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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Recognized Seller Listings
Cx-52 Model Swiss Cipher Machine
Located in New Orleans, LA
A triumph of ingenuity and craftsmanship, this Swiss cipher machine is a fabulous example of mechanical precision. Cipher machines are used to encrypt a...
Category

20th Century Swiss Other Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Vintage Pre-War Wind-Up Toy "Boy on Motorcycle Delivery Truck" by Marx
Located in Incline Village, NV
This brightly lithographed tin wind-up toy in colors of red, yellow, and blue, with a driver dressed in appropriate motorcycle clothing, depicts a young man driving a delivery cart with "Speed Boy Delivery" printed on each side of the wagon. The manufacturers logo is clearly marked on both sides of the stake wagon and on the right shoulder of the driver "MAR" with a circle around it and "Made in The United States of America, New York, N.Y." around the circumference (see images). The license plate number is "268", which, along with the red painted inside of the drivers arms (as it should be!) indicates this earlier version and authenticity. Nearly 100 years old, it still operates fine and, upon winding the attached wind-up key a few times and placing the toy on the ground, the motorcycle and driver move across the floor on the way to their deliveries; do not over wind. (see video attached to this listing). The toy is completely original and in very good condition, with no repairs or restorations of any kind and no touch up or repaint. The arms and steering handle bars are also original (sometimes replaced) and they have the appropriate paint and markings. This would make a welcome addition to a collection of pre-war Americana. Dimensions: 9 7/8" long x 5 7/8" wide x 5 3/4" high After 40 plus years of dealing and collecting toys, I am justly qualified to guarantee and present the authenticity of antique and vintage toys...
Category

1930s Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

2100 Metal Tubular Chairs: a Typology
Located in New York, NY
A typology of metal tubular chairs, with 2100 entries from Europe and the United States, covering the period from the mid-1920s to the late 1930s. Written and edited by Otakar Marcel in collaboration with the Vitra and Embru archives, and published in 2006 by Van Hezik-Fonds 90 Publishers. Includes work by (among many others) Gabriele Mucchi, Rene Herbst, Gilbert Rhode, Jean Royere, Josef Frank, Jacques Adnet, Alfred Altherr, Andre Arbus, Erik Gunner Asplund, BBPR, Oswaldo Borsani, Djo Bourgeois, Hin Bredendick, Marcel Breuer, Fritz August Brehaus, Jean Burkhalter, Pierre Chareau, Serge Chermayeff, Wells Coates, Hans Coray, Donald Deskey, Erich Dieckmann, Michel Dufet, Rene Gabriel, Paul Frankl, Norman Bel Geddes, Sigfried Giedion, W.H. Gispen, Jindrich Halabala, Poul Henningsen, Axel Einer Hjorth, Wolgang Hoffmann, Arne Jacobsen, Frederich Kiesler, Lajos Kozma, Paul Laszlo, Mogens Lassen, William Lescaze, Anton Lorenz, Hans Luckhardt, Robert Mallet-Stevens, Sven MNarkelius, Erich Mendelsohn, Werner Max Moser, Carlo Mollino, Bruno Munari, Eckart Muthesius, Walter von Nessen, Richard Neutra, Maxime Old, JJP Oud...
Category

Early 2000s Dutch Machine Age Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Miniature Walnut Commode
Located in Greenwich, CT
Early 19th Century walnut commode, the inlaid top with cookie corners over turned and fluted legs flanking three inlaid drawers and standing on turned turnip feet, French or Italian ...
Category

Early 19th Century Italian Directoire Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ebony, Fruitwood, Walnut, Pine

Unique Custom Made Handcrafted Designer Golf Bag in Western Motif, circa 1955
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a very unique and one of a kind item; consisting of a Custom Made Hand Crafted Leather Designer Golf Bag, in Western Motif; all hand tool and...
Category

1950s American Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Sterling Silver Citrine & Bog Oak Dirk & By-Knife & Fork Set, Highland Line
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Edinburgh in 1978 by Tony Michael Holland, trading as Highland Line, this wonderful, Sterling Silver Dirk & By-Knife & Fork Set, features a ful...
Category

