Collectibles and Curiosities
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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Recognized Seller Listings
1705 Sanson Map of Southern India and Malabar with an Inset Map
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: 1705 Sanson Map of Southern India and Malabar with an Inset Map
Description: This finely engraved and beautifully hand-colored antique map, published in 1705, depicts south...
Category
Early 1700s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
PH Grand Piano PH157 Legacy, Walnut Cognac Leather Brass, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works.
- 5-year guarantee.
- We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance.
In 1930, Poul Henningsen completely reimagined the world’s most popular musical instrument with his PH Grand Piano...
Category
2010s Danish Bauhaus Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
'The Man with the Golden Arm' Original Movie Poster by Saul Bass, British, 1956
By Saul Bass
Located in Devon, GB
Based on a novel by Nelson Algren, Otto Preminger's controversial and groundbreaking 1955 drama "The Man with the Golden Arm" starred Frank Sinatra in an...
Category
1950s British Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
1970s Italian Sterling Silver Car Models or Table Ornaments
By UnoAErre
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
A fine and impressive pair of vintage Italian sterling silver table ornaments realistically modelled in the form of cars; an addition to...
Category
20th Century Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver, Sterling Silver
Ward Bennett Designs for Brickel Associates (2 Volumes)
Located in New York, NY
Two catalogs presenting Ward Bennett’s product designs for Brickel Associates, published circa 1977. Bennett (1917-2003) was an influential and acclaimed artist, sculptor, interior d...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Paper
Antique Sterling Silver Collectible Novelty Pincushion Modelled As A Hedgehog
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1902 by Goldsmiths & Silversmiths Co. This adorable Antique, Edwardian, Sterling Silver Hedgehog Pincushion is rare and collectible, with the silver overlayin...
Category
Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Unusual Victorian silver equestrian trophy vase
Located in London, GB
Unusual antique two-handled silver trophy cup with cast and hand chased detail including a cavalry horse riding scene depicting a competition of horsemanship inside an arena. There i...
Category
Late 19th Century British Art Deco Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
18th Century Spanish Colonial Carved Wood Statue of a Saint
Located in Miami, FL
A very fine Spanish Colonial statue of a male saint in carved and polychromed wood. The saint's face has a beatific expression and the eyes are made of gl...
Category
Mid-18th Century Philippine Baroque Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Alexander Calder: Crags and Critters of 1974 (Signed)
Located in New York, NY
Catalog of Calder sculptures accompanying an exhibition at New York’s Perls Gallery from Oct. 15-Nov. 16, 1974. Square 8vo (9.25” x 9.25”), 16 unnumbered pages, printed wrappers, col...
Category
1970s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Rare Unusual Antique Map of Asia with a Landbridge from Korea to America, 1717
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'L'Asie Suivant les Nouvelles Decouvertes (..).' Interesting and very unusual map of the Asian continent.
The map is based primarily on Dutch sources, particular...
Category
18th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Buchschmuck und Flachenmuster von Max Benirschke (Vol. 2 of De Quelle)
Located in New York, NY
First edition of the second volume (of three) of the renowned graphic design publication Die Quelle (the Source), deemed, along with the journal Die Flache, as among the finest examples of Secession-style graphic design. Published by M. Gerlach & Co of Vienna and Leipzig; not dated but circa 1902-1905. Buchschmuck und Flachenmuster translates to Book Decoration and Surface Design. It presents the work of Max Benirschke (1880-1961), an Austrian architect, illustrator, and designer who studied at the Kunstgewerbescule in Vienna under Josef Hoffmann and was subsequently hired by Peter Behrens in 1903 to teach at his newly founded School of Applied Arts in Dusseldorf. In 1900, Benirschke was enlisted by the famed Viennese publisher Martin Gerlach to produce a folio for Die Quelle; the result shows Benirschke “at the height of his Jugenstil period with a series of curvilinear plant motifs and patterns.” According to Austrian gallerist Michael Steinbach, the present volume is “one of the most important design portfolios...
Category
Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Unique Custom Made Handcrafted Designer Golf Bag in Western Motif, circa 1955
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a very unique and one of a kind item; consisting of a Custom Made Hand Crafted Leather Designer Golf Bag, in Western Motif; all hand tool and...
