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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: Late 20th Century
Period: 1930s
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
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
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
Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut, First Trade Edition, in Original Dust Jacket, 1985
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Vonnegut, Kurt. Galapagos. New York: Delacorte Press/Seymour Lawrence, 1985. Stated first trade edition. 8vo. In original dust jacket and hardcover boards.
Presented is a stated fir...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Le Corbusier Der Modulor Book, 1956
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Le Corbusier Der Modulor book. Le Corbusier published Le Modulor in 1948, followed by Modulor 2 in 1955. These works were first published in English as The Modulor in 1954 and Modulo...
Category
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
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
Vintage Style Photography, Framed Alpine Ski Photograph, The Climber
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage style photography, framed alpine ski photograph, Opps!.
'OPPS!', a modern framed and mounted black and white photographic image after an original 1930s skiing photograph. Th...
Category
1930s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Large Carnelian-plated Obelisk, From Maison Jansen, 1970s
Located in Brussels, BE
Large brass mounted and carnelian-plated obelisk.
In the style of Emilio Terry.
From Maison Jansen, France 1970.
Category
1970s French Neoclassical Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Carnelian, Brass
Maitland Smith Art Nouveau Style Large Standing Brass Nautilus Magnifying Glass
Located in Doylestown, PA
Maitland Smith Art Nouveau style large standing nautilus magnifying glass.
Lots of intricate details capture the beauty of this intriguing sea crea...
Category
Late 20th Century Chinese Art Nouveau Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
The Bed and Bath Book, Terence Conran. 1st Edition Hardbound, 1978
Located in Philadelphia, PA
The Bed and Bath Book, by Terence Conran, Hardbound with Jacket, First Edition – 1978.
Suggests trend-setting yet functional designs for bedrooms and bathrooms to suit every area of...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Basquiat a Venezia, Exhibition Catalog 1999
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Vintage Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition catalog:
Venezia (Venice), Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, 1999
Catalog produced for the occasion of the exhibition "Jean-Michel Basquiat a Ven...
Category
1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1950s Taxco Onyx Sterling Silver Link Bracelet Mexico
By Taxco
Located in Chula Vista, CA
AMBIANIC presents
1950s Vintage Mexican Onyx Sterling Silver Link Bracelet
Modernist design Taxco Silversmith N S
Stamped
7.25 x 1.25 w .5
Preowned vintage condition
Refer to images ...
Category
Late 20th Century Mexican Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Onyx, Sterling Silver
Kokeshi with leaves by Usaburo, Japan, 1990s
Located in Lyon, FR
Kokeshi with leaves, made in the 1990 by Usaburo.
Sleek and tall kokeshi with leaves decoration, which has been awarded the Agriculture and Forest Ministry prize.
Very good condition...
Category
1990s Japonisme Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood, Paint
American Painting by Donald Goddard
Located in Bradenton, FL
American Painting by Donald Goddard. A large hardcover coffee table book with dustjacket. Published in 1990, printed in Italy, 319 pages.
Category
1990s American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
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
Large Sterling Silver Mezuzah by Yaacov Heller
Located in Lambertville, NJ
A large sterling silver mezuzah by Yaacov Heller for the 50th anniversary of Israel. Cast with intricate details and mounted on an acrylic stand.
Category
1990s Israeli Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Vintage Coastal Glazed Ceramic Monkey
Located in west palm beach, FL
Charming and full of personality, this vintage coastal ceramic monkey figure is a delightful blend of whimsy and craftsmanship. Skillfully hand-glazed with realistic fur textures and...
Category
Late 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
Space Age Orange Vintage Television Ikaro by Minerva, 1970s, Austria
Located in Vienna, AT
Space Age orange vintage television from plastic model Ikaro by Minerva, 1970s, Austria.
This portable television with an orange plastic casing by...
Category
1970s Austrian Space Age Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
Ico Parisi, Architettura Design, Utopie -by Fidia Edizioni D'arte, 31st May 1991
Located in Bresso, Lombardy
ISBN: 88.7269.004.8
This rare book on Ico Parisi by Luigi Cavadini and Flaminio Gualdoni has 86 pages with about 150 images.
It is edited by FIdia Edizioni d'Arte and printed by G...
Category
1990s Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Vintage Coastal Monumental Tridacna Gigas Clam Shell #6
Located in west palm beach, FL
Bring the serene beauty of the ocean into your home with this Vintage Coastal Monumental Tridacna Gigas Clam Shell. Perfect for American-style interiors, this impressive piece featur...
