Heavy reading
Saying Kraken Opus make books is like saying Usiah Bolt can run a bit. This new arrival to Covent Garden creates enormous cathedrals of books – literary monoliths that cost thousands of pounds and weigh in at up to 160kg. These works of art, examples of which can be viewed at their new store on King Street, include luxury publications on subjects as diverse as Manchester United, the US Superbowl, Prince, The History of the Saatchi Gallery and Vivienne Westwood.
The limited edition Manchester United Opus recently changed hands for £1 million, while a 5ft square book on the 100 greatest boxing matches, complete with previously unpublished photos, is on sale now at £70,000. The most impressive production, however, is reserved for his royal purpleness himself, Prince, whose commemorative edition celebrating his 2008 02 concerts goes on sale at Sotheby’s this year. Studded with rare purple diamonds and etched in platinum, the book sale also gets the winning bidder a private performance for 50 guests from Prince at his Los Angeles home. And the price? Well, don’t look for too much change out of £10 million.
For those who haven’t yet re-enforced their coffee table, Kraken Opus is still well worth a visit. The store also sells signed limited edition portraits of famous personalities taken on the Polaroid Studio 20 × 24 inch camera, whose old-fashioned technology produces gorgeous, superbly detailed images. Or, for the more impecunious, simply take a stroll around the store, checking out their gallery which features work from renowned photographers including Robert Watson and Drew Gardener, sculptor Steve Yeates and artists Russell Hatton and Ray Lonsdale.
Kraken Opus is a visual feast, and a truly heavyweight addition to the Covent Garden shopping experience.
