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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: 1930s
Period: 1940s
20th Century Japanese Pair Of Naval Bridge "Big Eye" Binoculars By Nikon c.1940
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
A rare set of Japanese naval bridge “big eye“ binoculars by Nikon manufactured during WWII by Tokyo Kogaku Kikai (Tokyo Optical Company). They have been expertly cleaned and hand pol...
Category

1940s Japanese Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Asprey - Art Deco Engine Turned Butt Marker - Shooting Interest - Chester 1937
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Chester in 1937 by Asprey & Co. Ltd., this very stylish, Art Deco period, Sterling Silver Butt Marker, features engine turned decorati...
Category

1930s English Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

Bronze Art Deco religious lamp stand signed Brom
Located in Den Haag, NL
Unique Bronze handmade lamp stand . Manufactured and signed by Edelsmidse Brom . Goldsmith Brom was a Dutch company, based in the city of Utrecht (1856-1961), specialized in making...
Category

1930s Dutch Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

Huge Red Coral Necklace
Located in Madrid, ES
Huge Red Coral Necklace Huge polished red coral beads complete this fascinating 60cm long necklace. The largest red coral bead is: 25 x 15 mm .550 grams in weight
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Coral

1930s Elastolin Farm / Yard. 65 pc. O&M Hausser.. Antique toy, made in Germany
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare 1930s Elastolin Farm / Yard. over 65 pc. O&M Hausser.. Antique toys, made in Germany,,Over 50 year collection. Amazing Early Elastolin Farm compri...
Category

1930s German Country Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Composition

Park Sherman 1930 Art Deco Chromed Steel Roller Box With Red And Black Bakelite
Located in Miami, FL
Decorative roller desk box designed by Park Sherman. Very decorative desk box, created during the art deco period in America by the Park Sherman Company, back in the 1930. This roller-lid box is very innovative in design and with Avant Garde look. It was crafted in chromed steel with red lacquer and elements in red and black Bakelite. It is fitted with a roller lid, which is in perfect working condition. The Park Sherman Company Park Sherman was an important Springfield company for several decades ending with the sale of the company to a New Jersey firm in 1960. They mass-produced smoking accessories, particularly lighters, as well as a multitude of office, novelty, and other items. The Park Sherman Company operated in Springfield, Illinois until 1960 when it was sold to a New Jersey company. A man named Jacob S. Sherman was the founder of the Park Sherman Company. The company sold miner's supplies (miner's cap lamps, match cases, etc.) and later specialized in things like coin banks and smoking accessories such lighters and cigarette cases. The company's products were sold throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. 'Everdry' was a brand name that Park Sherman used on some of its products. The word "Everdry" was used, for example, on match cases to indicate that the case would prevent the matches from getting wet. Presumably, your "Everdry" cigarette case kept the contents from getting wet. Materials: Chromed steel and red and black Bakelite. Weight: 231.7 Grams, (0.51 Pounds). Measurements: 114.3 mm by 101.6 mm by 63.5 mm (3.50 x 4.0 x 2.50 Inches). Literature: Rodney and Diane Capstick-Dale, The art deco Collectibles...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

French Bronze À La Gloire des Phoques Brooch Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A bespoken bronze brooch by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1946 named "À La Gloire des Phoques" (The glory of the seals). This bronze brooch features a se...
Category

1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

20th Century Large English Made Wooden Pond Yacht c.1930
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Superb 20th Century pond yacht known as "Sea Mist". This J Class beauty showcases a meticulously crafted planked wood hull, adorned with gaff rigging supporting four sails, alongside...
Category