1970s Scottish Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

Dutch Silver Miniature Kettle - Antique 1706
Located in Jesmond, Newcastle Upon Tyne
This exceptional, fine and impressive antique 18th century Dutch silver miniature tea kettle has a circular baluster shaped form. The body of this silver kettle is plain and unembellished, with an applied border to the upper rim. This antique silver kettle is fitted with a push fit domed cover surmounted with a cast silver baluster shaped finial. The kettle is fitted with a fine and impressive hinged cast scrolling handle. This exceptional miniature silver tea kettle features a plain cast silver swan-necked spout. The hallmarks struck to the underside of this Dutch silver kettle include: National mark: Crowned shield with three Andrew crosses (Amsterdam, minimum of .875 standard) Date letter: T (1706) Maker's mark: Untraced Such period miniature examples of this substantial gauge of silver and quality are rare to the market. Maker: Unknown Condition This 18th century kettle...
Category

Early 18th Century Dutch Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

Buchschmuck und Flachenmuster von Max Benirschke (Vol. 2 of De Quelle)
Located in New York, NY
First edition of the second volume (of three) of the renowned graphic design publication Die Quelle (the Source), deemed, along with the journal Die Flache, as among the finest examples of Secession-style graphic design. Published by M. Gerlach & Co of Vienna and Leipzig; not dated but circa 1902-1905. Buchschmuck und Flachenmuster translates to Book Decoration and Surface Design. It presents the work of Max Benirschke (1880-1961), an Austrian architect, illustrator, and designer who studied at the Kunstgewerbescule in Vienna under Josef Hoffmann and was subsequently hired by Peter Behrens in 1903 to teach at his newly founded School of Applied Arts in Dusseldorf. In 1900, Benirschke was enlisted by the famed Viennese publisher Martin Gerlach to produce a folio for Die Quelle; the result shows Benirschke “at the height of his Jugenstil period with a series of curvilinear plant motifs and patterns.” According to Austrian gallerist Michael Steinbach, the present volume is “one of the most important design portfolios...
Category

Early 1900s Austrian Vienna Secession Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Contemporary Modern Pair of White-and-Yellow 14k Gold Huggie Earrings
Located in Shippensburg, PA
CONTEMPORARY PAIR OF WHITE-AND-YELLOW 14K GOLD HUGGIE EARRINGS Item # 204EJC14P A gorgeous pair of huggie earrings executed entirely in 14 karat gold, both the yellow and white gold sides feature a beautiful brushed finish. The two halves join in the center with a hinged pivot point, opening easily to be placed on the ear. Sleek and modern, they are a perfect go-to for every-day wear. Specifications: * Composition: 14 karat yellow and white gold * Markings: 585 FB...
Category

20th Century American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold

Very Large Persian Solid Silver Huqqa Pipe
Located in London, GB
Very large Persian solid silver huqqa pipe Persian, 20th Century Height 64cm, width 51cm, depth 19cm An enormous and unique decorative piece, this Persian antique solid silver wat...
Category

20th Century Persian Islamic Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

A high Victorian burr walnut games box
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A high Victorian burr walnut games box, fitted for cribbage and bezique, also retaining its original ivory counters and beautiful gilt bronze cribbage board, with a brass plaque for ...
Category

1860s English Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Walnut

Mid-Century American Airlines Wire Plane Sculpture
Located in New York, NY
American mid-century (1960s) American Airlines wire jet plane sculpture on a square wooden base.
Category

20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Presentation silver to the Master Shipwright of Captain Cook’s Endeavour
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A George III shaped circular silver salver, plain within a shell and scrolling wave border and outer gadrooned edge, engraved with the royal coat of arms, crest and motto (period 1714-1800) of King George III and, on the reverse with a presentation inscription: For the Launching of His Majestys sloop ‘Otter’ 14 Gunns 305 Tonns 26 October 1767 & His Majestys ship ‘Egmont’ 74 Gunns 1643 Tonns 29 August 1768 by Mr Adam Hayes Master Shipwright of his Majestys yard at Deptford; further monogrammed A*H P A*M. Hallmarked for Benjamin Cartwright, London, 1769 Adam Hayes (1710-1785) began his career as ship’s carpenter in Centurion during Commodore Anson’s famous voyage around the world...
Category