Category
1950s American Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
English Renaissance Curved Brass Sword and Leather Scabbard
Located in Queens, NY
English Renaissance (19th Century) curved sword with brass fluted handle and black leather scabbard.
Condition: Good; Minor losses
Category
19th Century British Renaissance Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Gendron Wheel Company American Victorian Iron Tricycle
By Gendron Wheel Co.
Located in Queens, NY
American Victorian iron tricycle with a carriage seat (tag: GENDRON WHEEL CO., TOLEDO, OH)
Category
19th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Iron
San Francisco Examiner Newspapers for January 1944 in Hard Bound Book (Complete)
Located in Incline Village, NV
Fairly rare item to find: San Francisco Examiner Newspapers, complete and original in actual real size format, from January 1st, 1944 through January 30th 1944; hardbound mounted front and back in very good and readable condition----pages turn with ease and approximately 700 to 800 pages of World War II news, sports, advertisements, editorials, society pages, Sunday "Funnies", classified advertisements, and local San Francisco Bay Area news. War news stories about Germans, Russians, and Japanese battles...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Palermo – 1620 Braun & Hogenberg Bird’s-Eye Map of Palermo, Sicily
Located in Langweer, NL
Palermo – 1620 Braun & Hogenberg Bird’s-Eye Map of Palermo, Sicily
This beautifully detailed bird’s-eye view of Palermo, Sicily, was created by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg aro...
Category
1620s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Very Rare Edwardian Sterling Silver 'Pig Bell' London 1904 by William Hornby
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1904 by William Hornby, this wonderful and very rare, antique sterling silver bell, is modelled as a quite charmi...
Category
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Dinner Bell by Ruth Gerth for Chase, 1930s
Located in Sagaponack, NY
A small-scaled modernist dinner bell having a clean refined form with an black Bakelite handle.
Category
20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Rustic Water Buffalo Skull Taxidermy
Located in Queens, NY
African style taxidermy large water buffalo skull mounted on oak shield shaped wall plaque (19/20th Cent.)
Category
Late 19th Century Rustic Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Horn
An Antique American Hand-Carved Wood and Silver Seal
Located in New York, NY
A rare and beautifully crafted example of early American Judaica, this hand-carved wood and silver seal is notable for its exceptional artistry and symbolic detail. The prominent han...
Category
Early 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver
English Renaissance Style Velvet Wrapped Iron Halberd
Located in Queens, NY
English Renaissance-style short halberd spear with velvet shaft and medallion trim with small iron blade.
Category
20th Century British Renaissance Revival Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Bread Is Gold
Located in New York, NY
Massimo Bottura, the world's best chef, prepares extraordinary meals from ordinary and sometimes 'wasted' ingredients inspiring home chefs to eat well while living well.
'These dishes could change the way we feed the world, because they can be cooked by anyone, anywhere, on any budget. To feed the planet, first you have to fight the waste', Massimo Bottura
Bread is Gold is the first book to take a holistic look at the subject of food waste, presenting recipes for three-course meals from 45 of the world's top chefs, including Daniel Humm, Mario Batali, René Redzepi, Alain Ducasse, Joan Roca, Enrique Olvera, Ferran & Albert Adrià and Virgilio Martínez. These recipes, which number more than 150, turn everyday ingredients into inspiring dishes that are delicious, economical, and easy to make.
Massimo Bottura is the chef patron of Osteria Francescana, a three-Michelin-star restaurant that he opened in 1995 in Modena, Italy, which was ranked #1 in the World's 50 Best in 2016. Massimo was interested in cooking from a young age. In 1986, he opened his first restaurant and subsequently developed his love of food while working for Alain Ducasse and Ferran Adrià. Massimo has created Refettorios, soup kitchens that use excess food from supermarkets and local suppliers to provide healthy, seasonal meals for people in need. He is the author of Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
19th C Walking Stick With Silver Plate Handle Top Above Hand Carved Cane
Located in Incline Village, NV
Vintage fine quality American hand crafted silver plated handle top walking stick; the top is meticulously decorated in repousse motifs with great attention to detail. The completely...
