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Although soccer fans have been known to blow things out of proportion, all but the most rabid devotees of Manchester United are likely to balk at the bulk of this 850-page club history, the first of 12 luxury sports books from publisher[an error occurred while processing this directive] Kraken Opus. Weighing a whopping 35 kg and measuring 0.5 sq m, leather-bound United comes in a silk-lined box and is signed by manager Alex Ferguson and ex-striker Bobby Charlton. The price is even heftier: $5,700, which lands you one of only 9,500 being printed. For $2,300 more, you can upgrade to an "Icons" edition that has extra star autographs.

Kraken also just published a history of the Super Bowl, a snip at $4,000 — though the edition signed by every living Most Valuable Player costs a staggering $40,000. With titles on the way about Formula One, Diego Maradona and others, Kraken is eyeing the lucrative sports-memorabilia market, but also hopes to lure the true fan with spectacular photos, top writers — and an instalment plan to spread the load. www.krakenopus.com