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Collectibles and Curiosities

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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Chess Game by Michel Dumas
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Chess game by Michel Dumas. Located in NYC
Category

Late 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Lucite, Mirror

Accordion by Sabatino Nocentini & Figli Made in Florence, Italy
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Antique Italian custom made accordion by Sabatino Nocentini Castiglion & Figli. Antique pearl white accordion, Italian accordion with profuse inlay decoration, gorgeous hand made wi...
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Abalone, Mother-of-Pearl, Wood

Monumental and Unusual Folk Art Stage Coach Figure and Horses, 1927
Located in Buffalo, NY
Monumental and unusual Folk Art stage coach figure and horses, 1927. All hand executed, amazing detail, working lamps, velvet interior on coach.
Category

1920s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Velvet, Plaster

English 20th Century Iron Armillary Held by the Titan Atlas on Stone Pedestal
Located in Atlanta, GA
An English iron armillary depicting Atlas carrying the world from the early 20th century, with carved stone pedestal. Created in England during the 20th century, this armillary featu...
Category

20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Stone, Iron

Important 1937 Papier Mâche Head/Masks Of "The 7 Dwarfs" - A Revue For The Movie
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A truly spectacular and important piece of historical American film art. A group of Dwarf Masks from the 1937 Theater Land on stage revue of the new movie "Snow White and the Seven D...
Category

20th Century Hollywood Regency Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Other

Seiko Ship's Nautical Analog Clock, 1980s
Located in Nantucket, MA
From a decommissioned Japanese ship, black Seiko analog clocks with brushed nickel faces. Battery mechanism updated and an easy opening on the back side. ...
Category

Late 20th Century Japanese Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Alexis Bittar Gem Mounted Lucite Flower Pins, 4
Located in New York, NY
Group lot of four Alexis Bittar brooches, one daisy with gold-tone metal stem, one frosted pink lucite flower pin, one fuschia flower mounted with orange gemstones, and one black luc...
Category

Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Gold

La Ley Del Deseo / The Law of Desire
Located in London, GB
Original Spanish film poster from the 1987 comedy, Thriller Atame! / Tie Me Up Tie Me Down. This film was written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar...
Category

1980s Spanish Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

The Art of Home
Located in New York, NY
The first book from designer Sara Story, who combines a global bohemian sensibility with a passion for art to curate clean but striking rooms that balance s...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Provence Style Decorating with French Country Flair Book by Shauna Varvel
Located in New York, NY
Provence Style Decorating with French Country Flair By: Shauna Varvel With Alexandra Black An intimate tour of quintessential Provencal style, featuring chic homes and interior deta...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

19th Century Miniature French Sedan Vitrine
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Charming miniature vitrine in the style of a Sedan chair. Very rare and unique piece to display a favorite item from your collection..
Category

19th Century French Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

1920s 35 Zeiss-Ikon 35 Cm Cinema Projector
Located in London, GB
A late 1920s 35 mm Zeiss-Ikon cinema projector. Lens: Neokino 52.5/110 by Emil Busch A.-G. Rathenow. Original black paint. Lamp house contain...
Category

Early 20th Century German Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Steel, Iron

Gold Plated Dupont Pocket Lighter, circa 1980
Located in London, GB
Stylish Dupont Ligne 2 gas lighter in rose gold plate with engine turned design, circa 1980. Each Dupont has a serial number unique to that particular ...
Category

1980s French Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold Plate

6 Le Cirque Custom Bernardaud Limoges Orange W/ Monkeys Dinner Plates 10 1/4"
Located in Bridgeport, CT
From pasta primavera to world-renowned decadent desserts, Le Cirque's ubiquitous reputation for presenting its fine dining fare with whimsy and fun, landed it on the map of must-din...
Category

20th Century French Hollywood Regency Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Porcelain

Selection of Coffee Table Books - Furniture Design Interior Design Fashion Art
Located in Atlanta, GA
Selection of Coffee Table Books, priced at $150 each. If one of the books is sold, it will have SOLD next to the title below. These books are all from the estate of . was the President of The Art Deco Society of New York City and had an incredible library of books on furniture design, interior design, art, photography, and fashion. Many of the books focused on Art Deco or mid century modern design. Please see our other listings for more books from the same estate. Please note that we are not specialists in books. All of the books are in very good condition and were well cared for in a smoke and pet free environment. There may be some small tears to slipcovers, scratches, rubs, and wear commensurate with age and use. The books in this listing are: Stack Left Dagobert Peche and The Wiener Werkstatte by Neue Galerie Josef Frank Architect and Designer Billy Baldwin by Adam Lewis New Dimensions by Paul Frankl Jean-Michel Frank by Rizzoli Jean Michel Frank by Editions Du Regard A House Is Not A Home Bruce Weber Photography Art Deco by Skira Stack Right Jean Dunand by Anthony Delorenzo Jean Dunand Ruhlmann Master of Art Deco Jean Dunand His Life and Works...
Category

Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Vintage Colt Government Handgun Lighter, 1980s Japan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage table lighter in the shape of a Colt handgun. Works perfectly. Modeled after a Colt Government handgun. Made of metal in Japan. Good working condition and fun object. Sold ou...
Category

1970s Japanese Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Norwegian Sterling Silver Bangle Bracelet by David-Andersen 1960s
Located in Stockholm, SE
Lovely and classic modernist style sterling silver bangle bracelet by David Andersen, Norway 1960s. The armring can be adjust to fit any preference you wish and are suitable for both...
Category

1960s Norwegian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

Arcimboldo by Roland Barthes (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
A beautifully produced book by Franco Maria Ricci, one of a limited edition of 3,000 numbered copies, this being 388. 175 pages with tipped in color plates with additional drawings and sketches, the text is in English. Arcimboldo has become best known for his portraits of human heads made up from vegetables, plants, fruits, sea creatures and tree roots, which were greatly admired by his contemporaries and remain of great fascination to this day. each was carefully constructed and as can be seen with the main image, the Librarian...
Category

16th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Hand Carved Gothic Revival Wall Bracket or Shelf for a Saint Statue
Located in Lisse, NL
Good size and great looking Gothic Revival bracket for displaying a statuette. This Gothic console for wall mounting dates from the early 1900s and it has the most timeless design a...
Category

Early 1900s European Gothic Revival Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

David Hockney Hand Signed First Edition Book Pictures by David Hockney, 1979
Located in Studio City, CA
A David Hockney hand-signed first edition/ first printing (there was no hardcover book. This copy is the true first edition) softcover art book "Pictures by David Hockney" (Edited a...
Category

1970s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Danish Mid-Century Teak Pianette by Louis Zwicki, c. 1960's
Located in Norwalk, CT
Step back in time with this masterfully-crafted Danish Mid-Century Teak Pianette by the renowned Louis Zwicki. From the heart of the 1960's, a period when design and craftsmanship me...
Category

Mid-20th Century Danish Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Teak

Post-Modern Marble Domino Set
Located in San Diego, CA
A very cool post-modern marble domino set in Domino shaped lidded box, circa 1980's. The set is in very good condition, includes 28 dominoes and measures 6.75"W x 2.5"D x 2.5"H. #3590
Category

Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Marble

House of a Lifetime: A Collector’s Journey in Tangier
Located in New York, NY
Author Umberto Pasti and Ngoc Minh Ngo, Foreword by Madison COX A photographic tour of an exceptional villa in Tangier with a special focus of its museum-worthy collections of Morrocan artworks...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Automata Gentleman's Walking Stick, Horse Head Glove Holder
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Automaton horse head walking cane. Early 20th century walking stick with an automaton horse head glove holder. The handle is carved from Horn, finel...
Category

Early 1900s Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Horn

Vintage Chic Square Silver Plated Brass Vide-Poche, Hermes Paris 1970's.
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
Chic Square Silver Plated Brass Vide-Poche, Hermes Paris , France 1970's. Silverplate Vide Poche or Cigar Ashtray.
Category

1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Pablo Picasso: the Impossible Collection
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Pablo Picasso redefined artwork throughout his extraordinary career, becoming indisputably one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century. In this evocative volume, the artist’s granddaughter, Diana Widmaier Picasso, curates the 100 quintessential, unique works that define the evolution of this illustrious artist, creating a stunning compendium of pieces that simply could never all be acquired by a single collector. Casual art lovers know his Cubist work and the Guernica, but Picasso: The Impossible Collection...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Linen

Luxurious Large Bottega Veneta Cabat Signature Leather Tote
Located in Hopewell, NJ
The Cabat is Bottega Veneta’s most iconic design—a deceptively simple seamless tote that’s finished as beautifully on the inside as it is on the outside. Designed to be both spacious...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Raymond Loewy Designed Nordmende Spectra Futura Transistor Radio in Red & Orange
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The Nordmende Design Center collaborated in the late 1960's with renowned American designer Raymond Loewy, who created iconic designs like the Coca-Cola bottle and Lucky Strike pack. Collaborating with the American designer was an excellent choice. The device that was the result. the Spectra Futura...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Votive Madonna, Late 18th Century
Located in Firenze, FI
Sculpture depicting Madonna in black silk dress with lace headdress. The figure is in wood covered by fabric clothes, the head and hands are in polychrome terracotta. The sculpture is completed by a silver heart-shaped crown and tiara...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Terracotta, Fabric, Wood

