Hello Terry,
I can see you have put a great deal of work into this piece, you have taken the time to do the finishing to a good standard and I can see the trouble you have gone to to fit the lid. The shape as a whole does not work for me and I would prefer to see a smaller piece with matching lid than a larger one with a lid that does not (really) match. Take on board dragonfly's remarks about the finial but remember that some design rules can be broken as long as the finished article looks "right". It may have looked better if there was a continuation of the line from the top of the bowl underneath to the bottom of the lid on top.2 bits of wood from the same tree but different planks do not always go together very well and I usually avoid that so a contrasting timber may have been better for the lid, or perhaps a coloured bit?
You say that you are relatively new to the game and if you are you have progressed very well. May I suggest that for your next piece you copy someone else's work, something from a book that gives you the measurements etc. as you may find that to be of some use.
Regards
John BHT
