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Collectibles and Curiosities For Sale
Period: 1950s
Period: 1910s
Decorative Sculpture of a Goddess Holding a Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Located in Milano, IT
Coming from the house of an Italian WW2 Veteran, the present object is a decorative desk sculpture representing a goddess, possibly Minerva, holding in her hand a faithful reproducti...
Category

1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Abstract Mid-Century Ceramic Cross
Located in Chicago, IL
This mid-century modern ceramic cross is an exemplary piece of European studio pottery that displays the innovative and abstract artistry of the period...
Category

1950s European Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic

Mid-Century Rhinestone Spray Earrings By Kramer of New York
Located in Asheville, NC
A wonderful pair of Rhinestone Earings most likely made in the 1950's. They are signed "Kramer" for Kramer of New York. The firm was located on 5th Avenue in New York City until they...
Category

1950s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Wiener Werkstaette Arts And Crafts, Beaded Bag, by Maria Likarz-Strauss, c 1919
By Maria Likarz, Wiener Werkstätte
Located in Vienna, AT
Exceptional, rare pouch bag with abstract bead embroidery in bright orange, beige, dark brown and white, crocheted at the upper edge, cords as drawstrings with olive-shaped wooden be...
Category

1910s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Animal Skin, Goatskin, Silk, Beads

Vintage "Masuyama" Lehman Wind-Up Toy. German, Circa 1913 Rare
Located in Incline Village, NV
Early 1900's German hand painted and lithographed tin wind-up toy, by premier tin and whimsical toy maker, Ernest Paul Lehman, circa 1913. This charming and unique toy portrays a Ja...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Tin

Traditional Religious Plaster Figure: Virgin of Timeless Elegance
Located in Barcelona, ES
Behold the grace and elegance of this traditional religious plaster figure, depicting the Virgin with timeless beauty. Crafted in a traditional Catalan atelier in Olot, Spain, circa ...
Category

1950s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plaster

1951 Steinway Walnut Model M Baby Grand Piano 5'7" 334664
Located in Long Branch, NJ
This Steinway was made in 1951 and is in very clean! The soundboard is in excellent shape and the piano has a nice sound to it! The case is also in very good vintage condition! The k...
Category

1950s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Walnut

Silver Statue of a Knight on Horseback, 800 Silver, Italy
Located in Chorzów, PL
This figure from Italy from the second half of the 20th century and shows a knight on horseback Silver test: 800 Weight: 1939.40 g Designation: LAVORATO A MANO...
Category

1950s Italian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver

"Alraune", Original German Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original German movie poster for the silent 1919 horror film. The film tells the story of a woman who is forced to mate with a mandrake root, prod...
Category

1910s German Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Large-Scale Brass Biplane World War I Airplane Aviation Model
Located in Atlanta, GA
This stunning WWI-era biplane brass airplane was hand-crafted in the 1950s. It is a large-scale airplane model with intricate details and looks great hung from a ceiling or displayed...
Category

1950s French Art Nouveau Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Rhodes, James Ford, History of the United States, 7 Vols, in a Fine Binding
Located in Hillsborough, NJ
AUTHOR: RHODES, James Ford. TITLE: History Of The United States From The Compromise of 1850 To The Final Restoration Of Home Rule At The South In 1877. PUBLISHER: NY: The Macm...
Category

1910s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Leather

Rare Big Adjustable Gymnastic Leather Pommel Horse, 1950s
Located in Praha, CZ
- completely good and original condition with minor damages - Czechoslovakia, around 1950s - adjustable height.   
Category

1950s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

Bronze and Bamboo Handle Flower Pot Cactus Gardening Tool Set, German, 1950s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful tool set from the 1950s. This unique object, is made of bronze with bamboo, was traditionally a cactus gardening tool set. A nice original ...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Bronze

Catrina, polychrome terracotta sculpture, Mexico
By Diego Rivera
Located in Spinea, Veneto
Mexican artist of the 20th century Catrina polychrome painted terracotta sculpture cm. 61x22x19 Mexico, mid-20th century In good overall condition, some minor defects as evidenced ...
Category

