Collector's Encyclopedia of Nippon Porcelain

This book is well documented, thorough and the pictures are excellent. In addition, this book discusses the Nippon history, provides an excellent chapter on marks and backstamps with a short commentary on the different mark colors and their meanings. I particularly liked the glossary, and cross-referenced price guide index which is placed in the back of the book yet neatly references to pages and plate #'s. Because of the extensive patterns in the Nippon history, every pattern is not in the book but I was able to identify particular shapes of pieces which I could check against marks/backstamps and the price guide to get a reasonable value range. Any collector or dealer will suit their library well by having this book for education and reference to Nippon.

Joan Van Patten's Nippon Porcelain focuses on Japanese porcelain, from painted vases and stamps to plates and smoking pieces. Gorgeous color photos abound.

Like the series 2 book, this is part of the 5 series volume. If you are beginner, a keen buyer/seller, or an experienced collector/trader of Nippon items, then you ought to get this book, along with the other series. The book contains a lot of information on Nippon porcelain collections. It provides nice photos, and price ranges on each items featured. It also gives you the marks to look and watch out for, in order to identify the authencity of the item.

As part of the 5 series volume, this series contains some updates. From my previous reviews of the collection series, I've mentioned that if you are beginner, a keen buyer/seller, or an experienced collector/trader of Nippon items, then you need to have this book, along with the other series. Like the previous series, this book contains information on Nippon porcelains. It provides actual photos, and price ranges for each items featured. Nippon porcelains have their disctinctive mark, based on the year and place they were manufactured, so this book gives you what to look and watch out for, in order to identify the authencity of the item.

This book is very informative. I would be lost without all the guidance from Jon Van Pattons' books. The research is well done and the price guides are the best. Thank you Jon for these wonderful books and all your research!