World’s Most Expensive New Book Costs $100,000

It’s true. Some people really do have too much money. Consider the people who might opt to purchase a new tome called ” Michelangelo. La Dotta Mano.”

It’s a book about the famed Italian artist’s life and work (including the statue of David, left) and it’s been published in his native country, with copies being sent over to North America. But if you want to read it or buy it for your own enjoyment, be prepared to take out a bank loan.

A single edition costs an astounding $100,000. 

How can anyone charge that much for a book? Each one is hand crafted and the front cover is made from a white marble taken from Michaelangelo’s favourite quarry in Carrara, Italy.

It’s bound in handmade red silk velvet manufactured by the same firm that makes the curtains at the Metropolitan Opera House.

Each one takes 6 months to make and weighs 62 pounds, which doesn’t exactly make for good bathroom reading.

Not that you’d want to peruse it there. In fact, the price of this thing could be enough to allow you to construct an entirely new bathroom and still have money left over to redo the kitchen and the bedroom.

The book contains photos of the artist’s most famous works, along with rarely seen images of his drawings and his poetry. There’s also accompanying text by a noted biographer.

So is anyone going to spring for this thing in hard times? Incredibly, at least 20 of them have already been sold.

Why produce such a volume that sells at such a ridiculous price? Its Italian publisher specializes in books about fine art and president Marilena Ferrari claims the Internet has all but destroyed the time honoured art of making good books.

This is her way of fighting back.

But at that price, most of us will be content to wait for the movie version to come out.

Although you have to wonder how much tickets to that would be.

Photo credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images