It's not often that personal taste can be described as exquisite, it denotes a rare confluence of means and sensibility. But there's really no other word that describe the homes put together by late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé quite so well. A new book, The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé has come out from Vendome Press. The book by Robert Murphy with photography by Ivan Terestchenko is a sumptuous exploration of Saint Laurent and Bergé's multiple homes and expansive collections.

If you've seen some of pieces from the collection which were sold by Christie's for record-breaking sums earlier this year then this is a chance to view the items in situ as they were used by Saint Laurent and Bergé. This is the sort of gorgeous coffee table book (280 pages, 11" x 12 1/4") that inspires dreams. We can't all afford the items that they did but the style, the way or arranging things and of pulling in various objects from different time periods and styles is something anyone can adopt.

Vendome Press was kind enough to send me a copy and I'm giving it away to one lucky reader. To enter leave a comment describing one of your most prized objects.

Some other important details:

* To enter, leave a confirmed comment below.
* The comment must be left and confirmed before September 25, 2009 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
* You may only enter once.
* One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
* One winner will receive a copy of The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Bergé valued at $95.
* Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia.

See complete contest rules here.

This contest is now closed. Thank you for your participation.

If you can't afford one of Jeff Koons's monumental works you can content yourself, or the art lover on your holiday list, with a book on his workds. The Jeff Koons monograph includes a catalog of his work which is organized to tell his story through pictures. There are 100 limited art edition copies with an original artwork by the artist. The book is 606 pages and measures a hefty 13" x 17¼". It sells for $1,000.

Not many coffee table books come with their own briefcase but this one is no ordinary book. It is 720 pages that includes every centerfold from every issue of Playboy. The book includes over 600 Playmates offering a unique look at how standards of female attractiveness have varied over the decades. The black leather briefcase is lined in red velvet and has combination locks. It sells for $315.

[via Acquire]

From the same publishing company that brought out the massively expensive Pele book comes Superyacht a massive coffee table book devoted to megayachts. The book, which is limited to 1,000 copies includes archive photography and newly commissioned photography of the greatest boats on the water today. The book has 648 full-color pages, gatefolds and is bound in silver Italian silk. Eve more intriguingly, it comes in a clam-shell Lucite case that protects if from water. It sells for $3,950.