Collectibles and Curiosities
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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
American Three Masted Clipper Ship Model Sovereign of the Seas Under Glass, 20th
Located in Charleston, SC
American three masted clipper ship model displayed in a mahogany glass case. She was the fastest ship ever built in 1852. California clipper ship mo...
Category
20th Century American American Empire Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Mahogany, Pine, Paint
Mercury Glass Three Bird Christmas Tree Clip-On Ornament, Vintage German, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare vintage clip-on bird ornament collection. The size given in the dimensions section refers to the largest item seen in the first picture. These ornaments, were made from ultra-...
Category
1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Mercury Glass
BOSWELL, James. Boswell's Life of Johnson. (1924 - INDIA PAPER EDITION)
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: BOSWELL, James
TITLE: Boswell's Life of Johnson.
PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press, 1924.
DESCRIPTION: INDIA PAPER EDITION. 2 volumes bound in 1, 7-3/8" x 5-1/4", frontis portrait plate to each volume. Bound in full dark purple morocco...
Category
1920s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Arshile Gorky A Retrospective by Michael R Taylor, 1st Ed Exhib. Catalog
Located in valatie, NY
Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective by Professor Michael Taylor and Kim Theriault. Yale University Press, Published 2009. 1st Ed Hardcover with dust jacket exhibition catalog for show at ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Vintage Mid-Century Globe Meat Slicer Sculptural Enameled Iron & Stainless
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fabulous and powerful, 1/4hp GM Delco motor. Globe deli meat slicer from the forties. Super quiet motor with a new cord and switch. In excellent vintage co...
Category
1940s American Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Enamel, Steel, Chrome, Iron, Stainless Steel
Vintage Ski Photography, Antique Alpine Ski Photograph, 'OPPS'
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage Ski Photography, antique Alpine Ski photograph.
'OPPS!', a new mounted black and white photographic image after an original 1930s skiing...
Category
1930s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Shared Space: the Joseph M. Cohen Collection, by Ray Merritt, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Shared Space: The Joseph M. Cohen Collection, by Ray Merritt. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. The reasons why people collect art are no doubt as simple...
Category
1980s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Arts and Crafts Architecture by Maureen Meister
Located in valatie, NY
Arts and Crafts Architecture by Maureen Meister. Hardcover with dust jacket. Published by University Press of New England, 2014. This book offers the first full-scale examination of ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique Print of 'Madonna and Child with Angels' Made after Correggio 'c.1890'
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Madonna and Child with Angels'. Original antique print on chine collé, made after the painting by Correggio. Source unknown, to be determined. Published circa 1...
Category
Late 19th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
20th Limited Edition Chess Set inspired by Artist Keith Haring
Located in Sofia, BG
Here is a great limited edition chess set Inspired by the works of American Artist Keith Haring. Dazzle your opponent with the unique board and pieces, and add a real statement to yo...
Category
Late 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
Hermes Chess Set, 1985
By Hermès, Rena Dumas
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A beautiful and elegant chess set designed by Rena Dumas for Hermes circa 1985. Come with a leather folder. Pieces are made of steel and brass. The King...
Category
1980s French Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
English Brass Telescope on Tripod Stand signed Dollond, London Circa 1890
Located in Charleston, SC
English brass telescope on tripod stand with slipper feet. Telescope has the original carrying case with lens covers. Late 19th Century
Category
19th Century British Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Jean Royere: Mobilier by Pierre Passebon (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
Jean Royere was one of the great innovative designer/decorators of the 20th century and his clients included The Shah of Persia, King Farouk of Egypt and King Hussein of Jordan. He w...
Category
20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
18-Karat Gold Art Deco Cigarette Case
Located in Van Nuys, CA
A solid 18-karat gold case with geometric Art Deco lines, this cigarette case has lines textured along the exterior and is completed with a complex grid pattern in the center. It has...
