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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Style: Art Deco
Style: Scandinavian Modern
Antique "No. 1A Kodak Junior" Folding Camera c.1914-1927
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT The body of camera is leather wrapped with a leather handle and brass and chrome accents. It folds smoothly closed to 1.75 inches. Sold for decorative purposes only. May or...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Brass, Chrome

Antique Jewelry Box Art Deco Period
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful antique Art Deco period jewelry box, styled by Jacques Kreisler, circa early-20th Century, New York, New York. Box is an aubergine ...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Antique Eastman Kodak "No. 2 Folding Pocket Brownie" Camera c.1909
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An original "No. 2 Folding Pocket Brownie" camera with leather wrapped body, brass and chrome accents. Autographic film window in back with iron stylus for writing notes dir...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Brass, Chrome

Cinderella, Edited by C.S. Evans, Signed by Arthur Rackham, Edition de Lux, 1919
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Evans, C.S. (editor). Rackham, Arthur (illustrator). Cinderella. London & Philadelphia: William Heinemann and J.B. Lippincott Co., 1919. Numbered #53/325 copies of the Edition de Lux...
Category

1910s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Vintage Georg Jensen Smoker’s Set 639 by Harald Nielsen
Located in Hellerup, DK
Sterling silver Georg Jensen Art Deco smokers set, including a cigarette box and matchstick stand, design #639 by Harald Nielsen from the early 1930s. ...
Category

20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

Antique "No. 1A Kodak Junior" Folding Camera c.1914-1927 (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT The body of camera is leather wrapped with a leather handle and brass and chrome accents. It folds smoothly closed to 1.75 inches. Sold for decorative purposes only. May or...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Chrome, Brass

Vintage Stuffed Mickey Doll, Children's Toy
Located in Antwerp, BE
Vintage stuffed Mickey Doll. A Mickey Mouse children's toy circa 1930 - 1940. This Mickey doll is stuffed with straw, has glass eyes, a teddy open mouth,...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Mohair, Cotton, Glass

Art Deco Kodak Compur Model Six-20 Folding Camera c.1930
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An Art Deco Kodak Compur Model Six-20 Folding Camera with a leather wrapped body, chrome accents and flip out view finder. Black and silver Art Deco design on both sides Show...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Chrome, Metal

Rare Antique Books Set of 10 The World's 50 Best Short Novels from 1929
Located in San Diego, CA
The World's 50 Best Short Novels Set of 10 Red Cover 1929 Funk and Wagnalls. All together they measure 6 in. x 4 in. x 8 in. Unique and rare complete collection of 10 editions from 1...
Category

1920s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Linen, Paper

French Art Deco Mother & Child Sculpture, 1930s
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Deco mother & child statue by René Mercier, France, 1930s. Wood. Hand carved statue of mother & child. Height : 11.7"(29.8cm), width : 6.3"(16cm), depth : 4.1"(10.5cm).
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Paul Jouve Book Paperback AFRIQUE ÉQUATORIALE FRANÇAISE Terres et races d'avenir
Located in Ulm, DE
AFRIQUE ÉQUATORIALE FRANÇAISE, Terres et races d'avenir Text by René Maran / illustrated by Paul Jouve paperback including 11 original full-page, black, off-text compositions printed...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Vintage 1946 Wurlitzer Model 1015 Bubbler Phonograph Original Rare
Located in Oakland, CA
Vintage Original 1946 Wurlitzer Model 1015 Bubbler Collector Multi-Selector Phonograph. This Jukebox is in exceptional condition, fully restored, and with a full set of 78s. The sound is amazing, the amp was rebuilt, and the original 15″ speaker. Special electronics allow you to surpass mechanical coin operations to make as many selections as you like. Contact us by message and I can send you a video with sound of it playing. This posting is for the Wurlitzer JukeBox...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Chrome, Nickel

