Kwila (Papua New Guinea) and wenge (Africa) with German rolled glass

59.5” x 16” x 12”  2001

The Kwila Showcase Cabinet is a curved front display cabinet with glass on three sides.  The clean lines of the cabinet are intended to have a refined presence in the home while displaying precious objects.  

The German rolled glass has a subtle, wrinkled texture, which creates a shimmer in the interior of the cabinet.  

Kwila (pronounced quee-la) is an ecologically harvested wood that is only recently known in North America.  The hope is that by using lesser known species such as kwila, pressure will be taken off of wood species like teak, that are in trouble from over-harvesting.  Kwila has become a personal favorite for its warm, rich color and strong presence.

Two very special kwila planks were carefully selected for this piece to display an unusual and rare trait sometimes seen in this species.  A random ‘splatter’ of small black spots, seen especially on the base and the interior of the back panel of the cabinet.  These beautiful spots, reminiscent of a fountain pen shaken too hard, appear a few days after the lumber is milled in the shop.