Vintage Observer's Books Manned Spaceflight, Heraldry, Medals and Vegetables Set in Blue, Red, Green and Navy

From the vegetable patch to the surface of the Moon, with a detour through coats of arms and campaign medals along the way, these four vintage Observer's Pocket Books cover more ground than most libraries. Their spines run from slate blue and poppy red with bright yellow lettering to olive green and deep navy, making a smart, slightly military looking stack.

Manned Spaceflight was published in 1972, the year of the final Apollo mission to the Moon, and captures the excitement of a decade when astronauts became household names. British Awards and Medals followed in 1974, explaining the orders, decorations and campaign medals awarded over the centuries, and it remains a handy reference for anyone with a family medal tucked away in a drawer. Heraldry, by Charles MacKinnon, unpicks the shields, crests and mottoes of coats of arms, while Vegetables brings everything firmly back down to earth.

Stacked together the bundle measures 14.5 x 9.5 x 6.5cm, small enough for a narrow shelf or a bedside table. We like them on a desk beside a brass paperweight, or in a hallway beneath a framed family photograph, and the navy and red look especially smart against dark green paintwork. They would make a lovely gift for a military history enthusiast, a space fan or a keen allotment holder.

All four are hardbacks in their original boards and come without dust jackets. There is light rubbing to the corners and edges and some fading to the spines, and the pages are clean and readable throughout. Please see the photos for the full condition.

Medals, rockets, shields and runner beans: a stack with something for everyone in the family.