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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: 21st Century and Contemporary
Period: Early 20th Century
The Story of Art (2024) Luxury Edition
Located in New York, NY
Exquisite cloth-bound edition of the classic art-history text – the ideal gift for every art connoisseur and student For more than 70 years Sir Ernst Gombrich’s The Story of Art has...
Category

2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Off With Their Heads (Or Just the Cigar Tips): Brass Guillotine Cutter
Located in New York, NY
**Early 20th-Century Brass Guillotine Cigar Cutter** Why settle for a boring cigar cutter when you can channel the drama of the French Revolution every time you light up? This early 20th-century brass guillotine cigar cutter, crafted by masterful French artisans, brings a touch of history and a whole lot of flair to your smoking ritual. Featuring a miniature guillotine...
Category

Early 20th Century French Louis XVI Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

French Wooden and Iron Cheese Press, circa 1900
Located in Atlanta, GA
Having a double trestle base and a threaded press, the surface with a raised edge and a drain spout.
Category

Early 1900s French Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Stellar Aircraft Engine with Propeller Wall Decoration
Located in Paris, FR
Wall decoration stellar aircraft engine with propeller with Jacobs aircraft engine. From Italy. Handcrafted chrome engine, exceptional art work on air...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Sebastião Salgado, Amazônia, Photography Book
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Hardcover Photography book, 14.1 x 10.2 in., 9.21 lb, 528 pages. For six years Sebastião Salgado traveled the Brazilian Amazon and photographed th...
Category

2010s European Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Botticelli
Located in New York, NY
Celebrates one of the greatest and most beloved painters of the Early Renaissance with luxurious, large-format images Sandro Botticelli, one of the greatest painters of the Italia...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

"Art =" Book
Located in New York, NY
A fresh and unconventional approach to exploring 6,000 years of art history through 800 masterpieces from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Featuring more than 800 artworks from the ...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Wooden Shoe Forms c.1920-Multiple Sets Available
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT Price is per collection. 4 collections available. (1st set, image #1 has sold) Please specify which set to purchase. Decorative only. Original cobbler's wooden shoe forms. S...
Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Maple

11x World Champion Kelly Slater personal surfboard used in competitions
Located in Haleiwa, HI
11X World Champion Kelly Slater personal surfboard used on the world tour of surfing. Shaped in 2005 by the renowned Al Merrick. This surfboard represents a significant piece of worl...
Category

Early 2000s American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Fiberglass, Foam, Softwood

Leather Cigar Case With Silver Mount
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Antique Louis Blumfield Faux Crocodile Leather Cigar Case With Silver Mount. A high-quality faux crocodile leather Victorian cigar case with silver mount. The mount with silver hallm...
Category

Early 20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Stephen HAWKING. My Brief History. 1ST ED - WITH HIS BLACK INK THUMB PRINT !
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: HAWKING, Stephen. TITLE: My Brief History. A Memoir. PUBLISHER: London: Bantam Press, 2013. DESCRIPTION: FIRST LONDON EDITION FIRST PRINTING BEARING THE BLACK INK THUMB P...
Category

2010s English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Rare Cigar Striker Bergman Style Cold Painted Art Deco Arabian Carpet Trader
Located in Reading, Berkshire
An Unusal Cigar Striker In The Franz Xaver Bergman Style Art Deco Cold Painted Vienna Bronze, Arabian Carpet Trader With Camel Mounted on a Black Glaze...
Category

Early 20th Century Austrian Art Nouveau Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Spelter

The Magnapole 1920s brass nautical travel surveying compass
Located in Milan, IT
Brass travel nautical surveying compass circa 1920, complete with original leather case, signed The Magnapole Patent 22598. Small compass used away from magnetic fields to verify the...
Category

1920s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Otterburn Chess Set, Board & Box — Solid Hand-Patinated Brass and Walnut
Located in Washington, GB
A special chess set in solid, hand-patinated brass and walnut. Handcrafted in the North to order. Available in a range of materials and finishes, Otterburn can truly be customized an...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary British Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Stone, Limestone, Marble, Carrara Marble, Slate, Copper, Stainless Steel...