French Art Deco Crucifix, 1930, Poor Clares
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Deco bronze & oak crucifix from the Sainte-Claire de Mur de Barrez monastery (Poor Clares, read below), France, ca.1930. Close to the work of Ate...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

Art Deco Sabino Artistic Pink Glass Opalescent 'Fish' by Marius Ernest Sabino
Located in Lisbon, PT
An exquisite Art Deco pink Sabino fish miniature in opaline glass Signed “Sabino”.
Category

20th Century French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass

Sevres Boulogne-Billancourt, Independent Ceramic, French Book by F. Slitine 2007
Located in Atlanta, GA
Sevres - Boulogne-Billancourt, La Ceramique Independente (Sevres - Boulogne-Billancourt, The Independent Ceramic), French Book by Florence Slitine, 2007. Preface by Emmanuel Bréon and David Caméo. What happens when Emmanuel Bréon - Chief Curator of the Museum of the 1930s in Boulogne-Billancourt, and David Caméo, Director of the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, conceive the project to discover the ceramic heritage of their respective cities? They decided to show them in a joint exhibition and this book. The book writing was entrusted to Florence Slitine, project manager at The Manufacture. With the help of collectors and several museums who lend their pieces and exchange their knowledge, this is the first book that takes stock of the work of these artists. From the end of the 19th century to the 1960s, those industrial ceramic artists worked in Boulogne-Billancourt and the town of Sèvres, on the fringes of the productions of the famous Manufacture. It allows them to restore, in their geographical context, the work of leading artists, to discover ceramists hitherto unknown, and to take stock of the production carried out in Sèvres but outside the National Manufacture. This book publishes unpublished works, marks, and documents, which will fascinate lovers of modern ceramics. It contains entries relating to the following 25 artists: Paul Beyer...
Category

Early 2000s French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Dunhill of London Longtail Logo Rollgas Cigarette Lighter With Dunhill Box
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Dunhill of London Longtail Logo Rollgas Cigarette Lighter With Guarantee Card and Original Dunhill Presentation Box Box Inspired by the dunhill archive, a palladium-plated brass li...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Zenith Model 6-S-229 Tombstone Radio (1938) With Adapter for Bluetooth
Located in Oakland, CA
Zenith Model 6-S-229 Tombstone Radio (1938) With Adapter for Bluetooth. Zenith 6-S-229 black-dial tombstone is one of several similar models where the ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Berlin Iron

Antique Rare Judaical Wooden and Rose Quartz Torah Pointer (Yad) 1900s
Located in Doha, QA
This unique Wooden Torah Pointer is decorated with stunning Rose Quartz pointer and round ball on top, held up by sterling silver strings, surrounded by multi-gemstones and sterling ...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Multi-gemstone, Silver

Striking Art Deco Rhulmann Style Aluminum Inlaid Macassar Ebony Faux Bois Brush
By Rhulmann
Located in New York, NY
Fabulous Art Deco aluminum inlaid Macassar Ebony faux bois natural boar's hair bristle grooming brush in the manner of Emile-Jacques Rhulmann. 1920s This stylish accessory would have been used by a gentleman in the early 20th Century. Diamond shaped aluminum inlaid center accented by geometric designs and an attractive wide border. Natural boar's hair bristles in exceptionally fine condition. Nice age appropriate patina with some surface waviness seen at a certain angle. Beautiful table top object...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Aluminum

"No. 1 Kodak Junior" Folding Camera c.1914-1927 with Case (FREE SHIPPING)
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT A rare model that offered many lens/shutter combinations. The body of camera is leather wrapped with a leather handle and chrome accents. It folds smoothly closed to 1.5 inc...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Art Deco Kodak Junior Six-20 Bimat Folding Camera c.1930
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An Art Deco Kodak Compur Model Six-20 Folding Camera with a leather wrapped body, chrome accents and flip out view finder. Black and silver Art Deco design on both sides Show...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Chrome

