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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: 20th Century
Period: 18th Century
Scale Model of Blériot XI BL 242 AG-22 from the collection of Thierry Despont
Located in New York, NY
This charming model airplane came from the personal collection of Thierry Despont (1948 - 2023), perhaps best known for his architectural practice—which played integral roles in the ...
Category

20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Sotheby's Art At Auction 1998-1999 Edited by Emma Lawson, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Sotheby's Art At Auction 1998-1999 Edited by Emma Lawson. Sotheby's Publications London, 1998. 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. This annual reference work provides a view of the ye...
Category

1990s English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Map of Japan with Scale and Compass Rose, c.1730
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique map titled 'Naauwkeurige Kaart van 'T Keizerryk Japan (..).' Attractive detailed map of Japan. With scale and compass rose. This map originates from 'Hedendaegsche historie...
Category

18th Century Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Pair Cufflinks Antique German Art Nouveau Jewelry, 1900s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
Two lovely stylish cufflinks in original old box. Made in Germany, circa 1900. Each is marked with a manufactory mark and "amerikaner". Thats probably the mark for american double. ...
Category

Early 1900s German Art Nouveau Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ormolu

Rare 1939 Vintage Viking Oak Corner Console Radio by Romweber
Located in Lafayette, IN
Very rare corner radio with custom Viking Oak cabinet by the Romweber Furniture Company of Batesville, IN. Radio features: - Stromberg Carlson M...
Category

1930s Gothic Revival Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Oak

Carl Auböck Midcentury Elephant Handmade Brass Figurine Key Ring Chain Holder
Located in Vienna, AT
A charming modernist elephant keyring / keyholder / keychain, designed by Carl Auböck in the 1950s. Handmade of solid polished brass by Werkstätte A...
Category

20th Century Austrian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Mid-20th Century Italian Leather Playing Card Case
Located in Stamford, CT
Wonderful Italian handcrafted tooled leather playing card case with painted enamel-like decoration of cards on the sides and symbols for all the suites, clubs, diamonds, spades and hearts on the cushion top. Beautifully made and clearly loved, a charming gift for the poker player or gambler. Holds two decks. Stamped on the bottom in gold letters, 'Genuine Leather, Made in Italy'. With a fleur di lis mark stamped...
Category

Mid-20th Century Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

F-1 Fighter Jet Lighter, 1980s Japan
Located in Los Angeles, CA
The perfect gift for the history buff or military enthusiast in your life, this lighter is a faithfully cast in the shape of a Mirage F1 fighter jet. Manufactured in Japan and sold b...
Category

1980s Japanese Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Antique Virgin Sculpture on a Wooden Glass Door Cabinet, circa 1940
Located in Barcelona, ES
Antique cabinet with a slide glass door containing an antique plaster sculpture of a virgin, dressed with hand-tailored clothes. Manufactured by unknown artist in Spain, circa 1940....
Category

1940s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass, Wood

American Mid Century Petite Portable Magnetic Chess Set Metal & Walnut
Located in San Diego, CA
A unique rare 1950's portable magnetic chess set walnut caze with metal board , very nice condition original box and instructions .
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Native American Indian Doll with Traditional Lakota Sioux Cherokee Wedding Dress
Located in Vero Beach, FL
Native American Indian doll with traditional Lakota Sioux Cherokee wedding dress with bead-work, one of a kind This is an authentic Native American, Am...
Category

1980s North American Native American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Clay

Set of Italian Onyx and White Marble Bookends
Located in Haddonfield, NJ
Set of white and black marble bookends, Italy circa 1960's. Wonderful addition to any home office seeking a classic or modern vibe.
Category

Mid-20th Century Italian Neoclassical Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Marble, Onyx

Early 20th Century French Hand Forged Iron Double Sided Music Stand
Located in Fayetteville, AR
Originally used in a church, this impressive French hand-forged iron music stand is designed so that a musician can stand on each side. Candleholders extend on the left and right to ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Iron

Winston CHURCHILL. The World Crisis - 6 vols. - ALL FIRST EDITIONS 1923-1931
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: CHURCHILL, Winston. TITLE: The World Crisis. 1911-1918 / The Aftermath / The Eastern Front. PUBLISHER: London: Thornton Butterworth, Ltd., 1923-1931. DESCRIPTION: ALL FIR...
Category

