by The Safari Club International Convention was not just about outfitters, hunting, and the like. There were jewelers, furriers, and purveyors of all sorts of things. I didn’t pay much attention to the jewelers and furriers but I did pay attention to the furniture.
My favorites were tables made by a local Nashville company called Sawdust and Whiskey. Made from trees from Central and South America like parota, they emphasized the heartwood of the trees.
The curved slab or drip slab tables were incredible. They take half of the log and then cut it so it ends in the curve you see above as well as below. These tables sell for approximately $5-6,000.
Sawdust & Whiskey also had flat slabs for a more traditional table as well as tables with epoxy inlays.
You also had the lamps and chandeliers made from antler sheds. Lake Antlerworks from Wyoming also used antlers to form the legs of side and coffee tables.
Continuing the outdoor theme but using old parts from outboard motors and agricultural machines was Machine Age Lamps. Some of their stuff had a very Steampunk vibe to it. I loved how they repurposed the old Johnson outboard motor seen below.
Chairs made from reclaimed stumps stood out like the ones below. I’m not sure which company they came from.
You also had the more traditional leather and antler furniture as well.
Whether it was for your trophy room, man-cave, or dining room, you could find something that would be a statement piece if you looked. You could also go for the British campaign furniture look as well with items from Jim Morando of African Sporting Creations. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of it while in Nashville. You will have to look on his website.
To round it out, there was a lot of artwork and sculptures. I particularly liked the bronze below by the late Loet Vanderveen which has a patina painted on it. The painting of the elephant is by South African artist Derric van Rensburg. Both were represented by Native Visions.
Another van Rensburg painting that caught my eye is that of this leopard.
There were plenty of more realistic pieces of art at the convention but it was the colorful, impressionistic works that obviously caught my eye.
The SCI Convention will again be held in Nashville. The dates are from January 31st to February 3rd.
