As an example, walk into any one of Smythson’s stores and pore over the luggage tags, cases, travel planners and other small leather items.
We like the Marshall Travel Wallet. Made in leather, with a very 20th Century zip, it eschews the modern trend for boarding passes stored on a smartphone, allowing a proper, printed boarding pass to be stowed safely away. Together with American Express traveller’s cheques and tickets from Thomas Cook, no doubt.
Sorry to disappoint you, but for all sorts of silly British Health & Safety regulations it does not actually work, but does include a parachute and survival kit. It’s one of many unrepeatable, often mad objects at Bentleys in Walton Street, Chelsea.
With its countless small shops and boutiques, London is an ideal venue for Christmas shopping: but where can you find the really special and unusual gifts? Classic Driver is out and about in the Capital, and will be suggesting a new gift idea every day.
Photo: Classic Driver
Just reading ‘Si Vive Solo Due Volte’ will get you humming “da-da-da-da-da-dah-dah, da-da-da-da-da-dah-dah…” we are certain. Sean Connery as James Bond, with pilot's helmet and an automatic in his hands, who could want more? And, at 201cm x 147cm, it’s practically life-size.
With its countless small shops and boutiques, London is an ideal venue for Christmas shopping: but where can you find the really special and unusual gifts? Classic Driver is out and about in the Capital, and will be suggesting a new gift idea every day.
The Retro Tweed Bucket Seat is in the ‘bucket’ style used by the archetypal sports car manufacturer in the 50s and 60s. It’s upholstered in official Aston Martin Racing/Hackett ‘Prince of Wales’ tweed and its highly polished legs echo the spoke design from a Nardi steering wheel.
With its countless small shops and boutiques, London is an ideal venue for Christmas shopping: but where can you find the really special and unusual gifts? Classic Driver is out and about in the Capital, and will be suggesting a new gift idea every day.
Photo: Classic Driver
The Large Backgammon set is handmade in Pickett’s London workshops. Available in a variety of shades of leather, it measures 46cm x 33cm x 10cm (closed) and comes with almost everything you need for an impromptu game. All you need to add is a playing partner… and some luck with the dice.
With its countless small shops and boutiques, London is an ideal venue for Christmas shopping: but where can you find the really special and unusual gifts? Classic Driver is out and about in the Capital, and will be suggesting a new gift idea every day.
Between 1947 and 1962 (when his life so nearly ended at Goodwood) Moss competed in 529 events. These varied from driving at Le Mans, the Nürburgring and Monaco – right through to the odd hillclimb, rally or sprint in a distant corner of the English countryside.
Every single one is recorded in this stunning book, with the added bonus of Sir Stirling's signature.
The impeccably finished 1:8 scale model would bring a smile to the face of any gentleman car enthusiast. Every little detail of the famous Le Mans racer – from the leather seats (real leather, of course) to the stainless steel brightwork – is faithfully recreated, undoubtedly with much effort and skill on the modeller’s part. Everything is so realistic that, for a split second, the new owner will imagine being shrunk to an eighth of his size, just to perform laps around the Christmas tree.
In business since 1750, and receiving the first of its many Royal Appointments in 1893, the company that started as Thomas Brigg and Sons is synonymous with traditional British style: clubland, Guards officers and the City. In addition to umbrellas, the company is also well-known for traditional, bridle-leather briefcases and luggage.
The answer is to never leave home without Dunhill’s Mini Projector, safely tucked away in a handmade leather case with all its peripheral wires, SD cards, connectors and a tripod. Snap home a couple of connectors, pull out the tripod legs and, hey presto! it’s Torremolinos 2001, all over again.
With its countless small shops and boutiques, London is an ideal venue for Christmas shopping: but where can you find the really special and unusual gifts? Classic Driver is out and about in the Capital, and will be suggesting a new gift idea every day.
What better way to shake off those seasonal, post-Christmas-party blues than with a pick-me-up Bloody Mary mixed in a Theo Fennell cocktail set? The set includes silver cases for the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce bottles, and solid silver swizzle stick and pepper grinder.
And for those who really did hit the bottle the previous evening, there’s an emergency supply of Stolichnaya Premium Vodka. “In emergency, break seal,” no doubt.