1904 Mills Owl Strength Tester, Floor Standing Arcade Machine
Located in Peekskill, NY
You can just imagine the rough use an arcade machine like this took. Thats why there are almost no examples left.
Bronze
Antique Atlantic City Souvenir Penny Game from Boardwalk Empire
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A Historical artifact once used in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire. Maple cabinet with brass plaques and painted iron mechanism. Costing two quarters and a penny to play. Not tested ...
Metal
$500
H 36 in W 10 in D 14 in
Machine Age Art Deco Doctors or Bathroom Floor Model Scale Weigh Master by Hanso
Located in New York, NY
Great Machine Age, American Art Deco floor scale, Weigh Master by Hanson. The scale is fully functional, it shows cosmetic wear to the paint finish, and there is some loss to the rub...
Metal
Industrial Era Post Office Box Tower
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A tall narrow oak tower fitted with 14 boxes with metal plaques on the doors and monogram US, each with two combination locks for security and glass panels. Open backs for the postal...
Metal
$125
H 15 in W 7 in D 7.5 in
Vintage Komet King 10 Cent Vending Gumball Peanut Candy Machine Game Room Decor
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Vintage Komet King 10 Cent Vending Gumball Peanut Candy Machine Game Room/Arcade Decor. Circa Mid 20th Century. Measurements: 15" H x 7" W x 7.5" D.
Metal
Vintage 25¢ Pedestal Gumball Machine by Northwestern
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Bring classic Americana and vintage charm to your home, business, or games room with this vintage 25¢ gumball vending machine by Northwestern. Mounted on its original pedestal stand,...
Metal
$1,588
H 61.42 in W 17.33 in D 7.88 in
Vintage Ball Cascade Bryan's Elevenses Allwin Penny Slot Machine
Located in Sofia, BG
Bar game called the ball cascade, mechanical. Works with 1penny coins. Bryan's Elevenses oak and metal - 1950. Presented on a non-original metal pedestal, height total: 156 cm. H...
Metal
Rare 1938 Jumbo Parade-Payout Slot Machine by Mills Novelty Co.
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Late Art Deco Mills Novelty Co. "Jumbo Parade" 5-cent floor console slot machine, manufactured circa 1939–1940. Originally built as an all mechanical payout machine, this free-standi...
Metal
19th Century Italian Height Measuring Apparatus
Located in Round Top, TX
An intriguing 19th century Italian apparatus for measuring one's height in centimeters. Soundly constructed from cast iron with a bronze measure to one side. A whimsical accent perfe...
Bronze, Iron
$1,730
H 42.5 in W 40 in D 10.25 in
Antique Narragansett Machine Company Forearm Exercise Machine , 1920s, USA
Located in San Francisco, CA
Collectible Antique Narragansett Machine Company Forearm Exercise Machine is constructed of wood and iron. To operate, one merely turns the grip in different directions to engage dif...
Iron
Vintage Machine-O-Matic "Talking Vendor" Gumball Machine
Located in Dekalb, IL
1984; Machine-O-Matic (now Beaver Vending) - Newmarket, ON, Canada Early 1980s gumball vending machine designed and patented by Ken McPhail in 1981. The "Talking Vendor" line were m...
Metal
Rare Ships Engine Order Telegraph
Located in Norwell, MA
Solid brass ships telegraph by Scottish maker Mechans Limited of Scotstoun Glasgow. With porcelein faceplate displaying ships commands full, half, slow, stop, ahead and astern. Singl...
Brass
Antique Salesman Sample Tube Flaring Machine
Located in Dekalb, IL
Compact, bench-mounted salesman's model demonstrating a mechanical tube flaring process, likely used in the presentation of pipe and tubing fabrication equipment. The assembly featur...
Steel, Cast Iron
Circa 1945 Engine Order Ships Telegraph
Located in Norwell, MA
Rare World War II engine order telegraph that is brand new old stock circa 1945. We took it out of a disintegrating crate. Original paint. The brass caps on either side of the head h...
Brass
Industrial Wrap Reel Machine - early 20th century
Located in Linkebeek, BE
Industrial Wrap Reel Machine - early 20th century Industrial decoration - Antique Measures : 40x45cm H:43cm An antique mechanical reel (often called a "wrap reel" or "yarn reel") da...
Metal
$27,323
H 82.29 in Dm 60.24 in
Vintage 20th Century English Art Deco 'Crane Claw' Arcade Machine c.1930
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
An early 20th Century English amusement arcade game featuring articulated cranes which, when skilfully manoeuvred, grasp a prize and release it into the chute below. Constructed in E...
Metal
Circa 1900 English Equal Arm Market Scale With Weights
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Circa 1900 equal arm market scale with weights, English. Marked: "W&T Avery Ld, To Weigh 7LB" & "Class.B". Heavy, quality brass - boldly turned upright with finial tip. Large, molded...
Brass
$2,623Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 86.03 in W 68.71 in D 13.39 in
Antique Victorian 19th Century Pine Fireplace Surround and Overmantel Mirror
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A large and attractive late 19th century Pine & Gesso fireplace surround complete with its original over mantel mirror. The triple bevelled mirror sits within separate frames featuri...
