Switzerland Mahogany Ebonized Hinged Music Box with Three Cylinders, C. 1880
Located in Charleston, SC
Rare Switzerland mahogany & ebonized hinged music box with the original crank, three interior paper labels, and cylinders. Music box is stamped by maker and is In working condition, ...
Steel
Antique 9 Bell Music Box with Summer Garden Strikers by George Bendon, c. 1880
Located in London, GB
A lovely and great sounding antique music box with nine engraved bells and bird, butterfly and flowers strikers made by George Bendon in Geneva, Switzerand, c.1800. For a full video ...
Brass, Steel
$1,959Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Richter's Anchor Box, German, Stone, Anker Baukasten, Number 15, Set
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique Richter's Anchor Box. A German, stone Anker Baukasten No. 15 or construction set, dating to the Victorian period, circa 1890. Highly collectible German construc...
Cast Stone
Nautical Brass Magnetic Compass with Original Box by E. Vion Paris, Early 1900
Located in Milan, IT
Height of box cm 32 – inches 12.61. The firm Vion, that still works today, was established in 1830 in Paris and it has always manufactured navigation equipment, in particular compas...
Brass
$3,353Sale Price|20% Off
Vintage Specimen Collector's Chest of Drawers, French, Walnut Desk Box, Art Deco
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a vintage specimen collector's chest of drawers. A French, solid walnut four drawer executive desk box, dating to the Art Deco period, circa 1930. Exceptional figuring and f...
Walnut
Antique 19thC Swiss Made Cylinder Music Box By Lecoultre Frères Of Geneva c.1880
By LeCoultre & Cie 1
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique 19th Century Swiss music box crafted in the form of a desk table, with a fully functional mechanism. It comes with six interchangeable cylindrical discs, each playing a diffe...
Brass
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Antique 9 Bell Music Box with Clock by Ami Rivenc, Geneva, Switzerland, c. 1880
By Japy Frères
Located in London, GB
A fine quality and rare music box made by Ami Rivenc of Geneva, Switzerland in c. 1880, featuring the beautiful combination of 9 engraved bells and an 8-day French clock inside a ser...
Brass
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
Hand Carved Coquille Nut Egg Box 19th Century Flea Trap Pomander Needle Case
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful hand carved coquille nut egg box. Beautiful carving, great patina, unscrews at center to open. The original use was a flea trap, things were different in the old days and...
Wood
$14,400Sale Price|20% Off
19th Century Swiss Cylinder Carved Music Box on a Table by Mermod Freres
By Mermod Frères 1
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a 19th century Swiss cylinder carved music box on a table by Mermod Freres. The maker’s mark is in a silver color shield shaped metal at the right side in front of the cylind...
Wood
Milan 1920/30 Antique Microscope by F.lli Koristka Wooden Box with Accessories
Located in Milan, IT
Optical microscope signed F.lli Koristka Milano n. 42870 produced between 1920/30, of chromed and black painted brass, three-magnification turret, consisting of a stand and a plate w...
Brass
19th C. Antique Swiss Cylinder Roll Music Box 6 Tune Airs with Inlaid Case
Located in Philadelphia, PA
19th C. Antique Swiss Cylinder Roll Music Box 6 Tune Airs with Inlaid Case and Works Very Nicely. Circa 19th Century. Measurements: 5.25" H x 16.75" W x 7.5" D.
Mahogany
Antique 18th Century Snuff Bottle Hunting Theme Musical Instruments Dogs
Located in Munich, Bavaria
This snuff bottle was carved out of walnut in the last quarter of the 18th century. One side of the object is decorated with two dogs and hunting regalia, the other with musical ins...
Brass Mounted Georgian Campaign Dressing Table Box Gentleman's Necessaire C.1795
Located in Incline Village, NV
The necessaire contains a plethora of instruments, utensils, storage bottles, boxes, to contain pills, medicine, potions, soap, shaving needs, snuff, beverages, spirits, tea, coffee,...
Silver, Silver Plate
Set of Desk and Writing Instruments in Fitted Leather Box, 19th Century
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This lovely three-piece 19th century writing set consists of a pen with silver tip, letter opener of mother of pearl with agate handle and silver connector and a detailed intaglio en...
Agate, Silver
18th Century Northern Italy Polychrome Lacca Povera Wood Antique Table Cabinet
Located in Forney, TX
A scarce antique Italian hand painted lacca povera tabletop cabinet. circa 1775 Northern Italy, 18th century, likely used in a wealthy merchant or noble's country villa as a vargueñ...
Gesso, Wood, Pine, Paint
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.
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
It’s never too early for good design. These interiors combine elevated furnishings and a youthful spirit, resulting in spaces that are at once elegant and whimsical.
Produced in 1843, the well-preserved volume is evidence of the author's exacting specifications.
New or old, the coverlets add old-time charm to any space.
Get into the games! These items celebrate the events, athletes, host countries and sporting spirit.
French trendsetter and serial collector Daniel Rozensztroch tells us about his obsession with objects related to seafaring men.
The sought-after designer worked with the team at Hoffman Creative to produce a monograph that beautifully showcases some of Studio Shamshiri's most inspiring projects.
Italian writer and collector Umberto Pasti opens the doors to his remarkable cave of wonders in North Africa.