Category
1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
James Bond Movie Posters by Tony Nourmand
Located in Bradenton, FL
James Bond Movie Posters, the official 007 collection by Tony Nourmand, revised edition: from Dr. No to Die Another Day. Softcover book publis...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary British Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
James Bond First Edition 'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming
By Ian Fleming
Located in Forest Row, East Sussex
A first edition of 'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming, with later dust jacket, as part of the James Bond series.
Origin: English
Date: 1964
Item Number: 1001254
Category
Mid-20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Mid Century Swiss Air DC-8 Chrome Plated Ashtray
By Buhler
Located in Weesp, NL
Introducing a Collector's Dream: Rare 1960s Swiss Air Chrome-Plated Ashtray with a DC8 Airplane Model!
Are you ready to own a piece of aviation history that's not just functional bu...
Category
1960s Swiss Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Brass, Chrome
Kelly Wearstler Evocative Style
Located in New York, NY
For her first book in ten years, Kelly Wearstler, one of the most irreverent and fascinating designers working today, continues to push boundaries with her inventive and opulent inte...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Vintage Hermès 'Caraibes' Silk Scarf
By Hermès
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine vintage designer silk scarf.
By Hermès.
In the Caraibes (Caribbean) pattern.
With a lightly perfumed scent.
Together with its original box.
Simply a wonderful scarf!
(P...
Category
20th Century French Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silk
Barometer Weather Station Mid-Century Modern, 1960s
Located in Wien, AT
Barometer weather station Mid-Century Modern, 1960s
Original condition
it is working.
Category
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Solomon's Temple, the Holy of Holies, Showing the Ark of the Covenant, c.1780
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique religion print titled 'Het Heilige der Heilige binnen den Tempel van Salomon'.
This print depicts Solomon's Temple, the Holy of Holies, showing the Ark of the Covenant...
Category
1780s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Art Nouveau Lorgnette Opera Glasses Folding Spectacles Antique Austria 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A gorgeous old fashioned antique lorgnette with a refined design on the handle. This pair of eyeglasses or opera glasses feature a "folding" frames that overlap one another. The lens...
Category
Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold Plate
Stiftung Insel Hombroich: Museum Und Raketenstation by Museum Und Raketenstation
Located in valatie, NY
Stiftung Insel Hombroich: Museum und Raketenstation by Museum und Raketenstation. Published by Stiftung Insel Hombroich, 1999. 1st Ed hardcover. The Museum Insel Hombroich (Museum Island Hombroich), Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, is both a park and a museum combining architecture, art and nature on over 62 acres of meadowland. The park includes the "Kirkeby-Feld" and the "Raketenstation" ("rocket station"), a disused NATO missile base. The museum located on the Museum Island is called "Museum Insel Hombroich". It presents both antique art from Asia...
Category
1990s German Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique French Fencing Mask in Leather & Steel
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Raw authentic fencing mask that tics all the right boxes. It has such a masculine and brutal appearance. Thick patinated leather and dark metal face-cover sets the tone for this high...
Category
1920s French Brutalist Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel
Pair Of WWII Carl Zeiss Binoculars, 12 x 60
By Carl Zeiss
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Carl Zeiss 12 x 60 Binoculars.
A pair of rare Second World War Carl Zeiss 12 x 60 German ex military binocular director telescope for a 4 m rangefinder. These observation binoculars ...
Category
20th Century German Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Antique Engraving of One of the Ten Brass Lavers in Solomon's Temple, 1725
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique religion print titled 'Een der tien Kopere Waschvaten in den Tempel van Salomon'.
This print depicts one of the ten Brass Lavers in Solomon's Temple. This print originate...
Category
1720s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Barbecue Smoked & Grilled Recipes From Across the Globe
Located in New York, NY
The ultimate guide to cooking with fire and smoke, featuring 280 beloved barbecue and grilling recipes from cultures across the globe
Join pitmaster Hugh Mangum on a delicious world...
Category
2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique Black Forest Wood Carved Scotty Dog Walking Stick Cane, 1900s, Germany
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Beautiful hand carved dog head walking stick cane. Manufactured in the Black Forest or Brienz Area at the end of the 19th or early 20th century. Wonderfully expressive representation...
