Despite some field research our knowledge of the sacred among the Mumuye is still embryonic. In all these acephalic groups of a binary and antinomic nature, the complex va constitutes an extremely varied semantic field in which certain aspects are accentuated depending on the circumstances. Religious power is linked to the strength contained in sacred objects, of which only the elders are the guardians. Moreover, this gerontocracy relies on a system of initiatory stages which one must pass to have access to the status of ‘religious leader’. Geographically isolated, the Mumuye were able to resist the attacks of the Muslim invaders, the British colonial authority and the activities of the different Christian missions for a long time. As a result the Mumuye practised woodcarving until the beginning of our century. In 1970 Philip Fry published his essay on the statuary of the Mumuye of which the analysis of the endogenous network has so far lost nothing of its value. Basing himself on in situ observations, Jan Strybol attempted to analyze the exogenous network of this woodcarving. Thus he was able to document about forty figures and some masks and additionally to identify more than twenty-five Mumuye artists as well as a specific type of sculpture as being confined to the Mumuye Kpugbong group. During and after the Biafran war, hundreds of Mumuye sculptures were collected. Based on information gathered between 1970 and 1993 the author has demonstrated that a certain number of these works are not Mumuye but must be attributed to relic groups scattered in Mumuye territory.

Sculptor Martin Kargruber (b. 1965), from South Tyrol, Italy, forms each of his distinctive sculptural objects from a single piece of solid wood. He consciously uses the wood’s natural properties and organic materiality in his architectural and landscape motifs, employing traditional techniques and interpreting them anew in extraordinary ways. He transforms the rigidity of the material into a seemingly gentle movement, incorporating the workmanship itself into an explicit part of the design. His representative motifs are characterized — above and beyond the formal concept — by intensive exploration into the reality of the living world and a high level of poetic abstraction.

Text in English, German and Italian.

“If celebrity watch spotting is your thing, and believe me, this is a growing tribe, then, Watch Spotting: The Collectors by ACC Art Books (left) is watch voyeurs dream come true.” — The Jewellery Editor

“Riche digs into the compelling nature of watch collecting, even for the very famous.” — Watchonista

“… If you share a passion for timepieces with Brad Pitt, Marlon Brando, Jay-Z, or even Princess Diana and many others, then these pages are for you! ” —Tribune des Arts

“With stunning visuals and sharp commentary, this tome is essential reading for anyone fascinated by horology and its ability to make a statement.” — Boss Hunting

The intricate mechanics, precision and artistry behind high-end watches have long been appreciated by collectors, but in more recent times watches have become cultural icons. Symbolizing luxury, wealth and success, timepieces now play a key role in pop culture with celebrities like Pharrell Williams and Rihanna elevating watches through endorsements, and rappers like Jay-Z and Drake flaunting high-end watches such as Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet and Rolex in their lyrics and public appearances, turning them into status symbols.

Through the collections of 30 celebrities, chosen by Toronto-based watch writer Rhonda Riche, Watch Spotting: The Collectors sets out to illustrate what makes watch collecting so compelling and why timepieces have come to symbolize more than just timekeeping. With its marriage to pop culture, watch collecting has brought timepieces into mainstream consciousness in a fresh and bold way, making these wearable works of art more popular than ever.

Dallas & the New Tradition explores Dallas’s unique architectural history and celebrates Larry E. Boerder’s vision of restoring the city’s great revival past in a manner fit for the twenty-first century.
Larry E. Boerder Architects specializes in designing and building homes in the prestigious suburbs of Highland Park, University Park, and Preston Hollow, nestled in Dallas. With a modern revivalist approach, their work honors the architectural traditions established in these communities in the early twentieth century.
Delve into the origins of some of America’s most beautiful and idyllic suburbs and how this setting inspired Boerder to create homes that are elegant, refined, and above all, harmonious to their surroundings. Come behind the scenes to tour some of his greatest properties located in Texas and farther afield, which stand as an enduring testament to the talent of Boerder and his team, as well as their dedication to preserving and taking forward the New Tradition.