1920s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

French Furniture of the 18th Century
Located in valatie, NY
French Furniture of the 18th century by Pierre Verlet and Penelope Hunter-Stiebel (Translator). University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, 1991. First edition thus hardcover ...
Category

1990s American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1960's 70's modernist silverplated cigarette box by Gabriella Crespi, signed
Located in London, Fitzrovia
A rare modernist silver plated cigarette box by Gabriella Crespi, Engraved Signature, circa 1960's to 1970's. Streamlined, looks very chic! Please note that our handling time is of...
Category

20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Leonard Bailey Wooden Block Plane Tool, United States, Early 20th Century
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Leonard Bailey Wooden Block Plane Tool, United States, Early 20th Century.
Category

20th Century American Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

1950s Zenith Brown Bakelite Portable Radio Nonworking
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Vintage Zenith portable radio 9 h x 14.5 w x 8.75 Bakelite cover with rubber handle. Original knobs. Minos scuffs present. Tested and not working. Review images listed.
Category

1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bakelite

Dunhill 18 Carat Gold Plated Red Lacquered Rollagas Classic Cigarette Lighter
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Elegant Dunhill Red Lacquered 18 Carat Gold Plated Rollagas Classic Cigarette Lighter Made in Switzerland With Dunhill Embossed Box Inscribed with "Dunhill" on the base. Weighs 75g...
Category

Late 20th Century Swiss Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold Plate

Matisse Picasso & Gertrude Stein. 1ST ED, LIMITED ISSUE, PRESENTATION COPY 1933
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: STEIN, Gertrude. TITLE: Matisse Picasso And Gertrude Stein With Two Shorter Stories. PUBLISHER: Paris: Maurice Darantiere for the Plain Edition, 1933. DESCRIPTION: FIRST ...
Category

1930s French Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Schmetterlinge 'Butterflies' by Carl Gustav Jablonsky & J.F.W. Herbst
Located in Middletown, NY
An exceedingly rare and beautifully-illustrated work by Carl Gustav Jablonsky and JFW Herbst, whose Natursystem is one of the first attempts at a complete survey of exotic and European butterflies, and edited following the system of Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), the father of modern taxonomy, as stated in the subtitle of the work. Jablonsky, Carl Gustav & J.F.W. Herbst. Natursystem aller bekannten in- und ausländischen Insekten: Schmetterlinge; Nach dem System des Ritters Carl von Linné...
Category

Late 18th Century German Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Rare Set of Two Santa Claus Mercury Glass Christmas Ornament Vintage, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament set of two. Each is made from mouth blown glass, this would be a great addition for your Christmas or feather tree. Size always given for the tallest item i...
Category

1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wire

MARTIN GILBERT. The Life of Winston Churchill - 8 vols. 1966-88 ALL 1st EDITIONS
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: CHURCHILL, Randolph S., continued by Martin Gilbert. TITLE: The Life of Winston Churchill. PUBLISHER: London: Heinemann, 1966-88. DESCRIPTION: ALL FIRST EDITIONS. 8 vols....
Category

1960s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

6 Vols British Birds and Their Nests, Butler, Avian Reference Book, Victorian
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a superb antique set of six volumes of 'British Birds with their Eggs and Nests', authored by Arthur G. Butler and illustrated by F.W. Prohawk and dating to the late Victoria...
Category

Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Rare Cartier 18ct Gold Plate Ribbed Godron Cigarette Lighter With Cartier Box
Located in Reading, Berkshire
Elegant Gold Plated Must de Cartier Ribbed Godron Cigarette Lighter In Original Cartier Box. Marked Cartier Paris To Lighter Base Complete With Original Box, Instructions
Category

Late 20th Century French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Enamel

1968-1970 Hardbound Vogue Magazines, Set of 9
Located in Stamford, CT
Set of nine hardcover cloth bound ex-libris Vogue magazines from 1968-1970. Dark green cloth binding with gold embossed lettering. Featuring many iconic covers and editorials from D...
Category