Category
Late 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Shell
Sotheby's Art at Auction 1997-1998 Edited by Emma Lawson, 1st Ed
By Sotheby's
Located in valatie, NY
Sotheby's Art at Auction 1997-1998 Edited by Emma Lawson. Published by Sotheby's, London, 1997. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. This annual reference...
Category
1990s English Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1970s Stunning Table Lighter in Vienna Straw By Geolel. Made in Italy
Located in Milano, IT
1970 Stunning table lighter in Vienna straw and plexiglass by Geolel. Made in italy. The item is in excellent condition and it works perfectly, It's signed at the bottom.
Dimension:...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Straw, Plexiglass
Cigarette Case Black and White Art Deco Style Fire Enamel Salimbeni
Located in Firenze, FI
Ladies’ cigarette case rectangular convex “olive” shape in 925/1000 sterling silver with black and white fire enamel with Art Deco style design. With “lost” hinge, that is semi-invis...
Category
1970s Italian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver, Enamel
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
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
1980s Professional Roulette Wheel by Cammegh
Located in Petworth,West Sussex, GB
A stunning, high-quality late 20th-century professional roulette wheel, signed by the renowned maker Cammegh. This exquisite piece is handcrafted from solid ebony and rosewood, beaut...
Category
Late 20th Century British Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ebony
1970s Vintage Dewey Weber Wave Mural Surfboard
By Dewey Weber
Located in Haleiwa, HI
Vintage 1970s Dewey Weber wave mural surfboard. Features beautiful airbrushed full length wave mural on the deck with greenish yellow tinted rails/bottom. Swallow tail shape design. ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Fiberglass, Foam, Softwood
Set of Five Christmas Tree Ornaments Red and White Glass Mushrooms, 1970s
Located in Barntrup, DE
Set of five Christmas tree ornaments red and white glass mushrooms, Germany, circa the 1970s.
Adorable Christmas tree ornaments made of mouth-blown and delicate, wafer-thin glass, wh...
Category
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass
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
1980s Vintage Red PEZ Space Gun Candy Dispenser U. S. Pat. 3.370.746
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Stunning Pop Art PEZ dispenser from Austria. Made of plastic, circa 1980s. Marked made in Austria and US Pat. 3.370.746. Found at an estate sale in Vienn...
Category
1980s Austrian Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic
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
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
Georg Jensen Christmas Ornament 1996, Flemming Eskildsen
By Georg Jensen
Located in Brønshøj, DK
Every year a well-known Danish artist designs the Georg Jensen Christmas Ornament. In its many incarnations over the years it has becom...
Category
1990s Danish Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
1980s Lucite Astrolite Table Lighter by Ritts Co. of Los Angeles
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A fantastic mid-century modern Astrolite lucite table lighter by the Ritts Company of Los Angeles. The Ritts Company was owned by Herbert and Shirley Ritts, parents of famed photogr...
Category
Late 20th Century Post-Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
NORDMENDE "SPECTRA FUTURA", Radio; Raymond Loewy
Located in Neuss, NW
Very rare Radio NORDMENDE "SPECTRA FUTURA" with a pair of the original loudspeakers, designed by Raymond Loewy in the 1970s.
The individual components have been tested and cleaned b...
Category
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plaster
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
Batman stereo radio bar by Adalberto dal Lago & Adam Tihany for G. Rossi , 1970s
Located in bruxelles, BE
Batman record player, radio and bar by Adalberto dal Lago & Adam Tihany for Giuseppe Rossi. The top is in brushed chrome metal with integrated speakers a...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
"The Big Nude" Large Sumo Book by Helmut Newton
Located in Los Angeles, CA
"The Big Nude" Large Sumo Book with stand by Helmut Newton. Brand new in it's original packaging, unopened and unexposed. Bound printed paper, signed and ...
Category
1990s German Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Chrome
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
Masterpieces of English Furniture, The Gerstenfeld Collection, 1st Edition
By Edward Lennox-Boyd
Located in valatie, NY
Masterpieces of English Furniture: The Gerstenfeld Collection by Edward Lennox-Boyd. Christies books, 1998 1st Edition thus hardcover with dust jacket. A unique collection of 18th ce...
Category
1990s American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
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
Art Deco Machine Age Ronson Deluxe Touch Tip Table Lighter c. 1930's
Located in New York, NY
Classic Art Deco Machine Age table top cigarette lighter, by Ronson. This rare model was designed by Louis Vincent Aronson, made by Ronson Art Metal Works Inc.. Known as a Touch Tip...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Chrome
Le Corbusier Der Modulor 2 Book, 1955
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Le Corbusier Der Modulor book. Le Corbusier published Le Modulor in 1948, followed by Modulor 2 in 1955. These works were first published in English as The Modulor in 1954 and Modulo...
