John Adams was one of the 7 Founding Fathers of the United States and would become the second President. The New England lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist represented Enlightenment values promoting republicanism. Many teachers, students and Americans interested in the nation’s birth and development see John Adams as one of the great figures of American history. It’s therefore should come as no surprise that he is represented in sculpture and art in museums and the domestic home interior.

The John Adams bust is 6 inches in height and is made from Polystone. This is a manufacturing medium used for cast sculptures which has a porcelain or “stone-like” feel. The material is highly durable and has an extremely clean finish. It’s also easy to keep clean as well and requires just a quick dust every now and then. The politically themed bust will suit a wide variety of interiors but, as mentioned before, will look particularly good in a living room, dining room or home study/library/studio/work space. Perched on a shelf or placed proudly on a table or desk, the sculptural portrait of John Adams will be a reminder of the nation’s past as well as the possibilities for its present and future with the guiding principles handed down by the Founding Fathers.

You can buy the bust from here: John Adams Bust – Founding Father.

Comes gift boxed.

The Hsun-Ok is a traditional container used for offerings to the Buddha. In Buddhist towns and villages they are also used to give gifts to the community of Buddhist monks known as the sangha. If you visit a Buddhist monastery you might very well see the Hsun-Ok temple jars on either side of an image of the Buddha which will be on or near to an altar. Inside these temple jars are placed fruits, flowers, incense and various other small gifts.

This red Hsun-Ok Temple Jar also holds a lot of important symbolism in Buddhist culture. The shape of the temple jar is reminiscent of a stupa which symbolizes the path to enlightenment. In fact, if you visit Buddhist countries you will see the stupa shape in many forms including in the architecture of monuments and religious buildings such as the Great Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar.

The red temple jar shown in the picture above is a fine example of a lacquer ceremonial vessel from Burma. Lacquerware has been an important craft in this nation for many centuries and has developed a world-leading reputation for such beautiful items. The lacquer used to make this type of red Hsun-Ok Temple Jar comes from a tree native to Myanmar and the South east Asian region called the gluta usitata. Lacquerware also has a long and proud tradition in what is now Myanmar. The old kings of Burma would send gifts of lacquerware similar to this Hsun-Ok Temple Jar to foreign envoys as well as place them in the royal courts and for ceremonies.

If you have a fondness for Buddhism or East Asian design and decor then this red Hsun-Ok Temple Jar from Buddhist Myanmar will make a lovely addition to your home. It’s hard not to be taken with the beautifully elegant design and the red will contribute an eye-catching burst of color to an area of a room. The Hsun-Ok can be placed in the main living room as a decorative accent piece or perhaps in a meditation room if you practice the Buddhist way of living.

You can buy this temple jar from the following location: Red Hsun-Ok Temple Jar From Buddhist Myanmar.

A pure black and also a black and gold version are also available which can be found via the same link as noted above.

It’s still unknown who exactly has bought the third Cucci Cabinet but its previous owners were a powerful Spanish banking dynasty, the March family. Previous details of ownership are a little sketchy but it is believed to have been once owned by Queen Hedvig Eleonora of Sweden (1636-1715) who was married to King Charles X of Sweden. The Cucci Cabinet remained in Sweden until the late 19th Century and was later sold in Paris in 1923.

The expensive Cucci Cabinet is most noticeable for its Florentine ‘pietra dura’ panels which are Italian for ‘hard stone’. This alludes to the technique of creating intricate inlaid pictures from shaped coloured stones. Wonderful bronze figures which symbolise the seasons, support the upper part of the Cucci Cabinet on their heads. Extravagant gilt bronze mounts adorn the cabinet along with stone columns which provide a complimentary opulence to the tortoiseshell background.

The director of European furniture at Christie’s London auction house said: “A once in a lifetime opportunity, this rare survival from the Gobelins workshops attracted international interest and drew collectors, institutions and dealers from around the world to Christie’s London”.

Domenico Cucci was renowned during his own lifetime as well as now. He was considered one of the leading cabinet makers, ‘ébenisté’, who worked for the French King Louis XIV. The Italian craftsman became a member of the renowned Gobelins workshop in 1662 which attracted the best artists and craftsmen from around Europe. His works, amongst other things, included furniture for the famous Royal Palace at Versailles but which have since sadly been lost.

Experts believe the sale of the ornate Cucci Cabinet means it is now the fourth most expensive item of traditional furniture in the world. The most expensive is still held by another cabinet, the Badminton Cabinet which was sold in 2004 for £19.1 million ($31 million), also at Christie’s.

Made of North American solid white oak, dating back to the early 1900s, it was once used to transport furniture, fabric and supplies across the factory floor. Although the restoration project by specialist craftsmen has involved the careful cleaning and oiling of the cart-table, it still bears the marks of its history. Who would want it any other way?

The restoration hardware company have a number of these furniture factory carts and each one is an original and different from the rest. They also have their original cast iron wheels, bolts and plates.

These old furniture items are perfect for both the country cottage look and also certain types of city based interiors. With wooden floorboards or better yet, Berber-style carpets, this can add a wonderfully old-wordly charm to a room.

See: Restoration Hardware.