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Illegal Tender: Gold, Greed, and the Mystery of the Lost 1933 Double Eagle
By David Tripp. 2004
It's the most valuable ounce of gold in the world, the celebrated, the fabled, the infamous 1933 double eagle, illegal…
to own and coveted all the more, sought with passion by men of wealth and with steely persistence by the United States government for more than a half century—it shouldn't even exist but it does, and its astonishing, true adventures read like "a composite of The Lord of the Rings and The Maltese Falcon" (The New York Times). In 1905, at the height of the exuberant Gilded Age, President Theodore Roosevelt commissioned America's greatest sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens—as he battled in vain for his life—to create what became America's most beautiful coin. In 1933 the hopes of America dimmed in the darkness of the Great Depression, and gold—the nation's lifeblood—hemorrhaged from the financial system. As the economy teetered on the brink of total collapse, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his first act as president, assumed wartime powers while the nation was at peace and in a "swift, staccato action" unprecedented in United States history recalled all gold and banned its private ownership. But the United States Mint continued, quite legally, to strike nearly a half million 1933 double eagles that were never issued and were deemed illegal to own. In 1937, along with countless millions of other gold coins, they were melted down into faceless gold bars and sent to Fort Knox. The government thought they had destroyed them all—but they were wrong. A few escaped, purloined in a crime—an inside job—that wasn't discovered until 1944. Then, the fugitive 1933 double eagles became the focus of a relentless Secret Service investigation spearheaded by the man who had put away Al Capone. All the coins that could be found were seized and destroyed. But one was beyond their reach, in a king's collection in Egypt, where it survived a world war, a revolution, and a coup, only to be lost again. In 1996, more than forty years later, in a dramatic sting operation set up by a Secret Service informant at the Waldorf-Astoria, an English and an American coin dealer were arrested with a 1933 double eagle which, after years of litigation, was sold in July 2002 to an anonymous buyer for more than $7.5 million in a record-shattering auction. But was it the only one? The lost one? Illegal Tender, revealing information available for the first time, tells a riveting tale of American history, liberally spiced with greed, intrigue, deception, and controversy as it follows the once secret odyssey of this fabulous golden object through the decades. With its cast of kings, presidents, government agents, shadowy dealers, and crooks, Illegal Tender will keep readers guessing about this incomparable disk of gold—the coin that shouldn't be and almost wasn't—until the very end.The Story of the Burberry Trench
By Caroline Young. 2024
The epitome of British heritage fashion, the Burberry trench coat is a beloved wardrobe classic. Practical yet versatile; it is…
sleek and sexy but also a preppy favourite. Since the launch of the coat in 1912, Burberry has unveiled a selection of styles that has reached iconic stature – and here you will discover their original designs, seasonal adaptations and limited editions.The book also takes a behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, the preloved market and how to authenticate a Burberry. So, whether you are considering buying retail or secondhand, dressing for weather or fashion, this is your ultimate guide to the world's most famous coat.The Story of Louis Vuitton Luggage
By Laia Farran Graves. 2024
With a dedication to luxury and practicality, Louis Vuitton designed his unique lightweight, airtight luggage in 1854 and ensured that…
jetsetters all over the globe could travel in comfort and style. It was a creation that founded a fashion house and became a standard-bearer for all travel pieces of the future.Exploring the history from traditional box-making to the revolution of the stackable trunk to modern-day artistic collaborations, the book captures the story and craftmanship behind this status symbol and how the luggage continues to define the spirit of travel. From the unmistakable Monogram canvas to the unpickable lock, the steamer trunk to the Speedy, every detail and feature is unveiled.The Story of Louis Vuitton Luggage
By Laia Farran Graves. 2024
With a dedication to luxury and practicality, Louis Vuitton designed his unique lightweight, airtight luggage in 1854 and ensured that…