LAMB, Charles & Mary. Tales From Shakespeare. LIMITED EDITION SIGNED BY RACKHAM!
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: LAMB, Charles and Mary (Arthur Rackham). TITLE: Tales From Shakespeare. PUBLISHER: London: J. M. Dent & Co., 1909. DESCRIPTION: LIMITED EDITION SIGNED BY RACKHAM. 1 vols....
Category

Early 1900s British Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Princess Mary Box, WWI Era, Christmas, 1914
Located in Austin, TX
An authentic WWI-era Princess Mary box of brass. A stamped brass box, circa 1914, given as a thank you gift to all commissioned British troops at ...
Category

1910s English Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Metal

House of a Lifetime: A Collector’s Journey in Tangier
Located in New York, NY
Author Umberto Pasti and Ngoc Minh Ngo, Foreword by Madison COX A photographic tour of an exceptional villa in Tangier with a special focus of its museum-worthy collections of Morrocan artworks...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Atlas of Brutalist Architecture
Located in New York, NY
This is the only book to thoroughly document the world's finest examples of Brutalist architecture. More than 850 buildings - existing and demolished, Classic and contemporary - are organized geographically into nine continental regions. 878 Buildings, 798 Architects, 102 Countries, 9 World Regions, 1 Style BRUTALISM Presented in an oversized format with a specially bound case with three-dimensional finishes, 1000 beautiful duotone photographs throughout bring the graphic strength, emotional power, and compelling architectural presence of Brutalism to life. From 20th century masters to contemporary architects, much-loved masterpieces in the UK and USA sit alongside lesser-known examples in Europe, Asia, Australia, and beyond - 102 countries in all. 20th century masters included in the book: Marcel Breuer, Lina Bo Bardi, Le Corbusier, Carlo Scarpa, Ernö Goldfinger, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn, Oscar Niemeyer, and Paul Rudolph. Contemporary architects featured include Peter Zumthor...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Curiosity Cabinet Naturalism Collection of Shell circa 1900
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Shell

Art in Vienna 1898-1918, 4th Edition Book
Located in New York, NY
The rebel artists of Vienna overwhelmed the artistic establishment of Europe at the end of the 19th century, having seceded from the traditional Viennese institutions of Fine art and named themselves the Vienna Secession. Their works shocked a conservative public, but their daring sensibilities and dedication to the applied arts and architecture soon brought them an enthusiastic following and wealthy patronage. The boldly modernist paintings of Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Oskar Kokoschka and others were matched by the buildings and applied designs of architects such as Joseph Maria Olbrich, who created the Secession Building as an architectural manifesto for the group. This Classic book, now updated and with additional colour illustrations and a completely new introductory chapter, brilliantly traces the course of this influential artistic movement. Contents and sections: Introduction Vienna 1900 Secession The Beginnings The First Exhibition The Dedication of the House: Second Exhibition Ver Sacrum III–VI Exhibitions The ‘Klimt Affair’ – The University Paintings Exhibitions 1900–1902 Beethoven 1902 XVI–XVIII Exhibitions, 1903 The Split within the Secession Architecture and the Applied Arts The Ringstrasse and the Architecture of Historicisim Otto Wagner, 1841–1918 Joseph Maria Olbrich, 1867–1908 Josef Hoffmann, 1870–1956 The Wiener Werkstätte Palais Stoclet – The Stoclet Frieze Kabarett Fledermaus Alfred Roller, 1864–1935 Hoffmann’s Later Work Adolf Loos, 1870–1933 Kunstschau 1908–1909: The Early Work of Kokoschka and Schiele Kunstschau 1908 Oskar Kokoschka, 1886–1980 Richard Gerstl...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

A Family of Trees
Located in New York, NY
A read-aloud, poetic introduction to forests for children aged 2-4 that, when unfolded, creates a forest-scape that is as long as a king-size bed! In this first book of forests for ...
Category

