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The Legends Collection

Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century

$195 USD
Select a Type:
  • Swans: Legends of the Jet Society
  • Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century
  • Gift Set
Estimated Shipping Date: July 14, 2025
Complimentary shipping on select orders.
Ships same day if order is placed before 1pm EST
From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les années folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies, Bals explores the nine most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century, in the most beautiful book ever produced on the subject. In addition to social commentary from (...
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  • Handle with Clean, Dry Hands: Always use clean, dry hands when handling your book to avoid transferring oils or dirt onto the pages and cover. 
  • Avoid Direct Sunlight: Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may cause fading or discoloration of the cover and pages. 
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  • Dust Regularly: Use a soft, dry cloth or feather duster to gently remove dust from the cover and page edges. 
  • Use Caution When Opening: Do not force the spine flat, especially on new books, as this may damage the binding. 
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If the content of your order arrives damaged, or is incorrect, please contact Customer Service as soon as possible.

If you received a damaged item, please email us with your order number, a description of the damage and photos of the damage. If you wish to return your order for any other reason, we allow exchanges for merchandise credit within 14 days of delivery. We do not allow refunds and the customer is responsible for the cost of return shipping. Please note that items must be returned in the same condition in which they were received, with all the original packaging. Exchanges and credit are applicable only at the original point of purchase. The Ultimate Tower and The Allure Bookstand are final sale and not eligible for return or exchange.

Please email us at customerservice@assouline.com with your order number to begin the return process for an online order.

Nicholas Foulkes is a British historian, author, and journalist who has written books on subjects as diverse as James Bond, porcelain, and the trench coat. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogy of nineteenth-century histories: Scandalous Society, a biography of Count d’Orsay; Dancing into Battle; and Gentlemen and Blackguards. In addition to Bals and High Society, he has written four other books for Assouline. Foulkes is luxury editor of British GQ, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Finch’s Quarterly Review, and a contributing editor of Vanity Fair.

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The Legends Collection

Bals: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century

$195
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Page count

308 pages

Number of illustrations

250+

Language

English

Released on

October 2011

Dimensions

W 116 x L 13.97 x D 1.88 in

Cover materials

Hardcover in a Luxury Slipcase

ISBN

9781614280002

Weight

8.0 lb

Author

Nicholas Foulkes

in partnership with
one tree planted

Assouline supports One Tree Planted in its commitment to create a more sustainable world through reforestation. Since 2019, this partnership has contributed to global reforestation efforts, with the long-term goal of creating a sustainable cycle by sourcing paper from the trees planted.

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THE ART OF LUXURY BOOKMAKING

Since its beginnings in 1994, Assouline has been dedicated to creating books that are as informational as they are beautiful works of art. The respect for the product and the process of creation is evident in every facet – the traditional technique of hand-binding covers, the imagery that transports the reader to another place and time, the luxurious thickness of each page.

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THE CULTURE BOOKSTAND

The Culture Bookstand embodies the art of simplicity with elegance. Crafted from luxurious walnut wood and finished with pebbled leather, it gently tilts forward to showcase your book at the ideal angle.

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