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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: 1980s
Period: 1930s
Double Front and Back Lithograph Depicting Portovenere and Pisa in Italy, 1930s
Located in Milan, IT
Double front and back lithograph depicting Portovenere and Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, dating back to the thirties. Very good condition. Cm 21.5 x 27.5.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Sparton Model 557 "Sled" Radio by Walter Dorwin Teague
By Walter Dorwin Teague, Sparton
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Sparton model 557 radio designed by Walter Dorwin Teague for the Sparks-Worthington Company in Jackson, Michigan during 1936. The radio, known as the "sled" or "3-knob" is considered...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Chrome
Cotton Nautical Signal Flag for Letter W
Located in Norwell, MA
Framed cotton signal flag for letter W. Nicely framed. Cotton flag with canvas hoist, wood toggle and Manila rope. Nicely framed.
Category
1980s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Cotton
Pentax Camera Lighter, 1980s Japan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Take home this incredible vintage Pentax Camera Lighter while it's still on the market. Rare and in perfect working condition. Adjustable lighter with a...
Category
1980s Japanese Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Vintage 1934 Sonora Sonorette Radio, italy, 1934
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Sonora Sonorette Radio.
1st Series 1934.
Fair condition.
Category
1930s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Resin
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, First Edition, Later Printing, 1937
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Mitchell, Margaret, Gone with the Wind. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937. First edition, thirty-third printing. Octavo. Handsomely rebound in full navy Moroccan leather with gi...
Category
1930s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather, Paper
Poul Hennigsen Grand Piano
Located in Studio City, CA
Original Poul Hennigsen piano, circa 1930. Has been fully remastered and in beautiful condition. In 1930, the Danish creative genius, Poul Henningsen, reimagined what a piano could be when he created the PH Grand Piano...
Category
1930s Danish Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Royal Doulton Kingsware Lemonade Jug with Golf Scene
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Royal Doulton Kingsware Lemonade jug.
A Royal Doulton "Airbrush Brown" Kingsware lemonade jug with a golf scene by Charles Crombie in relief. ...
Category
1930s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
1920s Bostonian Tailors Paperweight Curiosity Desk Object Architect Sculpture
Located in Hyattsville, MD
Wonderful desk relic from a Bostonian Tailor.
Category
1930s American Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Fox Terrier Mohair Composition Candy Container by Suchard Company, German, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful dog candy container. Made of paper mache, covered with mohair and has glass eyes. Nice addition to your Christmas or new years collection or decoration. It is from the 19...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Composition
French Signed Lalique Crystal Tokyo Table Lighter with Frosted Floral Medallions
By René Lalique
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
When it comes to defining elegance and affluence as a lifestyle, Lalique crystal comes to mind for most people. From its earliest days to present times, the Lalique Company has consi...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Crystal, Brass
Nautical Signal Flag of Letter "Y" in Shadowbox Frame
Located in Norwell, MA
International maritime signal flag of letter 'Y', 'YANKEE,' set into a shadowbox frame. The cotton flag has a white canvas hoist with a sisal rope and wood toggle, with the maker 'An...
Category
1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Cotton
1930s AM Radio Map of US, Canada, Cuba, Mexico – Stations & Frequencies
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: 1930s Lewis Bros. Limited Detailed Radio Station Map of the United States and Canada – AM Stations, Call Signs, Frequencies, Vintage Advertising
Detailed Description: This v...
Category
1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Art Deco Wood and Metal Airplane Aviation Propeller Model, France 1930s
Located in Atlanta, GA
Stylish Art Deco wood airplane propeller model mounted on a geometric wood and metal display. This Art Deco model airplane is in solid wood with a lovely warm patina. It has one larg...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Copper
Rare Art Deco Epiphone Electar Model M Lap Steel Electric Guitar and amp combo
By Epiphone
Located in Buffalo, NY
Epiphone Electar Model M Lap Steel Electric Guitar, with original matching amplifier...black lacquer finish, maple body and etched aluminum top. A very early...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
Exceptional Vintage Antique Mercury Glass Christmas Tree Topper German, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare large feather tree glass Christmas tree topper. It is made from mouth blown glass, would be a great antique addition for your Christmas or ...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass
Ferrari telephone , 80s Miami Vice Era Phone , Vintage Telephone , Collectible
Located in Milano, IT
Rare Ferrari Telefone / Decorative Object / Limited Edition piece of the 80's
It may not be white, but Miami Vice vibes are guaranteed with this funny and rare "Ferrari Testarossa" ...