The Impossible Collection of Wine
Located in NEW YORK, NY
In this stunning addition to the Assouline Ultimate Collection, Enrico Bernardo, the world’s best sommelier, imagines the perfect cellar filled with the most exceptional wines of the twentieth century: The Impossible Collection of Wine...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

African chess set of Namibia
Located in Delft, NL
African chess set of Namibia An African chess set with figures of Namibia, made by hand of walnut wood in natural dark and light brown color on a ma...
Category

Late 20th Century Namibian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plastic, Wood

Andy Warhol, Love, Sex, and Desire, Drawings 1950–1962
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare and intimate addition to the Warhol canon Well before Andy Warhol’s rise to the pinnacle of Pop Art, he created and exhibited seductive drawings celebrating male beauty. Andy Warhol Love...
Category

Late 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Casa Cabana
Located in New York, NY
Signed by Martina Mondadori Foreword by Aerin Lauder An immersive visual anthology on home decorating and entertaining from cult interiors magazine Cabana This sumptuous volume of stunning photographs, personal essays, and Italian recipes shows readers how to achieve the look made famous in interior-design circles by the ground­breaking and effortlessly cool Cabana magazine. Casa Cabana...
Category

2010s Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Fine Handcarved Oak Gothic Revival Wall Shrine / Chapel for Statuette
Located in Lisse, NL
Rare and good condition, Gothic-art shrine for standing or wall-hanging. This handsome and decorative, Gothic wall shrine is completely hand-crafted out of solid oak and it will look awesome, no matter where you decide to mount or place her. It must have taken its creator quite a few days to first draw this intricate design on paper and then hand carve the entire piece out of solid oak. The Gothic Style elements are deeply handcarved in both doors and they make this shrine highly decorative and an absolute joy to own and look at. This cabinet chapel (or chapel cabinet) comes with its brass lock in perfect working order and also with its original gothic style key. The handgrip is in fact a Gothic trefoil symbol (for the trinity). What also makes this piece extra attractive is the Gothic church window-like frame behind the doors. It is among the finest we have seen to date and on top of that this antique also has a beautiful and rich patina. By the way, the bronze Mary statuette is not included in our price. Finally, thanks to the hook in the back, mounting this antique chapel...
Category

Early 20th Century French Gothic Revival Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Vintage Chinese "Go" or ""Weiqi" Board and Game
Located in San Diego, CA
A very nice and well contructed vintage Chinese "Go" or ""Weiqi" board and game with play instructions, circa 1970s. The set is in very good condition and comes with a large wood boa...
Category

Late 20th Century Chinese Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Rare early 1980s Iggy Pop Announcement
Located in Brooklyn, NY
“Iggy Pop Invites You To Join Him for a Private New Year’s Eve Celebration at The Hard Rock Cafe.” Extremely rare vintage announcement card; New York City c.1981. 4x6 inches. Good overall vintage condition. Unsigned. Iggy Pop is an American rock singer-songwriter, musician, and occasional actor, who is often referred to as the godfather of punk. His role as the outrageous and unpredictable frontman of protopunk band The Stooges...
Category

1980s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Seguso Murano submerged glass table lighter 1960s
Located in Catania, IT
Submerged Murano glass amber table lighter by Flavio Poli for Seguso. 1960s in very good condition as pictured
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Murano Glass

1970s British Classic Blue & Chrome AC.GMT.Co. Industrial Wall Clock Black Dial
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Rescued from Industrial scrap yards and brought back to life in our UK workshop, our expert process allows us to create a high quality clock of luxury standards. At A.C GMT Co. we ...
Category

1970s English Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

A House in the Country Book by Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder
Located in New York, NY
A House in the Country By: Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder with Anne Walker Photography by Eric Piasecki Nestled amid the lush, gently rolling hills of cattle and horse farms in Millbrook, New York, is a handsome Greek Revival house that looks like it’s always been there. In fact, it is brand new—the collaborative effort of architect Peter Pennoyer and his wife, interior designer Katie Ridder...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Abstract Mid-Century Ceramic Cross
Located in Chicago, IL
This mid-century modern ceramic cross is an exemplary piece of European studio pottery that displays the innovative and abstract artistry of the period...
Category