Rene Lalique Blue Glass 'Ceriser' Bracelet
Located in Chelmsford, Essex
Rene Lalique blue glass 'Ceriser' Bracelet. The bracelet consists of 14 rectangular, cylinder-half shaped tablets, strung together with elastic. Cer...
Category

1920s Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass

Liberty of London Small Brown Leather Hippopotamus Decorative Model
Located in High Wycombe, GB
1920's Liberty of London Small Hand-Crafted Brown Leather Hippopotamus with Glass Eyes Decorative Model.
Category

1930s British Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Glass

French Art Deco Madonna Holy Virgen Sculpture, 1920s
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
French Art Deco Madonna Holy Virgen statue, France, 1920s. Oak. Hand carved statue from what appears to be a single piece of oak. The size is important and the silhouette fine. It sh...
Category

1920s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Oak

Antique Danish Silver Owl Bookmark by Hugo Grün
By Hugo Grün & Co. 1
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Hugo Grün a renowned Copenhagen silversmith made this small practical luxury bookmark in 830/1000 silver. Fine embossed details and practical page sleeve. The owl symbolizes multi-cu...
Category

1920s Danish Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Antique 19th Century Rare Judaical Wooden/Multi-Gemstone Torah Pointer (Yad)
Located in Doha, QA
This is an incredibly fine and rare Art Deco late 19th century Torah Pointer. It’s hand crafted with a magnificent flawless Amber Stone and a flawless Rock Crystal surrounded by ster...
Category

Late 19th Century Austrian Art Deco Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Multi-gemstone, Silver

Diamonds In the Heart of the Earth, in the Heart of Stars, at the Heart of Power
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Diamonds: In the Heart of the Earth, in the Heart of Stars, at the Heart of Power Hardcover Book.Mouawad first edition december 1, 2001 by Hubert Bari (Author), Violaine Sautter (Author).Patrick Absalon, Hubert Bari, Michele Bimbenet-Privat, Robyn Frechet, Emmanuel Fritsch, Michel Guiraud, Hugh Hill, Jean-Pierre Lorand...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Art Deco 10K White Gold Oval Chain Cufflinks 4g
Located in Dayton, OH
Pair of antique Art Deco 10K white gold oval chain cufflinks. Dimensions: 1.125" x 0.625" x 0.125" (Width x Depth x Height) / Weight - 3.9 g
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold

Suite of 10 1930s Golf Clubs.
Located in Saint-Ouen, FR
Suite of 10 1930s Golf Clubs. Suite of 10 vintage golf clubs, wooden handles, from the 1930s, including 8 iron and 2 wood. Dimensions each: h: 105cm, w: 10cm, d: 7cm
Category

20th Century European Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Iron

Antique Art Deco Portable Underwood Champion Typewriter c.1936
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An Art Deco portable Underwood Champion typewriter in high gloss black finish and chrome. Bakelite and nickel keys with black and white lettering. Original Underwood lettering...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Nickel, Chrome

German Art Deco Desk Top Barometer and Weather Station
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
German Art Deco desk top barometer and weather station. German desktop barometer, thermometer and hydrometer. This station is unsigned and made...
Category

20th Century German Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Antique Art Deco 18K White Gold Diamond Infinity Twist Ring Band 1.7g Size 7
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique art deco 18k white gold engagement / wedding ring / band featuring a reticulated milgrain channel & buckle twisted infinity design with 14 diamonds. Engraved inside "RJR-BMC...
Category

Early 20th Century Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold

French large Art Deco brass and leather table lighter by Polaire of Paris c 1920
Located in Central England, GB
This superb large art deco table lighter is in remarkable original condition. It is a very eye catching 1920s object which is made very solidly ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Kieselstein Cord Diamond 18k Yellow Gold 3D Alligator Cuff Bracelet
Located in Dallas, TX
This authentic Barry Kieselstein-Cord bracelet is finely crafted from 18k yellow gold featuring an intricate and detailed 3D sculpted full figure alligator, from the larger part with...
Category