Category
Early 1900s German Folk Art Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Wood
Italian Modern Wooden Botanic Model
Located in Roma, IT
A botanic didactical specimen in the manner of the famous German botanist Robert Brendel.
"In the late 19th century Robert Brendel and his son Reinhold produced beautiful and accur...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
1573 Ortelius Map: First to Name California, Spanning Tartary to North America
Located in Langweer, NL
"1573 Abraham Ortelius Map of Tartary, Japan, and Western North America"
Description of the Map:
This is an outstanding example of Abraham Ortelius' map titled "Tartariae Sive Magn...
Category
16th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
19th Century Spanish Framed Repousse Silverplated on Copper "The Last Supper"
Located in Dallas, TX
Decorate a wall with this antique frame depicting "The Last Supper". Hand crafted in Spain circa 1880, and built with silverplated on copper, the detailed relief work showcases Chris...
Category
Late 19th Century Spanish Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Silver Plate, Copper
'Tron' Original Vintage Movie Poster, French, 1982
Located in Devon, GB
A vibrant French Petite poster for Walt Disney's pioneering 1982 sci-fi adventure 'Tron.' Written and directed by Steven Lisberger, the futuristic film starred Jeff Bridges as a comp...
Category
1980s French Post-Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper, Linen
Birds a Collection of 25 Bird Figures and Music Boxes
Located in New York, NY
A lifetime collection of birds. A set of 25 some made of porcelain some carved from wood or resin. Of the 25 of them 5 are music boxes.
I actually think it's quite charming.
Siz...
Category
Late 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Porcelain, Resin, Wood
Mid-Century Modern Coral Pink Crosley Model T-60 AM Tube Table Radio
By Crosley Radio
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This Mid-Century Modern working tube radio was made by Crosley in Toronto Canada in approximately 1965 in the period stream-lined style. The radio is done with a molded coral pink pl...
Category
Mid-20th Century North American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
SCHULZ - Peanuts Jubilee - FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED WITH A DRAWING OF SNOOPY !
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: SCHULZ, Charles.
TITLE: Peanuts Jubilee. My Life and Art With Charlie Brown and Others.
PUBLISHER: NY: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975.
DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION INSCRIBED WITH A DRAWING. 1 vol., 15-3/8" x 11-3/8", illustrated, inscribed on the half-title "For B. J. with every best wish - Charles M. Schulz" with the addition of a large full body sketch of Snoopy, hardcover, original stamped silver boards.
CONDITION: Inner and outer hinges fine, mild general handling to covers, foredge of rear pastedown and endpaper worn, internally clean and bright, overall VERY GOOD.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: "B.J." is B.J. Thomas best...
Category
1970s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Rare Antique Gothic Revival Bronze 12 Candle Chandelier with Gargoyle Sculptures
Located in Lisse, NL
Unique and stunning 19th century copy of a 16th century Gothic art chandelier.
With another year of selling rare and beautiful antiques almost over, we are proud to offer you one of...
Category
Mid-19th Century French Gothic Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Bronze
Antique Print of a Battle Scene at the Moluccas, Indonesia, 1726
Located in Langweer, NL
Untitled print with descriptive text (also on verso) illustrating a battle scene in the Moluccas. This print originates from 'Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indiën' by F. Valentijn.
Artists an...
Category
18th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique Pump Organ NO50 Chicago Cottage Organ Company
Located in Pasadena, TX
19th Century Eastlake Style Walnut Pump Organ by Chicago Organ Company
Gorgeous elaborately carved antique pump organ made by the Chicago
Organ Co.
Black...
Category
Early 20th Century American Eastlake Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Walnut
Mid-Century Brass Wall Barometer, 1950s
Located in Palermo, IT
Mid-Century Brass Barometer, 1950s
Working and in good condition.
