LANCASTER, Pa. – The premier reference book for antique, vintage and modern dolls – Jan Foulke’s Guide to Dolls – will soon be back in print with the announcement that Synapse Publishing LLC of Lancaster, Pa., is taking over publication of the title.
Authored by internationally known doll authority Jan Foulke, the illustrated price guide’s debut edition was published by Bangzoom in 2006. After the publisher went out of business, the title lay dormant for four years. Now Synapse has stepped in to revive the book, whose second edition may hit bookshelves in time for the holiday season in December. The publisher anticipates a first run of 20,000 copies and a retail price around the $25 mark.
“The name ‘Jan Foulke’ is synonymous with accurate doll information,” said Robert A. Deraco, president of Synapse Publishing. “Previously, Jan authored 16 editions of the Blue Book of Dolls & Values. She is the most quoted source in her area of expertise, and we felt it was a great loss to the doll hobby not having her knowledge out there for collectors, auctioneers and appraisers to access. Since the publication of Jan’s first edition of the Guide to Dolls, there has been a huge interest from collectors who have been asking for it. There was a definite void in the marketplace without this price guide.”
The softcover second edition of Jan Foulke’s Guide to Dolls will include professionally designed layouts with approximately 500 top-quality, full-color photographs of dolls from five of the country’s most outstanding collections. “One of the collections includes around 100 dolls, some having an individual value of more than $100,000,” said Deraco. “The owner has bought only the best of the best for a number of years, and we were honored to be invited to shoot the collection.” Additional images have been sourced from the archive of Dan Morphy Auctions, which has presented several prestigious doll collections in its past sales.
Foulke’s book is expected to be around 300 pages in length – roughly one-third larger than the first edition printed in 2006 – and will include a limited number of advertising positions. It will be available to purchase through amazon.com or by direct order from the publisher. A reduced price will be available for wholesale orders of 12 copies or more.
A feature that Deraco believes will be embraced by those who travel or conduct business via the Internet is the “one-day pass,” which will enable users to view the price guide online for any 24-hour period after paying a nominal fee. “We are in the process of building a Web site at www.jansdollbook.com where anyone can pre-order the book and, later, access content from a virtual version of the book through a searchable, constantly updated database,” said Deraco.
Author Jan Foulke, who has embraced the project with great enthusiasm, remarked, “I am extremely happy that this book is being given new life. Now I’ll be able to grant the requests of the many doll collectors who’ve told me they’re eager for a new edition to come out. The book will encompass all types of antique, vintage and modern dolls, and will cover a range of price points, not just the very high end.”
For additional information about Jan Foulke’s Guide to Dolls, e-mail Robert Deraco at rderaco@synapseresults.com or call 717-735-8311.
About Jan Foulke:
Jan Foulke began her odyssey in the doll world in 1972 when she and her husband, Howard, opened a small antique shop. With Howard by her side to handle the photography, Jan went on to write several important doll books in addition to the aforementioned “Blue Book,” which was published for 15 consecutive years. Jan has been a regular contributor to Doll Reader magazine for 33 years and currently writes the popular Antique Q&A column. The Foulkes serve as expert doll consultants to Dan Morphy Auctions, for whom they handle doll consignments and provide catalog descriptions. Additionally, the couple represents the auction house at doll shows around the United States.
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