The Golden Age of Sailing: Classic Yacht Photographs by Beken of Cowes is a photographic gem, an enchanting album of over 100 photographs that pay homage to the spirit of a bygone era. This album contains the work of Frank Beken, who founded Beken of Cowes -- a family-run firm which over the last hundred years has created the world's greatest archive of marine photographs. The Golden Age of Sailing is a tribute to the astonishing and often spectacular work of this dynasty. Spanning almost six decades -- from 1885 to 1939 -- the book comprises over 100 images selected from an archive of over 75,000 glass plates, many of which are previously unpublished. Each decade is catalogued and set into the context of its time, documenting events and changes that affected the development of yachting worldwide, through years of both tremendous wealth and great hardship. This unique album is the result of an outstanding technical skill coupled with Beken's sensitivity to the subjects, exhibiting them at their best and capturing their power, romance, and beauty.