“Russell Ord’s photographic odyssey through Australia’s coastal landscape explores this unique culture by portraying the people whose lives pulsate in time with the rhythmic swells of the ocean.” — HOOM

“Life Around the Sea is more than a book—it’s a tribute, a meditation, and a love letter to the ocean and the people who live in harmony with its eternal rhythm.” — Ninu Ninu

“… Their personal stories, told by surf writer Alex Workman and captured by Russell Ord’s evocative and breathtaking photography, are a testament to the boundless beauty, mystery and inspiration of the ocean.” —The Guardian

Life Around the Sea is an odyssey of Australia and a deep dive into some of the remarkable individuals who have been transformed by the sea’s enduring embrace; those whose hearts beat in unison with the rhythmic swells of the sea. In this beautiful publication, you’ll encounter people from all walks of life, from fearless big wave riders, and surfers who first felt the tender caress of a wave in their childhood, to artists drawn to the coastline to bring its ancient beauty to life, and shapers who expertly craft boards for wave seekers around the globe.

Be transported to Australian coastal villages, hinterland hideaways, remote beaches, and solitary shaping bays that form the backdrop to the unique lives of these people. Their personal stories, told by surf writer Alex Workman and captured by Russell Ord’s evocative and breathtaking photography, are a testament to the boundless beauty, mystery, and inspiration that the ocean bestows upon us all.

Whether buying gem-set jewelry or loose stones, you will be faced with a colorful array of beauty and value. With such a wide choice – from amethyst to zircon – which should you choose? What is it worth, and how do you even know it is real? All that glitters is not gold, as they say, and all that sparkles is not diamond. Gemstones helps to answer these questions in simple and easy to understand terms. As well as diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires, over 100 gems are featured, with full descriptions, technical details, and tips on how to check for fakes.

The book is illustrated throughout with fabulous color photographs to make identification easier. Technical terms such as refraction and fluorescence are explained and some basic identification tests are introduced. A helpful tour around the world details where gems are best available. Informative appendices include a glossary of terms, tables of specific gravity and refractive index, and the comparative value of different stones.

The clear, uncomplicated presentation makes this book a must for anyone interested in gemstones, whether as an investment or simply as a hobby.

“This exhaustive study will be an invaluable tool in identifying not only where a piece was made and when, but in understanding the processes of its manufacture” The Regional Furniture Society
“Cataloguers now have an impressive volume of new information to draw on when describing anything from a simple tea tray to those suites of papier mâché furniture which remain as impressive today as when they dazzled visitors at the great international exhibitions of the 19th century” Antiques Trade Gazette
As one of the few decorative arts about which little has been written, japanning is today fraught with misunderstandings. And yet, in its heyday, the japanning industry attracted important commissions from prestigious designers such as Robert Adam, and orders from fashionable society across Europe and beyond. This book is a long overdue history of the industry which centered on three towns in the English midlands: Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Bilston. It is as much about the workers, their skills, and the factories and workshops in which they labored, as it is about the goods they made. It tells of matters of taste and criticism, and of how an industry which continued to rely so heavily upon hand labor in the machine age reached its natural end in the 1880s with a few factories lingering into the late 1930s. Richly illustrated, it includes photographs of mostly marked, or well-documented, examples of japanned tin and papier mâché against which readers may compare – and perhaps identify – unmarked specimens. Japanned Papier Mâché and Tinware draws predominantly upon contemporary sources: printed, manuscript and typescript documents, and, for the period leading up to the closure of the last factories in the 1930s, the author was able to draw on verbal accounts of eyewitnesses. With a chapter on japanners in London, other European centers, and in the United States, together with a directory of japan artists and decorators, this closely researched and comprehensive book is the reference work for collectors, dealers and enthusiasts alike. Contents: From Imitation to Innovation; Enter the Dragon!; The Lion of the District; Japanning & Decorating; Not a Bed of Roses!; Clever Accidents?; Decline of the Midlands Japanning Industry; The Birmingham Japanners; The Wolverhampton Japanners; The Bilston Japanners; Japanners in London and Oxford; Products; Other Western Japanning Centres; Appendices.