Category
1950s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Baume Mercier 18 Karat Yellow Gold Ladies Wristwatch & Bracelet & Original Box
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique ladies wristwatch was made by the well known Baume et Mercier of Switzerland in approximately 1920 in their period style. The wa...
Category
Early 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Gold
Cabinet of Curiosities Shelve Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden stand.
Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950.
In original condition, with minor we...
Category
1950s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Vintage Scandinavian Table Oil Lamp in Brass & Diamond Glass, 1970s
Located in Esbjerg, DK
In the style of Hans Agne Jakobsson comes this stylish oil lamp fashioned from solid patinated brass and featuring and diamond-pattern pressed clear glass shade. It was made anonymou...
Category
1960s Scandinavian Scandinavian Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
2 Volumes. Epictetus. The Discourses.
Located in New York, NY
2 Volumes. Epictetus. The Discourses. Translated by George Long. Bound in full brown morocco, gilt on covers and spines, raised bands, top edges gilt. Published: London: George Bell ...
Category
Early 20th Century British Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Brass and Copper Airplane Jet Aviation Model, France circa 1960
Located in Atlanta, GA
This is a stunning large brass and copper airplane model made in France circa 1960. The piece features an impressive all-metal jet plane model on a thi...
Category
1960s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal, Brass, Copper
Antique Japanese Samurai Manga Book Edo Period, circa 1840
Located in Barcelona, ES
Antique Japanese Samurai Manga book Edo period, circa 1840 Woodblack print book Book dimensions: 224mm x 156 mm There are damages because it is antique item as we show on the ...
Category
1840s Japanese Edo Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Antique German Barometer with Hand-Carved Oak Leaves and Acorns, 1920s
Located in Barntrup, DE
German Black Forest style barometer with fine hand-carved oak branches, leaves, and acorns.
Dimensions: height 30 cm / 11.81 in; width 24 cm / 9.44 in; depth 5 cm / 1.96 in.
In good ...
Category
1920s German Black Forest Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Krampus Companion of Belsnickel Devil Candy Container Antique Austria 1940s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This unique Christmas figurine from Austria features a handmade figurine of the Christmas character Krampus, Belsnickel's companion. The vintage piece dates from the 1940s or older a...
Category
20th Century Austrian Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Composition
Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Hardcover Photography book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
The Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella Hardcover Photography book.
This book is a luxurious memento of the historic house of Sant...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Baroque Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
French Brass and Leather Three Draw Telescope, Late 19th Century
Located in Barntrup, DE
Late 19th century French brass and leather 3 draw telescope spyglass.
The spyglass is made from brass. The base is wrapped with leather. Comes with the...
Category
Late 19th Century French Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
English Pocket Globe, London, Circa 1775-1798
By Herman Moll
Located in Milano, IT
Pocket globe
London, between 1775 and 1798
Re-edition of the globe of Hermann Moll (1678-1732) dated 1719
The globe is contained in its original case, which itself is covered in shark skin.
There are slight gaps in the original paint on the sphere. The case no longer closes.
The sphere measures 2.7 in (7 cm) in diameter whereas the case measures 2.9 in (7.4 cm) in diameter.
lb 0.22 (kg 0.1)
The globe is made up of twelve printed paper gores aligned and glued to the sphere.
In the North Pacific Ocean there is a cartouche with the inscription:
A Correct
Globe
with the new
Discoveries.
The celestial globe is depicted on the inside of the box and is divided into two hemispheres with the cartouche:
A correct globe
with ye new cons
relations of Dr.
Halley & c.
It shows the ecliptic divided into the days of the zodiacal calendar and the constellations represented as animals and mythological figures.
