Here’s an idea that isn’t new. I’ve heard of these things in movies for a long time, but I had not seen them in the real world until now. I am referring to small liquor cabinets that are shaped like free standing antique globes.

{Click on pic for larger image}

To be honest, these accessories are not so much for your Basement Bar as they are a way to extend your cocktail domain out of your bar, or simply have a small such domain if your house (or spouse) won’t allow for a full bar. There is room inside most of these globes for a number of glasses in a ring around the outside ring, and a small selection of bottles in a center compartment. If I had one of these, I’d prep it for company with cut crystal tumblers, a bottle of Dalwhinnie, an appropriate humidor, and a small vase to hold ice.
Put one of these globes in your living room or den, or near the back door, wander by it after dinner, tilt open the top and you’ll be quite the lord of the manor, Hugh Laurie as Bertram Wooster impression, optional.
I found a source for these globes that carries a large variety of models, 1-World Globes. They have them in a variety of sizes and styles, at prices between $300 and $1500. The one pictured above is about $500. I contacted these guys and asked a few questions to clarify how the globes work. There are definite pluses and minuses to these little barlets.
First off, they do not spin or rotate. You probably would not want them to anyway, but FYI…. Second, they are only available in antique cartography (17th Century). 1-World still shows a modern cartography globe on their site, but the manufacturer says, there ain’t no more, ain’t gonna be no more. Third, the styling is very classic as well on all models. For my house, I’d need a modern-looking steel or black enamel look in one of these.
On the plus side, however, they seem quite well constructed. I love globes in general, as they convey a sense of worldliness and education through your home’s decor. (Readers of this blog of course need no reinforcement of their obviously vast cosmopolitan intelligence, but what the hey.) Finally, they are just practical enough to make you feel justified in a little extravagance like this.
While I stated earlier that this is not primarily an item for a Basement Bar, there are some applications there as well, especially in facilities with specific themes. A British Isles themed pub might find a design like this to be right at home. I might also find it cool if you have a poker table, especially since you could put it at hand by your favorite chair, and you wouldn’t have to leave your chips at the mercy of your thieving friends while you refill your scotch or theirs. If you still want to keep all your booze in your central bar, this could still be a good storage place for such exotica as a larger humidor, or such mundanity as your twenty remotes.

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Here’s a list of the other articles in this series that have been posted so far:

• Basement Bar Accessories #10: The NewAir Portable Ice Maker
• Basement Bar Accessories #6: DIY Kegerator
• Basement Bar Accessories: Herbal Assault Part 1
• Basement Bar Design #0: Introduction
• Basement Bar Design #1: Where, What, and Why.
• Basement Bar Design #2: Refrigerators
• Basement Bar Design #3: Ice Supply
• Basement Bar Design #4(a): Essential Glassware
• Basement Bar Design #4(b): Supplemental Glassware
• Basement Bar Design #4(c): Buying Glassware
• Basement Bar Design #5: Water and Washing Up
• Basement Bar Design #6: My Own Basement Bar
• Basement Bar Design #7: Bar Top and Countertop Surfaces
• Basement Bar Design #8(a): Artists
• Basement Bar Design #8(b) More Artists
• Basement Bar Design #8: Artwork
• Basement Bar Design #9: Tiki Bars
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #1: Lit Backbar Walls
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #2: Holiday Glassware Giveaways
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #3: Beer Dispensing from Heineken and Elsewhere
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #4: Branded Beer Taps
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #5: Pure American Ingenuity
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #7: The Man Wall
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #8: The Arkeg
• Basement Bar Design Accessories #9: Global Domination
• Basement Bar Design Accessories: Hidden Lairs
• Basement Bar Design Elsewhere in the Cocktailosphere
• Basement Bar Design Elsewhere in the Cocktailosphere #2
• Basement Bar Design Factoid #1: Sheds
• Basement Bar Design Factoid #2: Dangerous Party Invitees
• Basement Bar Design Factoid #3: Irish Pub in a (really big) Box
• Basement Bar Design Factoid #4: Mr. Blendtec, activate the defenses!
• Basement Bar Design Factoid #5: 1800 Tequila’s Mancave Contest
• Basement Bar Design News: The Wall Street Journal Notices That Home Bars Are “In”
• Basement Bar Design, Things to Consider #1: The Bargain
• Basement Bar Design: A Tour of the Parade of Homes
• Basement Bar Design: Star Trek Doors
• Basement Bar Overhaul: Dressing for Tiki Month
• Bulletin, Bulletin, Bulletin!
• Christmas Idea: Martini Shaker
• Fun With Time-Lapse
• I Saved at Least $10,000 Because of Cocktail Blogging…
• Jacob Grier Invites Us to Up Our Bartending Game.
• New Basement Bar Contest From Grant’s Whisky
• New Blog Function
• SideBlog: A Really Clever, Easy IKEA Home Bar
• SideBlog: Basement Bars Are Helm’s Deep For Men
• SideBlog: Blender Drink Aficionados Booking For Europe With Spare Luggage Space
• SideBlog: Making Tiki Stuff: Royal Tiki
• SideBlog: New York Post Notices February is a Good Time For Tiki Month
• SideBlog: Selling Tiki Stuff: Cheeky Tiki
• SideBlog: The Manliest Bottle Opener Ever
• SideBlog: Ultra Modern Tiki Torches
• The Bar Accessory The EVERY Cocktail Geek Must Obtain
• The Sixth Day of Christmas
• This Year’s Final Exam: A Full-Bore Tiki Party
• Tiki Timeout: Bar Building and BlogBarCrawl Update
• Trader Tiki’s Basement Bar in the News
• Unique Tiki Mugs
• Wow, They Even Have Black Friday Sales In the Cocktail World….