Lewis Foreman Day (1845-1910) is one of the most neglected figures in late nineteenth-century design. In exploring Day’s dual career as an industrial designer of extraordinary range and versatility as well as a major writer and critic, this well-illustrated book restores his place among the influential figures of his time. Day’s relationships with colleagues William Morris, Walter Crane, W.A. S. Benson and others placed him in the vortex of development of design in Britain. Joan Maria Hansen, design historian, examines Day’s work as a prolific industrial designer whose mastery of pattern, color, ornament and superb draftsmanship resulted in tiles and art pottery, clocks and furniture, wallpapers, textiles, stained glass, and interiors of remarkable diversity and beauty. Day embraced modern technology. His views on the role of the designer for industry, along with his unshakable belief that a marriage of design and industrial processes was essential to produce beautiful furnishings for the majority of people, reveal him to be startlingly modern in his attitudes and practice in the changing world of industrial production. Today collectors prize Lewis F. Day’s clocks, furniture, tiles and art pottery, and books – which he both wrote and designed – along with reproductions of his patterns for wallpapers and textiles which are enjoyed by enthusiasts. Day’s textbooks on design continue to influence designers, and his magazine journalism provides insightful and balanced commentary on developments in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century design. This book – the very first full treatment of this major figure – is the definitive reference on Day’s life and work and is an invaluable reference for collectors and dealers, decorative arts professionals, designers, business historians and enthusiasts of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century design.

Terry O’Neill (1938-2019) was one of the world’s most celebrated and collected photographers, with work displayed and exhibited at first-class museums and fine-art galleries worldwide. His iconic images of Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Brigitte Bardot, Faye Dunaway, and David Bowie – to name but a few – are instantly recognizable across the globe.

Now, for the first time, O’Neill selects a range of images from his extensive archive of “vintage prints”, which will surprise and delight collectors and photography lovers alike. Long before the age of digital, photographers would send physical prints to the papers and magazines. These prints were passed around, handled by many, stamped on the back, and often times captioned. After use, the prints were either filed away, thrown out or – for the lucky few – sent back to the photographer or their photo agencies.

At the dawn of the 1960s, when O’Neill’s career began, physical prints were the norm. Terry kept as many as he could that were sent back to him. “I just kept everything,” he says. “I don’t know why. Back then, there wasn’t really a reason to keep them. Photos were used straight away and then I just moved on to the next assignment. No one was thinking these would be worth anything down the line, let alone fifty years later.”

This book collects hundreds of these rare images, a true must for Terry’s fans and photography collectors.

The Norwegian painter Bjørn Ransve (b. 1944) is one of the best-known contemporary Scandinavian artists. Very few painters indeed express themselves so brilliantly in two dimensions, thematically, technically and formally. The third volume of the catalogue raisonné is devoted to Ransve s graphic oeuvre: in over 1,300 illustrations it documents prints and multiples, created from the 1960s to 2013. This book is not only an indispensable standard reference for all scholars, art dealers and collectors, it also provides insights in the complex interrelations between prints, paintings and drawings in Ransve s artistic work. The accompanying text by Lars Eisenlöffel investigates the changing and recurrent groups of motifs and places the works in their art historical context.

Since each page of the book has been designed individually in close collaboration between Ransve and the graphic artist and book designer Silke Nalbach, Bjørn Ransve s development as an artist can be traced in a way that is particularly illuminating.

Text in Norwegian.

The Norwegian painter Bjørn Ransve (b. 1944) is one of the best-known contemporary Scandinavian artists. Very few painters indeed express themselves so brilliantly in two dimensions, thematically, technically and formally.

The third volume of the catalogue raisonné is devoted to Ransve’s graphic oeuvre: in over 1,300 illustrations it documents prints and multiples, created from the 1960s to 2013. This book is not only an indispensable standard reference for all scholars, art dealers and collectors, it also provides insights in the complex interrelations between prints, paintings and drawings in Ransve’s artistic work. The accompanying text by Lars Eisenlöffel investigates the changing and recurrent groups of motifs and places the works in their art historical context. Since each page of the book has been designed individually in close collaboration between Ransve and the graphic artist and book designer Silke Nalbach, Bjørn Ransve’s development as an artist can be traced in a way that is particularly illuminating.

In 1932 Antonio Seguso and his sons Archimede and Ernesto joined forces with Napoleone Barovier and Luigi ‘Olimpio’ Ferro to found Vetretia Artistica Barovier & C.; the name of the firm was changed to Seguso Vetri D’Arte in 1937. The turbulent era of the company’s history – marred by some severe economic downturns – ended in 1973 when it was taken over by Maurizio Albarelli. On entering the firm in 1945, Flavio Poli turned the programme around to make it fresh and contemporary. Thus Seguso Vetri D’Arte became the leading glass factory on Murano. Flavio Poli’s designs chimed perfectly with the 1950s and ’60s zeitgeist. We are indebted indeed to Marc Heiremans for devoting years of hard work at various Murano sites to tracking down almost all the Seguso archive material: an incredible treasure trove which he has been evaluating, working up and subjecting to meticulous scholarly treatment. The fruits of his labors are presented in this book, which is essentially a catalogue of works.