1960s American Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Canvas, Paper

Sotheby's, Objets De Vitrine from the Collection of Mrs. George Keppel, Geneva
Located in valatie, NY
Sotheby's, objects de Vitrine from the collection of Mrs. George Keppel, Geneva 5/11/89. There are 73 lots on 34 pages in this softcover catalogue, all lots are described and color illustrated. The catalog is extremely rare and includes, snuff boxes, scent bottles, objects of Vertu, jewels and other objects from, Cartier, Fabergé, Thomas Hughes...
Category

1980s Swiss Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

A Simpler Way of Life: Old Farmhouses of NY & New England by William Morgan
Located in valatie, NY
A Simpler Way of Life: Old Farmhouses of New York & New England by William Morgan and Photos by Trevor Tondro. Stated 1st Ed hardcover with dust jacket. Published by North Country Books, 2013. Colonial farmhouses were built not by architects, but by stonemasons, carpenters, and other craftsmen—sometimes by the farmers themselves. These vernacular structures utilize such richly textured materials as wideboard planks, hand-hewn beams, and brick and fieldstone hearths. Current owners have filled their dream houses with authentic decor: hooked rugs, vintage crockery...
Category

Late 20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Art Deco Hand Carved Wooden Figural Humidor Bird Head, ca. 1930s
Located in Barntrup, DE
An Art Deco hand-carved wooden figural humidor in the shape of a bird head, circa the 1930s. This adorable, dark brown, linden wood humidor or a small box is masterfully carved and f...
Category

1930s Swiss Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Moroccan Stone Encrusted Silver and Bone Dagger
Located in Douglas Manor, NY
3-451 hand crafted Moroccan silver dagger with stone inlay and animal bone handle.
Category

1920s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Agate, Silver

'Rackham' English Fairy Tales. Retold by Flora Annie Steel, 1918 LEATHER BOUND!
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: STEEL, Flora Annie (Arthur Rackham). TITLE: English Fairy Tales. Retold by Flora Annie Steel. PUBLISHER: NY: Macmillan Co., 1918. DESCRIPTION: LARGE PAPER LIMITED E...
Category

1910s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Tibet Vintage Pair Amulet Pendants Nine And Four Eye Dzi Beads
Located in South Burlington, VT
A unique pair (2), valuable and powerful Protection Amulet Dzi from Tibet An old Tibetan or Central Asian nine and four eye agates Dzi Beads dating to the ...
Category

20th Century Chinese Qing Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Agate

Rare Set of Three Santa Claus Mercury Glass Christmas Ornament Vintage, 1930s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament set of three. Each is made from mouth blown glass, this would be a great addition for your Christmas or feather tree. Size always given for the tallest item...
Category

1930s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wire

Old Original Print Depicting the Ruins of the City of Palmyra, Syria, 1782
Located in Langweer, NL
The print is a detailed 18th-century engraving depicting the ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria. It is titled "Ruins of Palmyra" and was published by Harrison & Co in the ...
Category

1780s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Andy Warhol a Retrospective Hard-Cover Coffee Table Book, 1989
Located in New York, NY
An '80s Late-20th century 'Andy Warhol A Retrospective' hard-cover library or coffee table book by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1989...
Category

1980s American Expressionist Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Norwegian Folk Costumes 'Norske Folkedragter' 1st Edition
Located in valatie, NY
Norwegian Folk Costumes (Norske Folkedragter) by Einar Lexow and Joh. F.L. Dreiers. Norsk Folkemuseum, 1913. 1st Ed hardcover. Norwegian traditional dress ...
Category

1910s Norwegian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Joan Miro by Carolyn Lanchner, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Joan Miro by Carolyn Lanchner. 1st Ed softcover catalog. Published by Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, 1993. Henri Matisse, 1st Ed softcover catalog. Published in conjunction with...
Category

1990s American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Glass Art Nouveau to Art Deco by Victor Arwas
Located in valatie, NY
Glass Art Nouveau to Art Deco by Victor Arwas. Academy Editions, London, 1980. Second Edition hardcover with dust jacket. 256pp 104 color plates and 212 b&w. The most important and c...
Category

