Quetzal Taxidermy
Antique Early 19th Century English High Victorian Taxidermy
Other
People Also Browsed
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Books
Paper
2010s Chinese Models and Miniatures
Wood
Antique 19th Century Paintings
Canvas, Giltwood
Antique 1860s French Louis XV Armchairs
Wood
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Lounge Chairs
Polyester
20th Century Russian Folk Art Garniture
Silver, Enamel
Early 20th Century French Art Nouveau Vases
Glass
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Paint
Antique 1850s Italian Baroque Settees
Leather, Walnut
20th Century American Books
Paper
Mid-20th Century European Mid-Century Modern Wall-mounted Sculptures
Metal, Brass, Copper
Antique 19th Century French Victorian Animal Sculptures
Bronze
Antique 19th Century French Neoclassical Bedroom Sets
Ormolu
Vintage 1960s French Mid-Century Modern Paintings
Paint
Early 20th Century Swedish Art Deco Armchairs
Antique 19th Century French Empire Urns
Bronze
Finding the Right Vitrines for You
Why not give your precious collectibles the case pieces they deserve? Antique and vintage vitrines can be used to safely store and display your most treasured objects.
While they were initially used to display relics in churches or to preserve specimens for scientific observation, vitrines are best known for their place in retail spaces and museums. The name for these glass display cases comes from the Latin word “vitrum,” meaning glass, as well as the Old French word “vitre,” which also refers to glass. Instead of simply showcasing collector’s items on shelves, you can bestow extra importance on them by displaying them in a vitrine for passers-by to observe and admire.
Not all vitrines are created equal. Over time, furniture makers have explored different shapes and sizes for vitrines. A display case you’ll find in a retail store will likely look drastically different from what you’ll see in a museum or art gallery. A vitrine in a shop is likely there to best market specific wares to the general public, while in museums there is usually a range of different vitrines intended to house and protect single objects or to display a grouping of artifacts.
Most of us have an antique, new or vintage case piece in our home. Though the terms “case pieces” and “case goods” may cause even the most decor-obsessed to stumble, these furnishings have been a vital part of the home for centuries. Any furnishing that is unupholstered and has some semblance of a storage component — cabinets, dressers, buffets — may be properly termed a case piece.
Mirror-backed vitrines, which refer to cases that usually feature shelved and mirrored interiors, are a most appropriate home for your jewelry or decorative objects. Adding such items to a vitrine already suggests that there is an irreplaceable preciousness to the case’s contents, and the mirrors will emphasize as much as well as refract more light to render the display eye-catching.
On 1stDibs, find a wide variety of antique and vintage vitrines to protect and preserve your most prized items. The collection of mid-century modern vitrines and Art Deco vitrines is mostly inclusive of those built with a wooden frame, but there are many other types to choose from as well. It’s time to give your collectibles a good home!