Category
1970s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Large Monumental Aluminum Munich TV Television Tower Scale Design Model, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Scaled model of the Munich television tower. Hand-spun in metal. A nice architectural sculpture for every living or mans room. Also nice to display at your desk like seen in pictures...
Category
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
1974 Omega Watch Speedsonic Chronometer Seamaster f300
By Omega
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1974 Vintage Omega Watch Speedsonic Chronometer Seamaster f300
Stainless Steel with Gold tone
Swiss made
watch band 7.5 inches length
battery operated
Preo...
Category
1970s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Stainless Steel
Collectible Books "40 Years of Danish Furniture Design", First Edition, 4 volume
By Grete Jalk
Located in Odense, DK
Rare and complete set of “40 years of Danish Furniture Design” first edition book collection — The Copenhagen Cabinet-makers’ Guild Exhibitions.
Compiled and edited by the Danish fe...
Category
1980s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1970s Navajo Southwestern Silver and Stone Decorative Cuff Bracelet Watch Band
By Navajo
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1970s Navajo Silver and Stone Decorative Cuff Bracelet Watch Band
Measures: 2.38 tall x 3.38 width 1.75 depth
Preowned used vintage condition.
See all images.
Category
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Stone, Silver
Living with Art Fifth Edition Paperback 1998 by Rita Gilbert
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Living with Art is a basic art text for college students and other interested readers.
It offers a broad introduction to the nature, vocabulary, media and history of art, showing exa...
Category
Late 20th Century Expressionist Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Post-Modern Lucite Hand Ring Holder
Located in San Diego, CA
Cool post-modern lucite hand sculpture ring holder, circa 1980s. The piece is in very good vintage condition with no chips or cracks and measures 2.5"W x 2.5"D x 6"H. #4158
Category
Late 20th Century American Post-Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Lucite
1970s Vintage Town and Country Surfboard by Ed Angulo
Located in Haleiwa, HI
1979 Town & Country surfboard made by Ed Angulo. Features a gorgeous red tinted deck/rails with dual T&C laminates and boxed single fin setup. A remarkable example of a 1970s surfboard made under the iconic Town and Country surfboards...
Category
1970s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Fiberglass, Foam, Softwood
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
Barcelona Olympic Football Mascot Cobi (1992) by Javier Mariscal
Located in London, GB
The 1992 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, from 25 July to 9 August 1992. Commonly referred to as Barcelona '92, these games were notable for being the last Summer and Winter Olympics to be held in the same year, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided thereafter to alternate the events in separate even-numbered years, starting in 1994. This was a pivotal moment in Olympic history, as the Barcelona Games marked the first Summer Olympics held in the post-Cold War era and were free from the boycotts that had plagued previous events, a situation not seen since the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Barcelona '92 is widely regarded as one of the most successful Olympic Games, contributing significantly to the modernization and global image of the city. It was also a Games of many firsts: the debut of the "Dream Team" in basketball, which featured NBA players like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird, and the reintegration of South Africa into the international sports community after a 32-year ban due to apartheid. The participation of a unified German team following the reunification of East and West Germany, and the absence of the Soviet Union (though its former republics competed as the Unified Team), further emphasized the geopolitical shifts of the time.
The official mascot for the 1992 Barcelona Games was *Cobi*, a stylized sheepdog designed by Catalan artist and designer Javier Mariscal. Mariscal, already a significant figure in contemporary design, was known for his eclectic and playful style, often blending comic art with a modernist sensibility. His creation of Cobi was a departure from previous Olympic mascots...
Category
1990s Spanish Sporting Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Resin
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
Old Danish Police Club, 1930s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Authentic Danish Police Club used in service during the 1930s, 40s and 50s. Its made from a thick rubber-like material, has cork stoppers that allow to adj...
Category
1930s Danish Bauhaus Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather, Cork
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
British Folk Art by James Ayres, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
British Folk Art by James Ayres. British Folk Art by James Ayres. 1st edition hardcover with dust jacket. 144 pages with 300 b/w and 32 color plates. "Folk...
Category
1970s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
15 Volumes Vintage Charles Dickens Library Display Books
Located in STOKE ON TRENT, GB
15 Volumes Vintage Charles Dickens Library Display Books
Impressive collection, vibrant colours ready to use or display.
Condition:
Very good, no issues to mention. General wear f...
Category
Late 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
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
French trendsetter and serial collector Daniel Rozensztroch tells us about his obsession with objects related to seafaring men.
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.