ELIZABETH TAYLOR MAKES RARE PUBLIC APPEARANCE FOR AIDS CHARITY

A FRAIL ELIZABETH TAYLOR MADE HER FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE THE MICHAEL JACKSON FUNERAL. HER BEAUTY WAS ONCE THE STUFF OF LEGEND, BUT TAYLOR CUT A FRAIL, DRAWN FIGURE AT THE MACY'S FUNDRAISER FASHION SHOW IN SANTA MONICA RECENTLY. THE RECLUSIVE 77 YEAR OLD STAR, WHO HAS NOT BEEN SINCE PUBLICLY SINCE THE FUNERAL LAST MONTH, TOOK TO THE STAGE AT THE BALL, WHICH RAISES FUNDS AND AWARENESS FOR AIDS RESEARCH. WEARING A STUNNING CREAM AND VIOLET PATTERNED GOWN, WHICH RECALLED THE BRILLIANT BLUE-VIOLET OF HER FAMOUS EYES, AND DRIPPING IN HER BELOVED DIAMONDS, ELIZABETH MANAGED A TENDER SMILE AND A WAVE FOR THE AUDIENCE. BUT EVEN IN HER CONDITION ELIZABETH, STAR OF CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, CLEOPATRA AND NATIONAL VELVET STILL MANAGED TO STEAL THE SHOW. WHEELCHAIR-BOUND BECAUSE OF A CURVATURE OF THE SPINE, THE EIGHT TIMES MARRIED ACTING ICON HAS SEEN HER HER HEALTH RAPIDLY DETERIORATE IN RECENT YEARS. SHE NOW SUFFERS FROM DIABETES AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE, HAS HAD BOTH HIPS REPLACED AND HAD A BENIGN BRAIN TUMOR REMOVED IN 1997. A TIRELESS AIDS CAMPAIGNER, ELIZABETH HELPED SET UP THE MACY'S PASSPORT HIV/AIDS INITIATIVE 27 YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN IT HAS RAISED $28 MILLION FOR RESEARCH, CARE, PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

AMATEUR TREASURE HUNTER FINDS MASSIVE ANGLO-SAXON TREASURE

AN AMATEUR TREASURE HUNTER PROWLING ABOUT AN ENGLISH FARMLAND WITH A METAL DETECTOR STUMBLED UPON WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS THE LARGEST ANGLO-SAXON TREASURE EVER DISCOVERED, A MASSIVE COLLECTION OF GOLD AND SILVER CROSSES, SWORD DECORATIONS AND OTHER ITEMS, BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGISTS SAID THURSDAY. ONE EXPERT SAID THE TREASURE WOULD REVOLUTIONIZE UNDERSTANDING OF THE ANGLO-SAXONS, A GERMANIC PEOPLE WHO RULED ENGLAND FROM THE 5th CENTURY UNTIL THE NORMAN CONQUEST IN 1606. ANOTHER SAID THE FIND WOULD RANK AMONG BRITAIN'S BEST KNOWN HISTORIC TREASURES. "THIS IS JUST A FANTASTIC FIND COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BLUE", ROGER BLAND, WHO MANAGED THE CACHE'S EXCAVATION, TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. "IT WILL MAKE US RETHINK THE DARK AGES. THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT'S GOING TO DO." THE 17th CENTURY HOARD, FOUND BY 55 YEAR OLD TERRY HERBERT ON FARMLAND IN WESTERN ENGLAND TWO MONTHS AGO, CONSISTS OF ABOUT 1,500 PIECES OF GOLD AND SILVER, SOME INLAID WITH PRECIOUS STONES. SO FINE IS THE CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT EXPERTS SAY IT COULD HAVE BELONGED TO ANGLO-SAXON ROYALTY. HERBERT, FROM THE TOWN OF BURNTWOOD, FOUND THE GOLD ON A FRIEND'S FARM ON 5.JULY AND SPENT THE NEXT FIVE DAYS SCOURING THE FIELD FOR THE REST OF THE HOARD. THE HOARD WAS OFFICIALLY DECLARED TREASURE BY A CORONER, WHICH MEANS IT WILL NOW BE VALUED BY A COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS AND OFFERED UP FOR SALE TO A MUSEUM. PROCEEDS WOULD BE SPLIT 50/50 BETWEEN HERBERT AND HIS FARMER FRIEND, WHO HAS YET TO BE IDENTIFIED. THE FIND'S EXACT LOCATION IS BEING KEPT A SECRET TO DETER LOOTERS. BLAND SAID HE COULD NOT GIVE A PRECISE FIGURE FOR THE WORTH OF THE HOARD, BUT HE SAID THE TREASURE HUNTER COULD BE IN LINE FOR A "SEVEN-FIGURE SUM". THE AMAZING HOARD IS IN STORAGE AT THE BIRMINGHAM MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, WITH SOME OF THE PIECES DUE TO GO ON DISPLAY THIS WEEKEND.