Category
1980s Hong Kong Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Ronson 1936 Pik a Cig Magic Monkey Striker Touch Lighter & Cigarette Dispenser
Located in Miami, FL
Art deco magic monkey mechanical dispenser box designed by Ronson.
An extremely rare and very decorative mechanical desk box, created in the city of Newark, New Jersey United States by The Ronson Metal Works Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1936. This is the mechanical Pik-a-Cig Monkey box...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze, Enamel, Steel
Large, Art Deco, Sterling Silver-Mounted Threaded Crystal Match Striker
Located in New York, NY
Large, Art Deco, sterling silver-mounted threaded crystal match striker, London, 1931, Henry Perkins and Sons - makers. Measures 2 3/4 inches high x 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Dark sp...
Category
1930s English Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Crystal, Sterling Silver
Vintage Style Ski Photography, Framed Alpine Ski Photograph, Matterhorn & Skiers
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage style ski photography, framed Alpine ski photograph, Matterhorn & Skiers.
'MATTERHORN & SKIERS', a modern framed and mounted bla...
Category
1930s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper, Wood
A 1980s Mappin and Webb Akoya pearl necklace with 18 carat gold clasp
Located in London, GB
A lovley late 1980s Mappin and Webb Akoya pearl necklace with 18 carat gold clasp in orignal box. There are 56 pearls and each pearl is 6.5-7mm diameter with a high polished lustre a...
Category
1980s English Hollywood Regency Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Antique Vintage Spun Cotton Stork Bird Christmas Ornament Germany 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament. It was made from wire and cotton, this would be a great antique addition for your Christmas or feather tree. You can also use it just to display it in a de...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wire
Art Deco Ashtray Stand, Chrome and Bakelite by Demeyere, Belgium, 1930s
By Demeyere
Located in Bingen am Rhein, RP
Art Deco ashtray stand
This beautiful and rare Art Deco Ashtray Stand from the 30s/40s is in the streamline modern art deco style. The designer of this extraordinary object has succ...
Category
1930s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Chrome, Iron
Mercury Glass Three Bird Christmas Tree Clip-On Ornament, Vintage German, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare vintage clip-on bird ornament collection. The size given in the dimensions section refers to the largest item seen in the first picture. These ornaments, were made from ultra-...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Mercury Glass
20th Century Italian Miniature Mahogany Piano Sterling Silver Details
Located in VALENZA, IT
Mahogany vertical piano miniature with 925 sterling silver inserts and details.
In the upper part, the silver is pierced with drawings of children picki...
Category
1980s Italian Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
CARTIER 1935 Paris Art-Deco Desk Club Petrol Lighter In .925 Sterling Silver
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
An art deco tall desk-lighter designed by Cartier.
This is a beautiful and very rare desk-club petrol lighter, created in Paris France by the atelier-Frontin for the jewelry house o...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Paris in the Thirties, French Book by Jacques Lanzmann, 1987
Located in Atlanta, GA
Paris des Années 30, (Paris in The Thirties), French Book by Jacques Lanzmann, 1987.
Numerous photographs in black and white from the Keystone pr...
Category
1980s French Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Santa Claus Belsnickle Christmas Chocolate Mold Antique 1930s, German
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous chocolate mold. Made of metal, not marked. Beautiful and ready to use or display, with nice patina. The 1890s to 1920s were the golden age of Chocolate production and cons...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Vintage Style Ski Photography, Framed Alpine Ski Photograph, Descent in Powder
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
'DESCENT IN POWDER', a modern framed and mounted black and white photograph after an original 1930's skiing photograph. The frame is black with burgundy undercoat, the glazing is clarity+ premium synthetic glass. Black & white alpine photos are the perfect addition to any home or ski lodge, so please do check out our other ski photos...
