A review from Robert Burney
I sincerely hope the reviews you receive for your work are all positive ones. Congratulations to you and Donald Bull for your impeccable accomplishment.
As an author and small-time publisher (currently working as a Technical Writer), I understand and immensely associate with the enormous amount of work and expense dedicated to this 'love of labor'. Those unselfish ambitions ... to share your knowledge and appreciation for Anri's outstanding craftsmanship is understood more than you might imagine. For a book like yours to become a reality, there is much sacrifice. Thank you for achieving your adventure.
My introduction to bottle stoppers began as a fluke, from a dealer at an antique show in Kansas City nearly two years ago. I studied your "on-line help files," was 'bitten' by the Italian bug, burned once or twice by e-Bay auctions and have still survived with a small, but nice collection of older bottle stoppers and bar sets. Traditionally, I was raised with the appreciation for Royal Doulton, "Toby and Character Jugs/Mugs" and Wedgwood. The Doulton I still collect on a small, yet methodical scale.
The education I received from your electronic resources and the promise of your book to close the gap for many questions have been greatly satisfied. There are still some questions, but they can wait for now. Without the support of your love for each of these characters that make me smile, I am afraid the desire to continue collecting them would, like so many other curiosities, have become lost in a haze of confusion and ignorance.
Perhaps, some day ... I will have the pleasure of meeting you and Donald to learn more ... but not just for the sake of Anri devotees ... for the caliber of individuals you most certainly are. If that day arrives, I believe a very good bottle of wine will be in order - - a reward you most certainly deserve (all new authors must be presented with at least one).
So, enjoy this moment. You both deserve to relish in your accomplishment!
God bless,
Robert Thomson Burney, Missouri
©2001 Philly Rains and Donald Bull