1950s Mexican Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Terracotta

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

The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, First US Edition in DJ
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Lewis, C. S. The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950. First U.S. edition. Octavo. In the original publisher's blue cloth boards and illustrated d...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Classic Mid Century Modern Quad Esl 57 Speakers, Amazing Architectural Design
Located in Buffalo, NY
The Quad Electrostatic Loudspeaker (ESL) is the world's first production full-range electrostatic loudspeaker, launched in 1957 by Quad Electroacoustics, then known as the Acoustical...
Category

1950s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Vintage Natural Leather Punching Bag
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Vintage punching bag with handsome, worn genuine leather. A stylish addition to a home gym, this hanging punching bag is approximately 30lbs and is in original condition with some vi...
Category

1950s Dutch Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Steel

WW1 British Officers Military Pocket Compass by F.Darton & Co - 1917
Located in Bath, GB
A good nickel plated WW1 British Officers Military Pocket Compass signed on the front cover F.Darton & Co, London, VI, No. 2461 together with the date 1917 and the war office "crow'...
Category

1910s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Nickel

Antique English Folding Brass Compass c.1910
Located in Bath, GB
A brass folding pocket compass which is made also to be added to a chain or ribbon to be worn around the neck. The lens has a good magnification and in lovey condition. Dating to c...
Category

1910s British Edwardian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Antique Group of 6 Skookum Dolls, 1913s
Located in Norton, MA
A Skookum doll was a Native American-themed doll, sold as a souvenir item in the early 20th century. They are all in different sizes. The last photo shows the dimensions (inch) of ea...
Category

1910s German Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Composition

Frank Lloyd Wright Autograph & Associated Memorabilia - Beth Sholom
Located in Philadelphia, PA
An autograph and associated memorabilia. A framed autograph from Frank Lloyd Wright. With a series of Philadelphia Inquirer articles on the Beth Sholom Synagogue, and an program fr...
Category

1950s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Exceptionally rare big tobacco box, Julius Dressler, Vienna, Art Nouveau Austria
Located in Wien, AT
Breathtaking tobacco box from the well-known manufacturer Julius Dressel, a masterpiece that is incredibly rare. Made between 1915 and 1920, it is an original, marked Art Nouveau obj...
Category

1910s Austrian Art Nouveau Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic

Original WWI 1917 Brass Button Polisher
Located in Chillerton, Isle of Wight
Original WWI 1917 Brass Button Polisher The polisher is in excellent working condition it has an age darkened patina, a unique piece designed for use by the army This collectable it...
Category

1910s Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

1957 The Fall
By Albert Camus
Located in Bath, GB
A superb copy of the first UK edition of this philosophical novel from French existentialist author, Albert Camus. The first UK edition, first impression with no further impressions...
Category

1950s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Penny machines "Chad" Oliver Whales collection - Ruffler & Walker Collection
By Ruffler & Walker
Located in Brussels , BE
Very original piece of decor
Category

1950s English Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood

"Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson" Signed by Herbert Hoover, Sixth Printing, 1958
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Hoover, Herbert. The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1958. Signed and inscribed by Herbert Hoover. Sixth printing. Original dust jacket...
Category

1950s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Plaster Religious Baby Jesus Traditional Figure, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, ES
Traditional religious plaster figure of a baby Jesus. Embodied within this exquisite plaster figure, portraying the beloved infant Jesus, is a sacred aura of tradition. Crafted in ...
Category

1950s Spanish Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plaster

Small Antique English Brass Magnifying Glass c.1910
Located in Bath, GB
A lovely little magnifying glass made from solid brass with a handle; the perfect size to pop in the pocket or bag. Dating to c.1910, Edwardian in era, the magnifier works well and ...
Category

1910s British Edwardian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Colonial Elegance and Exotic Charm: A Visual & Poetic Journey through 1910 Burma
Located in Langweer, NL
Title: Pictures from Lotus Land Authors: Photographs by Mrs. Ernest Muriel (Frances Matilda Muriel); Verses described by R.C.J. Swinhoe (Rodway Charles John Swinhoe) Publisher: Row...
Category

1910s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Rare Krampus Devil Kewpie Celluloid Christmas Ornament Vintage, Austria 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament from Germany or Austria. It is made of Celluloid and very delicate, this would be a great addition for your Christmas or feather tree. It is in nice conditi...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wire

Picasso Ceramic Plate Portfolio Book
Located in Los Angeles, CA
A rare and special portfolio of Picasso Ceramics published by Albert Skira, Inc., 1955. Foreword by Suzanne and George Ramié. This incredible portfolio contains 18 colorplates of Pic...
Category