On the globe are delineated the equinoctial line, divided by degrees and hours, the ecliptic and the meridian (passing west of Greenwich). The continents are shaded and outlined in pink, green and yellow. It shows: the Cook routes; a wind rose in the Southern Indian Ocean; Antarctica without land; Africa with Negroland (Hermann Moll is considered the first geographer to name the West African region in his 1727 map. (Encyclopaedia Britannica, ed. 1902, under "States of Central Africa"); Tartary in Central Asia; the Mogul kingdom in northern India; in North America only New England, Virginia, Carolina, Florida, Mississippi are identified; California is already a peninsula; the northwest coast of America is "unknown parts" (Alaska is not described and it is only partially delineated, it was to become part of the United States in 1867); Mexico is named "Spain"; Central South America "Amazone America". Australia (which was to be so named after 1829) is called New Holland. The route of Admiral Anson is traced (1740) and the trade winds are indicated by arrows. (See Van der Krogt, P., Old Globes in the Netherlands, Utrecht 1984, p. 146 and Van der Krogt, P. - Dekker, E., Globes from the Western World, London 1993, pp. 115.)
Elly Dekker, comparing Moll’s 1719 globe and his re-edition (of which the one described above is a sample), identifies the differences between them: the two editions are quite similar to each other, but in the "anonymous" globe, compared to the previous globe of 1719, California looks like a proper peninsula - the reports of the Spanish explorers of the region had given rise to uncertainty over whether it was connected to the mainland or not. The geographical nature of California was confirmed after the explorations of Juan Bautista de Anza (1774-1776). The routes of Dampier's journey were partially erased and the route of Captain James Cook's first voyage was superimposed on them, and the geography of Australasia was adapted accordingly, including the denomination of the Cook Strait. See Dekker, Elly, Globes at Greenwich, 1999.
An important ante quem element is represented by Tasmania: it is not separated from Australia by the Bass Strait...
Category
Late 18th Century English George III Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Shagreen, Paper
Cabinet of Curiosities Drawer Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Cabinet of curiosities of plaster figures and pieces in a wooden niche. Made in traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa 1950. Olot has a long tradition in the product...
Category
1950s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plaster, Wood
Italian 18th Century Baroque Carved Wooden Reliquary Shrine
Located in Buisson, FR
Very rare hand carved wooden reliquary shrine with wonderful decoration,
Italy, circa 1750
Weathered, small losses and old repairs.
H:40cm W:39cm D:...
Category
18th Century Italian Baroque Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Glass, Wood
19th Century Andrew J. Lloyd Boston Brass Telescope on Wooden Tripod with Case
Located in Milford, NH
A fine antique brass telescope, stamped Andrew J. Lloyd Company, a Boston, MA retailer active 1850-1875. Brass tubes and fittings, includes the original collapsible wooden tripod sta...
Category
Mid-19th Century American Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Mid-Century Modern 1970s Paul McCobb Style Brass Stand Replogle Globe
Located in St. Louis, MO
Often attributed to Paul McCobb, because of the same brass tubing that McCobb used in his furniture. Circa 1970s Replogle globe is in very nice condition with raised topography and t...
Category
1970s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass
Brionvega RR126 radio turntable, Italian Mid Century by Achille Castiglioni
Located in Milano, IT
Designed in 1964 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, two of the most famous Mid-Century Modern era designers, the Brionvega RR126 Radio Turntable is an iconic piece of Italian d...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Steel
Vintage Boeing 727 Chrome Airplane Scale Model In Flight On Stand
Located in New York, NY
A vintage sleek Boeing 727 airplane model in flight, mounted atop a sturdy base, serves as a stylish desk accessory or paperweight. Its dynamic design captures the essence of aviatio...
Category
20th Century Unknown Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Complete Poetical Works Of Edgar Allen Poe. OXFORD EDITION. 1909 FULL TREE CALF
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: POE, Edgar Allan.
TITLE: The Complete Poetical Works Of Edgar Allen Poe.
PUBLISHER: London: Henry Frowde, 1909.
DESCRIPTION: OXFORD EDITION. 1 vol., 7-3/8" x 5-1/4", engr...
Category
Early 1900s American Antique Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Stereo System Weltron 2007, 1970s
By Weltron
Located in bruxelles, BE
Weltron stereo system model 2007 in white plastic and metal with cassette, record player, radio. Everything works very well. It has been completely overhauled by an engineer.
Wear du...
Category
1970s Japanese Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
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.