1760s English George III Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

French Malachite Backgammon Board
Located in New Orleans, LA
This stunning malachite backgammon set is almost certainly one-of-a-kind. Handcrafted of malachite, gilt brass and dyed leather, the favorite household game takes a luxurious form in this exquisite objet d’art. The backgammon board is cleverly concealed by two covers featuring exceptional Russian malachite. Its green swirls are resplendently elevated by intricate acanthus leaf ornamentation. The box opens to reveal the gameboard made of perfectly cut original red, black and green leather inlay. Exceptional and functional, the backgammon board is the epitome of fine French recreation. Beyond the stunning materials and craftsmanship employed in its construction, this game set is further distinguished by its illustrious provenance. A testament to its immense beauty, exquisite craftsmanship and rarity, the backgammon board was acquired and loved by Sir Arthur and Rosalie Gilbert, among the 20th century’s most renowned philanthropists and art collectors. The couple made their fortune in the plastic, clothier and fashion industries. After retiring at the young age of 35, the couple went on to amass one of the world’s most extensive collections of fine and decorative art. The Gilberts’ collection, most of which was bequeathed to the Victoria & Albert Museum in London at their passing, celebrates some of the most astonishing items ever made, including objects crafted for Napoleon Bonaparte, Frederick the Great and William Beckford. 20th century 4" high x 14 7/8" wide x 23 1/2" deep Provenance: Private Collection of Sir Albert Gilbert...
Category

20th Century French Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Malachite, Brass

Vintage Child's Toy Tin Large Spinning Top by Chein Company, American, Ca. 1950
Located in Incline Village, NV
Highly colorful and completely operational hard to find LARGE tin child's toy spinning top made by the J. Chein Company, Harrison, New Jersey, Circa 1950. It works great and is in co...
Category

1950s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Mid-Century Modern Sterling Silver Thermometer by Tiffany & Co.
Located in New York, NY
Mid-Century Modern-Period, sterling silver thermometer in working condition, Tiffany and Company, New York, circa 1950s. Works are made by...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal, Sterling Silver

Walnut Neoclassical Style Table Cabinet with Mirrored Interior and Drawers
Located in San Francisco, CA
A very well-detailed figured walnut table cabinet in the neoclassical taste with an elaborate metal filigree door opening to reveal a beveled mirror above 2 small drawers, surmounted...
Category

Late 19th Century European Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Walnut, Mirror

San Francisco Trolley Toy Friction Car. Japan, circa 1950s
Located in Incline Village, NV
San Francisco trolley toy Friction cable car; made of all tin; important to note because this was the first of it's kind having been made in the 1950s. They were all tin (no plastic); 7 1/4" long (not shorter); green (not red or multi-clored); "Bay and Taylor St" placard; #504" and most importantly the figures are actual FIGURES made of formed pressed steel and then hand painted and lithographed. Cheaper later models were simply lithographed into the flat sheet steel. Also, my example works (see video). It is a friction toy...
Category

Mid-20th Century Japanese Folk Art Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Ardagh Chalice, an Antique Sterling Silver and Enamel Replica Dublin 1914
Located in London, London
The Ardagh Chalice is considered to be one of the greatest treasures of the early Irish Church, and one of the finest known works of Insular art. It is thought to have been made in the 8th Century AD, and was discovered in 1868 by Jim Quin & Paddy Flanagan just outside the village of Ardagh in County Limerick, Ireland. Hallmarked in Dublin in 1914 by West & Son, this handsome, Antique Sterling Silver Replica of the Ardagh Chalice, is decorated with Celtic bands...
Category

1910s Irish Medieval Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

"Komikal Kop" Tin Wind-Up Toy by Louis Marx Co., circa 1930
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is the more rare and desirable variation of this toy, with the dog riding "shotgun", sitting on the running board of the auto. The tin lithographed and hand painted wind-up toy by the Louis Marx Company of New York City, circa 1930, was undoubtedly influenced by Mack Sennett's Keystone Kops series featured in silent films. The toy portrays a New York City policeman, seated behind the steering wheel of a car with his dog by his side on the running board; driving erratically; forward and backwards, left and right; doing "popping wheelies", while spinning his head around in utter confusion attempting to negotiate traffic. The toy works great; just as it did when new, (see the attached 40 second movie with the listing). Simply wind up the fixed clockwork key in place a few times (do not over-wind) and watch the action described above. This "Komikal Kop...
Category

1930s Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Superstudio, Life Without Objects
Located in New York, NY
First edition of this scholarly study of the influential Florentine avant-garde architectural collective Superstudio, a driving force in the Radical architecture and design movement ...
Category

Early 2000s Italian Post-Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique English Edwardian Sterling Silver & Crystal Match Strike
Located in New York, NY
English Edwardian crystal match strike with sterling silver mount. Globular with fine ribbing. Central well has flat and plain sterling silver collar. Crystal clear. Fully marked inc...
Category

Early 20th Century English Edwardian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Crystal, Sterling Silver

