What kind of artist works with a hunting knife? Ask Mark Evans, the pioneer whose work has been called “leather sculpting.” That work will soon adorn the walls of one Russian billionaire’s mansion as the most expensive wallpaper in the world.

Evans works by etching the leather down to the suede with a number of bladed tools of different sizes, from a large hunting knife to several sculpting knives. The results are photorealistic depictions of animals, the crucifixion and even the celebrated “Fight of the Year” between Doug Jones and Muhammed Ali.

Evans’ leather etchings will cover the walls of two rooms in a mansion in Moscow. The unnamed billionaire’s wallpaper will cost $2.71 million, or around $23,675 per square meter.

The Miss Russia Pageant has only been around since 1993 and, since then, it has produced one Miss Universe and two winners of Miss World (one of whom was, unfortunately, later dethroned). Now, however, the pageant has a new claim to fame—the most expensive beauty pageant crown in the world.

The new Miss Russia crown was unveiled at Imperial Park Hotel & SPA, just outside of Moscow, and will be bestowed upon the pageant’s 2010 winner after she is announced on March 8th. Created by the Yuvelirny Teatr jewelry house, the exquisite crown is made of 18k white gold adorned with 2,358 diamonds totaling 62 carats and fourteen pearls, the foremost of which is an enormous 19 mm.

While this crown is claimed to be the most expensive in the world, its exact value remains unrevealed.

Giacomo Casanova, the world’s greatest lover, may have been Venetian, but it was the French government who, in early 2010, paid top dollar for the licentious libertine’s manuscript.

Casanova wrote of his adventures from 1789 to his death in 1798, during which time he was employed as the librarian to Count Waldstein in the Castle of Dux, Bohemia. The manuscript, “Histoire de mi vie” or “History of my Life,” allegedly details his conquest over more than 100 women—at least one of which was a nun—and several men. Unfortunately, the general public has only seen censored and otherwise altered versions of the account.

The 3,700 manuscript was acquired by the Brockhaus family in 1820 and survived the bombing of Leipzig in World War II. It was smuggled out of Germany on a US military truck in 1945 and published fifteen years later.

The French National Library purchased the cultural artifact for a cool €7 million—over US $9.4 million—making it the most expensive written manuscript in the world.

Paintings are often highly sought after due to their broad appeal and identifiability. They’re relatively easy to transport and widely available in a variety of price levels. Sculptures, on the other hand, have a tendency to fetch much higher prices initially, due primarily to the workload involved in their creation and the significantly higher price of materials. Gold, bronze and marble are much more difficult to obtain, transport and work with than the materials favored by the world’s painters. The heyday of creative sculpting existed in the Greek and Roman empires, and then as now served primarily religious and memorial functions. These works are seldom traded on the open market due to the grip with which museums and religious institutions hold them.

Pablo Picasso – “Tête de femme (Dora Maar)” – $29.1 million

Pable Picasso’s most expensive sculpture is an abstract representation of French photographer, painter and poet Dora Maar, whose relationship with Picasso lasted from 1936 to 1943. Created in 1941, the bust is 31.5 inches tall and cast in bronze. It achieved its record-breaking price at a Sotheby’s auction in 2007.

Constantin Brancusi – “Madame L.R. (Portrait de Mme L.R.)” – 36.8 million

Brancusi was a member of the modernist art movement, which took a marked turn from the styles and fields of study of its predecessors. Favoring minimalism to representation, his pieces, while often pleasing to look at, serve more a conceptual purpose then a literary or narrative one. A student of the literal and highly lauded Auguste Rodin, Brancusi’s pieces lack the emotional content one often searches for in works of art. Madame L.R. was sculpted circa 1914-1917 and was sold at Christie’s auction of the Yves Saint Laurent collection of Art in 2009.