1930s British Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Fabric, Wood

c1936 One-Hundred and Forty-Four Postcards of Military Uniforms
Located in Bath, GB
A fascinating collection of one-hundred and forty-four postcards of military uniforms, a number of which depict 1930s Germany. A total of one-hundred and forty-four twentieth century postcards, the majority depicting military uniform in England, France and Europe. A number of post cards, intriguingly, depict 1930s Munich and Potsdam. Sixteen envelopes holding images and postcards, and a further ten loosely inserted postcards. Housed in a signed morocco box with gilt detailing by W & J Milne of Princes St. Edinburgh. One envelope has the handwritten title ‘Postcards from Munich 1932’, and houses eleven postcards. Two of these present headshots of popular German actors Heinz Ruhmann and Gustav Frohlich, both of whom are dressed in military costume, and remained neutral in the Second World War. The remaining nine postcards depict images of a funeral procession of Prince Regent Leopold of Bavaria in October 1930 in Munich. Leopold was commander of the German and Austro-Hungarian forces during World War I. Further images depict Prince Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria, surrounded by military figures. The next envelope includes fifteen photographic postcards depicting Potsdam in the 1930s, and is captioned in ink to the front of the envelope with ‘Potsdam. September 1936’, and ‘Frederick William I’s Giant Guards’. Each post card is undated, but captioned. Three post cards depict military parades in Potsdam, and predate the Nazi regime, seven depict memorials the First World War, and one of the remaining postcards depict Prince August Wilhelm of Prussia. A further collection is ten colour post cards in the publisher’s original paper wraps, titled ‘Potsdams Stolzen Tagen’, or ‘Potsdam’s Proud Days’. It features ten colour illustrated postcards by artist Paul Pietsch, depicting the uniforms of Potsdam military positions between the late seventeenth and late nineteenth centuries. Collated, complete. Loosely inserted are ten colour illustrated post cards depicting the military uniform of the various regiments of the German army, illustrated by Carl Henckel, and covering the period of the First World War. Present here are depictions of the garb of the Gardes du Corps...
Category

1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Bespoken Large French Bronze "Chatelain" Link Brooch Line Vautrin
Located in Atlanta, GA
A large bespoken bronze brooch by French Parisian art jeweler Line Vautrin (1913-1997) circa 1940. Called "chatelaine", this bronze brooch features articulated chain links with hangi...
Category

1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

Collection of Three Vintage Wooden Toys
Located in Port Chester, NY
Charming collection of vintage wooden toys from England The big blue British Rail engine is from Nicol Toys, an early wooden toy company in Roberts...
Category

1930s English Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paint, Wood

Vintage 1930s Original Czech School Sports Leather Gym Mat Four Handled
Located in London, GB
An original 1930s vintage school gym mat originating from the former Czechoslovakia. The mat is very well made and heavy, made from a thick leather hide and stitched together around ...
Category

1930s Czech Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, String

1940's Billings & Spencer Adjustable Bicycle Spanner Wrench
Located in Van Nuys, CA
The Billings & Spencer Adjustable Bicycle Spanner Wrench, patented in 1879, was a versatile tool designed for maintaining bicycles. Its adjustable jaw mechanism allowed it to fit var...
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

20th Century Brass Model GNR Atlantic 3 1/2 Inch Gauge Steam Locomotive c.1930
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Early 20th Century brass model, showcasing the GNR Atlantic locomotive 251 and its three-axle tender. Crafted to a 3 1/2 inch gauge, the model gleams with polished brass, copper, and...
Category

1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Cram's 16" Deluxe Globe W/Daily Sun Ray and Season Indicator
Located in San Francisco, CA
Cram's 16" Deluxe Globe W/Daily Sun Ray and Season Indicator 1936
Category

1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Small Solid Brass Ship Captains Telescope
Located in Norwell, MA
Tiny Ships spyglass telescope appropriate for use on a yacht, ship, or anywhere with a view. This has been meticulously polished and lacquered. We just restored a great collection of...
Category

1940s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Polaire Paris 1938 Art Deco Table Desk Petrol Lighter-Clock In Chromed Steel
Located in Miami, FL
A desk lighter clock designed by Polaire Paris. A beautiful desk lighter-clock, created in Paris France by the Alphonse Brun company know as Polaire Paris, back in the 1938. This pi...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

1930s /40s W.D. Hensell & Sons Bocci (Lawn) Balls with original leather bag
By W.D. Wilson
Located in Buffalo, NY
. 1930's ,40's Bocci / Lawn Balls with original leather carrying bag.. Made in Australia by W.D. Hensell & Sons
Category

1940s Australian Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Wood

Samuraï Maeda Armor
Located in Paris, FR
Armor Samuraï Maeda, ceremonial armor with handcrafted helmet and protects. Made with original japanese fabrics only use for samuraï armor confection, ...
Category