$2 MILLION CHAMBORD BOTTLE BY DONALD EDGE

CHAMBORD BY DONALD EDGE IS THE AMAZING COLLABORATION OF LUXURY JEWELRY DESIGNER DONALD EDGE WITH CHAMBORD, THE BLACK RASPBERRY LIQUEUR, TO CREATE AN EXQUISITE ONE OF A KIND, HAND CRAFTED VERSION OF CHAMBORD'S ICONIC ROYAL ORB MADE FROM DIAMONDS, PINK PEARLS AND SOLID GOLD. THE STUNNING BOTTLE IS ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH MORE THAN $2 MILLION AND FEATURES OVER 11OO EXQUISITE ROUND BRILLIANT CUT DIAMONDS ALONG WITH PRINCESS AND PEAR CUT DIAMONDS, A SQUARE CUT DIAMOND AND THE FINEST ROUND RARE PINK PEARLS FROM ASIA, ARE ALL SET IN HAND WROUGHT 18 CARAT YELLOW GOLD. THE AMAZING CREATION WAS RECENTLY UNVEILED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE OPENING OF "BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S", STARRING ANNA FRIEL AND JOSEPH CROSS AT THE THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET, LONDON. THE BOTTLE WILL ALSO BE ENTERED FOR THE TITLE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE BOTTLE OF SPIRITS IN GUINNESS BOOK OF WORL RECORDS. EDGE SAID: "TO BE ASKED TO RECREATE A JEWELED CHAMBORD BOTTLE TO CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S IS SUCH AN HONOR. THE BOTTLE ITSELF, A ROYAL ORB, IS SUCH AN ICONIC BEAUTY - TO ENCRUST IT IN DIAMONDS, PEARLS AND GOLD ONLY ENHANCES ITS NATURAL BEAUTY - IT IS A WORK OF ART."

MAGRITTE PAINTING STOLEN FROM MUSEUM IN BRUSSELS

POLICE SAY TWO ARMED ROBBERS HAVE STOLEN A RARE AND UNIQUE PAINTING BY BELGIAN ARTIST RENE MAGRITTE FROM A SMALL MUSEUM IN BRUSSELS. BRUSSELS CITY POLICE SPOKESMAN JOHAN BERCKMANS SAYS THE TWO MEN ESCAPED WITH THE 1948 "OLYMPIA" OIL PAINTING BY CAR ON THURSDAY. THE NUDE PAINTING OF THE SURREALIST'S WIFE, GEORGETTE, IS VALUED AT $1.1 MILLION. THE PAINTING HUNG AT MAGRITTE'S FORMER HOUSE WHICH HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A SMALL MUSEUM. ENTRY IS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. IT IS SEPARATE FROM A LARGER MAGRITTE MUSEUM THAT OPENED THIS YEAR. THE PAINTING DEPICTS THE PAINTER'S WIFE LAYING ON HER BACK WITH A SHELL ON HER STOMACH.

