What makes a pair of rubber boots worth over $400? The ones from France's Le Chameau are not your ordinary wellies. For one thing, each pair is handmade by a single boot maker from start to finish using only 100% natural rubber, which provides superior resilience and elasticity compared to synthetic rubber. Besides forming an excellent barrier to water, natural rubber offers a high resistance to wear, cutting and tearing, and results in a much better fit and a more comfortable boot all around. They're also lined with the highest quality full-grain, glove-soft calf leather which prevents that clammy feeling and heat buildup other rubber boots are prone to. Many models also feature a full-length proprietary waterproof zipper making them extremely easy to put on and take off, while the soft but aggressive tread grips almost any surface.

Of course Le Chameaus are also damned stylish; they recently appeared in our Fall Sporting Style feature starring the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and while gaining popularity with connoisseurs here, in Europe they're the hunting boot of choice for everyone from royalty to gamekeepers and as much a part of estate shooting as a bespoke shotgun. In 1927, M. Claude Chamot hand-crafted the first pair of Le Chameau boots in his factory in Northern France. It takes nine months of intense training to become a Le Chameau boot maker. Unique skills and techniques are passed down through generations, from master boot maker to apprentice, ensuring that each pair of boots is created with the same care, quality and craftsmanship as in M. Chamot's day, with the benefit of modern technology of course. Under normal conditions a pair of Le Chameaus will last for decades, making the best boot money can buy well worth the price.



The classic olive green Chasseur hunting boots are our favorite, but a range of models is available for both men and women. There are special versions for cold weather and even some fur trimmed ladies' models in interesting colors. On a historical note, these type of boots are known as Wellingtons or wellies after a softer, closer-fitting style of cavalry boot originally designed by the first Duke of Wellington, who had the first ones made of leather in the early 1800s. They were not made of rubber until the 1850s when Charles Goodyear invented the vulcanization process for natural rubber. You can check out a video of Le Chameau boots being made here.

William & Son, the luxury goods emporium located in London's elegant Mayfair district founded by William Asprey after his family's business, Asprey of London, was sold off back in the '90s, was recently granted a Royal Warrant to HM Queen Elizabeth II. The firm (which we wrote about last year), offers high-end jewelry, silver, watches, leathergoods, china and crystal, as well as custom-made shotguns and other bespoke services. The Royal Warrant is awarded as a mark of recognition to companies who have regularly supplied goods or services for at least five years to members of the Royal Family. Warrants have always been regarded as a mark of excellence and quality, and are highly prized. Other firms holding the Royal Warrant include Asprey, Swaine Adeney Brigg, Barbour and Laphroaig.

Recession or no, certain truly unique and exclusive handcrafted luxury items remain in very high demand. The Fall issue of WSJ., The Wall Street Journal's glossy magazine, reports that there's currently a five-year waiting list for the custom $175,000 shotguns made by Italian master Tullio Fabbri. Fabbri marries high-tech fabrication - the guns' locking mechanisms are coated in diamond dust to increase durability - with classic Brescian engraving on the metalwork that looks like embroidered lace. He has made guns for celebs like Steven Spielberg, Eric Clapton and King Juan Carlos of Spain, as well as Mexican-born pop singer Thalia, pictured above with her Fabbri 20-gauge. Fabbri's father began the business in 1965 in a small shop in the Valle Trompia, a legendary valley in northern Italy that has been home to gunmakers since the 16th century. Fabbri only makes 30 guns per year, hence the waiting list. Italian artisans spend 400 - 600 hours etching the metalwork on each gun, which can add $50,000 or more to the price. Thalia's husband, music mogul Tommy Mottola, tells the magazine that "Tullio's work is as good as a Picasso."

The Holland & Holland Range Rover by Overfinch, the "ultimate all purpose, all season luxury supercar" with a sporting edge billed as the most luxurious Range Rover ever made, will make its debut in the UK later this month. Limited to only 100 examples and expected to be priced at around $300,000, it will be a contender for the title of world's most expensive SUV, in competition with Spyker's Peking-to-Paris. Based on the supercharged 503 hp 2010 Range Rover, bespoke tuner Overfinch collaborated with Holland & Holland, maker of fine shotguns established in London in 1835 who hold two Royal Warrants, on the vehicle. A saddle-stitched leather interior is offset by a 32 piece, hand-carved woodwork set available in a selection of finishes. The rear console includes an integrated refrigerator, capable of chilling two full size champagne bottles, along with storage space for two flutes. The luggage compartment contains a beautiful hand-crafted bespoke gun cabinet with multiple drawers capable of holding up to eight crystal champagne flutes and whisky tumblers, as well as two cased shotguns, cartridges and all the accessories.

