/24-7PressRelease.com/ - GRANTS PASS, OR, March 22, 2006 - "In September of 1978, I arrived home from school to find my family gathered around a coffin shaped crate," said Edward Klevens of Klevens Publications in Los Angeles. "It wasn't unusual for my father to ship home souvenirs from his travels throughout Europe, however, this is one day I will never forget."

It was in 1977, during one of his many excursions to Europe, that Gilbert George Klevens purchased a 16th Century Suit of Armor from Dr. Alberto Vihena Madeira Clemente, while visiting the famous Casino in Estoril, Portugal. Prior to shipping to the United States, Klevens had the suit of armor restored by Antonio Luis, a specialist in restoration of arms and armor from the Armeiro do Musseu Militar in Lisbon, Portugal.

As a practical joke, Luis restored the suit of armor adding one minor detail, a life-sized head placed inside the helmet with the face guard lifted. You can imagine the shock experienced by the Klevens' family nearly 30 years ago when they opened the coffin shaped shipping crate and found themselves looking into the face of what appeared to be a dead man, with piercing brown eyes wide open! After the initial shock wore off the Klevens' breathed a sigh of relief when they realized the head was fake.

"My father never considered himself a collector, however, if he saw something unique that caught his fancy, he bought it." said Klevens. "Until a few years ago, this incredible suit of armor occupied a place in my father's drawing room for 25 years. After downsizing to a smaller home three years ago, my father gave me the suit of armor to display or sell as I saw fit."

The time has come for Edward to part with this magnificent piece of medieval armor so that it can be displayed properly for the world to see.

"I simply don't have the room for it," he said.

Inspired by the atmosphere at this famous Casino, where it is rumored that much of Europe's royalty mingled openly with many of the world's covert agencies, Estoril Casino is also credited as the birth place of the infamous James Bond 007 character and is the location of the filming of the movie "The Spy Who Loved Me" also, coincidentally, filmed in 1977.

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