HISTORIC RHODE ISLAND THEATER TO REOPEN AFTER RESTORATION

THE STAGE HAS BEEN DARK AND THE VELVET CURTAINS CLOSED AT THE NEWPORT CASINO THEATER FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, BUT A LITTLE IMAGINATION CAN CONJURE UP IMAGES OF A TIME LONG PAST WHERE WILL ROGERS OR OSCAR WILDE ENTERTAINED THE CROWDS. THE BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY STANFORD WHITE, A NEW YORK ARCHITECT FOR THE RICH AND GLAMOROUS, WHOSE SHOCKING MURDER BY A GIRLFRIEND'S JEALOUS HUSBAND BECAME TABLOID SENSATION, AND CONTRIBUTED TO THE GLIMMERING LANDSCAPE THAT MADE NEWPORT A POPULAR SUMMER RETREAT FOR THE AFFLUENT INDUSTRIALISTS AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING AMERICA'S GILDED AGE. NOW AFTER MANY YEARS OF VACANCY AND DETERIORATION, THE HISTORIC BUILDING, OWNED BY THE INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME AND LOCATED AT THE NEWPORT CASINO COMPLEX, IS BEING REVIVED THROUGH A $4.6 MILLION FACE-LIFT THAT WILL RETURN IT TO A FUNCTIONING THEATER.
"THE THEATER ITSELF IS A GEM OF ITS AGE", SAID BILL GALE, A THEATER CRITIC FOR WRNI, RHODE ISLAND'S PUBLIC RADIO STATION, WHO HAS REVIEWED NEW ENGLAND PERFORMANCES FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS. THIS FALL, WORKERS WILL INSTALL HEATING, AIR CONDITIONING AND NE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, MAKE THE BUILDING HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE, RESTORE THE EXTERIOR AND TOUCH UP OTHER SIGNS OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS THAT LED THE BUILDING TO CLOSE IN 1987. THE THEATER IS EXPECTED TO REOPEN AS SOON AS NEXT SUMMER. IT WILL BE MANAGED AND MAINTAINED BY SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY, A NEARBY CATHOLIC COLLEGE WHOSE STUDENTS WILL PUT ON DISPLAYS THERE DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. THE THEATER WILL SERVE AS SALVE'S MAIN PERFORMING ARTS SPACE, BUT WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO THE NEWPORT COMMUNITY AND TO THE TENNIS HALL OF FAME FOR LECTURES, MEETINGS AND OTHER PROGRAMS. NEWPORT TAKES PRIDE IN MAINTAINING ITS HISTORIC BUILDINGS, BUT EFFORTS TO RESTORE THE THEATER STALLED UNTIL SALVE AGREED TO TAKE THE LEAD AND MAINTAIN IT. THE BUILDING, WHICH WILL SEAT ROUGHLY 300 PEOPLE, MAINTAINS ITS ORIGINAL TOUCHES, FROM GRAND VELVET CURTAINS AND AN ORCHESTRA PIT BENEATH THE STAGE TO GREEN-FABRIC CHAIRS WITH SPACES BELOW FOR MEN TO PUT THEIR TOP HATS.