”The Guennol Lioness” – $57.2 million

This Mesopotamian statue of an anthropomorphic lion is 5,000 years old and likely depicts an Elamite deity or other venerated figure. It was discovered near present-day Baghdad in the early 1800s by Sir Leonard Woolley. It was most recently sold in a Sotheby’s auction in late 2007 and was, for a short time, the most expensive sculpture ever sold. It was carved from limestone and stands just over 3 inches tall.

Damien Hirst – “For the love of God” – $100 million

The most modern sculpture on this list, “For the love of God” was created in 2007. The work was inspired by an Aztec turquoise skull and was based on a European skull thought to be at least 200 years old. It’s cast from platinum and covered in 8,601 pavé-set diamonds totaling 1,106.18 carats. The teeth came from the original skull. “For the love of God” was sold in mid-2007 and is the most expensive work by a living artist.

Alberto Giacometti – “L’Homme qui marche I” (“Walking Man 1”) – $104.3 million

This piece is considered to be the culmination of the Swiss sculptor’s work, which started small and gradually became taller and thinner. This 6-foot-tall bronze sculpture was sold in February 2010 and became not just the most expensive sculpture ever sold but the most expensive work of art ever sold at auction.

(via theartwolf.com)

HBO’s latest attempt to recapture the magic that made The Sopranos a hit may just be the most expensive television show in the world.

According to The New York Post, the pilot episode for Boardwalk Empire has set HBO back $50 million—around five times the price of Lost’s two-hour pilot episode, formerly thought to be the world’s most expensive television episode.

Boardwalk Empire fuses the period style that made AMC’s Mad Men popular with the gangster drama that propelled Sopranos to the top. It will star Steve Buscemi as politician and gangster Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who reigned over Atlantic City in the 1920s. The series was created by Buscemi’s fellow Sopranos alum Terence Winter and is produced by none other than Martin Scorsese.

Boardwalk Empire is set to debut in late 2010 with a 12-episode season.

Iconic pop artist Andy Warhol strove for a unique and trendsetting look—even going so far as to commission mismatched footwear with patches sewn onto the right shoe. Then, of course, there’s the famous wig he began wearing in the mid-1960s.

While the silver-grey wig was originally intended to cover up his receding hairline, it became an integral part of the Andy Warhol look. In 2006, almost twenty years after Warhol’s death, the wig was sold at a Christie’s auction along with a few other items formerly owned by Warhol. The wig even had Warhol’s toupee tape still attached to its interior.

The wig sold for $10,800, making it one of the most expensive wigs in the world.

Other Warhol memorabilia sold at the auction included a 1977 photo of Muhammed Ali, signed by Warhol, and a 1975 Polaroid of Mick Jagger. The photos sold at $19,200 and $15,600, respectively.

Pius XI was a scholarly pope who abhorred racism and often spoke out against Communism and Nazism. His greatest achievement, however, was the signing of the Lateral Treaty with Italy in 1929, which established Vatican City as an independent state.

The harmonica given to Pius XI by Hohner had brass reeds and a solid gold casing encrusted with jewels and ivory. The material cost of the harmonica is unknown but, as a papal artifact, one could easily call it “priceless.”

A Hohner harmonica

People have been practicing chandlery for over 5,000 years, but a truly impressive candle still comes along every now and then. Such is the case with the “Ultimate Luxury Candle,” the most expensive candle in the world.

The Ultimate Luxury Candle by Luxury Soy Candles lives up to its name with both its fragrance, Champagne Noir Soy, and its embellishment—a Diamond Bow Necklace designed by Bucci Jewelry & Design. The necklace is adorned with 2.23 carats of G color, VS brilliant diamonds—thirty-eight in total—set in 14k white gold.

The candle is packaged in a black box with a white satin bow. It can be purchased exclusively at Welcome Home Candles for just under $5,000.

King Kong – $207 million

The iconic ape returned to the silver screen for the first time in nearly 30 years in this 2005 remake of the original 1933 film. The film featured Naomi Watts as Kong’s number one lady and Jack Black as the inscrupulous film director looking to bank on the prodigious primate. Universal Studios certainly turned a profit with over $500 million in gross revenue.

