Tucked beneath a hillside close to the Norwegian city of Tromso, Olavsvern Naval Base appears to be the perfect hideaway for a crook hell-bent on world domination – or someone simply looking for what would be one of the most impressive holiday homes on the planet.
As can be seen from the slightly worrying image above, not only do antiquarian maps reflect the accuracy of geographical data at the time, they can also have hidden, symbolic meaning.
Around 40 of the leading national and international antiquarian map dealers, as well as hundreds of visiting dealers, collectors, curators and map aficionados from all parts of the world, will attend this year’s, 16-17 June Map Fair.
Visitors will be able to choose from a large selection of original and antique maps, ranging in age from the 15th to 20th Centuries.
The company is led by Werner Roeschlau who, together with his son and a skilled team of craftsmen, has been producing parts for top-end turntables for many years now.
Using both millimetre-perfect modern CNC machines and classic (“analogue”, as the company puts it) custom lathes and drill presses, AMG has now made its very own turntable, the Viella12.
‘V12’ for short.
Before they went digital, camera bodies used to encase numerous springs, cogs and pulleys, forming the type of complex mechanism nowadays more commonly seen in high-end watches. This is what gives vintage cameras their character – that satisfying ‘click’ connecting man to mechanism, akin to that of a soldier and his gun.
Designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey, and built on a greenfield site owned by developer Burton Green, it was first run by Margaret J. Anderson and her son, Stanley S. Anderson. They had been managing the Hollywood Hotel.
The ‘Spanish Mission’ style building was typical of the era, and well-suited the sunny weather and guests arriving for the nascent film industry. Costing $300,000, it was described by the LA Times as a "monster hostelry". At the time, lots of land cost around $2,000.
The space frame is plastic and the ultra-thin red covering keeps weight to a minimum, vital in a 1/3bhp, not 800bhp machine, however aerodynamic.
The one-bed, deluxe canvas tent on (very large) wheels comes from the creator of the Inshriach Yurt, another way of communing with nature in the grounds of Inshriach House. Inshriach House is set deep inside the Cairngorms National Park, four miles from Aviemore (with direct train links to the south) and 35 miles from Inverness Airport.
And if both the Yurt and Beer Moth are occupied, Bed & Breakfast accommodation is available in the House.
Bring your rods, as any rental of Inshriach includes single-bank fishing on three miles of the River Spey.
The somewhat imaginative description of the place does not, however, detract from the excellence of what happens inside. LV chose Fiesso as the base of its footwear operation in 1998 because it is the traditional home of the country's best shoemakers, more than 350 of whom are now employed in the atelier which was opened in 2009.
Inside, it's divided into four distinct areas – respectively named Alma, Speedy, Nomade and Taiga – with each one being dedicated to specific types of shoe ranging from moccasins and sneakers to more formal models for men and women.
Mr Bamford, the Bamford Watch Department personalises a wide range of luxury watches, but one common factor is the black colour of the cases. Where does this love of black come from?