In terms of classic firearms, the Hammer gun is a relatively primitive, totally hand-built, unique, supremely elegant and satisfying work of art; but it also has some genuine advantages over all the expensive modern guns used today. Using hammer guns, explains Diggory, should not be seen as an affectation, for they remain the best guns ever made – and today they are still in many ways better than anything else available, if you apply yourself to their use and ownership in the right way. He writes: I believe that nothing made in the twentieth century compares favourably with the best hammer guns made by the real artisans of the British gun trade: made in the days before celebrity engravers signed their work or CNC machinery standardised every part. What I invariably pick up and take shooting is an 1870s under-lever hammer 12-bore.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 216 x 276 mm

Publication Date: 20-09-2016

A must-have for every motorcycle fan A book about the power and beauty of custom-built machines A visual tour of a tradition that traces its roots back to the 1960s, when people yearning for freedom felt the need to take things into their own hands   Bike Life shows people’s fascination with motorcycles from every angle, like a road movie you can experience for yourself in this exciting compendium. Unique, photo­-packed stories about individual bikes and the people who made them, along with opulent visuals and special reports that dive right into the current custom bike scene and motorcycle culture. Cafe Racer, Scrambler, Chopper. This volume also ­covers the big bike events like Wheels & Waves and Pure & Crafted. Experience the atmosphere at races, weekend events in California, and adventure tours through the mountains of South Africa, and visit the workshops ­where custom bikes are born. The scene’s best photographers provide their most amazing shots, while entertaining and informative text tells the story behind the events and images.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 224

Dimensions: 250 x 320 mm

Publication Date: 10-04-2017

An ideal gift for lovers of fine photography, fast cars and a fascinating decade  A worthy tribute to one of motor sports’ most exciting eras The masterpiece of one of Formula One’s most important observers, Rainer W. Schlegelmilch’s book on the most fascinating era of car racing is now  available in a smaller format for a special price Few spectator sports generate such excitement as Formula 1. The name refers to the most advanced and competitive of the FIA’s racing formulae. It’s a raw combination of speed, skill, and that certain hint of daring. Journey back in time to the glory years of the 1960s. Marvel at the vintage cars, big-name champions and heart-stopping victories. All the big names are here: Jim Clark, Jacky Ickx, Jack Brabham—just to name a few. With Schlegelmilch’s compelling photographs, this exceptional volume takes fans so close they can almost smell the burning rubber and hear the engines roar! Rainer W. Schlegelmilch has been a motor sports photographer since 1962. His expert lens has covered all the great names in racing. His unique style captures the drama of this action-charged sport.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 216

Dimensions: 250 x 310 mm

Publication Date: 20-02-2017

Garden's career as both a yacht designer and builder spanned well over six decades and untold hundreds of boats. Garden's writing style is just as far-ranging and eclectic as his boats, whimsical and informative, light-hearted yet solidly grounded, serious, thought-provoking and thoroughly engaging. The original edition of Yacht Designs was published in 1977 and, after several printings, had gone completely out of print. Bill Garden revised and expanded the essays from the original edition and added over 30 more boats, many never before published, and even a few dream ships that were never built. Each essay is as different as the boat it describes, sometimes explaining the building process or a particular aspect of it in detail, or the events that led to a design, or the individuals involved, or the evolution of a yacht type, or Bill's own unique outlook on life and the boats he loved. Discover why Bill Garden has been an inspiration to succeeding generations of yacht designers!

Bind: paperback

Pages: 328

Dimensions: 217 x 280 mm

Publication Date: 25-04-2017

This extreme sport originated in California USA. The early designs were a simple board customized using roller skate wheels. By the 1980’s skateboarding had reached all corners of the USA and was becoming popular worldwide with kids adopting the culture as their own and taking over public spaces to practice the sport. Over the following pages we will show the work of 44 artists, displaying the evolution of the skateboard with a whole range of designs, colours and shapes.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 192

Dimensions: 150 x 220 mm

Publication Date: 20-03-2017

When Ferdinand Porsche could not find a sports car he liked, he decided to build one himself. And now, the rest is history: Jerry Seinfeld drives it; Boris Johnson admires it; Steve McQueen loves it; and Jeremy Clarkson hates it. The Porsche 911 moves the world. Despised by many in Germany as a set of wheels for fat cats, it is the favorite car of free spirits and intellectuals in the U.S. and across the globe. The Porsche 911 was not just invented by one of the most fascinating and controversial families – it is also a technical meisterwerk. Since its launch in 1963, the 911 has built a reputation for itself as “the thinking man’s sports car.” Both a car and a cultural icon, it has earned a fan base that spans from young to old, East to West, connoisseur to enthusiast. Porsche 911: The Ultimate Sportscar as Cultural Icon explains how this German car became a global phenomenon and a symbol of aspiration, freedom, and the appetite for perfection, and even more, why, around the world, the 911 continues to fascinate gentlemen, ladies, and rogue drivers.  In this book, Ulf Poschardt sends Porsche drivers to the shrink and concludes that a little narcissim can be a healthy thing; he then takes them on an engaging journey through the checkered history that defines their pride and joy.  Not everyone can, nor indeed should, drive a Porsche, but Porsche 911: The Ultimate Sportscar as Cultural Icon lays bare the raw driving force behind the 911 for anyone intrepid enough to discover. 