Rare Very Large Edwardian Sterling Silver-Mounted Threaded Crystal Match Striker
Located in New York, NY
Rare, unusual, very, very large sterling silver-mounted threaded crystal match striker, London, England, year-hallmarked for 1905, Stuart Clifford/S. Clifford and Co. - makers. The s...
Category

Early 1900s English Edwardian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Crystal, Sterling Silver

A black oak snuff box made from timber recovered from H.M.S. Boyne, sunk 1795, r
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A black oak snuff box made from timber recovered from H.M.S. Boyne, sunk 1795, raised 1833, of circular form with turned lid and base, the lid with printed description of Boyne’s car...
Category

1830s English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Oak

Moderno, Design for Living in Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela, 1940-1978
Located in New York, NY
Catalog of a traveling exhibition opening at the America’s Society in New York in 2015. Published by Santillana. 4to, hardcover, 280 pages, with both full color and b/w illustrations, including a section of plates dedicated to the exhibit. With incisive essays by Gabriela Rangel, Jorge Rivas Perez, Lourdes Blanco, Ana Elena Mallet, Christina L. De Leon, Maria Cecilia Loschiavo Dos Santos, and Luis Canstaneda, along with historical texts by Clara Porset, Lina Bo Bardi and others, plus designer biographies. An important contribution to the understanding of Latin American postwar modernism...
Category

2010s Mexican Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

O. Henry 'William Sydney Porter' Complete Works in 13 Leatherbound Volumes
Located in San Francisco, CA
Henry, O. (William Sydney Porter). Published by Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc. Thirteen volumes, small octavo, blue three-quarter morocco and cloth boards, raised bands, gilt toole...
Category

1920s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Paper

The Impossible Collection of Wine
Located in NEW YORK, NY
In this stunning addition to the Assouline Ultimate Collection, Enrico Bernardo, the world’s best sommelier, imagines the perfect cellar filled with the most exceptional wines of the twentieth century: The Impossible Collection of Wine...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

English Victorian Style Ebony and Bone Cane
Located in New York, NY
English Victorian cane with rotating bone spindles and ebony octagonal handle.
Category

Late 19th Century Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ebony

Mechanical Bank "Child's Clock Bank" Japan, circa 1950s
By Marusan
Located in Incline Village, NV
A unique and quite scarce bank, made in Japan by the Marusan Company for the American market in the 1950's; this all tin bank is known as (according to the gr...
Category

1950s Japanese Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Ibiza Bohemia
Located in NEW YORK, NY
From roaring nightlife to peaceful yoga retreats, Ibiza’s hippie-chic atmosphere is its hallmark. This quintessential Mediterranean hot spot has served as an escape for artists, creatives, and musicians alike for decades. It is a place to reinvent oneself, to walk the fine line between civilization and wilderness, and to discover bliss. Ibiza Bohemia...
Category

2010s American Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Linen

Victorian Antique Sterling Silver Snuff Box, Birmingham 1836, Engraved
Located in London, London
Hallmarked in Birmingham in 1836 by Edwin Jones, this handsome, Antique Sterling Silver Snuff Box, features a cast and applied border to the lid, engine turn...
Category

1830s English William IV Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Sterling Silver

English Victorian Monkey Head Cane
Located in New York, NY
English Victorian walking cane with light wood shaft and handle carved as monkey head with metal alloy collar stamped 995.
Category

Late 19th Century British Victorian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Works of Alexander Pope Leatherbound in 9 Volumes Published 1757
Located in San Francisco, CA
A handsome set of the works of Alexander Pope (1688-1744) the famous English satirist and poet. Pope suffered various health issues throughout his life but with a fierce spirit and work ethic managed to produce a large volume of significant work. The volumes appear to retain their original full calf...
Category

Mid-18th Century English Georgian Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Paper

Vintage German 18k Yellow Gold Woven Byzantine Necklace
Located in Shippensburg, PA
VINTAGE 18K YELLOW GOLD "BYZANTINE" NECKLACE Stamped "18k GERMANY" 15 1/2" wearable length Item # C104247 A beautifully executed "Byzantine" twist necklace executed entirely in 18...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary German Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold

Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Located in New York, NY
Important and lavishly produced survey of postwar California domestic architecture, written by Frank Lloyd Wright-trained California architect Herbert Weisskamp and published by Abrams in 1964. First edition, oblong 4to (10.25” x 7.25”) hardcover with pictorial dust jacket, 4 full color photos, 314 black-and-white photos (3/4 of them by Julius Schulman), plus 113 b/w plans, drawings, and elevations. Showcases the work of the following architects and landscape designers: Raphael Soriano, Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mark Mills, Aaron Green...
Category

