This contest is now closed.
I have a new obsession that I haven’t really let you guys in on. True, it seems like I have a different obsession each week, but this one has stuck around for quite some time.
Every time I visit a thrift shop or antique store, I scour the piles of old picture frames in search of cut paper silhouettes.
You can see the beginnings of my collection in the above photo. The little boy holding a teddy bear is actually my husband as a child (awwww!). The lady is a “new” ancestor I purchased at an antique store (I love her cut out earring). The mirror is a silhouette of my son that I created here. I know that my mom has cut silhouettes of my sister and I as children, so she needs to get around to pulling them out of the attic to me (Hint, hint, Mom!). I want to add, oh, fifteen more.
When I began researching cut paper silhouettes online, I had never imagined there were so many types of silhouettes, and even fakes being passed off as antique art. Who would have thought? And more importantly, how in the world was I going to know which silhouettes were the real thing if I found them in an antique store?
Luckily, the answer was soon on my doorstep. Viking Studio sent me a complimentary review copy of a new book by Carol Prisant, former antique dealer and author of Antiques Roadshow Primer. In Good, Better, Best: Trade Secrets for Spotting a “Find,” Carol gave me plenty of tips for spotting a must-have silhouette.
If silhouettes aren’t your thing, Good, Better, Best can teach you about American Longcase (Grandfather) Clocks, Globes, Sterling Napkin Rings, and even Shirley Temple Dolls. For each of the over sixty categories of antiques covered, Carol gives you:
- A little backstory or history on each category;
- Full-color pictures of a few examples;
- A Q&A; about the category;
- Tips on what to look for and what to stay away from;
- And of course, examples of what would be considered good, better, and best finds in the category (complete with descriptions and price points for each one).
An example of one of her categories and information given can be found here.
Additionally, if you are into items not covered under her unique categories, Carol (who is now an antiques appraiser) offers general tips on what to look for in antique items, such as color and market value.
I’m very excited to be able to add Good, Better, Best to my collection. This book is really a great resource for the beginning collector or someone who wonders if they’ve really located a valuable “find” at a thrift store. In other words, it’s perfect for me, and I’m assuming you, too. In fact, I may actually carry it around in my glove box in case of antiquing/thrifting emergencies. Yes, I’m that person.
Viking Studio has been generous enough to offer a copy of Good, Better, Best: Trade Secrets for Spotting a “Find” to one of my readers! So, just leave me a comment (with a way to contact you if you win) to be entered in the giveaway. The contest will run through Sunday, November 15th. Good luck!
And if you don’t win, I just noticed that Amazon is selling the book for nearly half-off the cover price of $27.50 (so it’s only $14.85 there). No, I don’t get a dime from Amazon for telling you that, but I thought I’d pass along my “find” with you…’cause I’m nice like that.
About Carol Prisant
Carol Prisant is the author of Antiques Roadshow Primer and Antiques Roadshow Collectibles. The American editor of The World of Interiors, she also wrote and enormously popular antiques column for House Beautiful and has been featured extensively in the media. She lives in New York City.
{ 114 comments… read them below or add one }
this would be an awesome resource!! plus its way cuter than a lot of the other antique source type catalog/books i've seen
What a great book!
I would love it! Sounds like a great resource!
I would love to win this book!
Thanks for the opportunity to win this helpful book.
texmvp03att.net
My grandmother passed away last year and my Aunt just recently gave me a silhouette that hung in her bedroom. Turns out it was my brother and I! I love it!
Good luck with your silhouette hunting!
Oh, I would love to win! I love antiques but am completely lost about what is genuine and what is faux! Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds like a great book.
I also love silhouettes. At this point I've simple been making my own. Looks like a fun item to collect however. What a fun book-I'd love it!
Sounds like a great book.
Sounds like a book I'd love to have! Thanks for the giveaway!
ampirlot at charter dot net
Would love to have this book. Thanks!
reading44654@yahoo.com
I love the picture of the silhouettes! I have all the supplies to make your book wreath, I just need to set down and do it.
domesticprincessintraining@gmail.com
ooh – I never thought about trying to pick up silhouettes that way…great idea! looks like a great find
I am tremendously interested in this book. Please draw (I mean ADD) my name!
Why is it I never thought to look at frames in thrift stores in search of silhouettes? Brilliant idea once again!! Thanks!
Donna
I would love to win this book!
ooh! what a great book! if i don't win, i HAVE to buy this for my mom! she's always calling me from antique malls, asking if something is a 'good find,' or a good price. christmas present… definitely!
thanks for the giveaway- have a great wednesday!
rachel
This looks amazing! There is so much to love about fall. This is really great giveaway and I would say that love this colors collection.
Regards,
Just found your blog recently and I'm enjoying all the projects you feature here as well as your antiquing "finds". The book looks like a great addition to the library!
Looks like a wonderful book! straw(dot)holder(at)gmail(dot)com
what a great resource! i'm always lost when i thrift because i don't know if it's a find or not
noribean@hotmail.com
My mom and I always taunt eachother with "Oh, I bet that's worth $$$ blah blah blah" when we're antiquing together. Wouldn't it be a riot if I actually KNEW the answer!! I'd love to win! Thanks for the giveaway!
