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Those of you who know Tony Allen and already have benefited from the knowledge he contributes to the forum need no introduction. He has heretofore authored four well-received books for collectors of Chinese ceramics and bronzes. He has aptly been called the most popular author of books on Chinese antiques during the late 20th century.

Now, in my estimation, Tony has taken on the Devil himself by penning his fifth and most ambitious book, "Allen's Antique Chinese Porcelain - The Detection of Fakes". I can't imagine anyone else with either the store of personal experience or a pool of firsthand sources in the Mainland China porcelain-making community to pull off such a project successfully. But Tony does it with great aplomb, taking time to draw on and further develop some worthy themes from his earlier works, while sharing additional unpublished knowledge and instructive examples, all copiously illustrated in color.

I had the pleasure and productive experience of responding to Tony's solicitation of volunteers to help with some technical aspects of the book, such as proofreading and Chinese language. So if you find faulty translations or typos, just blame 'em on me.

Meanwhile, first copies are rolling off the presses. The book is available via Amazon and other major international distributors, such as Paragon in Chicago. Prices will vary by shipping costs, as usual. ISBN numbers are:

ISBN 10: 1511895063
ISBN 13: 978-1511895064

Good luck Tony, and best regards to all,

Bill H.

Thanks Bill,
I only found your post this morning, but it explains the numbers of orders I have received since the book was released two weeks ago.

In addition to Paragon in Chicago, and Amazon, the book is also available through eBay, and you can always communicate direct with me by email at allensantiques@clear.net.nz

Thank you all for your support.

Tony

Dear Bill and Mr Allen

I have just started reading this book with great interest, since I earlier feared that it would never see the light of day! Well done.

Am I right in saying that this book will only be published in paperback? I only regret the lack of the wonderful detail in the photos in the earlier hardbacks in the series.

Rgds
JLim

As I understand it, printing the book in paperback was the only way to produce an affordable product for most collectors, due to the high cost of producing a hard-cover edition. Maybe one day it'll be possible to create a digital edition with high quality photos that can't be copied.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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