1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic

Collected Interiors, Rooms That Tell a Story
Located in New York, NY
Author Philip Mitchell and Judith Nasatir, Foreword by Bunny Williams Modern maximalist designer Philip Mitchell reveals his talent for blending collections, family heirlooms, con...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Large Marble Solitaire Board Game with 33 Early Handmade Clay Marbles
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a complete board game of marble solitaire with a large turned maple board from the 20th century and handmade clay or stone marbles from the mi...
Category

Early 20th Century English Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Stone

Architectural Digest The Most Beautiful Rooms in the World
Located in New York, NY
An unrivaled survey of the most exciting contemporary interior design across the globe, curated by the editors of ten international editions of Architectural Digest. Since 1920, Architectural Digest has celebrated design talents, innovative homes, and products--providing endless decoration, lifestyle, and travel inspiration. With ten global editions, the magazine is an authority renowned all-over the world for publishing only the very best of today's interior design. In this new volume--spearheaded by AD France's editor in chief, Marie Kalt...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1970 Seiko Blue and Tobacco Retro Vintage Industrial Antique Steel Quartz Clock
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Seiko super tanker slave clock original aqua marine green finish A reclaimed and restored maritime slave clock. These clocks were used in great numbers on super tankers, cargo ...
Category

1970s Japanese Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Cut Steel

Stones Chess Game
Located in Paris, FR
Chess stones game with black and white pieces made in stone with 24-karat gold-plated metal ornaments. Checkerboard made with black stone, white stone, black resin and wood. Checke...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Stone, Gold Plate

Designing a Garden
Located in New York City, NY
The intimate Monk’s Garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston embodies the design principles that inform the work of noted lands...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Bonzo Chad Valley Comic Toy, 1930s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Chad valley comic Bonzo toy dog from the 1930s. This cream velvet fully jointed Bonzo toy has airbrushed features and a red felt tongue. He's jointed at ...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Velvet

"Art =" Book
Located in New York City, NY
A fresh and unconventional approach to exploring 6,000 years of art history through 800 masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Featuring more than 800 artworks from the ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

God Lamp / Church Chandelier Brass Early 20th Century Sanctuary Lamp Art Nouveau
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
God's Lamp/Church Chandelier brass early 20th century Sanctuary lamp Art Nouveau style Beautiful authentic brass Church chandelier/God's lam...
Category

Early 20th Century French Gothic Revival Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Black + White Porous Ceramic Chess + Checkers Board, Wooden Pieces, Walnut Edge
Located in London, GB
Porous ceramic chess and checkers set with pieces. This simple game would make a lovely, light-hearted yet sophisticated gift. Ceramic is very delica...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic, Cork

Green Escapes, The Guide to Secret Urban Gardens
Located in New York City, NY
An insider's guide to the world's greatest 'secret' gardens, green spaces, and pocket parks tucked away in cities around the globe Cities everywhere are graced with charming but...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Set of Chinese Wooden Printing Blocks, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
Chinese innovations in ink, block printing, and movable type fueled global advancements in printing technology, expanding the range of influence of the written word. These printing i...
Category

Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

The High Line
Located in New York City, NY
The acclaimed exploration of the iconic ‘park in the sky' in New York that reshaped global perceptions of urban space - back in print Since opening to the public in 2009, the High Line...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Backgammon Roarshax Wood Case with Glass Chips and Dice
Located in Naucalpan, Edo de Mex
Backgammon is a very old strategic board game, from which its origin is still undefined. A true Classic game about tactics and luck played around the globe. Taking this Classic as inspiration, Orfeo collaboration joined skills to create a board game with stimulating materials and astounding chips. Shined a spotlight on to the raw materials used to create it. The exterior of the board is composed of two elements, a metalic box and a thinly sliced oyster cut veneer of parota wood. The oysters are sourced from reclaimed branches of these gigantic trees; a material that is commonly discarded as fire wood given the difficulties of processing it. Underneath the wood they have used a single sheet of meticulously oxidized metal that is laser cut to size, then assembled into a box by one of their master craftsmen. Opening the chest you’ll find a treasure of glass checkers and dice handmade by Orfeo Quagliata’s artisans. Orfeo takes his most interesting glass techniques to apply them to all the chips in the game. The checkers are manufactured in two different processes. The "Barcodes" technique is a fine linear design with schemes of different colors that contrast between one competitor and another. Thin strips of different colored glass are placed next to each other and then fused into a single piece, from which circular pieces are drilled, ground and hand polished to form the chip. The more sober and bitone "Roarshax" technique presents an electrifying texture on the top of a transparent body. Meanwhile the dice are solid glass cubes...
Category