Bind: hardback

Pages: 200

Dimensions: 210 x 260 mm

Publication Date: 01-01-2017

French nymphing, or European nymphing as it is often known in the US, is the most important new development in flyfishing for a generation. The use of ultra-long tapered French leaders provides huge advantages both in terms of reducing drag and dramatically improving fly presentation. These methods, which have already revolutionised the world of competition flyfishing, are now also proving themselves to be a game-changer for the recreational fisherman. This is the first book to explain all branches of French leader technique: • sight nymphing • short and long-range indicator nymphing • dry fly • fishing for grayling, carp and steelhead • masterclasses from leading experts Cody Burgdorff (USA) Julien Daguillanes (France) Stanislav Mankov (Bulgaria) • tips for fishing in all types of river and clear stillwaters in the UK, Continental Europe, the USA and the Southern Hemisphere. Use of the French leader has led to the French national team becoming the most successful team at the World Championships in recent years, winning 7 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 Bronze medals. As opportunities to catch trout on a dry fly have become less frequent and of shorter duration, the use of modern nymphing techniques can often make the difference between a successful fishing trip and not catching fish at all.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 160

Dimensions: 189 x 246 mm

Publication Date: 30-11-2016

These cars are futuristic, utopian, eccentric, and always ahead of their time. From models that were never presented to consumers to those produced as limited series, Fast Forward shows cars that pique people s interest and enthusiasm. From cars never shown to those models that see small production runs, Fast Forward presents vehicles that are just as much sculpture as automobile. Iconic winglets adorn models from the 50s. Automobiles of the 70s appear to be works of science fiction rather than modes of transportation. Classic interpretations and vintage prototypes that hinted at the future of yesteryear. Every decade has it own ideas of the future. The timeline of concept cars is narrated through an alluring pairing of project images and stories from inside studio walls. Designers discuss the catalysts behind their creations from the first scribble upon a blank page to a 3D model to the roadways. Fast Forward showcases the past, present, and, in the true spirit of concept cars, the future of this intriguing and diverse realm.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 288

Dimensions: 300 x 270 mm

Publication Date: 01-04-2017

Explore the world one step at a time embark on trails that invite, inspire, and invigorate. Wanderlust presents the best walking routes with inviting maps, practical tips, and inspiring landscape photographs. Following faded footsteps of migrating animals or paths of ancient trade routes, the trails featured in Wanderlust offer both outdoor exploration and enjoyment. Through hiking, connections are made between cities and coasts, people and places. Spectacular photography illustrates journeys to sharp summits, astonishing vistas, and phenomenal locales. Wanderlust provides maps and rich details for long-distance trails and shorter explorations from the El Camino Real in North America to the Routeburn track in New Zealand and the byroads in between. From modern-day transcendentalists who trade facts and figures for flora and fauna to those who simply desire a casual break from concrete scenery, Wanderlust allows you to live vicariously through vivid portraits or use the trips as impetus for your own hiking journey.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 240 x 300 mm

Publication Date: 01-04-2017

The perfect balance for those searching for a bit of peace and quiet and an outdoor activity: fly fishing combines connecting with nature, the defining of personal aesthetics, and physical activity. The Flyfisher shows the most beautiful fishing spots, self-tied flies, and the right equipment for this increasingly popular lark of leisure. Equal parts outdoor meditation and escapism, fly fishing appeals to a diverse audience. The dedicated focus on the task at hand makes daily life fade away and the fly fisher is free to connect with the soothing sounds of the water while awaiting a catch. From rod to reel to weighted line, the art of fly fishing is rife in details. Filled with photos of anglers and their habitats, the craftsmanship of tying flies, and expert discussions on the right gear to wear to wade into a favorite river, The Flyfisher is the first comprehensive discussion of this multifaceted sport. It is as much about the triumphant catch as the craft of building bait paired with the art of appreciating the overall experience as well as the method.

Bind: hardback

Pages: 256

Dimensions: 240 x 300 mm

Publication Date: 20-02-2017