Pine
$11,615
H 14.18 in W 10.63 in D 8.27 in
19th Century Coromandel Vanity Box with Silver Gilt Fitted Interior by Asprey
By Asprey International Limited
Located in London, GB
A Victorian Coromandel and Brass bound Dressing Case By Asprey The hinged cover with an inset brass monogram, the base with a jewellery drawer and two fitted internal trays, contai...
Brass, Silver, Vermeil
$6,240Sale Price|20% Off
H 13.5 in W 6 in D 4.5 in
Tiffany & Co. Sterling Silver Coffee and Tea Set, American Colonial
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in Sheffield, MA
Tiffany & company four-piece sterling silver coffee and tea set, circa 1940. Comprised of coffee pot, tea pot, sugar and creamer, all with faceted corners and monogrammed 'PPB', ...
Sterling Silver
$2,000
H 5 in W 8 in D 4 in
Wedgwood Majolica Nautilus Shell Spoon Warmer, Amaranth and Turquoise Glazes
By Wedgwood
Located in Downingtown, PA
Wedgwood Majolica Nautilus Shell Spoon Warmer, Amaranth and Turquoise Glazes Description This Wedgwood majolica spoon warmer is naturalistically modeled as a large nautilus shell, ...
Majolica
1920s Small Beige Vellum Steamer Trunk
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful hat trunk features a very warm cream color vellum and golden brass locks. Its interior is in beige canvas. Clean and fresh original interior . It could be a wonderful ...
Leather
$4,500
H 19.5 in W 25.5 in D 2.5 in
Antique American Flag w/ Hand-Written Inscriptions Mourning the Death of FDR
Located in York County, PA
48 STARS ON ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH HAND-WRITTEN INSCRIPTIONS AND AN EMBROIDERED DATE OF APRIL 12TH, 1945, MOURNING THE DEATH OF PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT: American na...
Cotton
$1,150 / set
H 11.25 in W 10 in D 7 in
Wrightsman Collection, Vols I-V, First Editions, Signed by the Wrightsmans
By F.J.B. Watson, Everett Fahy, Carl C. Dauterman
Located in valatie, NY
The Wrightsman Collection, Vols. I-V. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1966-1973. First edition hardcovers with dust jackets. 2248 pp. Inscribed by the Wrightsmans. The comp...
Paper
1920s Small Beige Vellum Steamer Trunk
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
This beautiful hat trunk features a very warm cream color vellum and silver color locks. Its interior is all in matching color moire and has got side pockets as well as a removable t...
Leather
Five Section Silver Metal ''Surtout De Table'' circa 1830
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
A five section silver metal ''Surtout de Table'', circa 1830.
Bronze
On Hold|$5,452
H 40 in W 42 in D 18 in
19th Century Regency Brass Scottish Register Fireplace Insert Grate
Located in Edinburgh, GB
A fine and rare 19th Century Regency fireplace Insert grate, salvaged from Anne Street, Edinburgh Scotland. Circular rondel's to capitals with raised reeded brass fronts and fret. Po...
Brass, Steel
American Mural of New York City Harbor, Hand-Painted, 19th Century
Located in Queens, NY
American (circa 1880) painted mural of a panoramic view of the New York City harbor with boats & city landmarks. Originally in the American Stock Exchange. 79 feet wide.
Paint
Pair of French Carved Mahogany Armchairs, 19th Century
Located in London, GB
An imposing pair of Louis Philippe Fauteuils Constructed in Honduras Mahogany, standing on swept lappeted gentle 'S' shaped legs to the front, and sabre shaped to the rear, the pa...
Mahogany
$17,081
H 30.12 in W 39.97 in D 0.04 in
Original Vintage 1928 Avant Garde Art Exhibition Poster Kandinsky Picasso Klee
By Heinrich Campendonk
Located in London, GB
Original vintage art exhibition poster: Colour / Farbe Ausstellung im Kaiser-Wilhelm-Museum held at the Kaiser Wilhelm Museum in Krefeld Germany from 1-31 May 1928 presenting work by...
Paper
$240 / set
H 1.97 in Dm 3.15 in
Five Sets of Royal Copenhagen Blue Flower Angular, Espresso Cups ‘Mocca Cups’
Located in København, Copenhagen
Five sets of Royal Copenhagen blue flower angular, espresso cups (mocca cups). Decoration number 10/8562. The cup's diameter is 7.3 cm. Perfect condition. 1st. factory quality.
Delft Garniture Set, 18th Century
Located in Dallas, TX
Hand-painted set of blue and white delft porcelain. Three covered vases and two trumpet vases. The lids depict perched birds. The vases depict fishermen in a sailing ship.
Porcelain
Gothic Revival Carved Oak and KPM Porcelain Triptych
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
The triptych comprises a trio of porcelain plaques, depicting the patron saints of the German city of Cologne (Köln) by the renowned Berlin manufacturer KPM (Konigliche Porzellan-Man...
Porcelain, Oak
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.