PRINCE OF WALES FINDS NEW MIRACLE TONIC FROM PENHALIGON'S

PROUD OF THE ROYAL WARRANT THAT IT WAS GRANTED BY THE PRINCE OF WALES, PENHALIGON'S WAS ONLY TO HAPPY TO ACCEDE TO A SPECIAL REQUEST FROM THE ROYAL. THE HISTORIC KNIGHTSBRIDGE FRAGRANCE HOUSE AGREED TO MAKE A TOP-SECRET HAIR PREPARATION FOR PRINCE CHARLES, WHICH IT WOULD NOT SELL TO ANYONE ELSE. "THE PRINCE SWEARS BY IT", A COURTIER SAYS OF THE BAYOLEA HAIR TONICS. "HE IS ADAMANT THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND ITS INGREDIENTS ARE A CLOSELY GUARDED SECRET. IT APPEARS TO HAVE EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS. HIS HAIR ON OFFICIAL OCCASIONS ALWAYS LOOKS IMMACULATE." CHARLES' HAIR HAS BEEN THE OBJECT OF RECENT FASCINATION SINCE SEVERAL NEWS PUBLICATIONS NOTICED HOW FULL AND LUSTROUS IT HAD LOOKED WHEN HE VISITED A WHISKEY DISTILLERY IN WICK, FOUR WEEKS AGO, AFTER BEING PHOTOGRAPHED WITH A BALD PATE THE PREVIOUS DAY AT THE BEAUFORT POLO CLUB, IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE. THERE HAD BEEN SPECULATION THAT HE HAD A 'WEAVE' - A MINI-WIG MADE FROM REAL OR SYNTHETIC HAIR, WHICH IS GLUED, TAPED OR ACTUALLY WOVEN WITH SILK THREADS ON TO THE HEAD. IT APPEARS THAT THE 'MIRACLE' TONIC BY PENHALIGON'S, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1870, MAY HOWEVER, BE RESPONSIBLE. CARMELO GUASTELLA, THE LONDON BARBER WHO TENDS THE LOCKS OF SACHA BARON COHAN, AMONG OTHER FAMOUS NAMES, WAS REPORTED TO SAY THAT MANY LOTIONS ON THE MARKET DEPEND ON INCREASING THE BLOOD FLOW TO THE SCALP. "THERE ARE SOME ON THE MARKET THAT ARE BENEFICIAL, BUT I WOULD MYSELF PREFER SOMETHING THAT IS A BIT MORE HIGH-TECH SUCH AS NANOGEN. PENHALIGON'S PRODUCTS TEND TO BE VERY TRADITIONAL, BUT IT IS HARD, REALLY, TO MAKE AN ASSESSMENT OF IT WITHOUT KNOWING THE INGREDIENTS." PENHALIGON'S DECLINED TO MAKE ANY COMMENTS.

TEMPLE NEWSAM HOUSE RECEIVES EXQUISITE SILVERWARE FROM LADY GILBERT COLLECTION

HISTORIC TEMPLE NEWSAM HOUSE, PART OF LEEDS MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES, HAS RECENTLY ACQUIRED PART OF A MAJOR GIFT PRESENTATION THROUGH THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART FUND BY THE WIDOW OF SIR ARTHUR GILBERT, FOUNDER OF THE GILBERT COLLECTION, AN OUTSTANDING COLLECTION OF DECORATIVE ART CURRENTLY HOUSED IN LONDON'S V&A. MARJORIE, LADY GILBERT GAVE TWO ITEMS OF SILVERWARE TO THE MUSEUM: A SILVER-GILT CUP BY FOGLINO (c. 1842) AND A MING EWER WITH SILVER MOUNTS DECORATED IN NIELLO (c. 1600). SKIPTON- BORN LADY GILBERT NOW LIVES IN AMERICA, BUT CHOSE TO ALLOCATE HER GIFT THROUGH THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART FUND TO A MUSEUM IN HER NATIVE WEST YORKSHIRE. TEMPLE NEWSAM HOUSE, NEAR LEEDS, HAS A FINE SILVERWARE COLLECTION AND IS THEREFORE AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR THE EXQUISITE PIECES. LADY GILBERT'S GIFT IS THE FIRST DONATION OF ITS KIND TO BE MADE THROUGH THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART FUND, AN ORGANIZATION THROUGH WHICH US TAX PAYERS ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT UK BASED INDEPENDENT CHARITY THE ART FUND IN A TAX-EFFICIENT MANNER. LADY GILBERT HAS ALSO DONATED A PAIR OF DUTCH GILT AND FILIGREE TORAH FINIALS (c. 1780) AND A PAIR OF SILVER DORDRECHT CUPS AND COVERS (1592) TO THE VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, ALSO THROUGH THE AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART FUND. SINCE 1930, TEMPLE NEWSAM HOUSE HAS RECEIVED £527,225 WORTH OF MONETARY GRANTS FROM THE ART FUND TOWARDS THE ACQUISITION OF 103 OBJECTS, INCLUDING A WIDE ARRAY OF PAINTINGS, FURNITURE, CERAMICS AND SILVERWARE. THE MUSEUM HAS ALSO RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 80 OBJECTS AS GIFTS OR BEQUESTS THROUGH THE ART FUND.

