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Title: Tiara by Diana Scarisbrick ISBN: 0-8118-2717-8 Publisher: Chronicle Books Pub. Date: 15 March, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.14 (7 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Another Scarisbrick examination of gorgeous jewels
Comment: As I am a big fan of Diana Scarisbrick's "Ancestral Jewels," I was excited to see "Tiara." Although she does a masterful job giving the reader a miniature history of the tiara (especially in its different European forms), I must admit to disappointment at the layout of the book. Dozens upon dozens of photographs of women wearing their tiaras are literally about 1" square (sometimes less, sometimes ever so slightly more). There is so much white space surrounding these photographs that I have to wonder if perhaps there was a misunderstanding among author, editor, and designer.
The latter half of the book fares better, with full-page color photographs of sumptuous tiaras. Scarisbrick shows us mourning tiaras (often constructed of iron, though just as lacy and lovely as their platinum and gold counterparts), brushed gold tiaras, and tairas which break down into sundry bracelets, necklaces, brooches, and stomachers. It's especially fun to see the different tiaras worn for the coronations of King George of England in 1937 and Queen Elizabeth of England in 1953. There is even a photo of Rose Kennedy, whose husband Joe was America's Ambassador to England in the years leading up to World War II. Mrs. Kennedy is pictured in a satin evening gown, wearing a tiara borrowed from a sympathetic English noble friend. An excerpt from her 1974 autobiography notes that when she wore the tiara to court " . . . my children were quite impressed!" One can only imagine.
The range and artistry of the designs is really quite breathtaking. It's just too bad that more care wasn't taken to enlarge the photographs of the women wearing their tiaras, as there's so much interesting interplay of fashion and tradition there.
Rating: 3
Summary: A Poorly designed book...
Comment: In the first 50 pages of this book and then periodically throughout its remaining pages, the photos of the women wearing these tiaras are about the size of a postage stamp, surrounded by large blank white areas. Talk about eye strain... A waste of paper and space. Later in the book some of the tiaras have their descriptions on the page opposite their photos, again, with a large area of white space surrounding the text. All this empty white space could have been used for LARGER PHOTOS. Some other descriptions for 4 consecutive tiaras are on the pages following the photos. Very unorganized, and poorly planned. It would have been SO much better to be able to see how these creations looked on people. Many of the larger photos of the tiaras are lovely, however, a number of them look like a "cut and paste job". Nice to see the jewels, however I think this book is just so-so.
Rating: 5
Summary: A magnificent publication.
Comment: This is a most attractive volume sumptuously illustrated and beautifully laid out. The text is considered and informative. The printing and general feel of the book is in keeping with it's noble subject and would be a first class addition to the coffee table of any true lover of beautiful things. I can only await the author's next project with baited breath.
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Title: Tiaras: Past and Present by Geoffrey Munn ISBN: 0810965941 Publisher: Victoria & Albert Museum Pub. Date: 01 March, 2002 List Price(USD): $22.50 |
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Title: Tiaras: A History of Splendour by Geoffrey C. Munn, Geoffrey ISBN: 1851493751 Publisher: Antique Collectors Club Pub. Date: December, 2001 List Price(USD): $75.00 |
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Title: Timeless Tiaras: Chaumet from 1804 to the Present by Diana Scarisbrick ISBN: 284323347X Publisher: Assouline Pub. Date: March, 2003 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Queens' Jewels by Vincent Meylan ISBN: 284323364X Publisher: Assouline Pub. Date: October, 2002 List Price(USD): $65.00 |
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Title: Fabergé Eggs: A Retrospective Encyclopedia by Will Lowes, Christel Ludewig McCanless ISBN: 0810839466 Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield (Non NBN) Pub. Date: November, 2001 List Price(USD): $65.00 |
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