1950s Swiss Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Mannequin of a Young Girl in Black Dress, Shop Display, 1950s
Located in Antwerp, BE
Original shop window display child mannequin for primary school clothing, she wears a black dress as an example for children's uniforms from the 1950s.
Category

1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plaster, Wood, Paint

De Coene Furniture Music Box and Speakers, Blue Tooth
Located in Antwerp, BE
Beautiful collectors De Coene 50s sideboard with renewed built-in stereo Bluetooth installation and original 50s Philips speakers in perfect working condition, it fills your interior...
Category

1950s Belgian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Glass, Wood

Rare Set of Six Mercury Glass & Cotton Christmas Ornament Vintage, 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament set from Germany or Austria. Each is made from mouth blown glass, one of pressed cotton, this would be a great addition for your Christmas or feather tree. ...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wire

Rare Set of Four Mercury Glass & Plastic Christmas Ornament Vintage, 1910s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A rare Christmas ornament set from Germany or Austria. Each is made from mouth blown glass, the 4 mushrooms with wire are made of plastic and are younger age, this would be a great a...
Category

1910s German Folk Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wire

1910-11 The Rhinegold and the Valkyrie, Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods
Located in Bath, GB
A beautifully and colourfully illustrated copy of Richard Wagner's epic four epic opera dramas, illustrated throughout by Arthur Rackham with tipped-in colour plates, scarce to see i...
Category

1910s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Midcentury Sailor Scottish Terrier Drinking Beer Cigarette Box, 1950s
Located in Saint-Amans-des-Cots, FR
Midcentury sailor Scottish terrier drinking beer cigarette box, France, 1950s. Wood, metal and synthetic. Glass eyes. Measures: Height 8.2" (20.8cm), width 9" (22.9cm), depth 5.3" (1...
Category

1950s French Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Royal Doulton Golf Jug, Series Ware
Located in Oxfordshire, GB
Royal Doulton series ware golf jug. Royal Doulton jug with polychrome golf scene and the proverb, "PROMISE LITTLE AND DO MUCH. HE THAT ALWAYS COMPLAINS, IS NEVER PITIED", designed by Charles Crombie. The bottom of the jug with Royal Doulton trade mark and '23'. Charles 'Chas' Crombie (1885 - 1967) was an illustrator whose work is well known to the collector. His pictures can be found in many forms, on postcards, calendars, in books and on Royal Doulton ceramics. Royal Doulton Golf...
Category

1910s English Sporting Art Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Ceramic

Altamira: Italian Furniture Glassware Lamps Accessories
Located in New York, NY
Catalog showcasing high-end Italian furnishings and accessories, published circa 1956 by the fabled Altamira design center located at 18 East 50th St in New York City. Per the introduction, “Altamira is the only center in this country where Interior-Architecture by Italy’s foremost architects is represented together with furniture, handicrafts, accessories and every other element essential to the modern interior.” Altamira commissioned a line of furniture from Gio Ponti in 1953, crafted by Giordano Chiesa in Milan. Included were a number of Ponti’s iconic mid-century designs—the Distex lounge chair and a self-described masterpiece, the two-drawer desk, model AP 1025, are shown in the present catalog. Shown, too, are furniture designs by Ponti’s fellow “interior architects” and designers Marco Zanuso (produced by Arflex Milano), Enrberto Carboni, Enrico Peresutti of BBPR, Carlo Pagani, Enrico Taglietti, Nino Zancada, Ico and Luisa Parisi, Ignacio Gardella...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1955 Hickory Dickory Dock
Located in Bath, GB
A vanishingly scarce to see signed first edition of this classic Poirot tale. The first edition, first impression, with no other impressions stated. Signed and dedicated by the aut...
Category