1960s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Saara Hopea-Untracht: Life and Work
Located in New York, NY
Monograph on renowned and prolific mid-century Finnish designer Saara Hopea-Untracht, written by her husband, the American metalsmith, educator, and writer...
Category

1980s Finnish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Basket Weave Design 18k Gold Cigarette Box
Located in London, GB
Basket weave design 18k gold cigarette box Continental, Early 20th century Height 1.5cm, width 9cm, depth 6.5cm This elegant cigarette box...
Category

Early 20th Century European Belle Époque Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold

Important Book 'Seigneurs et Princes de Monaco' by S.E René Novella and Philip R
Located in London, GB
Important book 'Seigneurs et Princes de Monaco' by S.E René Novella and Philip Reder French, Late 20th century Book: height 6.5cm, width 30cm, depth 38cm Case: height 9.5cm, width 34cm, depth 40cm Beautifully decorated in the style reminiscent of Medieval illuminated manuscripts, the book describes the history of Lords and Princes of Monaco. Written by S.E René Novella and illustrated by Philip Reder in the late 20th century, it was manufactured using traditional bookmaking techniques by Arts et Couleurs. Intricate colour border detailing adorns the pages of this publication, with a colour palette of various shades of green, blue, and red predominating. The names of lords and kings are further decorated with ornate borders, including motifs such as a crown, and the text includes ornate, coloured lettering. A luxurious red satin case with a red leather spine protects the book which comes with a certificate of authenticity. A collection of red lacquer illustrations depicting various arches is part of the publication. Red leather was used for the cover of the book and is decorated with gold and black debossed patterns. Only 150 copies were made with the book in Mayfair Gallery...
Category

Late 20th Century French Medieval Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather, Satin, Paper

Victorian Half Hull Model of the Three Masted Sailing Ship ‘Elizabeth’
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Victorian half hull model of the three masted sailing ship ‘Elizabeth’, shown facing right, the shaped soft wood hull with black painted top sides and applied shear line and gunwal...
Category

Late 19th Century English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

Grouping of 1940s Toy Robot Molds
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Graphic collection of assorted steel spacemen and robot molds from the 1940s.
Category

1930s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

Mechanical Bank "Fishing Bears" Battery Operated with Original Box, circa 1950s
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a later (1950's), albeit often overlooked and important mechanical bank that is quite rare, and highly sought after by collectors. Iconic bank collector F.H. Griffith wrote a...
Category

1950s Japanese Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Edward Wormley Exhibition Catalog
Located in New York, NY
76-page catalog from the exhibition "Edward Wormley: The Other Face of Modernism," held at the Lin Weinberg Gallery in 1997. The exhibit helped re-introduce Wormley's work to the mar...
Category

1990s American Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Swiss Nema Cipher Machine
Located in New Orleans, LA
This Swiss-engineered cipher machine is a fascinating piece of 20th-century military and engineering history, and this particular example is one of the ...
Category

20th Century Swiss Other Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

English Renaissance Style Novelty Shield
Located in New York, NY
English Renaissance style (20th Century) miniature shield shaped coat of arms wall plaque with metal spears and armor on brown velvet backing.
Category

20th Century Renaissance Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Kay Bojesen, Toy or Decorative Sculpture, Teak, Denmark, 1950s
Located in High Point, NC
A teak toy or animal sculpture designed by Kay Bojesen, Denmark, 1950s. Dimensions variable, measured as illustrated in first image.
Category

1950s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Teak

Lacquered Edwardian Style Novelty Faux Book Spine Waste Paper Basket
Located in London, GB
A lacquered Edwardian style novelty faux book spine waste paper basket English, 20th century Height 22cm, diameter 23cm This quirky and curious piece is a English, early 20th ce...
Category

Early 20th Century English Edwardian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Resin, Wood, Lacquer

Swiss Gold and Enamel Telescope
Located in New Orleans, LA
Scientifically advanced and exquisitely crafted, this rare 19th-century gold and enamel Swiss telescope is an item of exceptional luxury. The Swiss cre...
Category

19th Century European Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Gold, Enamel

#11/99 Limited Edition by A$AP Rocky GUFRAMINI X HOMMEMADE Shroom Cactus Mini
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Limited edition #11/99 Gufram presents the miniaturised version of the Shroom CACTUS® created in collaboration with A$AP Rocky and the artist’s new design studio HOMMEMADE Exactly a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Other

