A cultural treasure of the Arab people, a creature of poetry and romance, passion and envy, mystery and majesty, the Arabian horse has inspired countless writers, poets, and artists for millennia. Ancient drawings in Arabia record its timeless form. Victorious steeds stand firm on Karnak’s venerated walls, while tales of King Solomon’s horses still enthrall. These noble creatures were not merely revered as the honor of tribes and the precious resource of caravans, but were also regarded as vital instruments of war and a means of hunting.

This oversize luxury edition explores the fascinating heritage of this dignified beast and celebrates a distinguished collections of twenty horses at the renowned Ajmal Arabian Stud farm in Kuwait. Owned by breeder Mohammed Al-Marzouq, it is considered a symbol of excellence in the breeding of Arabian horses worldwide.

Complimentary white gloves and signature canvas tote bag are included with each purchase from Assouline's Ultimate Collection 

Judith E. Forbis first fell in love with Arabian horses after reading The Black Stallion. In 1957, she traveled to Turkey with the International Cooperation Administration and rode her first Arabian mare and Turkish cavalry horses in jumping championships. She married Donald Forbis and moved to Southeast Turkey, where she raced their Arabian horses. Her challenging adventures as the first woman jockey in the country were chronicled in her book, Hoofbeats Along the Tigris. In 1959, she and her husband founded Ansata Arabian Stud after importing Egyptian Arabian horses to United States. The Ansata bloodlines are now foundation stock for royal, government, and private farms across the world. In 1969, she cofounded The Pyramid Society, an Egyptian Arabian breed organization.

Forbis is an international judge, lecturer, and consultant and has contributed to breed magazines and books worldwide. She has authored The Classic Arabian Horse and Authentic Arabian BloodstockVol. I and II and coauthored The Abbas Pasha Manuscript and The Royal Arabians of Egypt and The Stud of Henry B. Babson. She has received numerous breed honors and, in 2004, was the first woman to receive the prestigious John W. Galbreath Award for outstanding entrepreneurship in the equine industry.

Assouline’s Ultimate Collection is an homage to the art of luxury bookmaking. Hand-bound using traditional techniques, with color plates hand-tipped on art-quality paper, each page of this limited-edition series bears the unique imprint of the artisan. Treating a range of topics from jewelry and fashion, fine art and the ‘Impossible Collections,’ the Ultimate Collection curates culture from around the world and across the ages. Nestled in linen clamshell presentation cases, these books attract collectors, lovers of the printed page, and those who devour the culture of our time. Signaling a new level of sophistication for true connoisseurs, these unique books are works of art in their own right.