DOROTHY'S RUBY SLIPPERS RE-CREATED FOR CHARITY EVENT

IN CELEBRATION OF THE HISTORIC 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE ICONIC FILM 'THE WIZARD OF OZ', WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS TOGETHER WITH SWAROVSKI, APPROACHED 19 OF THE WORLD'S MOST INFLUENTIAL AND CREATIVE SHOE DESIGNERS, ASKING THEM TO RE-CREATE DOROTHY'S RUBY RED SLIPPERS FOR THE MODERN DAY. THE DESIGNERS SELECTED FOR THIS UNIQUE CELEBRATION INCLUDE ROGER VIVIER, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, JIMMY CHOO, MANOLO BLAHNIK AND ALBERTA FERRETI, WHO WILL HAVE THEIR DESIGNS SHOWCASED IN THE SWAROVSKI BOUTIQUE IN SOHO, NEW YORK, FROM 15-23.SEPTEMBER. ONCE THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN GIVEN THE CHANCE TO SEE THE SPARKLING EFFORTS, THE SLIPPERS WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF AT WARNER BROS' EMERALD GALA, WHICH WILL FEATURE PERFORMANCES FROM ASHANTI AND LORNA LUFT -- DAUGHTER OF WIZARD OF OZ START JUDY GARLAND -- AS WELL AS APPEARANCES FROM THE ORIGINAL MUNCHKINS AND THE CAST OF THE NATIONAL TOUR. THE AUCTION IS OPEN TO GLOBAL BIDDERS AND WILL TAKE PLACE ONLINE ON 24.SEPTEMBER AND IS IN AID OF THE ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION charityfolks.com/cfauctions/auction_verticalngo.asp?slrid=1863

LOST RENAISSANCE MASTERPIECE BY LUDOVICO MAZZOLINO RECENTLY DISCOVERED

A LONG LOST MASTERPIECE BY THE RENAISSANCE ARTIST LUDOVICO MAZZOLINO HAS BEEN REDISCOVERED AFTER BEING LEFT FORGOTTEN IN A PACKING CRATE FOR NEARLY SIX DECADES, A LONDON AUCTION HOUSE HAS DISCLOSED. EXPERTS FROM THE NATIONAL GALLERY IN LONDON IDENTIFIED THE PAINTING AS THE WORK OF THE MASTER WHO STUDIED UNDER SOME OF THE GREATEST PAINTERS OF THE ERA, INCLUDING DOSSO DOSSI. THE PAINTING DEPICTS THE MADONNA AND CHILD WITH ST JOSEPH IN AN ITALIAN-STYLE LANDSCAPE AND IS DATED 1522. NEXT MONTH IT IS SET TO GO UNDER THE HAMMER AT AUCTION, ALMOST 200 YEARS SINCE IT WAS LAST SOLD. AND ALTHOUGH THE ESTIMATED VALUE IS BETWEEN £40,000 AND £60,000, THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE GREAT EXCITEMENT OVER THE RARE SALE OF A MAZZOLINO - IN JULY 2005 A PAINTING BY THE ARTIST FETCHED ALMOST £350,000. THE PAINTING, WHICH IS TYPICAL OF MAZZOLINO'S DEVOTIONAL CABINET PICTURES, WAS LAST SOLD AT PUBLIC AUCTION IN LONDON IN 1812 FOR JUST £20.
THE PAINTINGS OWNER TOLD THE AUCTION HOUSE THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN HE OWNED THE ARTWORK, WHICH NOW TURNS OUT TO BE A MASTERPIECE. IT WAS ONLY AFTER HE WAS SHOWING THE AUCTIONEERS PHOTOGRAPHS OF OTHER ITEMS HE WISHED TO SELL, THAT THEY STUMBLED ACROSS THE PAINTING. THE OWNER, A PENSIONER WHO LIVES IN A MODEST TERRACED HOUSE IN CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, SAID THE PAINTING HAD BEEN PUT INTO STORAGE IN 1950 AND HE SAID: "I'M DELIGHTED THAT THE TRUE HISTORY OF THIS PAINTING HAS BEEN REDISCOVERED AND I HOPE IT CAN GO ON SHOW TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AFTER IT HAS BEEN SOLD." THE AUCTION IS SET TO TAKE PLACE AT DUKE'S AUCTION HOUSE OF DORCHESTER ON 1.OCTOBER.2009.