What a great book! I would love to win this and share it with my 2 friends at work – one who LOVES Antiques Roadshow and the other who is a huge collector of EVERYTHING.
Awesome! As a newbie thrifter, this would come in really handy.
this book looks amazing!
Sounds like a very helpful book! Thanks for including me in your giveaway!
Hannah
Ooh! I'd love to win this!
This looks like a really fun books for people that consider themselves good "finders" and those that are just starting out! It seems like something I should read before hitting the 127 Corridor sale next year!
-Jennifer
Jennifer_Krumm@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great book! I could always use tips for spottin' a find!
Oh what a great book. I want it so pick me. Me me me!
What a great book to have around!
jjnhubbs@yahoo.com
Well heck, now I NEED to know how to spot a real silhouette–you've piqued my interest!
I would love to have the book. My house is full of family antiques but, it would be nice to be able to go to the thrift store and score on somemore items. tjbrewer22@yahoo.com
What a fun book!!
lbauerme@clarian.org
oh please pick me, I need this
Great post, this reminds me that I need to make some silhouettes of my own kidlets.
What an awesome book!
I love the silhouette of your husband! That's adorable! I'm falling love with them more and more every day.
That looks like such an interesting book! I love going to thrift stores and flea markets and that would be so handy!
I JUST discovered your blog via KimberlyMichelle and I absolutely love it! I'm a big flea market girl, so would love a copy of this book!
I am starting to collect vintage dishes and milk glass would love that book – please enter me in the giveaway – thanks for the chance and the great blog
I would love to add Good, Better, Best to my library. Love your silhouettes!
I would live to win! Thank you for the giveaway. My email is: thedaysofmylife_kristin@yahoo.com
I love your idea of a collection of silhouettes. Very cool!
Great giveaway, Lindsay. I'd love to win. 
I would so enjoy that book!
monicawalkAThotmailDOTcom
Great giveaway – please enter me!
Sounds like a wonderful book. We could read through it and find some other things to get hooked on – like old toys, vases, so many wonderful things. We could create yet another monster! I'de love to win this book.
dmj53(at)hotmail(dot)com
AWESOME! Thanks for telling us about your silhouettes! It never occured to me to be searching for them while thrifting.
Love your blog!
Oohhh! I think I would like this book a lot! It would be handy to have just a few tips for keeping your eyes peeled for good finds in more than one category!
Looks like a great book! Thanks for the chance to win.
thanks for a chance to win
Just discovered your blog. Totally love it!!
elisecreates@gmail.com
Hi Lindsay!! Thanks so much for your compliments on my most recent post. I'm so glad you stopped by for a visit.
I absolutley love those silhouettes!! That grouping is so cool!
That would be a fabulous resource. My bloggy partner, Meg, once thought she had a scored a gorgeous vintage vase, only to get it home and find a Crate and Barrel sticker on the bottom. Ah ha
This would be a great treasure to read.
laracasey (at) gmail (dot) com
Oh goodness, I would love to educate myself better in the world of collectors…I collect a few things and I also wonder sometimes if it is fake or not.
Please share a few tips on the silhouettes. I have seen them all over blogland and actually want to make one of my daughter. I do have one that I bought from an artist at a festival one year when she was a baby.
I would love this book!
Would love this!
I love silhouettes (that's why I make them in my shop!) I had already spotted your husband's silhouette month's ago and loved it!
Can you tell me where you got your monogram "b" from?
Awesome giveaway!! Fingers crossed!
Sure! Are you the one that asked me that last week? I knew someone did, but couldn't find it in the comments when I went back to look. I'm so sorry if it was you!
The B came from this shop on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/sayitwithstyle It looks like her shop is closed for a week while she gets a computer virus taken care of. She resized it for me to fit my desk and shipped it the next day. I really recommend her!
Great giveaway, thanks for the chance
eod_army_wife04(at)yahoo(dot)com
whew- this book sounds like a lifesaver. Now that I have this blank space to decorate- I have been considering starting a few collections. Seems like I need to start with this book!
i forgot my email address- ginamarieparker@gmail.com
sorry.
I'd love to win a copy of this book!
chinlai@bellsouth.net
this book looks pretty sweet. i'd love to read it.
jayme
jaymeriley@gmail.com
Oh, oh! That books sounds wonderful! Please count me in!
jenna (at) cyipcom (dot) net
This would be a great Christmas gift for my mother.
shanrod20@yahoo.com
Oh count me in! slayerettes @ hotmail .com
What a great, handy book! I love your idea of keeping in the glove box–just in case.
thanx for the chance to win this awesome sounding book!!
pruth@roadrunner.com
What a great sounding book!! Thanks for the opportunity to maybe win it!!
blessings
mary
Love your collection! What a neat idea.
And I would love this book!! Great giveaway!
The book sounds great. Would love to win. Thanks, Nancy P. nplyman@hughes.net
Enter me. Thanks. cdavenport(at)charter(dot)net
Just found you via Apartment Therapy. Thanks so much for so many tutorials, I've added too many things to my todo list!