2010s Mexican Rustic Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

18th Century Italian Carved Giltwood Polychrome Cherub Sculpture
Located in Dallas, TX
This antique cherub figure was crafted in Italy, circa 1780. The hand-painted putti carving features its original polychrome and gold leaf finish for a luxurious result. The hand carved cherub is expressive in it's movement and features a wonderful facial expression. The colorful wall hanging...
Category

Late 18th Century Italian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Giltwood

Vintage Style Ski Photography, Framed Alpine Ski Photograph, Matterhorn & Skiers
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage style ski photography, framed Alpine ski photograph, Matterhorn & Skiers. 'MATTERHORN & SKIERS', a modern framed and mounted bla...
Category

1930s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood, Paper

Bertoia, The Metal Worker Book
Located in New York City, NY
A celebration of the rich and varied work of Italian-born American artist, designer, and master of metal, Harry Bertoia from chapel altarpieces and bronze fountains, to wire chairs a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Where to Eat Pizza
Located in New York City, NY
Over 1,000 food experts and aficionados from around the world reveal their insider tips on finding a perfect slice of pizza From the publishers of the bestselling Where Chefs Eat comes the next food-guide sensation on the most popular dish - pizza! The world over, people want the inside scoop on where to get that ultimate slice of pizza. With quotes from chefs, critics, and industry experts, readers will learn about secret ingredients, special sauces, and the quest for the perfect crust. The guide includes detailed city maps, reviews, key information and honest comments from the people you’d expect to know. Featuring more than 1,700 world-wide pizzerias, parlours, and pizza joints listed. All you need to know - where to go, when to go, and what to order. Daniel Young is the London pop-up Pioneer behind young and foodish com and its burger Monday, pizza Tuesday and Spag Wednesday event series. He established himself as a pizza authority while restaurant critic of The New York Daily News. 'He has,' wrote Ed Levine...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique and Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities for Sale

Antique and vintage collectibles and curiosities can bring whimsy and wonder to any interior. 

Decorating with old scientific instruments, historical memorabilia and vintage musical instruments, as well as other authentic collectibles and curiosities that can be found on 1stDibs, presents an opportunity to create a unique, natural history museum-like atmosphere in your home that can provoke conversation as often as it pays tribute to how far we’ve come in understanding our world. 

And bringing collectibles and curiosities into your space is actually on trend — Wunderkammern, or curiosity cabinets, were all the rage in Europe during the 1500s and continued to have adherents there and in the U.S. in the following centuries. Today, however, they’re experiencing a real surge in popularity and influencing how many interior designers are furnishing and decorating homes — combining contemporary with antique, scientific with tribal, earthly with extraterrestrial, Les Lalanne tables with Flemish tapestries.

The original Wunderkammern were entire rooms filled with objects demonstrating their owners’ worldly knowledge: A proper one included artificiala or preciosa (objets d’art); naturalia (such as skeletons, shells, minerals); exotica (taxidermy or dried plants); and scientifica (scientific instruments), frequently alongside religious relics and ancient artifacts.

Pay tribute to a history of rich and diverse musical traditions that have taken shape all over the world by decorating your home with a collection of antique and vintage musical instruments — with a little help from strong hanging wire or some wall hooks, vintage brass instruments such as a gong, French horn or trumpet can help elevate a home office or complement the efforts you’ve made to ensure a welcoming vibe in your home’s entryway. Bells or antique wind instruments can add provocative metallic contrasts to dark woods as tabletop decorative objects.  

Create an intriguing focal point with Georgian scientific instruments, such as stick barometers with mahogany cases or lacquered brass telescopes. These items stem from an era named for the monarchies of the four King Georges, who ruled England in succession starting in 1714 (plus King William’s reign, which lasted until 1837). Just as there was beautiful jewelry produced during the period that today is coveted by collectors, there is much to be found in the collectibles and curiosities realm too.

Wanderlust, nostalgia and a shared love of good design are contributing factors to certain trends in decorating — just as vintage trunks and luggage have reappeared as furniture or home accents in a bedroom or foyer, decorating with globes, maps or nautical objects is similarly rooted in the allure of travel and a penchant for the stylish finishing touch that collectibles bring to our homes.

Find a wide range of antique and vintage collectibles and curiosities on 1stDibs.

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Moroccan Artworks and Objects Take Center Stage in an Extraordinary Villa in Tangier

Italian writer and collector Umberto Pasti opens the doors to his remarkable cave of wonders in North Africa.

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Whaam! Blam! Pow! — a New Book on Pop Art Packs a Punch

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What Makes a Gem-Encrusted Chess Set Worth $4 Million?

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