DS-2878 Boxing Handstitched Leather Punching Bag by De Sede
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Leather punching bag DS-2878/60 by De Sede. Matching to the re-edition of the DS-2878, De Sede boxing fans can get their hands on a very special a...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Swiss Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

George III Gallery Magnifying Glass
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A George III gallery magnifying glass, the circular glass within a mahogany frame, the baluster handle screwing into a brass bracket in the rim, the handle with a brass collar. Engli...
Category

19th Century English George III Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Mahogany

Jacques Jarrige
Located in New York, NY
ISBN 979-8-9853078-0-1 Art book 328 pages This mid-career survey of the works of Jacques Jarrige marks the 12th anniversary of my fruitful collaboration with him. At the heart of...
Category

2010s Italian Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Coronation of King George vi and Queen Elizabeth Glass Tankard
Located in New Orleans, LA
Intricate engravings symbolic of the English monarchy decorate this limited edition glass tankard commemorating the 1937 coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. On one side...
Category

20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass

19th Century Diorama of Sailing Ship ‘Eleanor’
Located in Dublin 8, IE
19th Century diorama of the sailing ship ‘Eleanor’ in original glazed case. Painted antique shadowbox diorama of a three-masthead clipper ship alo...
Category

19th Century Folk Art Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass, Wood

Facendo Mobili Con Poltrona
Located in New York, NY
Second edition of this compendium of radical and post-modern design produced by the Tuscan-based firm Poltronova from its early collaborations with Ettore Sottsass, who became Art Director in 1958, through the heyday of 1960’s anti-design and to the mid-1970s. Features work by both Old Guard masters and emerging leaders of the Radical Movement including (in addition to Sottsass) Archizoom, Superstudio, Sergio Asti, Gae Aulenti, Angelo Mangiarotti, Allesandro Mendini, Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Gianni Ruffi, Giovanni Michelucchi, Gianfranco Fini, Mario Ceroli, Ugo Nespolo, Roberto Barni, Paolo Portoghesi, Gino Marotta, and the group De Pas, D’Urbino, and Lomazzi. Written by Pier Carlo Santini and published by Artigraf Edizioni in 1996, following its initial run in 1977. 4to, 181 pages with text in Italian; stiff printed wraps with printed brown paper dust jacket. Fully illustrated, primarily in black-and-white. Includes artist biographies. A scarce and significant resource chronicling the contribution of this avant-garde design firm. A crisp, collectible copy with only minor bumping to the dust jacket and extremities. From the estate of design guru Jim Walrod...
Category

1990s Italian Mid-Century Modern Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II Commemorative Glass
Located in New Orleans, LA
This engraved glass was crafted to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Sixteen years following the coronation of her father, King George VI, the official coronation of Queen Elizabeth II represented a fascinating mix of tradition and modernity. Held at Westminster Abbey, it was the first official celebration of its kind ever to be televised — approximately 27 million people in the United Kingdom alone tuned in to watch their new Queen don her crown for the first time. Considering the widespread popularity of the event, commemorative objects such as this became highly desirable, as people around the world sought remembrances of the joyous occasion. This glass is an exceptional example of its type that remains in excellent condition. One side reads "The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 1953," while the other displays the initials "ER II...
Category

20th Century English Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass

Set of (7) Child's Lithographed Alphabet Nesting Blocks, American, Circa 1910
Located in Incline Village, NV
This is a larger set of colorful early 1900's lithographed blocks (seven blocks versus 5 blocks). Considered an early learning device, these turn of the century alphabet blocks...
Category

1910s American Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

PH180 Bow Grand Piano in Macassar Wood with Brass, Art-Case Piano
Located in Copenhagen, DK
- All prices are listed ex works. - 5 year guarantee. - We regularly crate, ship and install PH Pianos worldwide with full insurance. Inside and Out, A Masterful Work of Art This PH Bow Grand Piano Curated Edition is an exquisite instrument and sculptural art case piano, featuring Macassar Wood casing with a high gloss finish, with polished brass metal trim. Inside the beautiful case lies the highest-quality, hand-selected piano action. Design Legacy and Skilled Craftsmanship The iconic Danish designer Poul Henningsen designed the PH Bow Grand Piano in...
Category

2010s Danish Art Deco Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Victorian Half Hull Model of a 3 Masted English Schooner
Located in Lymington, Hampshire
A Victorian half hull model of a 3 masted English schooner, shown facing left, the shaped soft wood hull with black painted top sides and applied wood toe rail and gunwales, the bow ...
Category

1870s English Antique Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

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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