X-Men: The Last Stand – $210 million

The third installment of the X-Men series saw Brett Ratner stepping into the directorial shoes to replace Bryan Singer as the mutant misfits’ world is turned upside down by forces both internal and external. The film received mixed reviews, but earned higher than either of its predecessors with $459,359,555 gross revenue. It was followed in 2009 by X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – $225 million

The sequel to Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl introduced the trilogy’s betentacled villain, Captain Davy Jones (Bill Nighy) of the Flying Dutchman. Actors Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom returned, of course, to reprise the roles that made the first movie such a hit. Dead Man’s Chest was a hit at the box office and earned over $1 billion.

Spider-Man 3 – $258 million

Director Sam Raimi’s third Spider-Man movie, featuring Tobey Macguire in the titular role and Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane Watson, boasted not one but three major villains—Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Venom (Topher Grace) and the New Goblin (James Franco). The film grossed nearly $900 million.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End – $300 million

The final installment in Disney’s Pirates trilogy, At World’s End resolved the stories of Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp), Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley). The most expensive movie ever made received mixed reviews, but won “Best Movie” at the People’s Choice Awards. It earned slightly less than its predecessor with a gross revenue of just under $1 billion.

James Cameron’s Avatar – $500 million

James Cameron, the director who brought us “Titanic and the Terminator franchise, may have outdone himself with his latest endeavor. He’s certainly outbudgeted himself—and everyone else in Hollywood—with Avatar.

Not to be confused with The Last Airbender, the movie follows humanity’s attempts to exploit the resources of an alien planet through hybrid human-alien “avatars.” It features a far less celebrated cast than its budget might suggest—aside from Cameron himself, the biggest names attached to it are Giovanni Ribisi and Sigourney Weaver.

Cameron first wrote the script for Avatar in 1994, but delayed production until the technology caught up with his vision. Avatar uses an innovative new motion capture camera that allows the director to watch the actor’s interaction with the computer generated world as they’re filmed, an enormous performance-capture stage called The Volume and a special skullcap for recording facial expressions. Additionally, the entire movie is being filmed in 3D.

The holidays are coming up and the UK’s Hallmark Jewelers are ringing in the season with the most expensive Christmas ornament in the world.

Adorned with 500 diamonds—three of them one carat apiece—arranged along a snowflake pattern and orbited by 188 rubies, The World’s Most Valuable Christmas Bauble, as they call it, is a truly exquisite and unique piece of holiday décor.

Work on the Bauble began on Boxing Day (December 26th, for stateside readers) 2008 and took almost a year to complete. The two halves of the interior orb were cast in London’s Hatton Garden Jewellery Quarter. The bulb was unveiled at a VIP gala and its designer, Mark Hussey, plans to display it in his Titchfield store should a buyer not be available.

The Christmas Bauble is valued at £82,000—over US $136,000.

The subtitle on the website of Robin Antar’s Antar Studios inc. proclaims her work as “Realism in Stone.” Antar’s work consists mostly of mundane objects such as denim jackets, potato chip bags, tubes of toothpaste and even M&Ms bags rendered in stone. While you can’t drink from it, Antar’s “Soda Can” is likely the most expensive soda can in the world.

The costly can is carved from a single block of marble, polished and capped with a sculpted, silver-painted lid. Antar chose to carve a slightly crushed can rather than a boring, pristine can. At 10” by 18”, it’s not the largest of Antar’s oversized works, but it’s still larger than your average soda can. It weighs in at 150 lbs.

The most expensive soda can is valued at $36,000.

Yesterday and Today was the Beatles’ twelfth US release, a collection of tracks from LPs and singles that hadn’t been released in the US. While the band didn’t appreciate the mishmash approach Capitol Records took with the album, they were able to exert some creative control over the cover—at least until it was banned. Now that cover has become the most expensive Beatles memorabilia in the world.

