Includes bibliographical references (p. [383]-471) and index.
Contents
Preamble: Bacchanalian adventures with the ultra-rich -- The gold-diggers: precious metal, poisoned chalice -- Vulgari: flawed beauty in the gemstones business -- Icecapades: the diamond's darker facets -- Sketchy business: on art connoisseurs and con artists -- The chiselers: from tomb-raider to curator -- The numismaniacs: when big modern money chases little old coins -- The winophiliacs: uncorking the secrets of the wine trade -- Puff artists: behind the smokescreen of high-end cigars -- Afishionados: on fishy business in the fishing business -- Jailbirds: if parrots could really talk ... -- The hunter-gatherer society: from law of the jungle to maw of the market -- Goring the tusk trade: mammoth task, toothless law? -- Coda: from class struggle to crass struggle.
