great gifts for men

An extraordinary example of Wayan Rendah's magnificent sculpting, this piece crafted in the Megulet style signifies a profound technical and spiritual undertaking. The trancelike yogi bows his body and presses his head against open palms, rocking back and forth on folded legs. The muscles and tendons of his arms and legs are stretched tautly as he prays with unrelenting fervor. The piece emits a powerful aura of piety, of religious asceticism, and of self-denial. Yogis are holy men and great mystics, many of whom also possess the gift of prophecy. They are beloved figures in the countryside, and villagers will feed and care for the yogis as they roam from region to region, searching for perfect purity and knowledge through meditation, ecstatic trances and frightening self-mortification. A gripping piece in local suar wood, the sculpture is redolent of Eastern mysticism and stark simplicity used to induce contemplation and reflection.

Starting in the 15th century, north Scottish sailors used wax to protect the sails of their ships from salty waves using an assortment of oils and grease. Over time the waxed fabrics evolved into different uses. Thus was born the waxed cotton still used today in modern waterproof outerwear. This classic zip-front jacket features Scottish-made waxed cotton from Halley Stevensons, based in Dundee since 1864. The waterproof jacket features a quilted lining, deep front bellow pockets, fleece-lined hand warmer pockets and contrasting corduroy detailing on the stand collar, elbow pads, pockets and covered zipper placket with a snap closure. Made to stand the test of time and keep you warm and dry no matter where you venture.

In just a century since they first appeared, the textured wool sweaters of the Aran Islands have become “as tenacious an international symbol of Ireland as the harp and shamrock,” writes fashion historian Deirdre McQuillan. It wasn’t until the home crafts movement in the early 1900s that Aran’s distinctive patterns became known around the world. Today, from tourist shops to fashion shows, one can find sweaters based on stitches that were invented by grandmothers and great-grandmothers only a few generations ago.