1930s Japanese Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Fabric, Glass

Prismatic compass by detection signed T.G. Co Ltd London no. B 21681 1940 MK
Located in Milan, IT
Prismatic compass by detection signed T.G. Co Ltd London no. B 21681 1940 MK III, in use by British army officers during World War II. This is a small vintage compass typically use...
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Sailboat Blueprint for Simple Simon
Located in Norwell, MA
Framed blueprint showing a fourteen foot sailing punt named Simple Simon. The plan is from Motor Boating Publishing in the 1930s. Showing all constru...
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1940s Art Deco French Oversized set of two Bakelite Butterscotch Caramel Dice
Located in Haarlem, NL
Very pretty set of two large and heavy oversized jumbo bakelite dice in luscious dark butterscotch and delicious caramel swirl colour. Art Deco at its best in design and colour, these are must have for a collector and they are not easy to find in this colour. So far they belonged to my own extensive dice collection...
Category

1940s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bakelite

Mid 20th Century French Hermes Solid Silver Gilt Smoker's Requisites c.1940
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Stylish mid 20th Century French Art Deco Hermes 3 piece vermeil solid silver smoker's requisites, contained in the original Hermes fitted grosgrain case, comprising four cigarette ca...
Category

1940s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Ronson 1937 Art Deco Heart Lighter Faux Tortoise Lacquer And Chromed Steel
Located in Miami, FL
Heart shaped lighter designed by Ronson. This an extremely rare heart shaped pocket petrol lighter, created in New Jersey United States by The Ro...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Large Art Deco Traditional Wooden Artist Mannequin Model, Italy 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A handmade wooden Artist mannequin model - all joints move as they should. Found on a Estate sale in Modena, Italy. Shows some minor wear - but looks beautiful on display! Some scrat...
Category

1930s German Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Antique WWII Swiss Army 1945 MO-05 Military Bicycle Bike with Leather Frame Pack
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique WWII Swiss Army MO-05 Military Bicycle with Leather Frame Pack. Item featuredis being offered as pictured. Bicycle does seem to function nicely and the tires are holding air....
Category

1940s Arts and Crafts Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Solid Brass Ship Captains Telescope
Located in Norwell, MA
Ships spyglass telescope appropriate for use on a yacht, ship, or anywhere with a view. This has been meticulously polished and lacquered. We just restored a great collection of thes...
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Circa 1945 Engine Ordeal Ships Telegraph
Located in Norwell, MA
Rare World War II engine order telegraph that is brand new old stock circa 1945. We took it of a disintegrating crate. Original paint. The brass caps on either side of the head has s...
Category

1940s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

"Boy Riding An Alligator" Vintage Wind-Up Toy by J. Chein Co., N.J., Circa 1935
Located in Incline Village, NV
Manufactured circa 1935 by The J. Chein Company in Harrison, New Jersey, this vintage tin toy, when wound up, depicts a young boy in islander garb, trying to ride an alligator who da...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Wyandotte Lasalle Toy Car and Airstream Trailer .pressed steel , Art Deco
By Wyandotte
Located in Buffalo, NY
1930's Wyandotte Lasalle Touring Car and Airstream Trailer .pressed steel , Art Deco vintage toy.. Seldom seen green color,, Car and Trailer in Nice original condition,original paint...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

Vintage Toy Wind-Up "Johnny" The Dancing Clown by Lindstrom Toy Co., Circa 1930
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a hard to find pre war vintage, Made in America wind up tin toy by The Lindstrom Toy Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, circa 1928-1932. The action is fabulous; when wound ...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

14k and Diamond Malachite & Onyx Cigarette Case in the Style of Cartier
Located in Toledo, OH
This beautiful cigarette case, in the style of Cartier, is made with 24 diamonds, malachite and onyx with inlaid gold. This inside is marked 14k and is inscribed "Margaret Quart." Th...
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Malachite, Onyx, Gold, Enamel

Machine Age Copper and Steel Smokeless Ashtray
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Machine Age Copper and Steel Smokeless Ashtray featuring streamline styling with geometric accents. The ashtray features a solid copper construction with a polish steel interior with...
Category

