definitive volumes—including A Concise History of Interior Decoration, Porcelain Through the Ages, and The Dictionary of Antiques—celebrated globally for translating complex artisanal techniques and market trends into accessible, engaging literature. His publications remain highly valued benchmarks among academic institutions and trade societies for their timeless practical utility and enduring clarity.
George Savage (1909–1982) was an exceptionally distinguished British art critic, professional antiquarian appraiser, and highly prolific reference author whose exhaustive text guides defined the standards of twentieth-century art market critique. Renowned for his uncompromising analytical precision, he served for decades as a consultant editor for prominent international art journals and auction networks. Over his legendary career, he authored dozens of definitive volumes—including A Concise History of Interior Decoration, Porcelain Through the Ages, and The Dictionary of Antiques—celebrated globally for translating complex artisanal techniques and market trends into accessible, engaging literature. His publications remain highly valued benchmarks among academic institutions and trade societies for their timeless practical utility and enduring clarity.
antique collectors handbook, george savage, hamlyn publishing 1968, collectible art books, rare appraiser reference, vintage hallmark identification, out of print antiques guide, furniture classification books, antique silver identification