The original “butcher cover” features the quartet dressed as butchers, with slabs of meat and parts of plastic baby dolls strewn across their laps and shoulders. It was part of a 1966 shoot by photographer Robert Whitaker and, according to Capitol Records president Alan W. Livingston, it was Paul McCartney who insisted that it be used as the album’s cover. Unfortunately, retailer complaints led to Capital recalling the 750,000 copies of the album and pasting over the cover with a more agreeable photo.

To celebrate the remastered release of the Beatles’ back catalogue, the Saint Giles Street Gallery together with the British Beatles Fan Club put together an exhibit full of rare Beatles imagery in October 2009. Called The “Eleven Million Dollar Picture” Show, it was named after the printer’s proof of the infamous butcher cover, upon which John Lennon wrote, “here’s the famous banned butcher cover. You can sell it for $11 million dollars.”

The Saint Giles Gallery, of course, had the proof up for sale for $11 million.

The world’s most expensive piece of furniture isn’t a bed, a chair or even a couch—it’s a cabinet. Blurring the line between art and craft, the Badminton Cabinet is truly a unique item.

The Badminton Cabinet (or Badminton Chest) was commissioned by Henry Somerset, 3rd Duke of Beaufort, at the age of 19. It took thirty experts six years to create and is named after the Duke’s seat of power, Badminton House in Gloucestershire, where it sat until it was auctioned by his descendents in the late 20th century.

The ebony cabinet is over 12 feet tall and features scenes rendered in pietre dure—the arrangement of finely cut, polished and colored stones. Among the inlaid stones are a number of semiprecious stones.The clock face set at the top of the cabinet is marked with fleurs-de-lis.

The Badminton Cabinet became the most expensive piece of furniture in the world when it was auctioned for $15.1 million in 1990 and retained its status when it was auctioned again in 2004, this time for $36.7 million.

Imagine you’re sitting in your Eileen Gray “Dragons” chair, sipping a glass of Dalmore 62 Highland Malt Scotch Whisky. Where do you put your feet? Unless you somehow missed the title, you already know the answer—the world’s most expensive stool.

Sold by a jewelry store in China’s Jiangsu province, this expensive stool is made of 110 lbs of solid gold and is priced at $1.3 million.

Now, unfortunately, you know as much about it as I do.

For a different kind of stool, check out the world’s most expensive coffee.

Hey, who didn’t see that joke coming?

Tiffany lamps are a special kind of Art Nouveau lamp made with glass shades. Their history begins in 1895, when the first lamp was produced by the Tiffany Glass Company—later known as Tiffany Studios. They were not, however, designed by stained glass artist and company founder Louis Comfort Tiffany, as has been thought until recently. Clara Driscoll, head of the “Tiffany Girls,” was the mastermind behind the entirely handmade Tiffany lamps.

In 1997, one of those lamps became the most expensive lamp in the world.

The Tiffany ‘Lotus’ lamp, circa 1906, is made of bronze with leaded stained glass set in a mosaic pattern. The eight lotus flowers made of Tiffany’s patented favrile glass overlap to form the shade for this exquisite lamp.

While the world’s most expensive lamp originally sold for $750—almost $18,000 in modern currency—it was sold at a Christie’s auction in 1997 for an unprecedented $2.8 million.

Want to own the most expensive Xbox 360 in the world? Replace the boring old faceplate with this one and you’ll have it.

This unique faceplate was auctioned on eBay in 2005. Made of 999.9 ounces of solid 24k gold, the faceplate was cast with access to all the ports and receivers necessary to enjoy your Xbox to its fullest extent.

Sadly, information on whether or not it sold, and for how much, is scarce. What I can tell you, though, is that it had an opening bid of $36,000.

If you can’t find a solid gold faceplate for your Xbox 360, then why not try the next best thing—or, rather, the next most expensive thing. Featuring the popular Tomb Raider heroine, Lara Croft, this extravagant case is made with 43,000 crystals.

Only a few of these Xbox cases are being produced and sold in Germany, where it commands a price of around $11,000.