jetsetters all over the globe could travel in comfort and style. It was a creation that founded a fashion house and became a standard-bearer for all travel pieces of the future.Exploring the history from traditional box-making to the revolution of the stackable trunk to modern-day artistic collaborations, the book captures the story and craftmanship behind this status symbol and how the luggage continues to define the spirit of travel. From the unmistakable Monogram canvas to the unpickable lock, the steamer trunk to the Speedy, every detail and feature is unveiled.The Story of the Burberry Trench
By Caroline Young. 2024
The epitome of British heritage fashion, the Burberry trench coat is a beloved wardrobe classic. Practical yet versatile; it is…
sleek and sexy but also a preppy favourite. Since the launch of the coat in 1912, Burberry has unveiled a selection of styles that has reached iconic stature – and here you will discover their original designs, seasonal adaptations and limited editions.The book also takes a behind-the-scenes look at the craftsmanship, the preloved market and how to authenticate a Burberry. So, whether you are considering buying retail or secondhand, dressing for weather or fashion, this is your ultimate guide to the world's most famous coat.How to Profit from Auctions
By Fiona Shoop. 2009
TV Programs like Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic have increased the publics interest in attending auctions. This invaluable…
guide shows all the tricks of the trade from looking for costly scratches hidden under labels when buying to negotiating for a better rate when selling, as well as how to arrange free collection and getting the best from your local auction house. Whether you want to learn how to bid so youre seen by the auctioneer or want to ensure your commission bid stands a better chance, antiques expert, Fiona Shoops advice could make you thousands. Contains a glossary to decipher common auction terms, as well as a detailed county by county auction directory with over 600 auctions listed.Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls: Naval Wargame Rules for the Age of Sail
By Alan Abbey. 2011
Blood, Bilge and Iron Balls is a set of wargame rules for naval battles in the age of sail. With…
them you can recreate the triumphs of Nelson or Hawke or tackle pirates on the Spanish Main. The rules themselves are very simple and easy to learn. Each player can easily command a single ship or several, the rules working equally well for a single frigate chasing down a privateer, or a large-scale fleet action with multiple players on each side. The basic rules have been written with the emphasis on providing a fast-playing and fun game, but optional rules are included which will add a greater level of historical realism and detail. A unique card-driven turn sequence prevents the game becoming too predictable. Also included are a selection of scenarios for re-fighting specific historical battles and simple campaign rules. Although intended for use with model ships, the rule book includes sheets of ship counters which can be used to get started. Just add dice, tape measure and pencil and you're ready to play.Conquering the Impossible: My 12,000-Mile Journey Around the Arctic Circle
By Mike Horn. 2005
In August 2002, Mike Horn set out on a mission that bordered on the impossible: to travel 12,000 miles around…
the globe at the Arctic Circle - alone, against all prevailing winds and currents, and without motorized transportation.Conquering the Impossible is the gripping account of Horn's grueling 27-month expedition by sail and by foot through extreme Arctic conditions that nearly cost him his life on numerous occasions. Enduring temperatures that ranged to as low as -95 degrees Fahrenheit, Horn battled hazards including shifting and unstable ice that gave way and plunged him into frigid waters, encounters with polar bears so close that he felt their breath on his face, severe frostbite in his fingers, and a fire that destroyed all of his equipment and nearly burned him alive.Complementing the sheer adrenaline of Horn's narrative are the isolated but touching human encounters the adventurer has with the hardy individuals who inhabit one of the remotest corners of the earth. From an Inuit who teaches him how to build an igloo to an elderly Russian left behind when the Soviets evacuated his remote Arctic town, Horn finds camaraderie, kindness, and assistance to help him survive the most unforgiving conditions.This awe-inspiring account is a page-turner and an Arctic survival tale in one. Most of all, it's a testament to one man's unrelenting desire to push the boundaries of human endurance.The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater: Essays on Crafting
By Alanna Okun. 2018
The Curse of the Boyfriend Sweater is a memoir about life truths learned through crafting.People who craft know things. They…