1980s English Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Small Antique Baedeker's South Eastern France Guide Book, Provence, Travel Maps
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is a delightful antique edition of Baedeker's South Eastern France guide book, complete with superb fold-out maps, centre-fold maps and informative text. A bound and intact late...
Category

Early 20th Century British Late Victorian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Vintage 1960s Souvenir Building Architectural Model Berlin Bear, Metal Statue
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A classic decorative Berlin bear statue. Some wear with a nice patina, but this is old-age. Made of metal. This item was bought as a souvenir in Ber...
Category

1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

1980's Postmodern Babysitters Club Clear Transistor Collectible Phone
Located in San Diego, CA
Really cool and hard to find in working condition lucite clear phone, a classic from the 1980's era great condition very light use. by Conairphone.
Category

20th Century American Post-Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Lucite

Set of 5 Handpainted Swedish Traditional Dala Horse Toys
Located in Barcelona, ES
Set of 5 Handpainted Swedish Traditional Dala Horse Toys – Designed by Nils Olsson, Sweden, Circa 1960 Experience the timeless charm of Sweden with this set of five handpainted trad...
Category

1960s Swedish Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Rare Rider Waite Blue Box Tarot, Final Edition Rider & Co, 1976-1977
Located in Den Haag, NL
Rare Rider Waite Blue Box Tarot, Final Edition Rider & Co, 1976-1977 Rider Waite Deck, Complete Blue Box, Tarot Reading, Divination complete deck, no book .With sticker .Thorsons Pub...
Category

1970s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1970s Original Gorgeous Playing Cards Box by Piero Fornasetti
Located in Milano, IT
1970s Original astonishing playing cards box by Piero Fornasetti in walnut wood . It's in excellent condition and includes two packs of vintage Dal Negro cards, 7 dices, and chips. T...
Category

1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood, Walnut

TIFFANY & CO. 1982 Elsa Peretti Bean Petrol Pocket Lighter In Polished Solid
Located in Miami, FL
Pocket petrol lighter designed by Elsa Peretti (1940-2019) for Tiffany & Co. The bean is one of the most iconic Elsa Peretti's designs, that she created for the Tiffany Studios, back in the 1970's. This petrol pocket lighter is one of her creations, crafted with a sportive casual look in solid brass. Weight: 46.95 Grams, (30.09 Dwt). Measurements: 62 mm by 29 mm by 15 mm (2.44 x 1.14 x 0.59 Inch). Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark and signed in full as follows, "©ELSA PERETTI 1982 TIFFANY & CO. BRASS". Elsa Peretti She was a very important and iconic American designer that joined Tiffany & Co in the 1974 and change the role of diamonds and color gemstones in fashion for the everyday wear and elevating the status of the sterling silver jewelry. Mostly using unusual gemstones and materials, all her creations are as modern today as ever. Collateral: This Elsa Peretti lighter...
Category

1980s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Ship's taffrail log by Thomas Walker & Son of Birmingham
Located in London, GB
A "Trident" electric Mark III ship's taffrail log by Thomas Walker and Son, Birmingham, circa 1940 - 1950. With twin Walker Cherub rotators. Mounted on oak display base. For a ...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Eileen Gray: Objects and Furniture Design (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
by Sandra Dachs, Patricia De Muga & Laura Garcia Hintzo Focuses on Eileen Gray, a breakaway designer in a world dominated by male-centric style schools Besides an introductory essay, each title in the By Architects series is compiled by key modern architects through sketches, drawings, photos of the original productions, and ambient shootings A design-orientated book for a design-orientated series, Eileen Gray boasts an innovative layout and a special binding Neglected for most of her career, Eileen Gray (1878-1976) is now regarded as one of the most important furniture designers and architects of the early twentieth century and the most influential woman in those fields. Her work inspired both modernism and Art Deco. Eileen Gray was to stand alone throughout her career, first as a lacquer artist, then a furniture designer, and finally as an architect. At a time when other leading designers were almost all male and mostly members of one movement or another - whether a loose grouping like De Stijl in the Netherlands, or a formal one such as the Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne - Gray remained staunchly independent. Her design style was as distinctive as her way of working. Gray developed an opulent, luxuriant take on the geometric forms and industrially produced materials used by the International Style designers, such as Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand and Mies van der Rohe, who shared much of her ideology. Her voluptuous leather and tubular steel Bibendum Chair and clinically chic E-1027 glass and tubular steel table...
Category