French luxury firm S. T. Dupont—no relation to the chemical company—has been dealing in extravagance since 1872, when it was founded by Simon Tissot Dupont. Recently, for instance, they created a line of accessories inspired by the 2006 James Bond film, Casino Royale. This year, they’ve produced the world’s most expensive lighter.

Part of the company’s Prestige Collection, the Ligne 2 lighter comes in four distinct varieties. While the solid gold, white gold and the “Rose” pink gold and diamond lighters are all exquisite in their own ways, the Ligne 2 Champagne is truly exceptional. Made of 18-karat white gold and decorated with 462 diamonds (5.2 carats) of GVS quality, the Ligne 2 Champagne positively glitters with excess.

The most expensive lighter in the world can be had for $79,000. Its companion piece, a pen with another 502 diamonds, commands a mere $74,000 price tag.

The world’s most expensive garbage cans are the work of contemporary pop artist Sylvie Fleury.

Created in a limited edition of twenty-five pieces, these garbage cans are made of steel pressed with gold leaf. Each one is stamped with “SF 2003” and its individual number on the underside. Number 25 was made available at Phillips de Pury & Company’s Contemporary Art Sale in New York on May 15th 2009.

Fleury’s other works include various “MINISKIRTS ARE BACK” paintings and an installation featuring a pyramid of Slim-Fast boxes.

The most expensive trash cans in the world are valued at $10,000-15,000.

So, you know, eventually someone will have to go and stick some diamonds on one.

Until then, the most expensive netbook in the world is this unique Aspire One painted in the Kyo Yuzen tradition by UFO-Hayashi, a Japanese artist known for his work on iPods, phones and other gadgets. The painting represents life in its spring, rebounding after the long and cold winter. Painting the device took the artist around three months to finish and shavings from nautilus shells were used in the process.

As for its specs, the unique netbook features the Aspire One’s typical 1.6 GHz Atom processor, 1 GB memory and a 120 GB hard drive.

The world’s most expensive netbook is up for grabs on eBay until May 1st with a starting bid of $3,000.

A chair belonging to late and great French fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent has just made history as the world’s most expensive chair.

The founder of the eponymous YSL luxury brand, Saint Laurent died in June of 2008 just a few days after marrying his partner and co-founder, Pierre Bergé.

The expensive armchair had belonged to a Paris-based art dealer before finding its way into the hands of Saint Laurent and Bergé. Reportedly, that very same art dealer is the person who paid ten times the chair’s estimated value to procure it at a Christie’s auction.

The chair was made by Irish designer Eileen Gray sometime between 1917 and 1919. Called the “Dragons” chair, it is one of Gray’s masterpieces and was expected to sell for €2-3 millions.

At Paris’ Grand Palais, held February 24th, the most expensive chair in the world was sold for €21.9 million—that’s US $27.8 million!

The Chopard Blue Diamond Ring is the ring that makes any other diamond ring look bad. Set with an enormous, oval-shaped blue diamond, the expensive ring also has diamond shoulders and an 18k white gold band paved with diamonds.

Blue diamond is among the most expensive diamonds in the world. It is found among boron deposits, from whence it derives its shade. This particular gem weighs in at nine carats.

The world’s most expensive ring is valued at $16.26 million, enough to put a dent in the wallets of even the wealthiest individuals.

The Luxury Billiard is a 117-by-67-inch table with a 100-by-50-inch playing surface made of Iwan Simonis 860, the same cloth used on tables at any major billiards event. Surprisingly, the sights—a. k. a. “diamonds”—on the most expensive billiards table aren’t made with diamonds. You heard that right—someone actually managed to resist the urge to deck out an ultra-luxury item in precious gems. Instead, they’re inlayed with gold or platinum. Gold or platinum are also used in leaf-form to create the exquisite pattern on the table’s legs.

The Luxury Billiard is just as functional as it is beautiful. It features an automated drawer that can hold a set of pool cues and balls. Additionally, the triangle is built into the table so that you need only push on it—like the CD-ROM drive on a laptop—to eject it from the table.