Please enter me in the chance to win this cool book!
Cheers,
Tracey
Thank you for commenting on my blog! I just love your blog!
It sounds like that book could come in real handy. I would love to have it. Thanks for the giveaway. Love your site!
Sounds like a terrific book! Antiques Roadshow is a fav at our house.
That sounds like a really interesting and informative book. I love scrounging around in vintage shops and flea markets. I have a silhouette of a boy and girl rolling a hoop with sticks. It's painted on glass and framed over old paper. My Dad did it when he was about 10 which means it's around 80 years old and it's one of my favorite things
someluckydog at gmail dot com
I would love to win this giveaway! What a great book!!
april_vereb@yahoo.com
This would be an awesome read over the holidays! Thanks!
dilem.mama (at)gmail (dot) com
I would love this book. I love to go to flea markets and shop Salvation Army all the time and am in need of some help at times of spotting the real deal. I have just been turned onto your site and am loving it. Keep it coming. Thanks so much. ltiedgen@ comcast.net
sounds like a fun read!!
I hadn't heard about this book. Sounds great! Thanks for the swell giveaway.
What a classy, elegant touch to any room. You've inspired me to go on a silhouette hunt this weekend
Jessica
Jessicadavisking@gmail.com
Before I got to the giveaway part of the post I thought, "What an awesome idea for a Christmas present . . . for myself!" Hee-hee. So I'd love to have one.
Jen
twodigs@mrlebendig.com
Love your blog! Hope you don't mind me borrowing your book wreath idea for mine tomorrow (I'll link to you, promise!).
Thanks for all the inspiration.
Great book!! I hope I win it!
coastalplainsliving.blogspot.com
I am making the wreath this weekend, love it and your blog.
ellissaglad@gmail.com
I'd love to read this! Thanks for doing the giveaway!
patekr@bellsouth.net
Sounds like an interesting read and a good resource. Hope I win!
Sounds very interesting! Thanks!
this book would be perfect for a girlfriend of mine. She is very much into the thrift store to antique store finds. thanks for the giveaway!
Hello ,
I was just looking at your silhouettes page and love the black table with the Stencil B on it. can you please help me out by getting me started on this. I would love to have one for my house. I love your site its amazing balino2009@yahoo.com
Hi Lindsay! This book looks fantastic! What a great resource! Thank you for offering this as a prize!!! jennifer@jennifercarrollevents.com
This book sounds like it'd be really helpful. Thanks for the opportunity!!
Love your blog!!! This book sounds great. I would love to have it.
Pat B.
plbheidi@yahoo.com
Sounds like a fantastic book! I'd love to own a copy!
This is officially my new favorite blog. Keep up the good work! Also? I'm a total rube when it comes to treasure hunting so this book would be super helpful!
theovernitenote@gmail.com
i love your blog so much….loving this giveaway too.
What a wonderful book. I would love it.
newquilter@sbcglobal.net
What a great giveaway! I need to hone my bargain hunting skills! Suzie purrpage3[at]verizon[dot]net
I am loving this giveaway but I would really love to give it to my mother-in-law as a gift.
I would love to win a copy of Good, Better, Best…I love going to yard sales and good wills looking for treasures! Thanks for the chance to win it!
I need this book!!
Michelle
jmbrown528@clearwire.net
What an amazing resource!
This will probably only feed into my goodwill obsession (but at least in a good way!)
cjohnson2021 [at] hotmail (dot) com
Great book. Would love to be the lucky winner.
Your book is a real treasure. We have collected antiques from our first married years and have enjoyed them throughout. The resources in your book would be a great fun read and look see. Thanks for the giveaway. ruthing73 at hotmail dot com
This reminds me of the plastic bag wreaths I used to make as a kid. Same idea, except I would cut plastic shopping or garbage bags into strips and then tie them around a hanger until I had a full and fluffy wreath. So cute!
fireball1212 at hotmail dot com
What a great book for us "treasure seekers"! I'm always on the prowl for unique and wonderful goodies but am sometimes overwhelmed. I would definitely love to learn how to spot great finds. Thank you for the opportunity to win! sylathome@hotmail.com
I always reuse and repurpose items. This book would be very helpful……katklaw777 at yahoo dot com Great giveaway, thanks!
Can I squeak in a bit late? This book sounds like just what I could use.
Lizbethem@comcast.net
This one from Judi in OH who emailed me because she wasn't able to comment directly:
I just discovered your web site a little big ago, following links from Alt. Books group.
I don't know a lot about the computer, and I couldn't figure out how to leave you a comment under your latest post, about Carol Prisant and her new book. Like you, I would keep this book with me (the car) for the times I found a thrift store. I didn't know there was a book that made a relatively hard subject easy to understand.
Also, I already love your site. Love that paper wreath. I remember when I was a kid, my Mom made a similar wreath, but she used cut-up squares of and old white plastic tablecloth. Very cool…and cheap! Thanks for that memory of my beloved. I'll be back to exploring your blog a bit later today.