Among the many treasures of the al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait, are hundreds of chess and other games pieces dating from the 7th to the 19th centuries ce. Intricately crafted in a rich variety of materials, including ivory, wood, ceramic, glass, jade and agate, these tiny objects are of enormous historical and artistic significance. They not only mark the evolution of familiar games into their modern forms, but also evoke the imperial palaces, military camps and herders' tents in which they were played over many centuries, from the Sasanian period through the Islamic era in Central Asia, Iran, present-day Iraq and northern India. The chess pieces include both early figural sets and the more abstract forms that later became popular throughout the Islamic world. Dice, pachesi sets and a medieval Arabic treatise on chess complete the collection.

Add a bit of "as you wish" to your home with an officially licensed, deluxe poster set featuring the iconic characters and quotable lines of The Princess Bride. This officially licensed, deluxe poster book features 12 unique 8 X 10" removable art prints celebrating the beloved film. Fans will find images of treasured characters paired with their favorite lines, including: * Inigo Montoya and "You keep using that word." * Westley and "As you wish." * Vizzini and "Inconceivable!" * And more! Ready for framing or washi-taping to your walls, these posters offer fans of the cult-classic the perfect way to show off their love of Princess Buttercup, the Dread Pirate Roberts, and the kingdom of Florin.

These maps are invaluable for historians and genealogists. More than 2,100 titles have been issued in this major series of reprints of Old Ordnance Survey Maps of towns throughout Britain and Ireland. Most of the maps are highly detailed, taken from the 1/2500 plans and reprinted at about 14 inches to the mile. They cover towns in great detail, showing individual houses, railway tracks, factories, churches, mills, canals, tramways and even minutiae such as dockside cranes, fountains, signal posts, pathways, sheds, wells, etc.. Each map includes historical notes on the area concerned.

'The very best book on the subject ever published' Bernard Ewell, Personal Property Journal (the trade publication of the American Society of Appraisers) The art world can appear impenetrable to the beginner. This classic book, in print since 1990, is an invaluable primer that will help anyone to penetrate the thickets of inscrutable 'insider info' and esoteric jargon. Updated for today's art market, including online buying, The Art of Buying Art is without a doubt the most accessible book on how to research, evaluate, price and buy artworks - for anyone who wants to buy art. No previous knowledgeof art or the art business is necessary. Topics include: * how to research and evaluate art prices like the professionals * how to build a quality collection * how to spot fakes and forgeries * how to buy art at auctions and directly from artists * how to negotiate prices * how to tell the difference between an original and a reproduction Bamberger provides the information needed to transform anyone into an informed art consumer, to protect collectors from bad buys and to help them locate the best art at the correct prices.

As downhill skiing became popular in 20th-century Europe, resorts in the Austrian, German, French, and Swiss Alps commissioned paintings of their ski runs to turn into maps. The best of these paintings are now featured in this book showing the artists' ability to combine technical virtuosity, geographic information, and creative flair. The undoubted master of panoramic map painting is H. C. Berann, and many examples of his works are shown in this beautiful volume, along with a select handful of artists from throughout Europe. Detailing scenes of the Alpine range from Slovenia to France, each of these images was created by hand from aerial photography, mostly shot by the artists on helicopter rides through the mountains. The paintings themselves cleverly combine multiple perspectives so that all trails, terrain, and mountain features are visible. In these exquisite reproductions, the paintings have been stripped of all references to the ski trails, allowing viewers to focus entirely on the beauty of the colours, composition, and detail. A joy to study and savour, these dramatic and vivid paintings recall a time when the human hand was the best means of translating the Alps' towering beauty to the general public.