[via Duncan Quinn]

Birmingham gunmaker Westley Richards was established in 1812 - three years before the battle of Waterloo - by founder William Westley Richards. In less than 30 years he secured a royal appointment to Queen Victoria's consort Prince Albert, and a "continuous stream of technical innovations" put the Westley Richards name firmly on the map. In addition to beautiful craftsmanship, the company introduced notable improvements in breech loading, military gunmaking and ammunition, and a Westley detachable lock is still the trade standard for many modern shotguns.

Today the firm is thriving, having just moved into new $9 million headquarters in Birmingham's old Gun Quarter to house a revamped retail operation and an ever-expanding team of in-house craftsmen. The 21,000-sq.-ft. site, converted from 19th century brick warehouse buildings, is dedicated to all aspects of the gunmaker's craft. State-of-the-art workshops, a full tannery, engraving studios and an underground shooting range are complemented by an opulent new retail showroom, stocking sporting clothes and accessories, including bespoke leathergoods, books, art and ephemera. It's designed to be the "perfect blend of expert outfitters and enthusiasts den."

A new Westley Richards gun may take anywhere upwards of 600 hours to complete – 800 for a double rifle, "unbeaten in its ability to place two shots in rapid succession precisely on target" - depending on the level of engraving required. The gunroom creates an average of 30 pieces per year, with finished rifles and shotguns dispatched internationally. From consultation to delivery, a Westley Richards handmade double rifle or shotgun will be in production for up to two years; hence the maxim "Passion and patience go hand in hand for a Westley fan." They also stock a selection of second hand guns.

Swedish gun and rifle maker VO Vapen, founded in 1977 by master gunsmith Viggo Olsson, constructs the world's most exclusive handmade hunting rifles. The production of VO rifles is limited to a small number of examples each year. The company holds a royal appointment to H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, and has recently found great success with ultra-exclusive rifles made for the Middle Eastern market. H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi's Royal Family is another VO enthusiast.

In addition to completely bespoke orders, VO makes several limited edition collections and special editions. The foremost of these is the one-of-a-kind H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Mosque Rifle, designed as "a tribute to the most magnificent building we have ever seen" in Abu Dhabi and to the man who created it, priced at $825,000. This masterpiece includes a grip cap with engraving, gold inlays and 36 multicolored diamonds mimicking the design of the mosque's amazing chandelier (see the gallery).

The Royal Collection United Arab Emirates Edition (above), is designed to be nothing short of the world's most exclusive rifles and limited to only 100 pieces. Specific models have been dedicated to members of Abu Dhabi's Royal Family and bear their engraved portraits, and are priced at $525,000. Other collections include the Big Five, designed as a tribute to five big game animals (lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, elephant) and Ernest Hemingway, "the passionate hunter who brought safari hunt to the public attention," nicknamed the "Big Papa," limited to six pieces at $375,000 each; the Viking Collection, inspired by Viking mythology and featuring engravings of Norse gods and 24-carat gold inlay at $275,000 apiece; and the Royal TD Collection, initially created for H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip Bernadotte of Sweden, at $125,000 each.



All VO rifles are based on their patented takedown system, allowing the owner to use several different calibers on the same rifle. In addition to precious engraving and inlaying, the stocks are made of the finest European walnut root, hand-selected by Olsson. When the humidity is at the correct level, the roots are washed and the bark is shaved off, then the roots are cut into planks on a homemade saw. Throughout the next three years, the planks must be stored in different facilities where the moisture is gradually drawn out of them.

The moisture is checked and when it has the right balance, the plank is cut into one or several stock blocks. Clients can also choose their own walnut root plank and have it tailor made to their own measurements. Next comes the oil treatment of the stock, which takes about five weeks. The result is a silky finish that gives life and depth to the natural beauty of the walnut root. VO reminds us however that, "No matter how beautiful a rifle is, at the end of the day it will always be judged by accuracy. And one thing we can assure you – you can not blame your VO rifle if you do not hit the target."

An extremely rare and ornate pair of exhibition-grade gold-inlaid J. Purdey & Sons 12-bore shotguns stars in Christie's Exceptional and Fine Sporting Guns and Rifles sale in London today. Estimated at $320,000 - $400,000, the British-made shotguns contain an astounding amount of gold, accounting for the extremely high estimate. As Christie's notes, with the exception of weapons built for the Maharajahs of India, modern sporting guns were "only traditionally given gold inlay as a mild form of embellishment."

This extraordinary pair was actually inspired by gunsmith Ken Hunt's studies of arms and armor in the Tower of London, the Wallace Collection and the Victoria & Albert Museum. They are presented in a beautifully-crafted oak and leather case. Purdey, founded in 1814, holds numerous warrants of appointment as gun and rifle makers to the British and other European royal families. Queen Victoria purchased a pair of Purdey guns in 1838.