Welcome to the Alts Sunday Edition 👋
A few weeks ago we asked the Alts community for some alternative-investing-inspired gift ideas.
As always, the goal was to find things that feel a bit unconventional. Thoughtful products and surprises you wouldn’t naturally think of yourself.
You came back with some great ideas, and I added one of my own. No giant gift dump, no affiliate-link circus. Just a handful of genuinely good ideas worth considering.
Enjoy! 👇
Table of Contents
Hand-blown glassware from Denver & Liely 🍷
Recently, a wine snob connoisseur friend of mine, Dan Remy, told me about a glassware design studio called Denver & Liely, who make some of the most unique, high-quality wine & spirit glasses anywhere in the world
Last week I had the pleasure of touring their Melbourne headquarters to check it out for myself. What a treat this was!
These guys started out 10 years ago with a whisky glass, then later expanded into bourbon, agave, gin, beer, and most recently, wine.
Being the tequila freak that I am, I first tested out their Agave Glass, with a spectacular reposado from our friend Miguel Ortiz at House of Rare via Cascahuin.
While the standard Cascahuin Reposado is aged in American oak, the House of Rare version is a unique, premium experience due to its 6-month Pedro Ximenez Sherry cask aging (or “PX Sherry” as it’s often called)
What blew me away is how well these glasses amplify aroma. Swirling the tequila in the glass releases this deep, punchy wave of caramel, spice, and toasted agave that wafts up through your nose and hits the back of your head.
Remember that a huge of what we taste actually comes from smell — and these glasses are engineered to funnel scent directly into your brain.
Their wine glass is the newest (and most expensive) in the lineup. It’s sculpted with internal ridges that guide the swirl and create a natural aeration effect, blasting flavors wide open and awakening your senses.
I think this is my new normal. After experiencing a glass like this, I’ve decided these are going on the permanent shelf. There’s just no reason to ever go back.
They do gift-wrapping, as you’d expect. But honestly the packaging is excellent on it’s own. It feels a bit like unboxing a high-end watch, and the bag it comes in doubles as a polishing cloth. Really well-thought out.
How to buy
We have no affiliate relationship with Denver & Liely. I just love the product and team behind it.
🛒 Shop here: www.denverandliely.com
They’ve given Altea members a code for 25% off.
Give these guys a try. These glasses are well-priced, ship from the US and Australia, and will make a stellar gift for wine & spirits lovers.
Fisher Space Pen 🖊️
Community member Jen Adams gave a bunch of great ideas, but this one stuck out for me.
I recently went down the rabbit hole of fountain pens as alternative investments. There’s a quirky collector market forming around rare editions and discontinued runs, and I’ve started connecting with experts who can help us explore this niche properly in a future issue.
While I’m still pulling that research together, there’s one iconic piece of affordable craftsmanship worth highlighting right now: the Fisher Space Pen.
Invented in 1966, The Space Pen has a remarkable origin story. Paul Fisher spent years engineering a sealed, pressurized pen that could write at any angle, underwater, on slick surfaces, and even in the zero-gravity vacuum of space.
NASA adopted it for the Apollo program, and it has remained a fixture ever since. The design philosophy hasn’t changed much. Precision, durability, and reliability still define the company’s work.
Their production video is worth a quick look. You can see the machining, the hand assembly, and the attention to detail that made this pen famous.
Jen Adams has used her Space Pen for nearly twenty years. Same pen, same refill system still going strong. That kind of longevity is rare in a world of planned obsolescence, and makes for a great long-term investment.
“Mine has worked for 2 decades now (and yes, upside down & underwater)” – Jen Adams
Fisher now offers a full range of pens: classic bullet models, tactical designs, polished titanium, and a few luxury variants that would sit comfortably alongside watches, knives, or other everyday carry pieces.
While not an investment in the financial sense, it’s a meaningful investment in the fading art of writing. It also makes a terrific gift for anyone who appreciates quality objects and a good story behind them.
How to buy
🛒 Shop here: spacepen.com
No affiliate relationship here. Just a beautifully engineered tool with a proven, decades-long track record.
Limited-edition art prints from Counter Editions 🖼️
This recommendation comes from Wyatt, who always has one eye on the contemporary print market.
It’s a niche that sits at the intersection of accessibility and cultural significance, and Counter Editions is one of the most respected publishers in that space.
They’ve spent 25+ years producing signed, numbered prints in direct collaboration with leading contemporary artists, like Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, and Benjamin Senior
These are not posters or reproductions. They’re proper art editions made with traditional printmaking techniques (lithographs, etchings, even sculptures).
The roster ranges from emerging talent to major names with museum-level stature. Most pieces land in the £1,500–£3,000 range, which makes them approachable for new collectors.
Collaborations with top-tier artists like Tracey Emin, Vanessa Raw, or Bridget Riley climb closer to £15,000 — still far below the price of original works, yet carrying strong provenance and long-term appeal.
New editions are released throughout the year and often sell out quickly. Earlier releases now trade on secondary markets at healthy premiums. So there’s definitely opportunity if flipping is your thing.
For anyone looking to give a gift with aesthetic value and collectible potential, this is a refined entry point into contemporary art. The works look incredible on a wall and come from one of the most trusted print publishers operating today.
How to buy
🛒 Browse editions: countereditions.com
- Code BRICE20 saves 20% on this Lisa Brice screenprint
- Code DOIG20 saves 20% on this Peter Doig screenprint
No affiliate relationship here. Just unique museum-quality prints from serious contemporary artists.
Our gift to you 🎁
Finally, you may have noticed that Altea members get lots of membership perks.
Membership isn’t just about accessing our deals or joining events around the world. This time of year it especially comes in handy, as members can save money from dozens of our partners.
On that note, we’d like to give you an opportunity to join Altea with two special offers:
1) Join Altea Gateway in the next 3 days and we’ll send you two Agave glasses from Denver & Liely for free. 🥃🥃
A great way to start your journey with the community, plus a pair of beautifully made glasses to enjoy over the holidays.
2) Join Altea Base or Black and we’ll send two wine glasses from Denver & Liely for free. 🍷🍷
These are the deluxe crystal wine glasses featured above. They make an incredible gift, or a serious upgrade to your own shelf.
If you were on the fence about joining Altea, now’s the time.
Note: These offers expire Wed, Dec 10 at 11:59pm EST.
Consider it a small thank-you from us, and a way to bring Altea into your life. 🥂
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That’s it for today!
See you next time, Stefan
Disclosures
- This issue was written and edited by Stefan von Imhof.
- This issue had no sponsors and contains no affiliate links.
- Thanks to Ridley and Denver for their special offer for Altea members, and to all our partners for their generosity.
