Collectibles and Curiosities
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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Modern Bronze Verdigris Menorah
Located in San Diego, CA
Gorgeous modern bronze verdigris menorah from Israel, circa 1980s. The menorah measures 8"W x 3"D x 10.5"H and is quite heavy and solid. #3787
Category
Mid-20th Century American Brutalist Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze
Bisque doll by Simon & Halbig for Kämmer Reinhardt, Germany, ca 1900
Located in Delft, NL
Bisque doll by Simon & Halbig for Kämmer Reinhardt, Germany, ca 1900
A lovely bisque doll of 60 cm long with moving eyes, giving her a flirty look. She wears an antique European lac...
Category
Early 20th Century German Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Porcelain
Moto Guzzi Nuovo Falcone Military 500cc 1972
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Italian motorcycle order to made for the Yugoslavian Special Force Tito . Made only 500 pieces.
70 of them was used for the President Tito military ...
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
$5,000 Sale Price
44% Off
Beautiful Santa Claus Figure Vintage German Christmas
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare "walking" Santa figure with a tree in his hand. Nice beard and moveable arms. Glitter on the ground symbolized the snow. Velvet clothing. Not a ...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Composition
"Art =" Book
Located in New York, NY
A fresh and unconventional approach to exploring 6,000 years of art history through 800 masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Featuring more than 800 artworks from the ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
$75 / item
Impressive Antique Brass Dolland & Co. Telescope With Case for Restoration
By Dolland
Located in Bridgeport, CT
Large antique Dolland & Co brass telescope with labeled wood box with accessories as shown. Engraved brass lens G. Dollond, London. Comes with tall wooden stand or smaller brass tri...
Category
19th Century English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
1980s Citizen Japanese Blue Steel Retro Vintage Industrial Antique Quartz Clock
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Citizen super tanker slave clock original blue finish.
A reclaimed and restored maritime slave clock also called secondary clock of superior build quality.
These clocks were us...
Category
1980s Japanese Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel, Cut Steel, Chrome
$261 Sale Price / item
20% Off
Industrial Aluminum Cross
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Industrial Aluminum Cross
Minimalist Design
"nice detail with hexagon ends tapered to square at intersection"
"appears to have been custom made in a machine shop"
Category
Mid-20th Century American Minimalist Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
Leather Football
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage No.5 Leather Soccer Ball.
A great vintage leather football ball with twelve guaranteed hand sewn leather panels. The ball is stencilled but unreadable, it has a lace-up slit ...
Category
20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
$287
1920s 35 Zeiss-Ikon 35 Cm Cinema Projector
By Zeiss Ikon
Located in London, GB
A late 1920s 35 mm Zeiss-Ikon cinema projector.
Lens: Neokino 52.5/110 by Emil Busch A.-G. Rathenow.
Original black paint.
Lamp house contain...
Category
Early 20th Century German Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Steel, Iron
Madonna and Child, Classical 19th Century Painting
Located in Miami, FL
Madonna and child, Classical 19th century painting.
This lovely oil painting was purchased in Spain.
The artist is unknown.
The painting still maintains its original finish and ha...
Category
Late 19th Century Italian Renaissance Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Ornate Antique Gilt & Floral Hand Painted Soda Fountain Cash Register C1920
Located in Big Flats, NY
***Reduced Delivery Rates - See Below or Click “Ask The Seller” to Request a Quote***
Ornate & Petite Antique Gilt & Floral Hand Painted Ice Cream or Soda Fountain Country Store Cas...
Category
Early 20th Century Art Nouveau Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
$1,160 Sale Price
20% Off
SHELLEY, Mary. Frankenstein Or The Modern Prometheus - 1888
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: SHELLEY, Mary.
TITLE: Frankenstein Or The Modern Prometheus.
PUBLISHER: London: George Routledge And Sons, 1888.
DESCRIPTION: 1 vol., 5-1/4" x 3-7/8", (xv)317pp.(i), boun...
Category
1880s British Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Fabric
GUCCI Geometric G Briefcase Poker Card Game Set
By Gucci
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The '50s and '60s archives reveal a selection of intricately designed pieces from the world of sports and leisure. Inspired by these items' playful spirit and curated details, this N...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Canvas
$5,625 Sale Price
25% Off
Fashion Magazine Collection Haute Couture 1939-1960 Bazaar Louise Dahl-Wolfe MCM
By Conde Nast
Located in Peoria, AZ
Incredible
Fashion Magazine Collection
Haute Couture
Mid Century Furnishing Resource
1939-1960
An extensive collection of the hardest to obtain fashion magazines of the 20th Century’s mid century period - fashion's golden age and the peak of the magazine industry.