2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Bluesky Backgammon
Located in Paris, FR
Backgammon Bluesky with genuine grained leather and with upholstered padding and lining in dinamica microfiber. With details in solid polished brass in nickel-plated. Bottom feet in solid polished brass in nickel plated. Backgammon including 1 doubling dice...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Nickel

Set of 8 Mini Pigs Earthenware Pottery Tea Pets Paperweights
Located in Somis, CA
Set of 8 adorable earthenware piggies. Hand crafted depicting happy countenance. Various colors. These cute pieces can be used as paperweights and tea pets.
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Earthenware, Pottery

Stunning Santa Claus Belsnickel Candy Container, Antique German Christmas 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
This antique Santa Claus candy container made of Paper mache, composition, cardboard, felting, goose feather tree and a bunny fur beard was made in...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Composition

Rare Singer Model 24 Chain Stitch Small Sewing Machine
Located in Guaynabo, PR
This is a rare Singer Model 24 chain stitch small sewing machine. Its background is painted black and adorned with red and white foliages decal. A gold color ...
Category

Early 20th Century American Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Extremely Rare Antique Solid Brass Maritime Ships Porthole Storm Cover Window
Located in Dayton, OH
Extremely unique original antique heavy solid brass maritime Ship's Porthole or Hatch. A rare find with storm door, swing plate and barking plate. Its very ...
Category

Early 20th Century Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Navy Binoculars
Located in Paris, FR
Binoculars Navy with polished steel adjustable tripod base. With polished aluminium and steel binoculars with clear glass lens, magnifying x8 times. Adjust...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Indian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Aluminum, Steel

Cartier Paris Londres New York Red Jewelry Book Hardcover Small Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Cartier Red Jewelry Book English Edition Hardcover Small Book. 80 pages of beautiful iconic jewelry and the history of Cartier. In good condition showing only minor wear on cover. In...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary French Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1920's Art Deco Black Porcelain Electronic "Tilt to Light" Lighter
Located in Van Nuys, CA
This lighter would likely have a sleek and elegant design, indicative of the Art Deco style popular during the 1920s. This black Porcelain lighter has clean lines, geometric shapes, ...
Category

1920s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Porcelain

Gardener's Garden Inspiration Across Continents and Centuries
Located in New York, NY
With more than 1,000 images and descriptive texts, this is the ultimate celebration of the world’s most gorgeous gardens – now available with a stunning fuchsia pink cover This internationally bestselling inspirational resource for garden lovers and designers is now reissued with a gorgeous new cover – bringing the book’s winning blend of authority and visual appeal to a new audience. The Gardener’s Garden...
Category

2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Early 20th Century Mexican Foosball Table with Metal Players, circa 1940
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT An early 20th c. wooden foosball table top with distressed, painted metal Mexican soccer players, rubber handles and metal "Gebar" branded ashtrays on each end. Original paint...
Category

Early 20th Century Mexican Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

English Pond Yacht Wooden Ship Model
Located in Kastrup, DK
Large elegant wooden pond yacht model. High quality, hand-built. Hull made in mahogany, deck in maple wood. Very decorative and beautifully exec...
Category

Early 20th Century English Other Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Mahogany, Maple

Antique Pocket Field Microscope, English, Brass, Instrument, Edwardian, C.1910
Located in Hele, Devon, GB
This is an antique scientist's field microscope. An English, brass, pocket instrument, dating to the Edwardian period, circa 1910. Appealing brass ...
Category

Early 20th Century British Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Catalogue of English Furniture and Woodwork, Vol. III & Vol IV, 1st Ed
Located in valatie, NY
Catalogue of English Furniture and Woodwork, Vol. III and IV. Vol III, Late Stuart to Queen Anne by Oliver Brackett. Pair of 1st Ed hardcovers. Published by Victoria and Albert Museu...
Category

Early 20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Partners in Design
Located in New York, NY
The 1920s and 1930s saw the birth of modernism in the United States, a new aesthetic, based on the principles of the Bauhaus in Germany: its merging of architecture with fine and app...
Category

2010s Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Curiosity Cabinet Naturalism Collection of Shell circa 1900
Located in Beuzevillette, FR
Very interesting set of shells collected by an amateur between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The shells are classified by size and age either in ...
Category