'INFINITE HOPE' BY QUINN GREGORY

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS STUNNING ART WORKS INSPIRED BY AND DEDICATED TO THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST, BUT THERE IS ONE THAT STANDS OUT AMONG THE CROWD. "INFINITE HOPE" BY QUINN GREGORY, IS A UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND DAZZLING LIFE-SIZE SCULPTURE OF CHRIST, (5'3") PRIMARILY MADE OF WOOD, FOAM AND CRYSTALS. THE SCULPTURE TOOK 4½ MONTHS TO TAKE SHAPE OF THE 5'3" SKELETON IN COPPER ANS THEN PAINTING IT IN METALLIC PAINT TO GIVE IT A METAL LOOK WHILE AVOIDING THE WEIGHT OF A METAL SCULPTURE. THE ARTIST'S DEVOUT FAITH AND BELIEF IN GOD HAS BEEN EXPRESSED AS HE UNDERTOOK THE REAL WORK OF MAKING THE SCULPTURE STAND OUR BY ENCRUSTING THE FIGURE WITH OVER 250,000 SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS. THE HARD WORK OF 10 MORE MONTHS TO FULLY EMBELLISH SUCCESSFULLY BROUGHT STRENGTH TO THE ARTISTS WHO IS ALSO FIGHTING WITH A RARE HEART DISEASE. THE AMAZING SCULPTURE IS PROOF THAT FAITH IS BEST EXPRESSED IN DEEDS BUT NOT IN WORDS.

LOUIS VUITTON TO RELEASE NEW EDITION OF CITY GUIDES

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO EXPLORE AND DISCOVER A NEW CITY; HITTING THE HISTORICAL AND TOURIST HOT SPOTS AS OFFERED BY THE MANY TOURIST GUIDES OR YOU CAN FOLLOW THE PATH OF THE LOCALS AND DISCOVER HIDDEN GEMS, BUT LUXURY CITY GUIDE CAN OFFER VARIOUS DIFFERENT VANTAGE POINTS TO EXPLORING NEW DESTINATIONS. CHECK OUT A DIFFERENT SIDE OF TRAVELING WITH THE HELP OF LOUIS VUITTON 2010 CITY GUIDES THAT IS NOW IN ITS 11th YEAR OF PUBLICATION. STEERING IN A LUXURY DRIVEN DIRECTION, THE GUIDES CONTINUE TO PURVEY CAREFULLY CURATED SELECTIONS ON ART, FASHION, DESIGN, FOOD, LODGING AND SO FORTH IN 40 DIFFERENT CITIES. NEWLY ADDED TO THE LIST ARE BASEL, DEAUVILLE, MYKONOS, MALAGA AND TEL AVIV AMONG THE USUAL STAPLES OF LONDON, PARIS AND HONG KONG. A FITTING AND WINNING COMBINATION, PROVIDING THE VESTIGES FOR YOUR BELONGINGS ON TRAVEL, AND A GUIDE FOR YOUR JOURNEY TO GO WITH THE CLASSIC MONOGRAMMED CASES, THE GUIDES' DESIGN REMAINS UNCHANGED AND INSPIRED BY VINTAGE LUGGAGE LABELS ON TRUNKS. THE GUIDES WILL BE AVAILABLE STARTING 15.OCTOBER, JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