Category
1930s British Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper, Wood
Richard Lippold In-House Portfolio
Located in New York, NY
Hand-assembled in-house portfolio by renowned American sculptor Richard Lippold (1915-2002), known for his site-specific geometric constructions using wire as a medium, and for his a...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Paper
1930s English Antique Hand Painted Wooden Toy Solider Castle Fort
Located in Stamford, CT
1930s English hand painted wooden toy fort. Made as a toy fort for lead soldiers, the fort included a working draw bridge and moveable ramp. The towers are also removable to assist w...
Category
1930s British Medieval Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
1931 The Iliad and The Odyssey
By Alexander Pope, Homer
Located in Bath, GB
A fine, limited edition set of Pope's translation of the Iliad and the Odyssey with excellent provenance.
Limited edition, With Homer numbered 1051 and The Iliad numbered 1196. With text in both Latin and Greek. The Nonesuch Press specialised in limited edition and private press. They were founded by Francis Meynell, his second wife Vera Mendel and their friend David Garnett. Their aspiration was for their publications to be aligned with the same aesthetic standards as the private press movement. They were unusual as they used a small Albion press...
Category
1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Basilique Bonsebours Souvenir Building Architectural Model vintage France 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative building sculpture as a souvenir. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is due to age. Made of metal. This item was purchased as a souvenir in Paris, France and was pro...
Category
1930s French Art Nouveau Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Art Deco Elgin American MFG. CO. Silver Cigarette Case, 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Art Deco Silver Cigarette Case by Elgin MFG. CO.
Sterling silver.
Very good condition.
Category
1930s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Framed Nautical Flag with Poseidon's Trident
Located in Norwell, MA
Linen flag with a large white trident spear stitched onto a blue field, white hoist with brass grommets. Set into a frame with gray matting.
Weight: 6 lbs.
Overall Dimensions: ...
Category
1980s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Cotton
T. E. LAWRENCE - Seven Pillars Of Wisdom - 1935 - FIRST TRADE EDITION
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: LAWRENCE, T. E.
TITLE: Seven Pillars Of Wisdom. A Triumph.
PUBLISHER: London: Jonathan Cape, 1935.
DESCRIPTION: FIRST TRADE EDITION. 1 vol., 4to., 10" x 8", Illustrated throughout with a photogravure portrait frontispiece of Lawrence from the plaster bust, 47 plates, 4 folding maps, and several in-text line drawings; the majority by Eric Kennington...
Category
1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Rare First Edition Magic Game of "Juego de Magia Borras", 1933
Located in Barcelona, ES
First edition of the well-known Spanish magic game 'Juego de Magia'. Manufactured by Borras Plana in 1933. In good original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, ...
Category
1930s Spanish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Memphis Tool Kit Set by Koyo Sangyo, Japan, 1980s
By Koyo Sangyo
Located in Munich, DE
Rare tool kit designed by Koyo Sangyo, Japan, 1980s.
This complete set represents the 'Memphis' period and includes: a handsaws, a Hammer, two screwdrivers an...
Category
1980s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Winston CHURCHILL. Great Contemporaries - FIRST EDITION - 1937
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: CHURCHILL, Winston.
TITLE: Great Contemporaries.
PUBLISHER: London: Thornton Butterworth, Ltd., 1937.
DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION. 1 vol., 8-1/2" x 5-3/4", illustrated, bo...
Category
1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Winterthur by Jay E. Cantor
Located in Bradenton, FL
Winterthur by Jay E. Cantor, the foremost museum of American furniture and decorative arts. Hardcover book with dustjacket, published in 1986 by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. of New York. 24...
Category
1980s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Victorian Brick and Terracotta Architecture
Located in Bradenton, FL
Victorian Brick and Terracotta Architecture, in full color with 160 plates, edited by Pierre Chabat. Softcover book, first edition, published in 1989 by Dover Publications, Inc. of N...
Category
1980s American Victorian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
CARTIER 1935 Paris Art-Deco Pocket Petrol Lighter In .925 Sterling Silver
By Cartier
Located in Miami, FL
An art deco lighter designed by Cartier.
This is a beautiful petrol pocket lighter, created in Paris France by the atelier-Frontin for the jewelry house ...
