slightly oriental

This looks like an interesting setup. The main subject, the oriental vase, has some very interesting and beautiful detail.

For an experimental setup, I think the shot is done pretty well. If you wish to improve, there are probably a couple things you could do with lighting and scene arrangement. The simplest thing is to adjust your scene. The way the two key subjects are aligned, the vase in the foreground and the object in the background, is a bit too even. I would offset the background item a bit, off to one side. I might also move it farther into the background so that a tighter depth of field gives it a little blur. While an interesting subject that adds some intrigue to what would otherwise be a simple, boring black backdrop, it is secondary. A wider aperture will help reduce your depth of field to add a little blur.

The subject in the foreground is quite beautiful, and its focus and lighting should be heightened. I would rearrange the dried florals a bit so they drop down the side more and curl around the front without obstructing much of the front of the vase. To really make this scene pop, I would work with the lighting more as well. You have a single bright bulb lighting this scene, which results in harsh edges and rapid falloff. A cool fill light and a warm, diffuse primary light might help to improve the feel of the scene. The fill light, bluish in color (or anything "cooler"), should be placed such that it lights the back of the objects in your scene. You should see a slight cool cast to the edges of your objects from front. The primary light should be diffused a bit so that it does not create harsh highlights on the curved surfaces of your key subject. I might make the primary light a bit warmer, but that is not a requirement. Use whichever color of light best brings out the details. If a single primary light does not properly bring the foreground subject into view, you might try using two, one set high, one set lower, offset by about 45 degrees from each other. Using a warmer light lower and a more balanced light higher might also create some intriguing illumination.