1950s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Antique 1915 Mahogany Chicago Cable Company Carolina Inner Player Upright Piano
Located in Dayton, OH
Antique Victorian player piano by The Cable Company of Chicago which features a Carolina Inner-player. Circa 1915. Includes: I Love Paris and Oh Lady Be Good by Max Kortlander, Hey There and Mack the Knife by J Lawrence Cook, Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White by Sid Laney, If You Knew Susie Fox Trot, Bye Bye Blackbird Fox Trot, Loving You Has Made Me Bananas by Dick Watson, and two unmarked. The Cable Piano Company, Chicago established 1880 by Herman D. Cable born in New York in 1849. The Cable Piano Company was originally with the Wolfinger Organ Co., which later changed to the Western Cottage Organ Co., and then to Chicago Cottage Organ Co. In 1890 H. D. Cable consolidated with Conover Bros. and his two brothers, Fayette S. and Hobart M. Cable. Cable and Conover acquired the Schiller Piano Co. of Oregon, Ill. By 1920 The Cable Piano Co. had two factories. One factory located in Chicago at 22nd Street, Paulina and Dale Place. The second factory at St. Charles, Ill. In the 1920s George J. Dowling was president and The Cable Co. was manufacturing Conover, Cable, Kingsbury; and Wellington, and Schiller pianos. Player piano names Conover Carola Inner-Player, Conover Solo Carola Inner-Player, Carola Inner-Player, Solo Carola Inner-Player, Euphona Inner- Player, and Solo Euphona Inner-Player. “Tonarch” and “Crownstay”, trademarks of the Cable Co., Chicago. “Tonarch” a patented sounding-board-and- frame construction used in uprights and “Crownstay” designed to maintain the curvature of soundboards in grands. Other owners of the Cable Company include Aeolian with the factory at 2718 Pershing Ave., Memphis, TN., Jackson & Wabash, Chicago, Ill., and Winter & Co. The Cable Piano Company claimed to be "the world's greatest manufacturer of pianos, inner player pianos, and organs." Cable built a factory in 1901 in St. Charles on 3.5 acres west of the Fox River. Cable Piano Company became known not only for its products, but also for its working conditions. During the factory's heyday in the early 1900s, there were as many as 500 employees, many of whom were women. Employees could enjoy the company sponsored brass band and male chorus, or play on the company baseball team. With its own electric plant and fire protection...
Category

1910s Edwardian Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Mahogany

Laverne Originals Catalog (ABCDEF)
Located in New York, NY
Early catalog for Laverne Originals, the modern design company founded by Estelle and Erwine Laverne in 1938. From its modest origins producing primarily wallpapers and textiles, Lav...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Citizen Kane
Located in London, GB
Original German film poster used for the film's re-release in the 1960's Orson Welles at the age of only twenty-five directed, produced, co-wrote and starred in this remarkable film....
Category

1950s Swedish Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Mid Century Japanese Fuji Meibo Naval Binocular Nardo Grey & Brass -Original box
Located in Leicester, Leicestershire
Japanese Fuji Meibo Observation Binoculars 15 x 80 - 4 degree field of view. A large pair of Japanese naval observation binoculars mounted on an a...
Category

1950s Japanese Industrial Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Aluminum, Brass

Antique Oak Victor Victor I Victrola Phonograph Talking Machine with Horn
Located in Oakland, CA
Antique Oak Victor Victor I Victrola Phonograph Talking Machine with Horn. Very good working condition with original crank and nameplate: “His Mast...
Category

1910s North American Art Nouveau Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Theodore Roosevelt Signed Letter Collage
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is a Theodore Roosevelt signed letter to Colonel C. D. MacDougall, dated August 16, 1910. In the letter, Roosevelt politely declines MacDougall’s invitation to speak, as he...
Category

1910s American Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

U.S. Army officer's pocket compass during WW1 signed WITTNAUER
Located in Milan, IT
U.S. Army officer's pocket compass during World War I made of chrome-plated brass in the shape of an onion clock, signed WITTNAUER. The compass is equipped with a snap-lock cover wi...
Category

1910s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass

Altamira Catalog Circa 1956
Located in New York, NY
Mid-1950’s catalog for the fabled Altamira design center, located at 18 E 50th St in New York City, one of the top U.S. venues for high-end Italian design. Altamira commissioned a li...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

Hans Gugelot designed radio for Braun, 1955
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Radio "Super" G11 by Swiss designer Hans Gugelot for Braun in 1955. Braun is of course well known for their iconic, Dieter Rams designed, audio equipment. This piece is not tested, w...
Category

1950s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Plastic, Wood

20th Century Soviet Cold War Anti Aircraft Binoculars c.1950
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
An impressive set of highly polished Cold War-era anti-aircraft binoculars from the former USSR, crafted in the 20th Century. Accompanied by a sleek and adjustable metal tripod, thes...
Category