The nightclub is a place to let off steam, to relax after a hard day’s work. This compilation of projects illustrates the very best of contemporary club design. Accompanied by stunning color photography The Charming Night outlines the fantastic attention to detail employed by the designers. A marvellous visual design feast.

The trend for loft residences began among a few select groups, namely artists, artisans and designers. A discarded factory or warehouse is converted into a tall and spacious living area, often highly personalised in design. Over the years, loft residences have developed their own unique style.

This book is divided into two parts: ‘Hard Loft’ – converted factories or warehouses – and ‘Soft Loft’ – new residence space designed in the loft style. In addition, several popular contemporary design styles are featured, such as industrial, Scandinavian, modern and minimalist. Combining different styles within a loft setting means that there are infinite possibilities to explore.

Structural Packaging Art has it all wrapped up, literally! Presenting the most innovative and imaginative graphic designs and technical constructions using paper and cardboard to promote a range of products from snacks to stationery, to teabags and truffles. All are designed to create a unique identity and brand within a highly competitive consumer market, colorful and eye-catching, quirky and desirable these wrappings are about first impressions with the focus on presenting each item as a ‘gift’ to be purchased, then savoured and enjoyed as an essential feature of the whole product experience.

This book presents around 100 buildings that were erected between 1917 and 2017, and are already considered to be classics of architectural history. With informative texts accentuated by photos, plans, archive material and, most importantly, facts (planners, construction period, addresses, access), this book is the holistic guide to Stuttgart’s incredible architecture that the world has been waiting for. Featured buildings are by: Theodor Fischer, Martin Elsaesser, Paul Bonatz, Paul Schmitthenner, Rolf Gutbrod, Paul Stohrer, Günther Behnisch, Hans Kammerer, Fritz Leonhardt, Frei Otto, Hans Scharoun, James Stirling, Schlaich und Partner, LRO, UN Studio, Auer und Weber, Atelier 5, Hascher Jehle, Wulf und Partner, and many more.

The 2000s proved a turning point for the skateboard and its relationship to art. Previously restricted to practical use, the skate deck left the pavement to appear on the walls of galleries and auction houses. Such was the advent of an entirely new contemporary art movement, laconically baptized Skate Art. From silk-screening to Posca markers, from repurposing and twisted shapes to upcycling broken boards, SkateArt is an anthology of specialized and eclectic decks made by artists from all over the world. Text in English and French.

Joaquin Sorolla’s catalogue raisonné is the culmination of a project that was initiated by Francisco Pons-Sorolla and Blanca Pons-Sorolla, which assembles all the work of the painter known so far (over 4,000 works). The aim of this project is the publication of five volumes in which the works by Joaquin Sorolla Bastida (1863-1923) will be presented by themes: 1. Sorolla Museum; 2. The Sea and the Beach; 3. Portraits; 4. Landscapes; 5. Composition Works. Within these themes, the works will be presented chronologically, so that the evolution of the painter can be observed in each case.

This first volume of the catalogue is dedicated to the collection of the Sorolla Museum, which houses the largest collection of the artist’s works. It displays a comprehensive panorama of the painter’s oeuvre through 1,300 pieces.

The project is currently being financed by the Sorolla Museum Foundation, and is being carried out by Blanca Pons-Sorolla, with the collaboration of Teresa Jiménez-Landi and Mónica Rodríguez Subirana. Since the beginning of the project in 1987, a profoundly better understanding of Sorolla’s work has been achieved.

María Campos Carlés de Peña, a leading expert in furniture history, has undertaken an exhaustive project of research into the large and varied production of furniture made in Peru in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries – the colonial period – for churches, convents, monasteries and private collections. Over eleven chapters she provides a thorough description of this type of furniture, which was inspired by artistic styles ranging from Mannerism to Neoclassicim, with their many variants and creators.

Her analysis allows for an appreciation of the way vice-regal furniture in Peru is a valuable witness to its time: an example of a syncretism of varied and different cultures, endowed with symbolism, iconographic meaning and enormous beauty.