"I wanted to capture the memory, the sensations of Instanbul in a jewel." Sevan Bicakci A native of Istanbul, Sevan Bicakci is a luminary in jewellery design, fusing elements of Byzantine and Ottoman history, storytelling, and architecture into his award winning creations. Bicakci is best known for his majestic rings crafted with his signature reverse-intaglio technique, in which monuments, mythological figures, animals, birds, and flowers are carved into precious stones with intricate detail. His awe-inspiring creations, filled with storytelling artistry, are avidly sought by the world' most discerning and sophisticated collectors. AUTHOR: Vivienne Becker is an award-winning journalist, jewellery historian, and author of several books on the history of jewellery design. Based in London, Becker is a contributing editor to the Financial Times' How to Spend It magazine, writes for newspapers and magazines around the world, and lectures and broadcasts on her subject. She organised and wrote the catalog for the first major exhibition of the jewellery of Rene Lalique, and curated Jewels of Fantasy, a travelling exhibition of twentieth-century costume jewellery. Becker's previous books for Assouline include 'De Beers Jewellery' and 'The Impossible Collection of Jewelry'. 120 illustrations

Liza Urla is the author of the jewelry blog, Gemologue https://gemologue.com/tag/jewelry-blog

Newly Updated and Expanded Critical and up-to-the-minute information for the novice, advanced collector, jewelry dealer, curator and appraiser—for all who buy and sell cameos, or who are just fascinated by them. Antiques Roadshow Book Club Selection Since ancient times, cameo making has allowed artists of every era to capture and reflect on the history, literature and lore of their culture. Today, the allure of finely carved cameos is drawing a new generation of both savvy collectors and gifted artists who are captivated by their transcendental elegance. This first and only comprehensive reference guide offers valuable information on: Where to successfully hunt for cameos How to separate old from new, imitation and newer synthetic materials from original shell and stone cameos How to differentiate between ultrasonically produced and hand-carved cameos Richly illustrated with many new cameo photographs, this new edition will facilitate the recognition and evaluation of quality in cameos and increase your confidence in buying and selling cameos with: Key factors for defining value Information on how to buy cameos from retailers and antique dealers, via the Internet or at auction A clear explanation of The MasterValuer Program of Quality Ranking that serves as a vital guide for use when evaluating cameos An extensive review of outstanding contemporary cameo artists throughout the world, their style, subject matter, unique and identifiable techniques, contact information ... and more

Standing at the crossroads of many cultures, Ottoman style is spiced with influences from Chinese and Indian to French and Italian. In this spectacular volume, Istanbul-born interior designer Serdar Gülgün narrates a tour of his beautiful home, a historic mansion on the Asian side of the Bosporus. Constantly inspired by the atmosphere of his ancient city, Gülgün believes a successful interior design is a place of experience in which authentic elements of culture fuse and achieve alchemy, awakening all the senses and transporting its inhabitants to a place of fantasy.

This “fast-moving, entertaining biography” of the woman behind the Parish Hadley interior design firm is “like eavesdropping on a lively society lunch” (Publishers Weekly). A New York Times Notable Book Sister—as she was called by family and friends—was born Dorothy May Kinnicutt into a patrician New York family in 1910, and spent her privileged early life at the right schools, yacht clubs, and coming-out parties. Compelled to work during the lean years of the Depression, she combined her innate design ability with her upper-echelon social connections to create an extraordinarily successful interior decorating business. The Parish-Hadley firm’s list of clients reads like an American Who’s Who, including Astors, Paleys, Rockefellers, and Whitneys—and she helped Jacqueline Kennedy transform the White House from a fusty hodge-podge into a historically authentic symbol of American elegance. Cozy, airy, colorful but understated, her style came to be known as “American country,” and its influence continues to this day. Compiled by her daughter and granddaughter from Sister’s own unpublished memoirs, as well as from hundreds of interviews with family members, friends, staff, world-renowned interior designers (Mark Hampton, Mario Buatta, Keith Irvine, Bunny Williams, and her longtime partner Albert Hadley, among many others), and clients including Annette de la Renta, Glenn Bernbaum, and Mrs. Thomas Watson, Sister Parish takes us into the houses—and lives—of some of the most fascinating and famous people of this inimitable woman’s time. Fully updated, the revised edition features a new foreword by Albert Hadley and an appreciation by Bunny Williams, who began her career at Parish-Hadley. “Selections from Mrs. Parish’s own rather wonderful, often moving, reminiscences, intercut with observations from her family, employees, clients and friends.” —The New York Times Book Review “Sister’s delightfully self-deprecating humor illuminates the biography throughout.” —Kirkus Reviews Includes photographs

Sevan Biçakçi is a jeweler fit for an Ottoman emperor, encompassing a mastery of traditional techniques largely unseen in contemporary metalsmithing and gem cutting. An Istanbul native, Sevan is a visionary jeweler, fusing diverse elements of nature, ancient mythology, and Ottoman history, literature, and architecture into his award-winning creations. His imaginative designs and singular craftsmanship have intrigued and impressed fellow jewelers and connoisseurs for years, and his awe-inspiring jewels, unique in their storytelling artistry, are avidly sought by the world's most discerning and sophisticated collectors. Now, in a study and celebration of the essence of time itself, Sevan has explored the Ottoman tradition of timekeeping and clockmaking, which he discovered through an exhibition of timepieces at the world-famous Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul. For nine years, Sevan has channeled his imagination to create a collection of dramatic jewels that not only tell the time, but also recount the story of time, fusing the rational and the emotional. This evolving collection of extraordinary timepieces, featuring high-tech Swiss-made movements, have all the allure and grace of Sevan's original jewelry, bringing his artistic refinement and technical expertise to the centuries-old craft of watchmaking.

Featuring text by an acknowledged expert in arts and crafts, hundreds of illustrations, and essays on key issues and themes, this compact, accessible guide will be an authority in the global marketplace. When collecting contemporary arts and crafts, how can one be certain the pieces that appeal to current tastes also have the stamp of timeless collectible? This new series of accessible guides answers the need for authoritative advice in a fast-developing marketplace. • Texts by acknowledged experts with firsthand experience of the global market • Hundreds of illustrations • Profiles of essential artists, designers, and photographers • A concise reference section, including contact information and where to shop