Single issues and bound volumes from publications like Mademoiselle, Harper's Bazaar, Jr. Bazaar, Charm, Vogue, Town & Country and more are included and feature thousands of fashions, articles and advertisements. Tons of mid century modern furniture in situ. Lots of housewares, cars and more. A plethora of spectacular Louise Dahl...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Original Antique Map of the American State of Indiana, 1903
Located in St Annes, Lancashire
Antique map of Indiana
Published By A & C Black. 1903
Original colour
Good condition
Unframed.
Free shipping
Category
Early 1900s English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Clairtone Project G1 Hi-Fi Stereo System with Lab 80 Turntable by Hugh Spencer
By Clairtone
Located in Dallas, TX
“Project G epitomized high design, pure form, the perfection of how sacred platonic geometry can bring our banal, everyday products to a higher spiritual art form. It set the trend for stereo equipment to become a composition of extreme pure form, sophisticated materials, and floating sculptural composition for Bang & Olufsen, Brionvega, Telefunken, and others to emulate.” – Karim Rashid
If you are not familiar with the Clairtone project G...
Category
Mid-20th Century Canadian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum, Steel
Antique Box Field Camera and Tripod, English, Accessories, Ornamental, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique Field Camera and tripod. An English, mahogany and brass plate camera with accessories and lens, dating to the late Victorian p...
Category
Late 19th Century British Late Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Vintage Wall Chart New York City Urban Map, USA 1950s
Located in Stockholm, SE
A classical wall chart showing a map of the city of New York. published by Westermann and with English text. Used as teaching material in Swedish schools. colorful print on paper rei...
Category
1950s German Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Sotheby's London 2019 Auction Catalog Qing Imperial Porcelain, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Sotheby's London 2019 Auction Catalog Qing Imperial Porcelain. 1st Ed
hardcover. This is a collection of fine imperial porcelains carefully assembled by a discerning private collec...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Jacques Adnet Chess Set
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning and rare original chess board and set of thirty-two game pieces were designed by French designer Jacques Adnet (1901-1984) in the 1950s. The bi-color leather board disp...
Category
1950s French Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
$9,500 / set
A Dutch Architectural Bird Cage, 19th Century
Located in ARMADALE, VIC
A Dutch Architectural Bird Cage, 19th Century
Provenance: Private Australian Collection.
Description:
The birdcage comprising two levels, the upper floor with a trefoil gallery sur...
Category
19th Century Dutch Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Japanese Kiseru Tobacco Pipe & Case, c. 1900
Located in Chicago, IL
This elegant pipe of white brass and bamboo dates to early 20th century Japan and was used for smoking finely shredded tobacco (kizami-tabako). Known as a rao-kiseru, these short smo...
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Meiji Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Curiosity Cabinet Naturalism Collection of Shell circa 1900
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Shell
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
German Sterling Silver Cigarette Case with a Sapphire Stone
Located in Van Nuys, CA
German sterling silver cigarette case with a sapphire stone. This exquisite German sterling silver cigarette case is a masterpiece of timeless de...
Category
1920s German Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
$536 Sale Price
44% Off
1961 Moto Morini Motom 49cc Wall Hanger
Located in Alpha, NJ
This is a beautifully restored 1961 Moto Morini "wall hanger". This piece is meant to be ornamental or decorative memorabilia but can be brought back to running condition. All fluids...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel
Cigarette Case light blue cabochon sapphire and hand-engraved finishing Salimben
Located in Firenze, FI
Handbag cigarette case in 925/1000 sterling silver with black fire enamel. Opening with spring button. Size cm. 6.3 x 9.7 x 1.5. Weight gr. 215. Created in Art Deco style for Cartie...
Category
1970s Italian Art Nouveau Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver, Enamel
1930s Educational Model Papier Maché and Plaster Decipting a Baby Borning
Located in Milan, IT
Educational model, papier maché and plaster, decipting a baby borning. 1930s-1940s, sold by the Hygiene Museum in Dresden. Very good condition. Measu...
Category
1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plaster
Salvador Dalí The Ten Commandments 1975
Located in Vienna, AT
Salvador Dalí (1904-1989), ''The 10 Commandments'', 5 silver medals each in 2 acrylic glass cases (can be unscrewed), both sides in relief, the commandments 1-10 are depicted in Dalí...
Category
1970s Spanish Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
Antique Costume Print of a Dutch Woman from Broek in Waterland, 1817
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique costume print titled 'Woman of Broeck'. Old costume print depicting a woman of Broek in Waterland, the Netherlands. This print originates from 'The Costume of the Netherlands...
Category
19th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
$249 Sale Price
20% Off
Antique Scottish History Book, Tales of a Grandfather, Walter Scott, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique compendium book of Scottish history, Tales of a Grandfather by Walter Scott. An English language, hard bound title, printed in E...