1930s American Machine Age Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Copper, Steel

Machine Age Hand Lathed Aluminium And Brass Chess Pieces Set c1940s
Located in Gravesend, GB
Vintage Aluminium and Brass Chess Pieces From around 1940s
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Model 547 by Castiglioni and Caccia Dominioni for Phonola, Italy
Located in Argelato, BO
Model 547 radio receiver by Piergiacomo and Livio Castiglioni and Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Phonola. The Phonola 547 model is a radio receiver designed by ...
Category

1930s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bakelite

George Stubbs - Anatomy of the Horse 1938
Located in Pewsey, GB
George Stubbs - The Anatomy of the Horse - Heywood Hill, London 1938 - Brown Boards and Cloth. lettering in Gilt on brown leather on spine. Something for every library and a large b...
Category

1930s British Early Victorian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1940's WW2 Carl Zeiss BLC 12x60 'T' Flak Binoculars
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Carl Zeiss blc Flak 12 x 60 'T' binoculars. A beautiful set of WW2 binoculars in excellent condition made in Germany during World War 2. These were designed to be used in conjunctio...
Category

1940s German Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Aluminum

Nautical magnetic compass made USA 1930s original wooden box
Located in Milan, IT
Nautical magnetic compass, made in the USA in the 1930s. Bon état. Housed in its original box with wooden slot lid and mounted on gimbal. Box measures 12x12x8.5 cm - inches 4.8x4.8x...
Category

1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Burl Wood Cigarette Box
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1940s Burl wood cigarette box. Does not hold regular cigarettes. Chip in burl as seen in image 8.
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Burl

Park Sherman 1930 Art Deco Chromed Steel Roller Lid Box With Red Bakelite
Located in Miami, FL
Decorative desk box designed by Park Sherman. Very decorative desk box, created during the art deco period in America by the Park Sherman Company, back in the 1930. This roller-lid ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

The Charles London 1947 Pocket Petrol Lighter Guilloche Plated Sterling Silver
Located in Miami, FL
The Charles petrol lighter designed by Meyer Maximilian Levene An exceptional and rare silver-plated 'The Charles' petrol pocket lighter stamped 'The Charles Lighter', made in London England, back in the 1947. It was rafted with slim rectangular form, decorated with engine-turned casing, double entry hinged lids with innovative internal mechanical features, including a revolving flint tube to provide even wear to the flint, and a rear barrel containing spare flint chambers so that semi-automatic loading of the spare flint can be undertaken. The Charles Lighter has an extremely complicated mechanism. The flint rotates while grinded by the friction wheel. Also interesting is the revolving magazine for spare flints. A fine example of complete over-engineering. This was made only for a very short period and was patented by Meyer Maximilian Levene in 1949. Weight: 70.50 Grams, (45.19 Dwt). Measurements: 48 mm by 43 mm by 12 mm (1.89 x 1.69 x 0.77 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed in full, "THE CHARLES LIGHTER MADE IN ENGLAND BRITISH & DOMINION & FOREIGN PAT GRANTED.". Literature: Stuart Schneider and Ira Pilossof, The Handbook of Vintage Cigarette Lighters...
Category

1940s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Circa 1945 Engine Ordeal Ships Telegraph
Located in Norwell, MA
Rare World War II engine order telegraph that is brand new old stock circa 1945. We took it of a disintegrating crate. Original paint. The brass caps on either side of the head has s...
Category

1940s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

"Joe Penner" Vintage Clockwork Windup Toy by Louis Marx Co American Circa 1930's
Located in Incline Village, NV
Fabulous American vintage all tin wind-up toy with attached key and clockwork mechanism, whereby upon winding it up, the character (Joe Penner) waddles aimlessly across the floor, hat flying in the air with notorious cigar in motion (see attached video with listing). The toy is in wonderful and complete original condition with all original parts and authentic factory paint. It is often found incomplete (cigar or hat missing more often than not); and usually doesn't work properly. My example works great and is in nice bright original paint and lithography, in multiple colors of a black and white checkered suit...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Vintage Toy Wind-Up Dump Truck by The Marx Toy Company, N.Y. American Circa 1930
Located in Incline Village, NV
Offered is a hard to find Marx floor toy dump truck with dual action. NOT diecast------made of all tin. Capability to raise and lower the bed is activated by rotating the attached a...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