The most expensive pool table in the world can be had for a mere $177,000. It comes in three models—Noblesse (18k gold), Majesté and Royal (platinum)—but custom configurations are available.

Bullet Forge, an online retailer of custom bullets, may be offering the most expensive bullet in the world.

The retailer sells gold bullets, platinum bullets and, of course, a whole lot of silver bullets. Their premier offering, however, is this 45 ACP hollow-point made of 14-karat white gold. Mounted within the hollow-point are ninety diamonds surrounding a sparkling amethyst. Like all of Bullet Forge’s custom bullets, this beauty is inert—it can’t be fired. However, it does feature a loop attached to the base so it can be worn on a necklace.

Bullet Forge also offers a 9mm, again made from 14-karat white gold, with only diamonds mounted in the hollow-point.

Both of these expensive bullets sell for “about $3000” although, as customs, the price varies depending on the materials used. Unfortunately, Bullet Forge isn’t currently accepting online orders—they’re too busy filling backorders and protecting their intellectual property.

Stupid lousy bullet pirates.

Starting in 2011, J. R. R. Tolkien fans across the globe will be able to see two of the world’s most expensive Tolkien books in person. GTC AG, a Swiss company, has recently acquired both books and is planning an exhibition that will bring them to the general public.

In early December, GTC AG acquired a signed copy of “The Hobbit” from Peter Harrington’s for over $78,000. Little more than two weeks later, they announced the acquisition of an even more expensive set of books—a signed first edition set of the Lord of the Rings trilogy dedicated, in Elvish no less, to Elaine Griffith, “The Queen of the Hobbits.” Griffith, a student of Tolkien’s, earned that title by convincing him to seek publication for The Hobbit.

Also acquired in that auction was a lot of Pauline Baynes’ original art. Baynes was Tolkien’s favorite illustrator and passed away last August at the age of 85.

GTC Roadshow’s 2011 exhibition, thought to be the largest collection of Tolkien material ever assembled, will coincide with the release of the upcoming live action film. The Hobbit, directed by Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) and produced by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, is scheduled for a December 2011 release.

The most expensive iPhone app ever sold was one aptly called “I Am Rich”—one of the first apps to be offered on iTunes. It consisted of a small icon with the subtext “I Am Rich.” Clicking on the icon would fill the screen with a large, ruby red gem on a red and black background. The purpose of this app, as stated in the product description, was to let your friends and acquaintances know that you have a whole lot of money. It also included what the developer, Armin Heinrich, called a “secret mantra” that you could use to stay rich and healthy.

The price for I Am Rich was set at $999.99 before it was pulled from the App Store.

The problem, of course, is that of the eight people who purchased I Am Rich, at least one only clicked “buy” to see what would happen. Imagine his dismay when he discovered that his wife had enabled one-click purchasing (or so he said) and he had just spent $1000 on what he’d thought was a gag.

So Apple pulled the plug on I Am Rich, ending its brief career as the world’s most expensive iPhone app.

Of course, that left room for a new most expensive app—and Lextech Labs were more than happy to fill the void. Rather than sell an app whose sole purpose was to cost a bucketload of cash, though, Lextech Labs’ iRa Pro actually does something.

Intended for security professionals who need to maintain unlimited mobility, Ira Pro allows users to monitor IP-based surveillance equipment. The app interfaces with a video management server to provide that extra sense of security that comes from knowing that you can always check in on whatever it is you’re protecting. I imagine this will be quite popular in casinos.

The most expensive iPhone app on the market sells for $899.99. Another version of iRa, iRa Direct, costs significantly less at $499.99 but only allows direct interface with the cameras rather than a video management server.

You’ve probably spent hours in frustration trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube. Maybe you’ve even solved it a few times. Maybe you’ve even figured out how to solve the thing consistently. Wouldn’t you feel smarter, though, if you solved the most expensive Rubik’s Cube in the world?

