Growing popularity in premium luxury publications from brands like Assouline is opening the doors to new areas of interest for readers. Covering what seems to be everything under the sun, Assouline prides itself on delivering high-resolution imagery with the information provided by the highest respected and knowledgeable individuals. In this special, we have compiled a categorized list of The Most Expensive Luxury Books by Assouline Publications. Shop any of the Assouline Publication products featured in this special, as well as the others on their website, by clicking the links below.
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Versailles: From Louis XIV to Jeff Koons (SE)
Welcome to the most storied palace in the world, the glittering Château de Versailles. Recounting the most important historical, social, and cultural milestones of Versailles, beginning with the original proposal for a modest hunting lodge requested by Louis XIII in 1623, this volume encompasses the expansive property, from the palace and gardens to the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet.
Price: $4,900
Salvador Dalí : The Impossible Collection
With insightful texts by art historian Bérénice Geoffroy-Schneiter, this handcrafted Ultimate Collection volume showcases 100 of the rarest and most precious treasures marrying natural splendor and human craftsmanship, from amazingly detailed artifacts of ancient global civilizations to surprising modern creations by artists Man Ray, Hu Qin and Chris Burden. This special edition handcrafted volume is nestled in a luxury gold leaf covered case with a clear sliding lid infused with gold flakes.
Price: $895
Formula 1: The Impossible Collection
A spirited tribute to the sport and all those who have made it possible over the decades, this handcrafted Ultimate Collection volume dynamically illustrates that Formula One is far more than “cars going around in circles,” it is the culmination of a passion that fires the mechanics, technicians, engineers and team directors behind the scenes, in addition to the drivers themselves, who are prepared to possibly pay the ultimate sacrifice to be part of its glorious history. Housed in a luxury clamshell case with a metal plaque, this spectacular tome is lightly scented with an exclusively made rubber-infused essence, and is presented in a red canvas tote bag to preserve its craftsmanship.
Price: $995
Louis Vuitton: Virgil Abloh (Ultimate Edition)
When Virgil Abloh took his first bow for Louis Vuitton in June 2018, fashion changed forever. The newest addition to the Ultimate Collection, Louis Vuitton: Virgil Abloh honors the designer’s boundary-breaking creativity on and off the runways. With over 250 stunningly iconic images and personal reflections from Abloh’s inner circle, including Nigo, Naomi Campbell, Luka Sabbat, Kendall Jenner and Kid Cudi, the book is the definitive chronicle of a partnership that redefined not only dress codes but their very vocabulary. The Ultimate features a special-edition removable glossary highlighting the numerous sneaker collaborations Virgil Abloh spearheaded during his time at Louis Vuitton.
Price: $1,200
Chanel: The Impossible Collection
This book is a literary museum exhibition, a curated selection of 100 iconic and signature looks of the house of Chanel, from the timeless Little Black Dress to the impeccably simple tweed suit, the apothecary-style perfume bottle, two-tone pumps, abundant strands of faux pearls and stones, and diamond-quilted leather handbag, from Mademoiselle’s revolutionary designs to Karl Lagerfeld’s unexpected and even irreverent variations on her original codes.
Price: $895
The Impossible Collection of Wine
In this stunning addition to the Assouline Ultimate Collection, Enrico Bernardo, the world’s best sommelier, imagines the perfect cellar filled with the most exceptional wines of the twentieth century: The Impossible Collection of Wine. Weighing the virtues of rarity, terroir, taste, and historical mystique, Bernardo’s is a list any connoisseur could only dream of. To turn grapes into bottled poetry, the winemaker must be a kind of alchemist. Despite changes in technology and tastes over the past 100 years, the craft has remained largely unchanged; a great wine remains the product of countless factors, not least of which is the smile of providence.
Price: $995
Windows at Tiffany and Co.
This hand-bound oversize Ultimate Collection edition presents a well-curated tour of the intricately crafted displays that continue to serve as references of the zeitgeist, from the legendary designer Gene Moore’s Christmas and Valentine’s displays to the neon creations of the current Tiffany & Co. creative team. Along with never-before-seen concept sketches, historical manuscripts, behind the scenes imagery and insights by cultural influencers and devotees of the world’s global arbiter of design.
Price: $895
Sports
Selected by noted sports journalist Michael MacCambridge, Football: The Impossible Collection showcases the 100 most exciting, memorable and significant events that shaped this American sport, from 1869 when Princeton played Rutgers in the very first college game, the first legal forward pass in 1906, the Ice Bowl, the Immaculate Reception and the Hail Mary, to the 2018 record-scoring 54-51 shootout between the Rams and Chiefs on Monday Night Football.
Price: $995
AlUla XXL [2nd Edition]
Assouline in collaboration with the destination of AlUla announces the September 2020 release of an immersive book of photography and illustrations titled, AlUla. With stunning images taken by internationally renowned photographer Robert Polidori, and interpretive illustrations by multidisciplinary artist Ignasi Monreal, AlUla virtually transports readers to the destination, giving them a glimpse into the city’s rich history and a unique look into AlUla’s local culture.
Price: $15,000
Rolex: The Impossible Collection
Selected by specialist Fabienne Reybaud, each of the exceptional Rolex watch models in this beautiful handcrafted Ultimate Collection volume showcase the most valuable and technically innovative models the luxury watchmaker has produced, including watches never seen in print before: From the first wristwatch dating to the early 1900s and the first Oyster Perpetual from 1931, to an Explorer worn during Sir Edmund Hillary’s expedition to the summit of Mt. Everest in 1953 and the Submariner worn by actor George Lazenby in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, they are sure to astonish collectors the world over.
Price: $895