REMY COINTREAU UNVEILS NEW LOUIS XIII COFFRET

LOUIS XIII IS A BLEND OF 1,200 EAUX-DE-VIE AGED UP TO 100 YEARS OLD. THIS SPIRIT IS SET TO GET MORE EXCLUSIVE WHEN REMY COINTREAU GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL WILL PRESENT A NEW COFFRET FOR LOUIS XIII REMY MARTIN COGNAC AT NEXT MONTH'S TFWA WORLD EXHIBITION. THE NEW COFFRET IS INSPIRED BY ART-DECO AND FEATURES A HAND-CRAFTED RED LEATHER AND DARK WOOD CASE. THERE IS A MULTIFACETED MIRROR ON THE INSIDE OF THE CASE THAT REFLECTS THE SPIRIT AND DISPLAYS THE CRYSTAL STOPPER IN PLACE. THE SPIRIT ITSELF RESTS IN A BAROQUE CRYSTAL DECANTER WITH THE ICONIC FLEUR-DIS-LYS STOPPER. WHAT IS MORE, THE COFFRET AND ITS OUTER CASE HAVE BEEN DESIGNED TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. COMPACT, CONVENIENT AND EXTREMELY EASY TO CARRY THIS NEW COFFRET IS DEFINITELY A CLASS APART. THE NEW COFFRET WAS PREVIEWED IN CHINESE DOMESTIC MARKETS IN JUNE, BEFORE BEING RELEASED TO GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS FROM OCTOBER.

TRUE BLOOD JEWELRY COLLECTION DESIGNED BY UDI BEHR FOR HBO

HBO IS GIVING VAMPIRE ENTHUSIASTS SOMETHING TO SINK THEIR TEETH INTO. THE NETWORK RECENTLY LAUNCHED ITS NEW "TRUE BLOOD" JEWELRY LINE, DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH DESIGNER UDI BEHR. BEHR DESIGNED THE COLLECTION OF RINGS, NECKLACES AND EARRINGS USING THE TV SHOW'S THEMES AS INSPIRATION. THE PIECES, WHICH INCORPORATE STERLING SILVER, STAINLESS CHAIN, LEATHER AND RUBIES, TARGET FANS OF THE SHOW AND ITS GOTHIC AESTHETIC. SEVERAL ITEMS INCLUDE FANG-LIKE CLAP-CLOSURES, AND PRICES RANGE FROM $59 TO $1,295. "I HAD A LOT OF FUN WITH THE COLLECTION. I DIDN'T JUST WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER VAMPIRE JEWELRY LINE, AND THAT WAS CHALLENGING BECAUSE I WANTED TO REALLY GO BEYOND THAT", SAID BEHR. "I LOOKED TO THE SPIRIT OF THE SHOW. THE SHOW IS VERY SEXY AND SEDUCTIVE, AND IT TALKS ABOUT ETERNITY. I TRIED TO CAPTURE THAT IN WHAT I DESIGNED." BEHR'S 'LOVE, PEACE AND HOPE' COLLECTIONS PREVIOUSLY WON HIM LUXURY MAGAZINE'S TITLE OF DESIGNER OF THE YEAR, AND HIS PIECES HAVE BEEN WORN BY CELEBRITIES SUCH AS ELTON JOHN AND SHARON STONE, HELPING HIM TO CATCH HBO'S EYE. "WE'RE VERY PLEASED TO BE WORKING WITH UDI BEHR", SAID JAMES COSTOS, VICE PRESIDENT OF LICENSING AND RETAIL AT HBO, IN A STATEMENT. "HIS DESIGNS ARE UNIQUE IN THE MARKETPLACE, AND THIS JEWELRY COLLECTION REALLY CAPTURES THE ESSENCE OF THE SERIES."