Category
1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Art Deco Rock-Ola "Loboy" Porcelain Enamel Coin-Op Penny Scale
By Rock-Ola
Located in Norwalk, CT
Beginning in the Late 19th Century, the penny scale offered a means for passersby to quickly check their weight without going to the trouble of seeing a doctor; simultaneously - and perhaps more notably - they provided an irresistible opportunity for businesses to advertise and earn extra revenue. Penny scales quickly became a platform for creativity in advertising and design, as machines competed to attract the attention of customers on the street.
This scale - the "LoBoy" model - was produced by the jukebox manufacturing company Rock-Ola in the 1930s and features a Classic skyscraper-inspired Art Deco Silhouette in black and white porcelain enamel. The mirrored glass display features instructions ("Stand Still - Keep Clear") as well as a reference chart which provides 'healthy' weights for men and women by height. The scale itself has been modified to function without needing to deposit a coin. This piece would make a super unique and functional addition to any retro bathroom!
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Enamel
Exceptional Model of Schooner Wanderer
Located in Norwell, MA
Very fine antique model of the armed schooner "Wanderer". Nice patina to the scribed deck with a large swivel gun, cabins, helm, and a great crew carved in uniform. There are brass r...
Category
1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Vintage 80s Oliver Goldsmith HEX Tortoise Frame & Rose Lens Handmade Sunglasses
Located in St. Louis, MO
This is a nice vintage pair of c.1980s or earlier, Oliver Goldsmith handmade HEX tortoise frame sunglasses with rose lenses.
Marked on frames : OG Oliver Goldsmith Handmade Englan...
Category
1980s English Hollywood Regency Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Glass
1930s Copper Antique Ship Mooring Bollard Early Hudson River Lower NYC
Located in Newfoundland, PA
Stunning to use in your garden, indoors. Copper Mooring from off the Hudson River in Lower NYC, brass base, Wonderful patina on this one. Measure: 23 in H x 14 in W at the widest x 7...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Copper
Cigarette Case rounded shaped green fired enamel lines Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Rectangular pocket cigarette case in 925/1000 sterling silver with rounded shaped lines, alternately fire enamelled. With spring opening button and lost hinge, i.e. semi-invisible. M...
Category
1980s Italian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver, Enamel
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson, Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth, 1933
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Stevenson, Robert Louis. Kidnapped: The Adventures of David Balfour. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1933. Illustrated by N.C. Wyeth. In publisher's original black boards with ful...
Category
1930s American Arts and Crafts Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
COLUMBIA 1931 Antique Dirigible Zeppelin Movie Figural Desk Cigarette Holder
Located in Miami, FL
A Columbia production dirigible cigarette desk box.
This is a rare desk box of a Dirigible Cigarette Pack Holder created in America during the art deco period. This is a novelty ite...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Zinc
Nikon WWII Naval destroyer Binoculars.
By Nikon
Located in Aspen, CO
One pair of WWII Naval Binoculars with a magnification of 20 x 120. Mounted on a period tripod, these exceptional binoculars display entirely original optics in a distinctly Japanese...
Category
1930s Japanese Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games 1984 Mascot Figure Candlestick Vintage Yugoslavia
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Original vintage sport Mascot Vučko. it is the Olympic mascot of the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. Nice addition to any collection. The metal figure wobbles a bit, this is probab...
Category
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Early Vintage Chein Company All Tin Toy Wind-Up Limousine, American, Circa 1930
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is one of the earlier, New York City based, J. Chein Company, tin toy pieces. They started doing lithography in 1930.
This toy wind-up sedan was made circa 1930 and is brightly ...
Category
1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Tin
Pair of Unopened Congress Art Deco Playing Card Decks in Original Box
Located in Red Lion, PA
Pair of Unopened Congress Art Deco Playing Card Decks in Original Box – Sealed with 10-Cent Tax Stamp
This pair of unopened Congress Playing Card decks is a rare find, preserved in its original Art Deco box. The exterior of the box showcases an elegant floral block print design in black and gold on a deep red paper, exuding classic 1920s-1930s sophistication. The interior is lined in gold paper and features two compartments, each containing an unopened deck of cards wrapped in original wax paper and sealed with the U.S. Playing Card seal and a 10-cent playing card tax stamp, a mark of authenticity and a nod to its historical significance.