"George The Drummer Boy" Tin windup Toy by Louis Marx, New York City. Circa 1930
Located in Incline Village, NV
This circa 1930 "George, Drummer Boy" brightly colored lithographed tin wind-up toy capitalizes on the popularity of marching bands, spawned from the military and World War I victory...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

"Walking Popeye" With Parrots Vintage Windup Toy by Marx Toy Co.
Located in Incline Village, NV
Vintage 1930's wind-up toy by the Marx Toy Company of New York, portraying the iconic comic character, "Popeye" the sailorman. He is depicted with Parrots in each hand inside of bird...
Category

1930s Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

1930s German Black Forest Hand Carved Wood Pipe
Located in Tarrytown, NY
1930s German Black Forest Hand carved wood pipe with antler top.
Category

1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Ronson 1930 Pik A Cig Magic Penguin Lighter Cigarette Dispenser Desk Box
Located in Miami, FL
Art deco magic penguin mechanical dispenser box designed by Ronson. A beautiful, exceedingly rare and very decorative mechanical dispenser desk box, created in the city of Newark, New Jersey in the United States by The Ronson Art Metal Works Co. during the art deco period, back in the 1930. This is the iconic mechanical Pik-a-Cig Penguin Lighter...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Enamel, Bronze

Sailboat Blueprint of the Sloop Turnover
Located in Norwell, MA
Framed blueprint of the sailboat turnover, designed by William Atkin for Motor Boating Publishing. Showing hull lines, deck, and profile. Circa 1937....
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Walt Disney Enterprises "Pinocchio" Wind-Up Toy by Marx Toy Co., N.Y. Dated 1939
Located in Incline Village, NV
Fabulous condition and in perfect working order on this "Walt Disney Enterprises" copyrighted (labeled---see image) vintage wind-up toy of the iconic Disney character "Pinocchio", da...
Category

1930s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Boat Blueprint of the Runabout "Puffy Doodle"
Located in Norwell, MA
Speedboat plan by William Atkin of "Puffy Doodle", A 20 foot runabout designed by William Atkin. The hull lines and offset are shown in great detail. Printed by Motor Boating Publish...
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Marx Toys Key-Wind Tin Lithograph "Jalopy" Toy Car with Box
Located in Fulton, CA
A mechanical wind-up tin lithograph toy car by Marx Toys. "Jalopy" Circa. 1940's. Excellent original working condition. Includes original box.
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Boat Blueprint Showing the Sand Piper
Located in Norwell, MA
Motor Boating Publishing plan for a thirty foot day cruiser. Designd by William Atkin. The vessel is shown in great detail. Circa 1937 matted and framed. Weight: 7 lbs. Overall Dime...
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1937 The Years
Located in Bath, GB
The first edition of the final novel published during Virginia Woolf's lifetime, in an especially bright example of the sought-after Vanessa Bell dust wrapper. The first edition, fi...
Category

1930s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1942 US Navy Quartermasters Mark II Spyglass Military Maritime Ship Telescope
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Hayward Lumber & Inv Co of Los Angeles nautical maritime military ship spyglass / telescope / scope. Quartermaster, Mark II, 16 Power, Chemical & MFG Division. This telescop...
Category

1940s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Chelsea Flower Show Interest - Gold Medal Prize for 1937 Made By Omar Ramsden
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1936 by Omar Ramsden, this wonderful, Sterling Silver Chalice, is in the Arts & Crafts taste, and features the original gilding and the cast and applied crest...
Category

1930s English Arts and Crafts Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

Boat Blueprint of the Runabout Vamoose
Located in Norwell, MA
1930's boat plan by Naval Architect William Atkin of the V bottom runabout "Vamoose". The plan is in great detail showing hull lines, profile, deck plan, et...
Category

1930s North American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Fishing Trawler Blueprint
Located in Norwell, MA
Ships blueprint for a 127 foot Booth Fisheries fishing trawler the legend plate reads Gielow Incorporated, Naval Architects and Engineers, New York. Mar...
Category

1940s North American Vintage 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.

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