know how to transform piles of yarn into sweaters and scarves. They know that some items, like woolen bikini tops, are better left unknit. They know that making a hat for a newborn baby isn’t just about crafting something small but appreciating the beginnings of life, which sometimes helps make peace with the endings. They know that if you knit your boyfriend a sweater, your relationship will most likely be over before the last stitch.Alanna Okun knows that crafting keeps her anxiety at bay. She knows that no one will ever be as good a knitting teacher as her beloved grandmother. And she knows that even when we can’t control anything else, we can at least control the sticks, string, and fabric right in front of us.Okun lays herself bare and takes readers into the parts of themselves they often keep hidden. Yet at the same time she finds humor in the daily indignities all crafters must face (like when you catch the dreaded Second Sock Syndrome and can’t possibly finish the second in a pair). Okun has written a book that will speak to anyone who has said to themselves, or to everyone within earshot, “I made that.”Yukon Alone: The World's Toughest Adventure Race
By John Balzar. 1999
In the tradition of Into the Wild, John Balzar's Yukon Alone is a story of daring and determination in one…
of nature's harshest, loneliest, and most beautiful places.The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race is among the most challenging and dangerous of all the organized sporting events in the world. Every February, a handful of hardy souls sps over two weeks racing sleds pulled by fourteen dogs over 1,023 miles of frozen rivers, icy mountain passes, and spruce forests as big as entire states. It's not unusual for the temperature to drop to 40-below or for the night to be seventeen hours long.Why would anyone want to run this race? To find out, John Balzar moved to Alaska months before The Quest began and he spent time in the homes of many of the mushers. Balzar then spent many days and nights on the trail, and the result is a book that not only treats us to a vivid day-by-day account of the grueling race itself but also offers an insightful look at the men and women who have moved to this rugged and beautiful place, often leaving behind comfortable houses and jobs in the lower forty-eight states for the sense of exhilaration they find in their new lives. Readers will also be fascinated by Balzar's account of what goes into the training and care of the majestic dogs who pull the sleds and whose courage, strength, and devotion make them the true heroes of this story. For anyone captivated by the wild north country, this riveting tale of courage and adventure will inspire and entertain.Tecumseh: A Life
By John Sugden. 1997
If Sitting Bull is the most famous Indian, Tecumseh is the most revered. Although Tecumseh literature exceeds that devoted to…
any other Native American, this is the first reliable biography--thirty years in the making--of the shadowy figure who created a loose confederacy of diverse Indian tribes that exted from the Ohio territory northeast to New York, south into the Florida peninsula, westward to Nebraska, and north into Canada.A warrior as well as a diplomat, the great Shawnee chief was a man of passionate ambitions. Spurred by commitment and served by a formidable battery of personal qualities that made him the principal organizer and the driving force of confederacy, Tecumseh kept the embers of resistence alive against a federal government that talked cooperation but practiced genocide following the Revolutionary War.Tecumseh does not stand for one tribe or nation, but for all Native Americans. Despite his failed attempt at solidarity, he remains the ultimate symbol of eavor and courage, unity and fraternity.'The sweetest, most delicious book . . . Such a gorgeous love story' Marian Keyes'Funny and heartwarming with great characters'…
Reader review 5 stars'Absolutely gorgeous, swoon worthy romance' Reader review 5 stars Second chances never go out of style... Sophy Stevens always thought she would have everything sorted by the time she was thirty. Instead, she is freshly fired, recently dumped and sleeping on her mum's sofa. So when her absent dad offers her a job at his vintage clothes shop in Primrose Hill, it's one she can't refuse. It will only be for a few months until she is back on her feet, after all.But the Vintage Dress Shop is more magical than she could have even imagined, full of preloved fashion from a 1950s wedding dress to the glittering gems sourced by jeweller Charles. In spite of herself, Sophy starts to fall in love with the store and the process of matching the perfect item with every customer.With each new treasure Sophy uncovers, she begins to wonder if, like these vintage clothes, the store is the key to her second chance... and then there's Charles, who might just end up mending her broken heart...Let Annie Darling sweep you off your feet with this heartwarming and romantic novel, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley. Everyone is falling in love with Annie Darling:'Heartwarming and compelling. A wonderful read which was difficult to put down... Great characters and a lovely romantic story which touches the heart' Reader review 5 stars'The most uplifting, sumptuously indulgent, romantic joy of a book... It tugged all my heartstrings and held me captive until the last, perfect page' Cressida McLaughlin'An absolute delight! I also loved the debonair love interest... It was so nice to see someone pick themselves up and rise from the ashes in such beautiful surroundings surrounded by all these amazing clothes, I loved it!' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is the feel good book you must read... With an array of fabulous characters and the perfect ending that made me squeal with delight this warm and charming story will have you enchanted' Nina PottellFlowering: Easygoing Floral Design for Surprising Contemporary Arrangements