Category
1880s American Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver Plate
Emily Thompson Flowers
Located in New York, NY
An extraordinary first book celebrating contemporary floral designer Emily Thompson, known for her unique and dramatic artistry
For the first time, innovative floral designer Emily ...
Category
2010s American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
English Regency Style Mahogany Miniature 5 Drawer Chest with Brass Knobs
Located in San Francisco, CA
A good quality English mahogany miniature chest with 2 short over 3 long drawers, each retaining their original brass knobs, supported on a plinth base. Very attractive color and fi...
Category
Mid-19th Century English Regency Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
English Mahogany Fitted Portable Pharmacy or Apothecary with Numerous Components
Located in San Francisco, CA
A fine and large English mahogany and brass fitted portable apothecary or medical case containing numerous original bottles, a scale, literature and other accessories. The piece is f...
Category
Late 19th Century English Regency Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Superpowered Plants Meet the Smartest, Strongest, and Sneakiest Plants
Located in New York, NY
Inspired by books of world records, this vividly illustrated guide teaches young readers about Earth’s most incredible plants
Discover the green superheroes who rule our planet, fro...
Category
2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Paul Evans Patchwork Copper Large and Small Humidors w Cigar Ashtray, c 1970s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A fantastic set of Paul Evans 'Patchwork Copper' smoking accessories, manufactured by C.C. Design Inc and retailed by Directional in the 1970s, with beautiful light patina and age, p...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze, Copper, Pewter
Antique World Map by P. Schenk '1706'
By Peter Schenk
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'Diversa Orbis Terrae. Visu Incedente per Coluros Tropicorum, Ambos Ejus Polos, et Parciularis Sphaerae Zenith, in Planum Orthographica Projectio (..) Plat Ontwerp van verscheyde Aert-klooten (..)'. One of the earliest Dutch World Maps to focus on a more modern cartographic style, based on Carel Allard's map of 1696. This map represented a noteworthy shift from the traditional decorative Dutch 17th century maps where the margins would be full of classical mythological...
Category
Early 18th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique Pair of Sterling Silver Rimonim, London 1916 Morris Salkind
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in London in 1916 by Morris Salkind, this elegant pair of Antique Sterling Silver Rimonim, feature floral chasing, eagle finials, lions, hanging bells, and beaded bases. E...
Category
1910s English Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Kenneth Patchen Artist Book with Original Painting
Located in New York, NY
Panels for the Walls of Heaven, a square octavo volume of poems, abstract illustrations (based on paintings by the author) and outre typography, by experimental poet and artist Kenneth Patchen, published by Bern Porter...
Category
1940s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Fontana Arte Book
By Franco Deboni
Located in New York, NY
Author Franco Deboni, foreword by Bernd Goeckler ?Allemandi & C. English edition, available exclusively through Bernd Goeckler antiques, starting March ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
2 Volumes. Robert Louis Stevenson, Robinson Crusoe
Located in New York, NY
2 Volumes. Robert Louis Stevenson, Robinson Crusoe. Bound in full black calf with gilt-tooling on the covers and raised band spines. All edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Color plate fr...
Category
Late 18th Century British Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Die Neue Graphik/The New Graphic Art/Le Nouvel Art Graphique (Association Copy)
Located in New York, NY
Foundational tome on modern graphic design, tracing the field from its origins in the 19th century through the late 1950’s. Published in 1959 by Arthur Niggli in Switzerland with tex...
Category
1950s Swiss Minimalist Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
American Victorian Ship and Lighthouse in a Bottle
Located in Queens, NY
American/English (19/20th Cent) sailing ship with 4 masts and a light house in a bulbous shaped glass bottle on a green wood base.
Category
19th Century American American Colonial Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass
The Silver Spoon Classic
Located in New York, NY
A luxurious collection of the best recipes from the world's leading Italian cookbook - with all new photography and design
First published in 1950, Il Cucchiaio d'Argento, or its English-language offspring The Silver Spoon, is the ultimate compilation of traditional home-cooking Italian dishes...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary European Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
French Louis XVI Barometer
Located in Queens, NY
French Louis XVI (18th Century) barometer with original scientific illustrations and mercury vial framed with gilt foliate carvings & ebonized ...