HISTORIC 3-YEAR LOUVRE/ATLANTA PARTNERSHIP BRINGS OVER 1.3 MILLION VISITORS

THE CLOSING OF THE EXHIBITION "THE LOUVRE AND THE MASTERPIECES" LAST WEEKEND MARKED A CULMINATION OF "LOUVRE ATLANTA", THE HIGH MUSEUM'S UNPRECEDENTED THREE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSEE DU LOUVRE IN PARIS. DURING THE COURSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, THE HIGH WELCOMED OVER 1.3 MILLION VISITORS TO THE MUSEUM FOR SEVEN EXHIBITIONS THAT BROUGHT A COMBINED 493 HISTORIC TREASURES FROM THE LOUVRE'S VAST COLLECTION TO ATLANTA. MASTERWORKS FROM ALL EIGHT OF THE LOUVRE'S CURATORIAL DEPARTMENTS HAVE TRAVELED TO THE HIGH, INCLUDING RARE WORKS BU ARTISTS INCLUDING RAPHAEL, TITIAN, VERMEER, REMBRANDT AND VALEZQUEZ. THE EXHIBITIONS ATTRACTED VISITORS FROM ALL 50 US SATES, AND NEARLY 140,000 STUDENTS VISITED THE EXHIBITIONS. SINCE "LOUVRE ATLANTA" OPENED, THE HIGH'S MEMBERSHIP HAS GROWN TO MORE THAN 50,000 HOUSEHOLDS, PLACING THE MUSEUM'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE TOP 10 AMONG AMERICAN ART MUSEUMS.
THE HIGH LAUNCHED ITS HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSEE DU LOUVRE IN OCTOBER 2006 TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM. THE MULTI-EXHIBITION PARTNERSHIP CONTINUED THE HIGH'S LONG STANDING STRATEGY OF COLLABORATING WITH INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO BRING GREAT ART TO ATLANTA. OVER THE COURSE OF "LOUVRE ATLANTA", CURATORS IN PARIS AND ATLANTA COLLABORATED TO PRESENT HUNDREDS OF WORKS OF ART THROUGH A SERIES OF LONG-TERM THEMATIC EXHIBITIONS EXPLORING THE RANGE, DEPTH, AND HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE LOUVRE'S COLLECTIONS. "LOUVRE ATLANTA" OPENED IN 2006, WITH THE EXHIBITIONS "KINGS AS COLLECTORS", "THE KING'S DRAWINGS", AND "FACES OF HISTORY AND MYTH: BUSTS FROM THE MUSEE DU LOUVRE". IN ITS SECOND YEAR, BEGINNING OCTOBER 2007, THE EXHIBITIONS INCLUDED "LOUVRE AND THE ANCIENT WORLD", "THE EYE OF JOSEPHINE", AND "HOUDON AT THE LOUVRE: MASTERPIECES FROM THE ENLIGHTENMENT". THE FINAL YEAR EXHIBITION, "LOUVRE AND THE MASTERPIECES", WHICH OPENED IN OCTOBER 2008, EXPLORED HOW THE DEFINITION OF A 'MASTERPIECE', AS WELL AS TASTE AND CONNOISSEURSHIP, HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME. A PORTION OF THE EXHIBITION FROM THE FIRST AND SECOND YEARS TRAVELED TO DENVER ART MUSEUM, AND "THE LOUVRE AND THE MASTERPIECE" WILL NOW TRAVEL TO THE MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ART.