By Elizabeth Jaime. 2024
A fresh, contemporary flower-arranging book from the Miami-based studio Calma Floral, with foundational tips, flower recipes, and bountiful photography that…
will teach you how to create irreverent arrangements for any occasion.Heralding a new era in floral design—one that favors a playful, modern aesthetic and a laidback approach—this guide to creating trend-forward flower arrangements invites you to think outside the box. Learn how to arrange unique, eye-catching bouquets by pairing unexpected combinations and incorporating a variety of elements and textures, such as fresh and dried blooms, rhinestones, fruit, and tropical foliage.Foundational tips for "flowering" set you up for success, and twenty step-by-step recipes (paired with step-by-step photos!) make it easy to design joy-filled floral moments—from a whimsical fountain of troll grass to a mossy mounded centerpiece, a Rococo-inspired piece worthy of Versailles, a suspended cloud of fluffy mimosa, and so much more. A must-have for hobbyists and experienced florists looking for something fresh, Flowering is the essential floral book for today.ONE-OF-A-KIND PIECES: With categories that include 360 Arrangements, Bud Vases + Tiny Arrangements, Party Time Flowers, Installations + Home Decor, and more, this book offers a wide range of flower design ideas. You'll find a piece for every occasion, whether you're looking for a bright bouquet of reflexed roses to gift to a friend, a table runner of carnations and candles for a dinner party, or an installation of dried palms to hang in your entryway.ALL-LEVEL DESIGNS: Flowering is perfect for weekend dabblers and professionals alike: Hobbyists and amateur designers will appreciate the informal tone, approachable how-tos, and step-by-step photography, which make creating these striking bouquets and arrangements easy and fun. Experienced florists will be inspired to try something new and different thanks to the book's creative inspirations.ON-TREND AESTHETIC: In a vibrant, colorful package, Flowering makes a fun gift alongside a vase, a candle, or an anthurium plant. Inspired by Calma Floral's youthful brand design, this trend-forward book is a must-have resource for millennials and Gen-Zers who like to have fun with flowers.FLOWER BOOK FOR A MODERN AUDIENCE: With a relaxed approach and chic style, Flowering is a refreshing update to the classic tomes on flower arrangement. Diverging from the tried and true, these 20 arrangements eschew tradition and make a bold statement with sculptural shapes and unique materials. Anyone eager for a new, exciting take on floral design will find it here!Perfect for:Hobbyists and weekend dabblers who want to have fun with flowersFlorists and floral designers looking for new inspiration and a fresh aestheticFans of the modern arrangements designed by Calma Floral, Bloom and Plume, and Under New MgmtShoppers looking for a Mother's Day, birthday, anniversary, or engagement giftThe Heirloomist: 100 Treasures and the Stories They Tell
By Shana Novak. 2024
A warm, inviting celebration of beloved keepsakes and the stories they hold.A set of old apartment keys, a pair of…
worn running shoes, a declaration of love scribbled on a restaurant receipt. Beautiful stories that celebrate the power an object can hold are at the heart of The Heirloomist by photographer Shana Novak, creator of the project of the same name dedicated to documenting keepsakes and transforming them into uniquely meaningful works of art. The 100 objects featured here range from the everyday to the extraordinary. Treasured heirlooms to their owners, ordinary folks and cultural figures alike, they hold remarkable stories such as:Nora McInerny on the fork that began her relationship with her late husband.The sculpture that inspired Christy Turlington to fight for maternal healthcare.The charm bracelet Nate Berkus gifted his daughter in stylish family tradition.Rosanne Cash’s love for her children represented by baby shoes.Andrew Zimmern’s inherited steel carving set that began a storied career in food.Big or small, expensive or humble, we all have meaningful items with powerful messages behind them. Celebratory, sentimental, and bursting with heart, The Heirloomist offers a glimpse into the treasures we hold dear and how they inform