As promised in a previous post here are some shots of the old cabinet as arranged when not in use as a photography backdrop. The generously sized shelves are the perfect depth to hold some of our large collection of heavy art books. The beautiful hand-carved wooden chest breaks up the rhythm of the bindings and adds texture to the arrangement.
The middle shelf is backed with a row of old English creamware soup bowls behind a row of hand painted Italian art pottery. Another lovely example of old Italian pottery are the wonderful pair of nautical seashell candlesticks. The nautical theme is continued with a pair of Murano glass dolphin candlesticks from Venice flanking a glass hurricane shade loaded with seashells picked up on various travels. The symmetrical arrangement is finished off with an unusual pair of wire and glass vases, and a Royal Copenhagen china sugar bowl paired opposite a hand painted Dutch china jar.
The large top shelf makes a perfect perch for this dreamy abstract painting of sailboats on the water, and an art glass collection including a one-of-a-kind hand blown free form vase decorated with swirling trails of glass pulled when the piece was in its molten form. The collection also includes two charming little art glass pitchers in light green and olive green crackle, an unusual emerald green pedestal piece, a beautiful deep amethyst vase that is actually a decanter with the stopper removed, and the finishing touch a pretty blue glass ball float resting behind a piece of gnarled driftwood picked up on the beach.