Dorothea the Display Cabinet

When I found her, Dorothea was a conundrum wrapped in a puzzle. Clearly she's the hood from an old grandfather clock, I thought. Was the clock's body snoozing on the floor under the vintage rug pile? No. Listing like the Tower of Pisa against the armoire? No. She was all alone and needed my help.

But then, like with so many projects, things took a turn.

Tucked in the back of her cabinet I found an old label. In jiggery writing it read "mission shrine". So perhaps she had never been part of a clock but instead had been a place of reverence, sheltering a Santo.

That said, there was something a little Indonesian looking about the wood carving on the crest. As I sanded, I noticed that these carvings were made from different wood than the rest of the piece. Perhaps they were added at a later stage. Perhaps the Christian shrine had morphed into a Buddhist shrine at some point?

Whatever she had been, it was clear to me that she deserved some restoration. Not so much that her rustic carved cabinet would be disguised, but something to tie that part to the Classical pillars on the front. I chose to paint some areas and leave other places to show the natural beauty of the wood. The finials got a sumputous layer of gold leaf and the intricacies of the architecture were subtly highlighted.

She would make a beautiful shrine to whatever is important to you. Perhaps she shelters Buddha or St Francis. Maybe a collection of keepsakes in memory of a loved one. Or maybe a beautiful house plant as a shrine to Mother Nature?

21” wide

11.5” deep

30” high

Shipping is NOT included. If you’re unable to pick up your piece in San Francisco please contact me (sarah@bashforddesign.com) for a shipping quote. Depending on your zip code, shipping could cost between $100 and $450.