Category
18th Century French Louis XVI Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Giltwood, Glass
Late Roman/Byzantine Jewish Amber Color Glass Amulet with Menorah
Located in New York, NY
Late Roman to Early Byzantine, ca. 300 to 500 CE. A rare and beautiful amulet of a generally circular form with a flat bottom, a raised periphery, and an integral suspension loop, mo...
Category
15th Century and Earlier Israeli Classical Roman Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass
2 Vols. Sir Henry Yule. The Book Of Ser Marco Polo
Located in New York, NY
2 Volumes. Sir Henry Yule. The Book Of Ser Marco Polo. With Maps and Illustrations. Bound in 3/4 brown morocco by Zaehnsdorf, marbled boards, top edges gilt, raised bands, gilt on sp...
Category
Early 20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Gorgeous Antique World Map by the Dutch Mapmaker Visscher, published circa 1679
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'Novissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula, Auctore Nicolao Visscher'. Gorgeous example of Nicholas Visscher's World map, which appeared...
Category
Late 17th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
The Regional Italian Cookbook Recipes from The Silver Spoon
Located in New York, NY
Italy’s most trusted home cooking resource presents a richly illustrated exploration of the country’s unique regional cuisines
Italy is formed of 20 regions, each with its own disti...
Category
2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Woman In All Ages and In All Countries
Located in New York, NY
10 Volumes. Various Authors. Woman In All Ages and InAll Countries. Limited to 25 lettered sets, this copy if L, printed for Mrs. L. Bartlett. Bound in the publisher's pale blue crus...
Category
Early 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Antique Marquetry Wood Music Box by Langdorff & Fils
Located in London, GB
Antique marquetry wood music box by Langdorff & Fils
Swiss, Late 19th Century
Height 31cm, width 68cm, depth 35cm
Crafted in the late 19th century, this exquisite music box was pro...
Category
Late 19th Century Swiss Belle Époque Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
GUFRAMINI Pratone by Ceretti, Derossi & Rosso - 1stdibs New York
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
The mini Pratone® plays with the juxtaposition of a "large-small" proportion by reducing to 7/8 the giant Pratone that was designed in 1972 by Ceretti, Derossi, and Rosso, and exhibited that year at the MoMA as part of the Italy: The New Domestic Landscape exhibition. Just like the original version, the base of the "mini" sculpture shows the writing ‘Pratone’ on one of the sides, and 42 soft stems stretching in different directions complete the radical look of this little icon.
As if in a fairy tale, the Gufram icons have become smaller and have now turned into Guframini®! The most radical Italian design...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Other
PH Upright Piano, Cognac Leather with Brass Metal Parts, Modern, Sculptural
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works.
- 5 year guarantee.
- We regularly crate, ship, and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance.
An incredible design piece for all spaces. This new edition of the PH Upright Piano...
Category
2010s Danish Bauhaus Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
The Dada Painters and Poets
Located in New York, NY
First edition of The Documents of Modern Art, Vol. 8, edited and with an introduction by Robert Motherwell. Cover and typography by Paul Rand. Published in 1951 by Wittenborn, Schultz Inc. With texts by Richard Huelsenbeck, Hugo Ball, Kurt Schwitters, Jacques Vache, Tristan Tzara, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, George Hugnet, Andre Breton, Jean Arp, Paul Eluard, Louis Aragon, Gabrielle Buffet-Picabia, and Hans Richter. Illustrations by (or after) Jean Arp, Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Raoul Hausmann, Paul Klee, Marcel Janco, Man Ray, Francis Picabia, Tristan Tzara, Kurt Schwitters, Kasimir Malevich, Pablo Picasso, Sophie Tauber...
Category
1950s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
English Victorian Inlaid Music Box
Located in Queens, NY
English Victorian rectangular inlaid music box.