1980s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold Leaf

Art Deco Table or Desk Top Brass Mounted 7" Double Convex Magnifying Glass
Located in Chapel Hill, NC
Art Deco desk/table top adjustable magnifying glass. A 7" diameter double convex lens in an open topped brass frame suspended between two vertical posts rising from a stepped two-tie...
Category

Early 20th Century American Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Art Déco Glazed and Hand-Painted Porcelain Monkey Tobbaco Jar by E.M. Sandoz
Located in North Miami, FL
Art Déco glazed and hand-painted porcelain monkey tobbaco jar created by Edouard-Marcel Sandoz and manufactured by Theodore Haviland By: Edouard-Marcel Sandoz, Theodore Haviland Mat...
Category

Early 20th Century French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic, Porcelain, Paint

Chrome Art Deco Two-Tier Ashtray Stand with Electric Lighter
Located in Van Nuys, CA
Original chrome Art Deco two-tier ashtray stand featuring a decorative chrome body and swirl glass accent along the base with 3 ashtrays and an electric lighter. The stand has a shel...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Chrome

Arburo Orchestrion Organ By Bursens And Roels
By Arburo
Located in New Orleans, LA
Once a fixture in bustling dance halls, cafés and fairgrounds throughout Belgium and the Netherlands in early to mid-20th century, this incredibly rare, early Orchestrion organ is a masterpiece of automated music. Crafted by the Arburo firm run by Arthur Bursens and Gustav Roels, this mechanical marvel is essentially an entire band set within an elegantly constructed Art Deco cabinet. No two Orchestrions were ever created alike and each was made-to-order, one at a time. Each was crafted entirely by hand, even down to the paper music rolls...
Category

20th Century Belgian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Rare Original 1946 Wurlitzer Jukebox 4008 external Speaker, lamp /bubbler
Located in Buffalo, NY
Rare Original 1946 Wurlitzer Jukebox 4008 Speaker, , bubbler. External speaker designed for the famed classic 1015 Wurlitzer Jukebox,, Amazing ori...
Category

1940s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Vintage Art Deco Metal Perfume Atomizer Made in France
Located in San Diego, CA
Rare, unique and exceptional perfume atomizer. This beautiful and sculptural atomizer is representative of its period. Clean lined and modernist in presence, this piece is a function...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Dunhill of London Sterling Silver & Onyx Cufflinks in Original Dunhill Box
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Dunhill of London Sterling Silver & Onyx Cufflinks in Original Dunhill Presentation Box & Card Engraved logo on the swivel fastening. 99% Silver, 1% Rhodium plated Made in Germany
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Onyx, Silver

Art Deco Model of a Boeing Clipper Aeroplane Circa 1938-1942 French
Located in Oakland, CA
The Boeing Clipper was a long-range Flying Boat made by the Boeing Aircraft Company. It was the Pan American flagship it was also flown by British Imperial Airways. This exquisite mo...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Atomium Souvenir Building Sculpture on a Marble Base, Marked Bruxelles 1958
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A decorative souvenir building sculpture. The Atomium is a landmark building in Brussels, Belgium, originally constructed for the 1958 Brussels World's Fair (Expo '58). This on is a ...
Category

1960s Belgian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Marble, Metal

Italian Art-Deco Humidor
Located in Newport Beach, CA
Silver plated, art-deco humidor featuring reproductions of the famous Bassae Frieze which depicts a battle between the Trojans and the Amazons.
Category

Early 20th Century Italian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Dawes Black Horse Brewery Large Cast Advertising Horse Sculptural Lamp Base
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This large horse sculpture was done by Ross Butler to advertise and prooste Black Horse brand beer for Dawes Brewery of Montreal Canada. The det...
Category

Early 20th Century Canadian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plaster