The two decks exhibit stunning Art Deco motifs, one featuring an intricate symmetrical pattern, while the other presents a bold geometric portrait of a man, titled "Serge" at the bottom. A sample card with a cut corner is included in each compartment, allowing a glimpse of the designs without breaking the seals. Despite its age, the cards remain in excellent antique condition, with only minor creasing and a tear/minor loss on the wax paper wrapping.
First introduced by The U.S. Playing Card Company in 1881, Congress Playing Cards were known for their luxurious quality and artistic designs, often featuring elaborate backs that reflected the era’s artistic trends. By the early 20th century, Congress decks became a status symbol, frequently gifted and collected for their refined craftsmanship and decorative appeal.
The 10-cent tax stamp on each deck dates back to the Revenue Act of 1894, when the U.S. government required playing card manufacturers to affix a tax stamp as proof of payment. These stamps remained in use until 1940, making them a valuable feature for collectors of vintage playing cards and historical ephemera.
Condition & Collectability
Cards: Pristine, sealed in original wax paper with only minor creasing; one tear in the wax paper.
Interior Box: Clean and well-preserved.
Exterior Box: Shows signs of wear with paper loss, dented and torn corners, water damage, and an affixed white sticker—evidence of its long history and original use.
This sealed pair of Congress Art Deco playing cards...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Dorothy M.T. Colles Anthology Manuscript in Painted Binding
Located in Middletown, NY
This elegantly decorated Florentine album belonged to the young Dorothy Colles, who received it as a present in 1931 when she was 14 years of age. On the cover Colles notes "This boo...
Category
1930s European Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather, Paper
Bronze Mounted French Case Steinway Baby Grand Piano A Model Of Francois Linke
Located in Long Branch, NJ
Bronze Mounted Steinway Model M Baby Grand Piano A Model Of Francois Linke
Dimensions : Height 43 in., Length 67 in., Width 56.25 in
A Gilt-Bronze Mounted Steinway & Sons Baby G...
Category
1930s American Louis XVI Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze
Brass Fox Animal Figural Cigar Cutter and Ashtray, Vintage German Art Deco 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful cigar cutter and ashtray. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of brass. Steel cutting blade at the tail. Blade rusty but this does not affect the func...
Category
1930s German Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Brass
1936 The New Testament: Volume 3 The Pauline and Pastoral Epistles
By M. R. James
Located in Bath, GB
An attractively bound copy of Volume 3 from The Aldine Bible Series, containing the Pauline and Pastoral Epistles.
Scarce work.
Bound in decorative full crushed morocco by J. H. da...
Category
1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Early Handmade Wood Model of the RMS Queen Mary
Located in Lyndhurst, NJ
An early (probably late 1930s) model of the RMS Queen Mary all hand carved and painted down to the smallest detail. The condition is quite good with...
Category
1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Antique and Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities for Sale
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.
Read More
Medal-Worthy Memorabilia from Epic Past Olympic Games
Get into the games! These items celebrate the events, athletes, host countries and sporting spirit.
Ahoy! You’ve Never Seen a Collection of Sailor Art and Kitsch Quite Like This
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Pamela Shamshiri Shares the Secrets behind Her First-Ever Book and Its Effortlessly Cool Interiors
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.
Moroccan Artworks and Objects Take Center Stage in an Extraordinary Villa in Tangier
Italian writer and collector Umberto Pasti opens the doors to his remarkable cave of wonders in North Africa.
Montecito Has Drawn Royalty and Celebrities, and These Homes Are Proof of Its Allure
Hollywood A-listers, ex-pat aristocrats and art collectors and style setters of all stripes appreciate the allure of the coastal California hamlet — much on our minds after recent winter floods.
Whaam! Blam! Pow! — a New Book on Pop Art Packs a Punch
Publishing house Assouline and writer Julie Belcove have teamed up to trace the history of the genre, from Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Yayoi Kusama to Mickalene Thomas and Jeff Koons.
The Sparkling Legacy of Tiffany & Co. Explained, One Jewel at a Time
A gorgeous new book celebrates — and memorializes — the iconic jeweler’s rich heritage.
What Makes a Gem-Encrusted Chess Set Worth $4 Million?
The world’s most opulent chess set, weighing in at 513 carats, is literally fit for a king and queen.