$6,395
H 1.62 in W 1.25 in D 0.12 in
Ancient Macedonian Alexander the Great Coin Set in 22 kt Gold & Emerald Pendant
Located in Atlanta, GA
An Authentic Greek (Macedonian) Alexander the Great Tetradrachm Coin, 336-323 BC, set in a 22-karat
Metal, Gold
$950 / set
H 15.25 in W 8 in D 4.125 in
Vintage Moroccan Moorish Brass Cone Shaped Wall Sconce Shade, a Pair
Located in Plainview, NY
A pair of Moroccan Moorish style brass wall sconce shade featuring intricate filigree design and a stylish cone shape. The sconce shades are beautifully hand crafted by master artisa...
Brass
Large Classical Etruscan Style Terracotta Vase Hand Painted
Located in Rochester, NY
Large classical Etruscan Style Terracotta Vase. Hand painted.
Terracotta
Early 20th Century Handmade Persian Heriz Square Room Size Carpet
Located in New York, NY
An antique Persian Heriz room size carpet in square format handmade during the early 20th century. Measures: 12' 6" x 14' 0".
Wool
$6,960Sale Price|20% Off
H 69 in W 27.5 in D 0.5 in
Late 19th Century Antique Stained Glass Window with Flowers and Jewels
Located in Stamford, CT
Beautiful late 19th century antique stained glass window with flowers and jewels. This is a great window with good colors from a private billiards room in Fairfield County Ct. Origin...
Stained Glass, Wood
19th Century Roman Style Stained Glass Window
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A good condition and richly toned Roman style stained glass window circa 1890 from the studio of Clayton & Bell. This spectacular 19th century stained glass panel details a soldier a...
Stained Glass
$6,280
H 31.89 in W 23.23 in D 23.23 in
air of William Katavolos chairs for ICF Milano in black leather and chrome
By ICF Milano 1, William Katavolos
Located in Ternay, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Pair of 60's chairs by designer William Katavolos for ICF Milano. Chrome-plated steel frame, black leather seats and back (original). Sober, elegant design for this pair of tripod ch...
Steel, Chrome
Old Fountain
Located in Costa Mesa, CA
This old French Limestone fountain was hand carved and installed in a French countryside home. The piece has been well preserved throughout the years and was recently reclaimed by ou...
Limestone
Afra & Tobia Scarpa ‘Benetton’ Chair, Italy, 1980s
By Afra & Tobia Scarpa
Located in Aartselaar, BE
Rare, Afra, Scarpa, italian, 1980s, leather, patina, collector's item Designed in 1985 for the Benetton office by the iconic Italian architects Afra & Tobia Scarpa, this chair is a ...
Brass, Steel
Antique Art Nouveau fire screen
Located in Meulebeke, BE
Belgian iron fire screen with Art Nouveau drawing. Can be used as a fire screen but is also a nice decoration piece.
Iron
Pair of Sphinxes, Marble
Located in Madrid, ES
While this mythological animal with a lion's body and female head is found in ancient Egyptian art, idealization, its proportions and the lines of the sculptures relate them much mor...
Marble
Fleur de Neige, Portrait de Mme Godillot
By Jan Van Beers
Located in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine, FR
Fleur de Neige by Jan Van Beers, painted in July 1880, stands out for the delicacy of its depiction. This remarkable portrait depicts a woman dressed in a sumptuous white costume, ad...
Oil
Under The Banyan Gold Candelabra in Brass, Viya by Vikram Goyal
Located in Noida, DL
Under The Banyan Gold Candelabra in Brass, Viya by Vikram Goyal Echoing ancient whispers of worship, each object captures the essence of the Banyan tree, believed to hold the divine...
Brass
$3,563
H 38.19 in W 22.84 in D 25.99 in
Space Age Electric Blue Vintage Teak Faux Leather Armchair or Lounge Chair 1960s
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age vintage blue armchair or lounge chair or club chair from teak plywood and chromed tubular steel. A wonderful chair to read a book and chill. The upholstery is covered with ...
Metal
$4,589
H 38.98 in W 24.81 in D 26.78 in
Restored Biedermeier Armchair, Cherry Tree, Oak, Austria-Vienna, 1820s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
According to the original process, our professional refurbishing team in Czechia has restored and reupholstered the item. New traditional upholstery was made with respect to the orig...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Cherry, Oak
$28,989
H 22.84 in W 8.27 in D 8.27 in
Monstrance (temple type). Silver. Spain, 16th century with restorations.
Located in Madrid, ES
Portable temple custody. Gilded silver, glass. 16th century, possible restorations. Custody made of gilded silver (the finish has been lost in some points) composed of a base, an ax...
Silver, Other
$4,227
H 27.96 in W 24.41 in D 22.05 in
Restored Biedermeier Armchair, Cherry Tree, Ebony, Austria-Vienna, 1820s
Located in Brandys nad Labem, Středočeský kraj
Restored Biedermeier Walnut Armchair attributed to Josef Danhauser. According to the original process, our professional refurbishing team in Czechia has restored and reupholstered t...
Fabric, Upholstery, Wood, Cherry, Ebony
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.