Categories / Art and Photography, Books

Vintage 80s: London Street Photography book by Johnny Stiletto

London

Here's a project and a half. Back in 1980, Johnny Stiletto bought a 35mm camera and spent the next 10 years using half a roll of black and white film each day to chronicle life in London. The result? Vintage 80s: London Street Photography.

Published by Frances Lincoln in September (but available to order now), this 176-page book follows the fashions, the hairstyles, the celebrities and the key incidents. So expect Mick Jagger, New Romantics, ra-ra skirts, Boy George, Sloane Rangers, yuppies, the IRA bombings, the Iranian Embassy siege, royal romance and…well anything else that might have happened during the decade. That's 160 unique and unscripted street photographs of London in total. Oh yes, that is Sir Francis Bacon on the tube adorning the front cover.

If you want it for your coffee table, it's discounted at Amazon right now to £12.74.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Categories / Books, Homeware

Film Ending Bookends

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My bookshelves are bulging with paperbacks, so I don’t really need bookends, but if I did, then these Film Ending Bookends would be top of my shopping list.

There are three deisgns to chose from, each inspired by film endings. As well as the classic Warner Bros/Bugs Bunny “That’s All Folks” shown here, there is “The End” in a red classic script or “Fin” in a simply font in turquoise, calling to mind French New Wave cinema. All of the bookends measure 13cm wide by 17cm high and cost £19.95.

Buy them online from Rockett St George.

Categories / Books, Women's Fashion

Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques book by Jill Salen

Vintage

Not quite the risque book you might be expecting, Vintage Lingerie: Historical Patterns and Techniques by Jill Salen is an altogether more practical book.

Part reference, part guide to creating period pieces, Vintage Lingerie looks at the progression of lingerie over the last 120 years, from 1920s French knickers to 1950s pin-up brassieres, not to mention vintage corsets, garter belts and basques, along with 1950s New Look girdles, brassieres and knickers.

The book includes 25 'fully annotated working patterns' alongside drawings, photographs and practical advice on any feature or alteration necessary for making up the garments. So if you are looking for authenticity, this is the place to go. 128 pages long and published by Batsford, you can order a copy from Amazon for £17.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Categories / Books, Homeware

Vintage Book Clocks

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The Etsy seller by the name of SteampunksNotDead specialises in Vintage Book Clocks.

Each clock is a one of a kind piece and is made from a book usually dating from between 1890 and 1960. Most of the book clocks currently available use obscure titles (The Scarlett Letter was the only one I recognised), but I think they are all the better for it. Various styles of clock hands are available so you can request a certain style. Equally, if you have a book that you would like transformed into a clock, then they are happy to quote for doing that. Prices range from around £16 to just under £100 depending on the size and rarity of the book.

Visit the SteampunksNotDead shop on Etsy for more information.

Categories / Books, Men's Fashion

The Perfectly Dressed Gentleman book by Robert O’Byrne and Lord Dunsby

Dressed

Available or pre-order now (and ideal to add your Christmas list) is The Perfectly Dressed Gentleman book by Robert O'Byrne and Lord Dunsby, which is published by CICO Books.

The book itself is much as it sounds, described as an 'indispensable guide through the modern sartorial maze', with practical advice on what to wear on every occasion, from workplace to wedding or from home to holiday. There's even advice on how to post a good suit, how to tie a tie (or bow tie) and ideas on accessories.

All of that is backed up with some stylish, retro-styled illustrations from Lord Dunsby (who actually did the banner for Retro To Go, amongst other projects), to show off the styles and the looks. If you want a copy, it's printed in hardback from 13th October, with pre-sales being taken now for £8.99.

Find out more at the Amazon website

Categories / Books, Music

George Harrison: Living In The Material World book by Olivia Harrison

George

He was always the cool Beatle and you can find out just why when the George Harrison: Living In The Material World book by Olivia Harrison hits the shelves in the next couple of months. Although you can pre-order a copy now.

The book is said to draw on George Harrison's personal archive of photographs, letters, diaries, and memorabilia, effectively tracing his life, from is early Liverpool years, the Beatles era and 'to his days as an independent musician and bohemian squire', not to mention his sidelines as a movie producer and Formula One racing fan, for example.

Running alongside the images (many of which are previously unpublished) are stories and reminiscences from Harrison's friends, including Eric Clapton, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idol, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and many, many others. It's published by Abrams in early October, but available to pre-order now, with Amazon discounting the hardback to £18.89.

Find out more at the Amazon website