Category
Mid-19th Century British Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Curiosity Cabinet Collection of Shells, Circa 1900
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...
Category
Early 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Shell
19th Century French Grand Tour Iron Model of the Arc de Triomphe
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
19th century French grand tour iron model of the Arc de Triomphe, in two parts, the fine cast iron model of the Arc de Triomphe with a mirrored top. Raised on a oval ebonized wood and metal chain link fenced base
Model of Arc de Triomphe...
Category
Late 19th Century French Grand Tour Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Iron
$1,160 Sale Price / set
20% Off
Antique Map of the Coast of Southern France, 1793
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled '14th Chart of the Coast of France, from Port Vendres to the Petit Rhône'. Original map with later hand coroling of the coast of Southern France.
The "14th Chart of the Coast of France, from Port Vendres to the Petit Rhône" is an antique map that offers a detailed depiction of the southern coast of France, specifically highlighting the Mediterranean coastline. This map, which dates back to 1793, was originally part of "Le Petit Neptune Français; Or, French Coasting Pilot," a publication designed for maritime navigation along the French coastlines.
Key Features of the Map:
1. **Geographic Coverage**:
- The map covers the southern French coastline from Port Vendres in the west to the Petit Rhône in the east.
- It includes notable regions such as Languedoc, the Gulf of Lyon, and parts of Catalonia (Spain).
2. **Notable Places**:
- **Montpellier**: A major city in the Diocese of Montpellier, an important cultural and economic center.
- **Narbonne**: Located in the Diocese of Narbonne, a historical city with Roman heritage.
- **Agde**: Situated in the Diocese of Agde, known for its ancient Greek colony origins.
- **Béziers**: Part of the Diocese of Béziers, another city with deep historical roots dating back to Roman times.
- **Port Vendres**: A critical port near the Spanish border.
- **Catalonia**: Including parts of northeastern Spain, emphasizing the coastal connection between France and Spain.
3. **Dioceses and Regions**:
- The map is marked with various dioceses such as Montpellier, Agde, Narbonne, and Béziers, indicating ecclesiastical boundaries.
- It highlights the broader region of Languedoc, a historical province known for its wine production and medieval history.
4. **Navigational Aids**:
- The map features a compass rose with radiating lines, a common navigational aid in maritime maps...
Category
Late 18th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
$230 Sale Price
20% Off
Cutty Sark Ship Model In Glass Case - Amazing Detail
Located in Peekskill, NY
The model looks as if we took the original ship and just shrunk it down to 1:78 scale. There is that much accurate detail. The Cutty Sark was a clipper ship built in England in 1869,...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Other Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Mahogany
Mid-Century Trumpet by William Frank Chicago on Lucite Base
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
This piece has a great story. We found this jazz musical instrument with incredible patina and added a thick lucite base and reconstructed this into a one of kind sculpture. The deta...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Chrome
A Very Fine Large 20th Century Taxidermy Stags Head
Located in Dublin, IE
A very fine 20th Century beautifully detailed taxidermy stags head of large proportions mounted on a well figured oak shield plaque.
Category
20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Oak
Ruhlmann Vintage Photograph Album (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
A unique photograph album in original grey card wrappers with the Ruhlmann name embossed on the front and the name of the client Monsieur Molinie also...
Category
Early 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
R.S. Berkely Silver Plated Flugelhorn, 2006
Located in Doylestown, PA
R.S. Berkely silver plated flugelhorn, model FLU669, 2006.
If used for playing, this horn is suitable for intermediate and professional trumpeters. Recognized for its durable con...
Category
Early 2000s Other Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver Plate, Brass
$1,100 / set
1970s British Bronze and Chrome AC GMT Co. Industrial Wall Clock White Dial
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Rescued from Industrial scrap yards and brought back to life in our UK workshop, our expert process allows us to create a high quality clock of luxury standards.
At A.C GMT Co. we ...
Category
1970s English Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze, Steel, Chrome
Art Deco Silver Cigarette Case, 1930s
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage Art Deco Silver Cigarette Case.
Very good condition.
Category
1930s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
XX Century Italian Sterling silver golf ball holder
By Mario Vallè
Located in VALENZA, IT
Unusual accessory, ideal as a gift for a golfer, in solid silver.
The object is composed of a round base and a stem on which is housed a silver sphere that can be opened with a slidi...
Category
1980s Italian Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
1970 Seiko Blue and Tobacco Retro Vintage Industrial Antique Steel Quartz Clock
By Seiko
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Seiko super tanker slave clock original aqua marine green finish
A reclaimed and restored maritime slave clock.
These clocks were used in great numbers on super tankers, cargo ...