Early 20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Shell

Luxury Exotic Wood and Bronze Dugout by William Stuart for Costantini Design
Located in New York, NY
Luxury Exotic Wood and Bronze Dugout by William Stuart for Costantini Design 3.75" H x 1.75 W x 0.5" D Costantini founder William Stuart has bough...
Category

2010s Argentine Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

Born to Party, Forced to Work, 21st Century Hospitality by Bronson van Wyck
Located in New York, NY
The internationally acclaimed event producer shows his ideas and inspiration for ultimate and intimate celebrations What defines a truly great party? Most of all: generosity of spi...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

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

Collection 1900s Edwardian Miniature Tin Toys Farm Animals People and Park Trees
Located in Haarlem, NL
Large collection of tin 1900s Edwardian miniature toy figures. A few tin houses a shed, gazebo's, flower arches, lots of trees and shrubs. Dovecote, pretty fences, a bench, a parrot tree, a birdcage, a plant Stand, a fountain, farm animals and lots of human figures in Edwardian clothing about: 29 trees (trees shrubs, palmtrees) 11 decorative fences 2 arches 18 figures (girl with dog, a couple, lady with...
Category

Early 20th Century British Edwardian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Tin

James Bond. Dr. No. Limited Edition Collector's Book.
Located in Los Angeles, CA
When the cinematic Bond was born. The most complete account of the making of the first James Bond film, Dr. No (1962). “Bond, James Bond.” Since Sean Connery uttered those immortal...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Industrial Era Post Office Box Tower
Located in Bridgeport, CT
A tall narrow oak tower fitted with 14 boxes with metal plaques on the doors and monogram US, each with two combination locks for security and glass panels. Open backs for the postal...
Category

Early 20th Century Industrial Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Bibendum Michelin Man Bronze Car Mascot, Hood Ornament, Automobilia
By Michelin Man
Located in Buenos Aires, Olivos
This is a highly collectible Bibendum Michelin Man bronze car mascot, Hood Ornament, Mascotte voiture. It´s approximate 4 inch tall depiction of ...
Category

Early 1900s French Art Nouveau Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Bronze

Gregory Colbert Photograph Ashes and Snow Selected Works Santa Monica Exhibition
By Gregory Colbert
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Gregory Colbert Photographs, Ashes and Snow Selected Works, 1992-2005. Ashes and Snow by Gregory Colbert Santa Monica Exhibition Catalogue 2006. Photographs: Gregory Colbert. Publish...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Expressionist Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Parchment Paper

RONSON England 1929 Art Deco RonDeLight Table Lighter In Steel And Leather
Located in Miami, FL
A ball table-desk lighter designed by Ronson. Very beautiful and extremely rare RonDeLight desk lighter, created in England by The Ronson Lighter Co. during the art deco period, bac...
Category

1920s English Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel, Chrome

Set of three Mexican Retablos "Exvotos"
Located in Mexico City, CDMX
We offer this Set of three Mexican Retablos "Exvotos". The three pieces are prints with a finish that makes them look old.
Category

2010s Mexican Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Pair of Wooden Replicas of the Stone Throne from the Minoan Palace at Knossos
Located in New York, NY
An extremely rare pair of hand-crafted wooden replicas of the famous stone throne from the Minoan Palace at Knossos, Crete. The original artifact dates...
Category

Early 20th Century Other Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Oak

Early 20th Century Shield, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
Located in Point Richmond, CA
Early 20th Century Shield, Wahgi Valley, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea This large, post contact, shield is traditionally decorated in bold colors with a central circle. This ...
Category

Early 20th Century Papua New Guinean Other Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Enamel, Wire

Gio Ponti, First Edition Book
Located in Los Angeles, CA
To study Gio Ponti’s prolific body of work is to appreciate the clear, unifying vision behind a complex creative universe. His creations expand intuitively with the Italian grandeur ...
Category

