Displaying large stones can be challenging. A hand carved base can be costly, at least several hundred dollars. Likewise, finding a suitably sized bronze or ceramic tray deep enough to accommodate a large stone, can be even more expensive. A more economical alternative can sometimes be found in one’s own kitchen cabinet.

This large rustic wooden salad bowl is a good match for the California Trinity River stone pictured here. The hand-hewn texture of the bowl, its irregular coloration and uneven lip give the vessel a strength that frames the drama of the stone’s patterning without detracting from it. The muscular knots and burls of the stone evoke the Chinese concept of chi or vital spirit, the energy that animates the universe. The bowl’s generous size affords enough space for the rock to sit comfortably in the sand, the color of which complements both the color of the wood and the lighter areas of the stone. A potential problem with using a round-bottomed bowl as a display element is that the stone might not appear to be firmly grounded. In this case however, the peak of the stone is aligned with the center of the bowl in such a fashion that the bulk of the stone appears to fix the bowl in place on the table top.

California Trinity River stone, 32cm wide, 29 cm high, 11 cm deep (12.6 x 11.4 x 4.3 inches), collection of Tom Elias and Hiromi Nakaoji. Display by Tom Elias, Richard Turner and Paul Harris, 2017.