Collectomania (Claudia Chan Shaw, ABC Books)

The ABC TV series Collectors was a must-watch in our household for many years, and collectors all over the country mourned its demise. Now fashion designer and Collectors co-host Claudia Chan Shaw, she of the perfect black bob, has written Collectomania as a follow-up. Starting with some of her own favourite collectables, toy robots and other tin toys, Chan Shaw goes on to cover such diverse collectables as snow domes, Bakelite radios, electric guitars, first-edition books, Wedgwood ceramics, contemporary art and vintage clothes. Each chapter outlines the history of the items, where to look for them and what to look out for, and interviews collectors, dealers or other experts in the field. Collectors have differing motivations: some are nostalgic, some completists, some investors. Whether chasing kitsch or high art, all collectors are passionate defenders of their particular niche. Chan Shaw covers the pluses and minuses of buying at auction, online or by hunting second-hand stores and markets. The book is well designed, full of photos and written in an approachable, conversational tone. It will make an excellent gift for either novice or expert collectors. (And can we dream it presages the return of Collectors to our screens, ABC?)

Tim Coronel is the former publisher of Bookseller+Publisher, now a freelance editor and publishing consultant. He collects mechanical watches and drives a classic car

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Reviews