Ornate High Back Rope Chair
Antique Early 19th Century Japanese Edo Historical Memorabilia
Textile, Silk, Rattan, Rope, Wood
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Vases
Gold Leaf, Brass
Antique 17th Century Japanese Edo Lacquer
Copper, Gold
Vintage 1910s American Art Nouveau Table Lamps
Bronze
Antique 1820s English Arms, Armor and Weapons
Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Portuguese Modern Benches
Fabric, Velvet, Lacquer, Wood
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Table Lamps
Antique 19th Century Belgian Gothic Revival Architectural Elements
Art Glass, Stained Glass
Antique Early 17th Century Malagasy Taxidermy
Eggshell
21st Century and Contemporary Australian American Classical Musical Inst...
Gold
Antique 15th Century and Earlier American Natural Specimens
Stone
17th Century Old Masters Drawings and Watercolor Paintings
Canvas, Pen, Gouache, Watercolor, Ink, Paper
Antique 1850s American Maps
Paper
Antique 15th Century and Earlier Greek Classical Greek Arms, Armor and W...
Bronze
Antique 19th Century Swiss Other Musical Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century English Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass, Iron
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Architectural Elements
Metal
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.