Thank you all for your comments so far, I have not had time yet to work on plinth ideas, but I have reworked the lid it wasn't pleasing me properly, so I have remade it completely with a starting point of 2 handles, the flame spike style because I enjoy cutting this pattern, but also a button style, both are made from the Yew sap wood that was trimmed from the lid blank, so more patterned than the oak, and maybe a step towards the suggested alternative ivory idea that I like the sound of.
C&C welcome