Category
1970s Japanese Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel, Cut Steel
Rare 1757 Jesuit Map of California and Baja, Dedicated to the King of Spain
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Rare 1757 Jesuit Map of California and Baja, Dedicated to the King of Spain
This rare and detailed map, titled *Carte de la Californie Levee par la Société des Jésuites*, wa...
Category
1750s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Map of India and Southeast Asia from Ptolemaic Geography – 16th Century Woodcut
Located in Langweer, NL
Map of India and Southeast Asia from Ptolemaic Geography – 16th Century Woodcut
This remarkable hand-colored woodcut map, originally designed according to the geographical knowledge...
Category
16th Century European Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Carl Auböck Handcrafted Midcentury Brass Shell Figurine Key Ring Chain Holder
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist shell keyring / key holder / keychain, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte Auböck in Austria. Fully stamped and ...
Category
20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Woman as Design: Before, Behind, Between, Above, Below by Stephen Bayley, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Woman as Design: Before, Behind, Between, Above, Below by Stephen Bayley. Published by Conran Octopus, 2009. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. Extract: "This is a complicated, ambit...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary English Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1970s British Bronze AC.GMT.Co. Industrial Wall Clock Chrome Bezel Black Dial
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Rescued from Industrial scrap yards and brought back to life in our UK workshop, our expert process allows us to create a high quality clock of luxury standards.
At A.C GMT Co. we apply new paint finishes or lustrous copper and bronze to the clock case. Our high speed polishing machine restores the chrome bezel, which then frames one of our high definition screen printed dials.
These clocks were originally slave or secondary clocks used on cargo ships and super tankers, they would have been controlled by a master clock...
Category
1970s English International Style Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze, Steel, Chrome
Chinese Bamboo Opium Pipe with Red Clay Bowl
Located in Chicago, IL
This long bamboo pipe dates to the late 19th century and was originally used for smoking opium. Unlike a tobacco pipe, the opium pipe was designed especially to allow resinous opium ...
Category
Early 20th Century Chinese Qing Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
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
Rare Columbia Film Studios Motion Picture Reel Case with 35mm Movie "Tarzana"
Located in San Diego, CA
An extremely rare Columbia Studios motion picture reel case with three reels of 35mm movie "Tarzana", circa 1969. The case was manufactured by Goldberg...
Category
Mid-20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel
Antique Rolling Ruler, English Cartographer’s Instrument, Architect, Edwardian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a fine antique cased rolling ruler. An English brass cartographer's or architect's instrument, dating to the Edwardian period, circa 1910. A superb example of precision engin...
Category
Early 1900s British Edwardian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
1927 Dictionary of Modern English Usage H.W. Fowler Oxford Antique Leather Book
Located in Dayton, OH
A Dictionary of Modern English Usage - by H.W. Fowler - Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1927 - Printed in England at the Oxford university Press by John Johnson - Soft cover, black ...
Category
1920s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather, Paper
$372 Sale Price
20% Off
Pre-Columbian Hand Painted Narino Bowl Colombia
Located in Washington, DC
Fine Pre-Columbian Narino footed bowl from the highlands of Columbia, circa 1250-1500 AD.
Desirable polychrome bowl would make a great addition to any pre-Columbian collection. Au...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Colombian Primitive Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Ceramic
$270 Sale Price
40% Off
Large Wild Boar Trophy on Wooden Plaque, Germany 1950s
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Large wild boar trophy on wooden plaque, Germany 1950s.
A large vintage black forest wild boar (Sus scrofa) trophy on an ebonized nutwood plaqu...
Category
Mid-20th Century German Rustic Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
1970's XL Japanese Brass Marine Nautical Searchlight Pendant Ceiling Lamp
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
The large brass pendant light is a reclaimed vintage searchlight from decommissioned Japanese cargo ships built during the 1970's. Professionally refurbished, these original brass ce...
Category
1970s Japanese Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Antique Walnut & Oak Church Railing
Located in Baton Rouge, LA
This stunning antique architectural piece is a conversation starter in any space! Originally it would have served as an altar rail at the front of a church....
Category
20th Century French Other Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Oak, Walnut
Rolex Chronometer "Northern Goldsmiths" – 1939 Vintage 9K Gold Manual-Wind Watch
Located in Encino, CA
A Rare Pre-WWII Rolex Chronometer with Co-Branded Dial and High-Precision 18-Jewel Movement
This is a highly collectible and historically significant 1939 R...
Category
1930s Swiss Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Mid-Century Modern Designers
Located in New York, NY
An homage to the design pioneers who defined the Mid-Century aesthetic through their work in furniture, glassware, ceramics and textiles
More than 50 years later, the fascination wi...
Category
2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
$90 / item
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.