22 JULY 1955, Page 26

COLLECTORS' ITEMS FROM THE SATURDAY BOOK. By Olive Cook and

Edwin Smith. (Hutchinson, 21s.)

Tuts is, I suppose, the sort of book that will infuriate connoisseurs; for this reason—they will find pictures of the precious objects which they collect (whether these be furniture, glass, cameos, Staffordshire pottery or paintings) wantonly set beside match-box covers, toys, playing cards, wool pictures,. cigarette holders. Myself, I think it is a delightful book. I am the sort of person who would like to collect things but have neither the money nor the energy to do so. In this book, all the collecting has been done for me. Miss Olive Cook and Mr. Edwin Smith have designed a really delectable scrap- book. Every page of pictures is arranged with The prices of Tenzing's autobiography, Man of Everest, and Basil Henriques's The Home- Menders, mentioned in Messrs. Harrap's advertisement last week, are 18s. and 10s, 6d. respectively. extreme care to provide fascinating contrasts of colour and subject-matter. There are brief notes to tell us the necessary facts about the objects but (and what a relief this is) nothing that pretends to be art criticism. The only fault I can find with the book is that it so often makes one long to feel the texture of those pebbles, to drink out of those wine-glasses, to handle those paper-weights. So perhaps, after all, it is an inducement to collect things for