the stories of our lives.HEARTWARMING GIFT: The stories attached to these heirlooms range from funny to moving and everything in between. An artful and touching memory book, it makes a sentimental gift for Mother's Day, Father's Day, graduation, housewarming, or any special occasion. Also perfect for anyone looking for unique stories.FOR FANS ART BOOKS LIKE HUMANS OF NEW YORK: The Heirloomist contains dozens of striking portraits of seemingly ordinary objects along with fascinating stories that will resonate with readers long after they've been read. The ultimate coffee table book, it is at once visually engaging and warmly entertaining.BASED ON A BELOVED BRAND: Through her business and popular Instagram account of the same name, photographer Shana Novak turns treasured keepsakes into uniquely meaningful works of art. As @theheirloomist, Shana has become a living receptacle for her clients’ stories, absorbing them as she strives to capture the essence of what makes each keepsake special to its owner in her photographs, and sharing them with her strong audience of devoted followers.Perfect for:Fans of The Heirloomist project and @theheirloomist social media accountsLovers of found objects and the stories behind themPhotography enthusiasts and photography book collectorsAnyone seeking unique Mother's Day or Father's Day giftsReaders of the New Yorker and story collections such as Humans of New York, Advanced Style, and Worn StoriesIn Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road
By Allan Weisbecker. 2001
In 1996, Allan Weisbecker sold his home and his possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set…
off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. In this rollicking memoir of his quest from Mexico to Costa Rica to unravel the circumstances of Patrick's disappearance, Weisbecker intimately describes the people he befriended, the bandits he evaded, the waves he caught and lost en route to finding his friend. In Search of Captain Zero is, according to Outside magazine, "A subtly affecting tale of friendship and duty. [It] deserves a spot on the microbus dashboard as a hell of a cautionary tale about finding paradise and smoking it away."In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer's Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road is a Booksense 76 Top Ten selection for September/October.The Sloop of War, 1650–1763: 1650-1763
By Ian McLaughlan. 2013
&“A delight . . . fulfills a long-felt need to do justice to the smaller ships of war that did…
such sterling service for the sailing Royal Navy.&”—Ships in Scale This is the first study in depth of the Royal Navy&’s vital, but largely ignored small craft. In the age of sail, they were built in huge numbers and in far greater variety than the more regulated major warships, so they present a particular challenge to any historian attempting a coherent design history. However, for the first time this book charts the development of the ancillary types, variously described in the 17th century as sloops, ketches, brigantines, advice boats and even yachts, as they coalesce into the single 18th-century category of Sloop of War. In this era, they were generally two-masted, although they set a bewildering variety of sail plans from them. The author traces their origins to open boats, like those carried by Basque whalers, shows how developments in Europe influenced English craft, and homes in on the relationship between rigs, hull-form and the duties they were designed to undertake. Visual documentation is scanty, but this book draws together a unique collection of rare and unseen images, coupled with the author&’s own reconstructions in line drawings and watercolor sketches to provide the most convincing depictions of the appearance of these vessels. By tackling some of the most obscure questions about the early history of small-boat rigs, the book adds a dimension that will be of interest to historians of coastal sail and practical yachtsmen, as well as warship enthusiasts. &“Fascinating . . . It combines a truly scholarly delivery with a lovely presentation. History brought to life.&”—tomcunliffe.comOtherworldly Antarctica: Ice, Rock, and Wind at the Polar Extreme
By Edmund Stump. 2024
With stunning original photographs, an Antarctic scientist and explorer takes us to one of the most sublime, remote, and pristine…