Yeah, I thought so.

The Masterpiece Cube, created by Fred Cueller of Diamond Cutters International for the 15th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube in 1995, is a fully functioning Rubik’s Cube with one minor difference—it’s made with 185 carats of precious gems invisibly set in 18-karat gold. In its solved state, the cube features a different type of gem on each side—including 22.5 karats of amethyst, 34 karats of rubies and 34 karats of emeralds.

The world’s most expensive Rubik’s Cube is estimated to be worth $1.5 million. It isn’t currently on display, but is occasionally shown off to lucky observers.

‘Tis the season the empty your wallet—as if it wasn’t empty enough already. Despite any global economic crises or whatnot, this year marks the unveiling of yet another world’s most expensive Christmas tree.

Outdoing last year’s tree, a million-dollar Soo Kee Jewellery masterpiece displayed at the Bugis Junction shopping mall in Singapore, Ginza Tanaka’s 24k gold Christmas tree cost $1.6 million to create. The golden tree is adorned with 240 jewels—diamonds and strings of pearls included—and weighs in at 46 pounds total. That’s a far cry from last year’s 7,000-pound, 20-foot Christmas tree.

The most expensive Christmas tree in the world will be on display at the Ginza Tanaka jewelry shop in Shinsaibashi, Osaka throughout the holiday season.

Broadway theatre has its roots in the very end of the 18th century, when New York’s first theatre companies were formed. Nowadays, Broadway audiences can expect to see a mixture of well known television and movie stars and stage actors who only play bit parts outside of theatre. Considering the salaries commanded by film actors, let alone costumes and sets, it’s little wonder that Broadway productions can become quite expensive.

The most expensive Broadway production in history will be “Spider-Man: The Musical,” directed by Julie Taymor. Taymor is no stranger to Broadway, having directed “The Lion King,” based on the Disney film of the same name, in 1997. Feature films under her belt include Shakespearian gore fest Titus (1999) and, most recently, Across the Universe (2007).

Taymor isn’t the only big name attached to this production, though. Scoring the musical will be U2’s Bono and The Edge.

The most expensive Broadway musical in history is expected to cost around $40 million to produce. It’s expected to open next year and, according to the New York Post, will have to run “about 8,000 years” in order to break even.

If you’re the kind of guy who manages to cut himself with a safety razor, the world’s most expensive razor is not for you. If you have steady hands, an appreciation of fine craftsmanship and the kind of budget that lets you buy a $30,000 razor, though, then you may want to take a look at what Hommage has created for people like you.

Known for their luxury personal grooming products, Parisian company Hommage certainly lives up to their reputation with the Damascene Razor. The name comes from the Damascus steel used to make the blade. While the technique for making the True Damascus encountered during the Crusades has been lost since the 1700s, modern pattern welding techniques have produced similar blades. The 128 layers of steel in the Damascene Razor produce a rose and torsion pattern much like those seen in True Damascus blades.

The blade isn’t the only expensive material used to make this extravagantly crafted straight razor, though. The razor’s sheath is platinum plated and it comes in a lacquered gift box of Tanzanian anigré wood.

If you want one, though, you’d better buy it now. The most expensive razor in the world is a limited edition item.

In 1966, a twenty-something named Buster Warenski decided that he’d like to make his own knife. Forty years later, he is considered one of the greatest knife makers of the last century. At the age of thirty, he became one of the handful of knife makers to join the Knifemakers Guild. He ended up serving two terms as the guild’s president.

His Legacy Series of four 18k gold knives includes the most expensive modern knife in the world—Gem of the Orient. Designed for a Japanese customer, the knife’s jade and gold filigree handle is encrusted with 153 emeralds (10 carats) and nine diamonds (5 carats). In all, the knife was made with 28 ounces of gold. Supposedly, it took Warenski 10 years to make.

The world’s most expensive modern knife was originally sold for $1.2 million. The buyer, in turn, put Gem of the Orient up for sale for $2.1 million.