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Books > Arts & Architecture > Antiques & collectables > General
From the Antique Pocket Guides series - a useful series for the
collector of small antiques. Collecting small antiques can be of
absorbing interest, partly because of items are easy to display and
partly because they can be found in a great variety of places,
including antique shops, public auctions, bric-a-brac stalls,
jumble sales and flea-markets. Each title in this new series is
written by an expert in his or her chosen subject. There is a
wealth of practical advice to help the novice over any initial
hurdles, guidance on prices and over 100 illustrations to help with
identification. Each book could lead the way to a remarkably
satisfying hobby. Tobacco was unknown in the Old World until the
discovery of America, where the various species of the plant seemed
to thrive in several regions of both North and South America. The
American Indian custom of smoking the dried leaves in pipes quickly
reached Europe, and the first pipes were essentially functional and
closely resembled one of the types commonly found in America.
Before long, ornamentation began to be applied and this increased
over the centuries, reaching a peak during the 19th century.
Whether a pipe is a cheaply moulded clay or an artistically carved
meerschaum, its chief interest from the collector's point of view
lies in the social or historical background responsible for its
creation, rather than in its monetary value, and it is the former
aspect that the author emphasises.
The Lewis Chessmen were found on the Isle of Lewis in mysterious
circumstances. Consisting of elaborately worked walrus ivory and
whales' teeth in the form of seated kings and queens, bishops,
knights, warders and pawns, this curious chess set is strongly
influenced by Norse culture. Of the 93 pieces known to us today, 11
pieces are in Edinburgh at the National Museum of Scotland, and 82
are in the British Museum, where they have delighted gen erations
of visitors with their wonderfully expressive details. In this
engaging story, Irving Finkel follows the many adventures of the
chessmen after they came to light on a Scottish beach in the
nineteenth century. It ends with the big surprise that befell them
in September 1993, when they were all temporarily reunited for the
first time since their separation, at a Sp ecial Exhibition of
Chessmen at the British Museum.
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The Red Thread
(Paperback)
Bob Forrester, Mauro Almaviva
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R535
R436
Discovery Miles 4 360
Save R99 (19%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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