regions on the planet. The interior of Antarctica is an utterly pristine wilderness, a desolate landscape of ice, wind, and rock; a landscape so unfamiliar as to seem of another world. This place has been known to only a handful of early explorers and the few scientists fortunate enough to have worked there. Edmund Stump is one of the lucky few. Having climbed, photographed, and studied more of the continent-spanning Transantarctic Mountains than any other person on Earth, this geologist, writer, and photographer is uniquely suited to share these alien sights. With stories of Stump’s forty years of journeys and science, Otherworldly Antarctica contains 130 original color photographs, complemented by watercolors and sketches by artist Marlene Hill Donnelly. Over three chapters—on the ice, the rock, and the wind—we meet snowy paths first followed during Antarctica’s Heroic Age, climb the central spire of the Organ Pipe Peaks, peer into the crater of the volcanic Mount Erebus, and traverse Liv Glacier on snowmobile, while avoiding fatal falls into the blue interiors of hidden crevasses. Along the way, we see the beauty of granite, marble, and ice-cored moraines, meltwater ponds, lenticular clouds, icebergs, and glaciers. Many of Stump’s breathtaking images are aerial shots taken from the planes and helicopters that brought him to the interior. More were shot from vantages gained by climbing the mountains he studied. Some were taken from the summits of peaks. Many are of places no one had set foot before—or has since. All seem both permanent and precarious, connecting this otherworld to our fragile own.'The sweetest, most delicious book . . . Such a gorgeous love story' Marian Keyes'Funny and heartwarming with great characters'…
Reader review 5 stars'Absolutely gorgeous, swoon worthy romance' Reader review 5 stars Second chances never go out of style... Sophy Stevens always thought she would have everything sorted by the time she was thirty. Instead, she is freshly fired, recently dumped and sleeping on her mum's sofa. So when her absent dad offers her a job at his vintage clothes shop in Primrose Hill, it's one she can't refuse. It will only be for a few months until she is back on her feet, after all.But the Vintage Dress Shop is more magical than she could have even imagined, full of preloved fashion from a 1950s wedding dress to the glittering gems sourced by jeweller Charles. In spite of herself, Sophy starts to fall in love with the store and the process of matching the perfect item with every customer.With each new treasure Sophy uncovers, she begins to wonder if, like these vintage clothes, the store is the key to her second chance... and then there's Charles, who might just end up mending her broken heart...Let Annie Darling sweep you off your feet with this heartwarming and romantic novel, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Phillipa Ashley. Everyone is falling in love with Annie Darling:'Heartwarming and compelling. A wonderful read which was difficult to put down... Great characters and a lovely romantic story which touches the heart' Reader review 5 stars'The most uplifting, sumptuously indulgent, romantic joy of a book... It tugged all my heartstrings and held me captive until the last, perfect page' Cressida McLaughlin'An absolute delight! I also loved the debonair love interest... It was so nice to see someone pick themselves up and rise from the ashes in such beautiful surroundings surrounded by all these amazing clothes, I loved it!' Reader Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 'This is the feel good book you must read... With an array of fabulous characters and the perfect ending that made me squeal with delight this warm and charming story will have you enchanted' Nina PottellThe Falcon Thief: A True Tale of Adventure, Treachery, and the Hunt for the Perfect Bird
By Joshua Hammer. 2020
A rollicking true-crime adventure about a rogue who trades in rare birds and their eggs—and the wildlife detective determined to…
stop him.On May 3, 2010, an Irish national named Jeffrey Lendrum was apprehended at Britain&’s Birmingham International Airport with a suspicious parcel strapped to his stomach. Inside were fourteen rare peregrine falcon eggs snatched from a remote cliffside in Wales. So begins a tale almost too bizarre to believe, following the parallel lives of a globe-trotting smuggler who spent two decades capturing endangered raptors worth millions of dollars as race champions—and Detective Andy McWilliam of the United Kingdom&’s National Wildlife Crime Unit, who&’s hell bent on protecting the world&’s birds of prey. The Falcon Thief whisks readers from the volcanoes of Patagonia to Zimbabwe&’s Matobo National Park, and from the frigid tundra near the Arctic Circle to luxurious aviaries in the deserts of Dubai, all in pursuit of a man who is reckless, arrogant, and gripped by a destructive compulsion to make the most beautiful creatures in nature his own. It&’s a story that&’s part true-crime narrative, part epic adventure—and wholly unputdownable until the very last page.Tailoring: The Classic Guide to Sewing the Perfect Jacket
By Editors of Creative Publishing international. 2011
Written by sewing professionals, this book teaches the trusted, proven methods for sewing tailored jackets with impeccable details and perfect…
fit. Written for the intermediate sewer who wants to move on to more challenging projects, this book ensures success with detailed, step-by-step instructions, more than 400 photos, in-depth discussions about products and how to use them.