20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

French, 18th Century, Baroque Gilded Metal Procession Cross
Located in Buisson, FR
Beautiful baroque gilded metal procession cross with a great patina. France circa 1750. weathered and small losses. Measurements include the wooden pedestal.
Category

18th Century French Baroque Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Iron

Cabinet of Curiosities Display Sculptural Artwork, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Exquisite cabinet of Curiosities showcasing a stunning collection of plaster figures and pieces, elegantly presented within a wood and glass display case reminiscent of a Classic scu...
Category

1950s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plaster, Wood

18th Century Moroccan Snaphaunce Miquelet Flintlock Rifle Dog Lock Gun Stampe
Located in Dayton, OH
A beautiful late 18th century Moroccan Miquelet Flintlock Rifle. Features a 56" Octagonal barrel wrapped in embossed brass. The buttstock is bone ...
Category

18th Century African Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Vintage English Telescope Walking Stick Cane Dolland 20th Century
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful vintage telescope walking stick by Dolland London, late 20th century in date. The striking stick features a chrome cap unscrewing to reveal a small telescope wit...
Category

Late 20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Chrome

1960s Coca-Cola Trade Sign 'Drugs & Soda' From WPB, Florida Clematis Street
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
1960s Coca-Cola Trade Sign: 'Drugs & Soda'  Salvaged from a pharmacy on Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, Florida  A piece of Americana history: a 1960s Coca-Cola Trade Sign advertising "Drugs & Soda," salvaged from a pharmacy on Clematis Street in West Palm Beach, Florida. This sign stands as a rare survivor, retaining its original presence and bearing the iconic Coca-Cola logo that has resonated through generations. Untouched and naturally preserved, this dual-sided sign is a testament to the golden era of soda fountain culture. Standing at an impressive 55.5 inches high, including the hanging brackets, it commands attention with its vibrant polychrome finish. The sign itself measures 45 inches high by 46 inches wide, with a depth of 8 inches. This artifact not only embodies the fusion of pharmacy and soda fountain traditions but also serves as a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era. Its presence evokes memories of simpler times when soda shops...
Category

1960s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

German WW2era 10 x 80 Binoculars, Emil Busch Binoculars, Superb Optics, 1939
By Emil Busch
Located in Canterbury, England
German WW2era 10 x 80 Binoculars: These Emil Busch Binoculars were primarily used by Luftwaffe Flak Artillery ground crews for spotting and identifyin...
Category

1930s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Givenchy Vintage Necklace with Sun Pendant, 1980s
Located in Bochum, NRW
Givenchy vintage necklace with sun pendant, France 1980s. Impressive collier made of thick double chain with an amazing sun motif pendant. In excellent preowned condition. Maker's marks, Givenchy Paris...
Category

1980s French Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Gardner's Art through the Ages Hardcover Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Gardner's Art through the Ages. by Fred S. Kleiner (Author), Christin J. Mamiya (Author), Richard G. Tansey (Author)11th Edition. In the mid 1920's a teacher at The School of the Art...
Category

Late 20th Century American Expressionist Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Dunhill Aquarium Half-Giant Table Lighter
By Ben Shillingford, Dunhill
Located in Northampton, GB
Novelty Google Eyed Fish From our Accessories collection, we are delighted to offer this Dunhill Aquarium Half-Giant Table Lighter. The Aquarium Lighter with a Silver Plated body features a lucite...
Category

1950s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Silver Plate

Cecil Beaton's Scrapbook (Book)
Located in North Yorkshire, GB
This is a very good 1st edition (second issue) of this much sought after society journal which is still in a very good dust jacket though there are one or two short closed tears and ...
Category

20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Marble Solitaire Game Hardwood Board with 34 old Glass swirl Marbles, Circa 1930
Located in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
This is a good Marble Solitaire game, having a very good hardwood board and a complete set of 34 glass swirl marbles, all dating to the first half of the 20th century. The circular ...
Category

Mid-20th Century English Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass, Hardwood

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.

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