Category
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
26 Volumes. Robert Louis Stevenson. Complete Works.
Located in New York, NY
26 Volumes. Robert Louis Stevenson. Complete Works. Vailima Edition. Bound in 3/4 black morocco with marbled boards. Covers and raised band spine are gilt-tooled. Top edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Limited to 1,030 copies of which this is 7. Portrait of author...
Category
Early 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Rare English Queen Anne Antique Miniature Salesman Sample Tilt-Top Table
Located in Shippensburg, PA
A RARE AND FINE QUEEN ANNE MAHOGANY MINIATURE SALESMAN'S SAMPLE TILT-TOP CANDLESTAND
England, circa last quarter of the 18th century
Item # 403RPJ02P
An exceedingly fine and rare salesman's sample of a perfectly scaled-down tilting top candlestand, it is crafted from dense mahogany and retains a rather early finish. The surface glows brilliantly under the old oxidized shellac, this turning nearly black in some areas with rich ruby hues coming through as rubbing and handling have worn it. The table is an exact replica of what a client would expect to receive in full size, a piece that would likely have been created for salesmen to take to prospective buyers to showcase what their shops could achieve in wood. The table retains its original battens on the underside, these flanking the original latch and catch that allow the top to easily rotate for storage. It is raised on a turned column with a swollen vasiform baluster over the curvy cabriole legs.
Measurements: 12 1/2" H x 11 7/8" diameter
Condition Report:
Old finish with exceedingly fine silky surface patina throughout, old scuffs and abrasions that have oxidized, minor scars, a large stain (likely ink) to the top; old repaired break to one ankle; one screw missing from catch on underside of table; original hardware, original butterfly iron...
Category
18th Century English Queen Anne Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Mahogany
Children's Bowling Game of "Fancy Ten Pins" by Spears Works Bavaria, Circa 1935
By JW Spears 1
Located in Incline Village, NV
This rare and unique game is in excellent all original condition with it's original, highly lithographed colorful box, This seemingly little used pre-war game is completely intact an...
Category
1930s Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
1500s Elizabethan Sterling Silver Communion Chalice and Paten
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
An exceptional, fine and impressive, rare antique Elizabethan English sterling silver communion chalice and paten; an addition to our diverse religious silverware collection.
This exceptional two piece antique Elizabethan sterling silver communion set consists of a chalice and paten/diskos.
The chalice has a cylindrical tapering shaped form onto a plain knapped pedestal and spreading circular foot.
The body of this sterling silver communion cup...
Category
16th Century English Elizabethan Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Sterling Silver
Cristallino Outdoor Edition Foosball Table with White Corian by Teckell
By Teckell
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Cristallino Outdoor Foosball designed by Teckell. The playing field is structured with white Corian and teams of players are covered with black or whi...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Steel, Chrome
Star Wars 'Return of the Jedi' Original Vintage US One Sheet Movie Poster, 1983
By Tim Reamer
Located in Devon, GB
Tim Reamer's simple and effective poster design for the final instalment of George Lucas' original Star Wars trilogy has become emblematic of the entire saga, with its glowing lights...
Category
1980s American Post-Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
SS Lord Kelvin Vintage Life Ring Buoy
Located in Montreal, QC
The British SS Lord Kelvin was a cable-laying ship which served during the Second World War. Initially owned by the Anglo-American Telegraph Company, Lord Kelvin was completed in 191...
Category
1910s English Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Canvas
An antique taxidermy Duck-billed Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
Located in Amsterdam, NL
England, late 19th century
L. approx. 40 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Belgium
Category
19th Century English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
English Victorian Brass Telescope
Located in Queens, NY
English (Scottish) Victorian brass tabletop telescope with 3 legged iron base.
Category
Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Vitamin V Video and the Moving Image in Contemporary Art
Located in New York, NY
The most comprehensive survey to date of contemporary video and moving-image art from the last decade
Video has never been more prevalent in contemporary art than it is today. At a ...
Category
2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
25 Vols. George Eliot. The Writings and Life
Located in New York, NY
25 Volumes. George Eliot. The Writings & Life by J.W. Cross. Large Paper Edition, limited to 750 copies, this is #82.Bound in 3/4 brown morocco, marbled boards and endpapers, top edg...
Category
Early 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
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.