Details

About the Nautical Book Ends

The left end: a blue and white anchor wrapped in rope stands against a weathered white board, with fishing net bunched at its foot. The right end: a blue and white rowing boat tipped on its side with its oars leaning against it, hung with net, floats and a little blue fish caught in the mesh. Side by side they match; up close each tells its own story.

They're polyresin nautical book ends, moulded to hold fine detail and painted in white, deep blue and rope tones, each about 15 x 10cm. Each stands on its own base plate, and the board behind each scene gives the books something to rest against. That compact size suits a desk, a windowsill or the end of a bookshelf, and as coastal book ends they look at home beside driftwood, shells or a model boat.

Who they suit: a reader who loves the sea, a sailor, or an angler, for whom the net and the catch on the boat end make these fishing book ends. In a child's room, beach themed bookends like these keep picture books tidy and give a shelf a theme.

A practical note: they're not built like heavy office bookends. On a polished shelf, a small felt pad under each base helps stop them sliding, and they're decorative book ends rather than heavy office ones. For a long row of heavy hardbacks, rest the books against the side of the bookcase too, so the book ends aren't doing all the work.