19th Century Balancing Scale
Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass, Bronze
Antique 19th Century Chinese Ming Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Mid-Century Modern Scientific Instruments
Metal, Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century French Provincial Scientific Instruments
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Metal, Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century European Industrial Scientific Instruments
Iron
Antique 19th Century English Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Industrial Scientific Instruments
Iron, Nickel
Antique Late 19th Century Industrial Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Copper, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century Unknown Gothic Scientific Instruments
Wrought Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century American High Victorian Scientific Instruments
Metal, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century British Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century American High Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Canadian Late Victorian Scientific Instruments
Metal, Brass
Antique 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Recent Sales
Antique Late 19th Century French More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Antique 1860s Victorian More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Unknown More Furniture and Collectibles
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century American Scientific Instruments
Bronze, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Bronze
Antique 19th Century Portuguese Decorative Objects
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique 1860s French Baroque Scientific Instruments
Marble, Iron
Antique Early 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique 1860s French Scientific Instruments
Walnut
Antique 19th Century French Desk Accessories
Antique 19th Century Swedish Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century British Scientific Instruments
Iron
Antique 19th Century Portuguese Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century American Victorian Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French French Provincial Scientific Instruments
Steel, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Bronze, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century English Industrial More Folk Art
Antique 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Metal
Antique Late 19th Century British Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century American Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass
Early 20th Century French Napoleon III Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Early 1800s French Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique Late 19th Century Dutch Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century French More Desk Accessories
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Iron
Antique 1880s French Industrial Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 1890s European Scientific Instruments
Glass
Antique 19th Century American Industrial Scientific Instruments
Iron
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Antiquities
Brass
Antique 19th Century Italian Victorian Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese Late Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Portuguese Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century English Industrial Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Antique 19th Century Portuguese Baroque Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century Argentine Scientific Instruments
Marble, Brass, Nickel
Antique 19th Century English Industrial Scientific Instruments
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century English Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century French French Provincial Garniture
Marble, Brass, Wrought Iron
Antique Mid-19th Century Empire More Furniture and Collectibles
Marble, Brass
Antique 19th Century Portuguese Decorative Objects
Antique 19th Century Decorative Objects
Brass
Antique 19th Century British Late Victorian Decorative Art
Iron
Antique Late 19th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Scientific Instruments
Wrought Iron
Antique Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Desk Accessories
Brass
Antique Early 19th Century Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Antique Mid-19th Century American Classical Wall-mounted Sculptures
Metal
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Antique 19th Century French Empire Revival Mantel Mirrors and Fireplace ...
Gesso, Mirror, Wood
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Other Doors and Gates
Bronze
Antique 15th Century and Earlier African Natural Specimens
Bone
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Neoclassical Fountains
Stone, Limestone, Metal, Iron
Antique Mid-19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
Antique Late 19th Century Italian Louis XV Dining Room Tables
Walnut
Antique Late 19th Century French Napoleon III Sofas
Upholstery, Walnut
20th Century European Renaissance Fountains
Limestone
Antique 19th Century Ivorian Primitive Chairs
Wood, Reclaimed Wood
Vintage 1930s English Cabinets
Gold, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Japanese Edo Lacquer
Wood
Vintage 1920s French Louis XV Sofas
Fabric
Antique 19th Century French Wardrobes and Armoires
Antique Early 19th Century French Charles X Architectural Elements
Stone, Copper
Early 20th Century French Art Deco End Tables
Walnut
Early 20th Century German Art Deco Wall Clocks
Metal, Enamel
19th Century Balancing Scale For Sale on 1stDibs
Finding the Right Collectibles-curiosities for You
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022British artist John Singer Sargent was one of the most important portrait painters of the 19th century. Other notable portraitists from the period include James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Eugène Delacroix, Théodore Géricault, Gustave Courbet, Édouard Manet, Mary Cassat, Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of portrait paintings.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022The French painters of the 19th century worked in two styles. Neoclassicism dominated the first half of the century, and Impressionism was the most common style during the second half. On 1stDibs, you can find a variety of French paintings.
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