From Arita to Zsolnay, this comprehensive guide to the vast, varied, and popular world of china includes more than 3,000 examples, carefully selected to give a broad representation of each factory's output. Brief accounts of what is often the fascinating history of individual factories, together with useful hints on dating and identifying fakes, accompany illustrations of each piece.
Each of the more than 3,000 items listed in nearly 200 categories is accompanied by a new black-and-white photograph that highlights distinguishing features of the piece in question as well as current market value.
Though a US-China conflict is far from inevitable, major tensions are building in the Asia-Pacific region. These strains are the result of historical enmity, cultural divergence, and deep ideological estrangement, not to mention apprehensions fueled by geopolitical competition and the closely related “security dilemma.” Despite worrying signs of intensifying rivalry, few observers have provided concrete paradigms to lead this troubled relationship away from disaster. This book is dramatically different in that Lyle J. Goldstein’s focus is on laying bare both US and Chinese perceptions of where their interests clash and proposing new paths to ease bilateral tensions through compromise. Each chapter contains a “cooperation spiral” —the opposite of an escalation spiral—to illustrate these policy proposals. Goldstein makes one hundred policy proposals over the course of this book to inaugurate a genuine debate regarding cooperative policy solutions to the most vexing problems in US-China relations. Goldstein not only parses findings from American scholarship but also breaks new ground by analyzing hundreds of Chinese-language sources, including military publications, never before evaluated by Western experts. Meeting China Halfway, new in paperback, remains a refreshing and unique contribution to the study of the world’s most important bilateral relationship.
In modern history, China has been primarily a land power, dominating smaller states along its massive continental flanks. But China’s turn toward the sea is now very much a reality, as evident in its stunning rise in global shipbuilding markets, its vast and expanding merchant marine, the wide offshore reach of its energy and minerals exploration companies, its growing fishing fleet, and indeed its increasingly modern navy. Yet, for all these achievements, there is still profound skepticism regarding China’s potential as a genuine maritime power. Beijing must still import the most vital subcomponents for its shipyards, maritime governance remains severely bureaucratically challenged, and the navy evinces, at least as of yet, little enthusiasm for significant blue water power projection capabilities. This volume provides a truly comprehensive assessment of prospects for China’s maritime development by situating these important geostrategic phenomena within a larger world historical context. China is hardly the only land power in history to attempt transformation by fostering sea power. Many continental powers have elected or been impelled to transform themselves into significant maritime powers in order to safeguard their strategic position or advance their interests. We examine cases of attempted transformation from the Persian Empire to the Soviet Union, and determine the reasons for their success or failure. Too many works on China view the nation in isolation. Of course, China’s history and culture are to some extent exceptional, but building intellectual fences actually hinders the effort to understand China’s current development trajectory. Without underestimating the enduring pull of China’s past as it relates to threats to the country’s internal stability and its landward borders, this comparative study provides reason to believe that China has turned the corner on a genuine maritime transformation. If that proves indeed to be the case, it would be a remarkable if not singular event in the history of the last two millennia.
Providing a tool for collectors and dealers, this is a price-guide to ceramics. Based on a survey of British antique ceramics prices at dealers and auction-houses nationwide in the preceding 18 months, the book covers every major type of ceramic, backed by an expert in each particular field. The prices given include information and guidance on quality and relative values with specially photographed examples, and a special concentration on 20th-century wares.
With this third big volume dedicated to collectibles and memorabilia, Lyle lists more than 3,000 items in nearly 200 categories, each accompanied by a photo, a brief description and current market value. A comprehensive index provides quick access to any article listed.
From the editor and founder of the authoritative Lyle Official Antiques Review comes a new collectibles and antiques guide devoted exclusively to Americana. Featuring everything from baseball cards to furniture, Elvis memorabilia to quilts, and comics to toys, the more than 3,000 entries are each accompanied by a photograph, current market value, and distinguishing features.