Antique Austrian Silver & Enamel Cigarette Case with Floral & Ribbon Decoration
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This silver and enamel cigarette case is hallmarked by an unknown maker and is presumed to have been made in Austria in approximately 1920. The case is composed of .800 silver and ha...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Rare Dunhill Salaam Namiki Cigarette Lighter With Arc de Triomphe Motif
Located in High Wycombe, GB
Rare Dunhill Salaam Namiki Cigarette Lighter With Arc de Triomphe Motif A Collaboration between Jaeger LeCoultre and Dunhill in the 1940's described as t...
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

England 1929 Art Deco Chinoiserie Desk Lighter In Sterling Silver Jade And Lapis
Located in Miami, FL
Art deco box desk lighter made in England. A beautiful table-desk lighter, created in London England back in the 1929. This sculptural piece has been crafted during the high art dec...
Category

1920s English Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Silver, Sterling Silver

Dunhill Steel and Black Crocodile Leather Unique Sports Lighter
Located in Mexico City, MX
A special steel and crocodile leather Unique Sport lighter by Dunhill. The lighter is numbered 23638 on bottom.
Category

1950s British Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

1928 Hamilton Railroad #2 10K Gold Filled 21J Pocket Watch 16s Runs
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique late 1920’s Hamilton Railroad pocket watch with braided leather fob. White face with black Arabic numerals; second counting sub-dial with Arabic numerals. Art Deco scalloped edge and Greek key details. Runs. Case: Wadsworth Watch...
Category

1920s Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Spanish Coin 1768 Antique Folding Pocket Knife In .916 Sterling Silver
Located in Miami, FL
A pocket knife with a Spanish Coin. Beautiful antique pocket knife, created in Spain, back in the 1930'S. This pocket knife is very unusual since...
Category

1760s Spanish Art Deco Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver, Steel

Evans 1952 By Ross Blackinton Table Desk Automatic Lighter In Solid 925 Sterling
Located in Miami, FL
Table-Desk automatic lighter designed by Evans. Very rare table-desk petrol lighter, created by the silversmith Ross Blackinton & Company for the Evans Lighter...
Category

1950s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver, Sterling Silver

ANTIQUE CIRCA 1920 ART DECO LEATHER CLAD CASE PLAYiNG CARDS SET BRASS CARDS TOp
Located in GB
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this very nice and highly collectable Art Deco brown leather card case with brass cards plaque to the top an...
Category

1920s English Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

The Beautiful and the Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, First Edition, 1922
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Beautiful and the Damned. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922. First edition, first state. Rebound in ¼ leather and cloth boards, with raised bands, gil...
Category

1920s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Paper

Mexico Taxco 1940 Unique Lift Arm Petrol Lighter In Solid .925 Sterling And Gold
Located in Miami, FL
Lift arm petrol lighter made in Mexico Beautiful vintage lift arm petrol lighter, created in the city of Taxco in Mexico during the late Art Deco period,...
Category

1940s Mexican Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold, Silver, Sterling Silver

Art Deco Silver and Mother-of-Pearl Handled Walking Stick
Located in Miami, FL
Art Deco Silver and Mother-of-Pearl Handled Walking Stick Offered for sale is an Art Deco walking stick with a silver handle that is topped ...
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

French Signed Lalique Crystal Tokyo Table Lighter with Frosted Floral Medallions
Located in Ijzendijke, NL
When it comes to defining elegance and affluence as a lifestyle, Lalique crystal comes to mind for most people. From its earliest days to present times, the Lalique Company has consi...
Category

1930s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Crystal, Brass

Antique 14 Karat Yellow Gold Peek A Boo Ladies Wristwatch with Opal and Diamonds
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique ladies 'Peek-a-Boo' wristwatch was made by the well known Geneva Watch Company of Switzerland and dates to approximately 1920. This elaborate and ornate watch case is co...
Category

Early 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Gold

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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