2010s Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Reflections of Paradise The Gardens of Fernando Caruncho
Located in New York, NY
Written by Gordon Taylor The much-anticipated comprehensive survey of one of the world's most acclaimed landscape garden designers, famous for his extraordinarily sophisticated use of light and geometry in nature. Spanish landscape designer Fernando Caruncho has spent over four decades impressing the world with his breathtaking garden designs, which create a perfect union of architectural design within nature. His sources of inspiration are as diverse as Islamic design, Zen Buddhism, and European Classicism, and the control of light, geometrical scale, and use of local materials are key principles of his design approach. In this book, Caruncho personally curates a selection of twenty-six of his international garden projects ranging from private residences to large agricultural estates and public spaces, including a vineyard in Italy, a private garden in Biarritz, France, and an expansive estate in New Jersey. Caruncho gives readers a glimpse at his creative thought process through inspirational images...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Sturdy Gothic Revival Hand Carved Oak Coffee Table or Side Table w. Great Patina
Located in Lisse, NL
Stunning antique Gothic design, coffee or side table. This wonderfully bulky table really is of an impressive quality make and it also is practical in size. It comes with deep and b...
Category

Early 20th Century European Gothic Revival Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Oak

Sothebys 2007 The Alberto Bruni Tedeschi Collection
Located in valatie, NY
Sothebys 2007 The Alberto Bruni Tedeschi Collection. Sotheby's, Milano, 2007. Soft cover. To Benefit the Virginio Bruni Tedeschi Foundation. Containing ...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Where Chefs Eat Book - A Guide to Chefs' Favorite Restaurants
Located in New York, NY
Eat around the world with 650 of the world's best chefs. Wherever you are, you’ll never miss the best local diner for breakfast, the best restaurant for a business dinner, or the best place for a late night snack - and everything in between. This all-new, completely revised, third edition of the global restaurant guidebook that has sold more than 250,000 copies features more than 7,000 recommendations for more than 4,500 restaurants in more than 70 countries. Wherever you are, you'll never miss the best local diner for breakfast, the best restaurant for a business dinner, or the best place for a late night snack – and everything in-between. With city maps, key information, reviews and recommendations from the chefs themselves, this is the guide for savvy restaurant-goers and armchair foodies in major cities and towns worldwide. Where: With recommendations in more than 70 countries - from the United States to Buenos Aires from Ireland to Estonia from Greece to South Africa, discover the best eateries for your destination. Chefs: Find out where and what the world's best chefs eat including: Jason Atherton, Shannon Bennett, Helena Rizzo, Stephen Harris, Yotam Ottolenghi, Yoshihiro Narisawa, and hundreds more. Eat: From breakfast to late night, bargain to high end - discover the best places to eat for just the right occasion. Joe Warwick is a London-based food writer and critic who started the World's 50 Best...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary European Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique Gamewell Cast Iron Fire Alarm Station Radio Telegraph Box 17"
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Gamewell Co wall hanging cast iron fire alarm box. #2462, from Dayton Ohio. Dimensions: 12.5" x 6" x 16.75" (Width x Depth x Height)
Category

1910s American American Classical Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Iron

Anni & Josef Albers Equal and Unequal Book
Located in New York, NY
A spectacular and unprecedented visual biography of the leading pioneers and protagonists of modern art and design Josef - painter, designer, and teacher - and Anni Albers - textile...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Chinese Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Gents Hunting Flask In Leather Case
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Vintage Conical Glass Hunting Saddle Flask. A beautiful unusual hunting flask, conical shape with plated top and bayonet fitting, contained in leather saddle case. The saddle flask's...
Category

Early 20th Century English Victorian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Glass

Carroll, Rackham, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Limited Edition, 1907
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: DODGSON, Charles L. (Lewis Carroll) (Arthur Rackham). TITLE: Alice's Adventures In Wonderland. PUBLISHER: London: William Heinemann, 1907. DESCRIPTION: LIMITED EDIT...
Category

Early 1900s Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Water Buffalo Horn Mount, Africa, Early 20th Century
Located in Atlanta, GA
the partial skull reinforced by concrete, having a shield-form backplate
Category

Early 20th Century African Collectibles and Curiosities

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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