Bookshelves, Etc.

[Josh P]

Having recently moved, the (seemingly never ending) task of unpacking, sorting, and arranging of "stuff" is upon me. For the time being*, I have the relatively uninhibited freedom of bachelor residence interior, shall we say, "decorating". Plenty of books are still in storage, but I've been thinking about all the other items that end up on the shelves and around them...

No, I don't have fantastic bronze sculptures of kudu and buffalo, or commissioned oil paintings of classic game scenes. I do have earth from meaningful places I've visited and hunted, and rocks from peaks and fields I've traveled, with and without lethal projectiles in hand. There's even a portion of long ago petrified corral that sat for untold years on land my family has farmed for generations...in a land locked state. That's my favorite place for whitetail, by the way.
There's unimpressive shed finds that remind me of the ranches I worked right after college.
Do I have a real Maasai spear to poke lions with and prove my manliness? Nope. A great friend did however gift me with a tastful decoration after he peaked Mt Kilimanjaro for charity, and it reminds me of his quality and our friendship.
Along with other trinkets, and plants I haven't managed to kill yet, I've got plenty of "stuff" that reminds me of people and places I care about, experiences and memories of adventures, and reminders of things to repeat and avoid in the future.
Maps! Wonderful reminders of past hunts, they also inspire the imagination for the future. Everyone should have (more) maps!

So, it doesn't matter to me if you're on the tin end, the gold end, or somewhere in the middle with the rest of us, I find it fascinating to see what others adorn their shelves and spaces with as it pertains to reminders of adventures and fellow adventurers. If you haven't been featured in a hardbound printing of Trophy Rooms, feel free to share your own bookshelves, etc.

*Not 15min after posting, she swings by, and says on her way out, still in the doorway, "I think you should do X with Y furniture, and I like the lamp how it was before." A glorious 15min it was!

 

[Hunt anything]

Nice collection of memories! When it became unpopular to have a gun cabinet I converted the cabinet that my dad made for me back in the 80’s into a book case. He built the shelves for it as well, the book ends are the front feet from my first buffalo back in 2014.

 

[Josh P]

Nice collection of memories!

Those book ends are fantastic. The closest thing Ive seen to that is a buffalo foot ashtray I picked up from someones graveyard of memories in Estes Park, CO several years ago. Thanks for sharing, now I want some.

 

[Firebird]

I’m about as blue collar as it gets-worked hard and then worked overtime to get me and my wife on a second hunting trip to South Africa. So my souvenirs are fairly small.
I guess I would call it “Costco” decorating. An affordable bookcase with most my favorites, a glass display case for small carvings or an inexpensive ostrich egg. I keep my spent casing with the species, date, place and bullet used written on them.
I love photography and Costco will put your favorite pix on canvas for a fair price. I make books on Shutterfly with my favorite pix. And a local frame shop has preserved some cool things along the way.
I spend a lot on taxidermy but I walk my trophy room at least daily just remembering and daydreaming. It’s all important and worth saving!

 

[Josh P]

Saved cases recovered bullets are great bookmarks for memories.

Anyone who doesn't like waterfowl taxidermy is just wrong.

 

[baxterb]

Man, you are speaking my language. Along with books (many of which are still in boxes waiting for a shelf), I love to pick up safari ephemera like letters, old brochures, etc. among my favorites are a copy from negative of a lion taken by Frederick Patterson while he was with Denys Finch Hatton, Ker Downey and Selby cup and grill badge, and (not shown) the several items Harry Selby sent me. Good stuff.

 

[wesheltonj]

Looks great, but I would be worried about the binoculars hitting the floor should the books fall over.

 

[Josh P]

Looks great, but I would be worried about the binoculars hitting the floor should the books fall over.

It's got a lip keeping it in place, and only one side focuses anyway. They're heavy enough that I'd be more concerned about the floor, if they ever fell.

 

[PARA45]

@ Josh P, are those little round containers is where you have soil from other countries? Where did you get them if you don't mind me asking? I do the same, and have them in little bags.

@Firebird, you gave me a great idea on what to do with the SA Big Five currency I got this year. I didn't get many coins. BTW, I love the waterfowl mounts.

Beautiful displays gents, thank you for sharing!

 

[Josh P]

@ Josh P, are those little round containers is where you have soil from other countries? Where did you get them if you don't mind me asking? I do the same, and have them in little bags.

@Firebird, you gave me a great idea on what to do with the SA Big Five currency I got this year. I didn't get many coins. BTW, I love the waterfowl mounts.

Beautiful displays gents, thank you for sharing!

Yes, they're inexpensive little tins with clear lids. This is pretty dang close to what I picked up a long time ago. They might be slightly different:

Round Tin Containers | Hobby Lobby | 1816792

Get Round Tin Containers online or find other Favor Buckets & Pails products from HobbyLobby.com

www.hobbylobby.com

If concerned about a lid working itself free in transit, a few wraps of electrical tape will secure it nicely.

 

[PARA45]

Awesome, thank you sir. We have a Hobby Lobby in town.

 

[Firebird]

I would want to frame those letters and things in uv protected glass-and hang them on the wall-very cool! Bird mounts a blessing and a curse at my house-I do bird taxidermy on my “spare” time and I don’t love it like I did once upon a time. BUT I have been sort of shopping for bird hunt add ons to a big game safari. . .

 

[Jason Miller]

My book shelves, however I am in the process of moving all these books down to our Texas home.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Great post. The prize is an old campaign book case that housed the encyclopaedias prior to google, also my WW11 model planes, now in pieces after the grandson got ahold of them! Everything is solid teak, it is such beautiful wood and lasts forever.

 

[rinehart0050]

Love this! Thanks all for sharing. Here's my bookcase:

Ivory figurine I inherited from my grandfather:

Some paintings, pictures, and military coin collection:

 

[PARA45]

@rinehart0050, what kind of helmet is that?

 

[Red Leg]

I probably have a thousand volumes. They range from military history, to general history, to regional studies, to hunting and the outdoors. The earliest is a wonderful late17th century copy of "Josephus" and a similar period copy of Creaser's "Commentaries." Quite few are autographed. As you might also observe, I also truly love period bookcases. They are great for books and all those other things we acquire along the way. Here are some of them.

 

[rinehart0050]

@rinehart0050, what kind of helmet is that?

It's a CVC- combat vehicle crewman helmet. From my days as a Tank commander.

I probably have a thousand volumes. They range from military history, to general history, to regional studies, to hunting and the outdoors. The earliest is a wonderful late17th century copy of "Josephus" and a similar period copy of Creaser's "Commentaries." Quite few are autographed. As you might also observe, I also truly love period bookcases. They are great for books and all those other things we acquire along the way.

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Love the bookcases! So much character in those- and some great books too!

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I probably have a thousand volumes. They range from military history, to general history, to regional studies, to hunting and the outdoors. The earliest is a wonderful late17th century copy of "Josephus" and a similar period copy of Creaser's "Commentaries." Quite few are autographed. As you might also observe, I also truly love period bookcases. They are great for books and all those other things we acquire along the way.

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Your collection is incredible

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Love this! Thanks all for sharing. Here's my bookcase:

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Ivory figurine I inherited from my grandfather:

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Some paintings, pictures, and military coin collection:

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Beautiful books and ambiance. Not to butt in, but perhaps this thread theme should be expanded to studies, they are such interesting spaces.