1950s Russian Other Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

1958 Our Man in Havana
By Graham Greene
Located in Bath, GB
A smart first edition copy of this black comedy by Graham Greene, an exceptional novel by one of the leading writers of the twentieth century, scarce to see in the promotional wrapar...
Category

1950s British Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Paper

1915 "San Francisco City and County" Hanging Map by W. Bashford Smith
Located in Colorado Springs, CO
Presented is a rare wall map of San Francisco by W. Bashford Smith. Published in San Francisco in 1915, this map indicates streets and city districts, and, most notably, shows the si...
Category

1910s American Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Wood, Paper

Vintage Erskine 200 Sterilized Barber Shop Shaving Brush
Located in Chula Vista, CA
Vintage ERSKINE 200 Sterilized Barber Shop SHAVING BRUSH Nylon Bristles Rubber Stamped Sterile 200 4.5 tall x 1.38 diameter Preowned original vintage...
Category

1950s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Nylon, Rubber

Tiffany Co. Paris 1919 French Table Petrol Lighter In Brass & Carved White Nacre
Located in Miami, FL
Table petrol lighter designed by Tiffany & Co. Beautiful and unusual antique table petrol lighter, created in Paris France by the Tiffany & Co., back in the 1919. Crafted after the WWI as a trench-art piece in solid brass with high polished finish and embellished with a round flat holed piece, carved from natural white nacre. It is mounted in a round flat base and is fitted with a thumbwheel and a chained snuffer lid. This antique lighter should be a great conversation piece. Trench Art This is a term used to describe objects made from the debris and by-products of modern warfare. Trench Art is usually associated with the First World War, although similar items have been produced in other conflicts too. Most trench art was made by servicemen to pass the time when not in the front line. Weight: 124.7 Grams, (79.94 Dwt). Measurements: Diameter of 42 mm and a height of 94 (1.65 x 3.68 Inches). Hallmarks: Stamped with the maker's mark, attached with the French tax plaque Ministere Des Finances and signed, "TIFFANY & CO. FRANCE". Ministere Des Finances Lighter Tax 1911-1945 Historic Taxation Data On 10th December 1910 the French state adopted a new tax regulations on all devices indented to produce spark or fire by friction, or by any other means, and of the combustion of a flammable substance. Since 1st January 1911 every lighter in France that was intended for sale in the French market had to be taxed and adequately marked. To confirm that the excise duty was paid to the Ministry of Finance a special duty metal plate (stamp) was attached (usually welded) to the lighter by the lighter manufacturers. The fees charged by the French state were high but the tax rates levied by the state were varying depending on the type and finish of the lighter. Following tax rates were used: 2 French francs for common pocket lighters, 5 Fr for pocket lighters made of silver, 20 Fr for luxury pocket lighters made in gold, 5 Fr for common table/desk lighters (lower 10 cm), 10 Fr for table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of silver, 50 Fr for luxury table/desk lighters (over 10 cm) made of gold or platinum. Between 1911 and 1916 a simple cooper plate was used which had the date 1911 engraved. Later, between 1916 and 1945 a new plate (undated) was introduced with the letters "C" and "I" (stands for indirect taxes) and a profile of Mercury (patron god of financial gain, commerce and messengers) with an inscription "Ministère Des Finances" (Ministry of Finance). Two shapes were used for the plate – oval for table lighters, the other one for pocket lighters. Additional to the two duty plates a marking "BL" (Briquet de Luxe, eng. luxury lighter...
Category

1910s French Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Brass, Nickel

Struttura molecolare del cloruro di sodio ad uso didattico Cecoslovacchia 1950
Located in Milan, IT
Struttura molecolare del cloruro di sodio (NaCl) ad uso didattico in metallo satinato e verniciato giallo, sfere in bachelite verniciate verde e grigio. Manifattura cecoslovacca de...
Category

1950s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Atomic structure for educational use of carbonic acid Czechoslovakia 1950s.
Located in Milan, IT
Struttura atomica ad uso didattico dell'acido carbonico (H2CO3) in metallo, sfere in bachelite verniciate rosso e nero. Czechoslovakian manufacture of the 1950s. Good condition sign...
Category

1950s Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Metal

Art Deco 1913 Egyptian Revival Pharaoh Retractable Pencil .800 Silver And Enamel
Located in Miami, FL
Egyptian revival Pharaoh sarcophagus pencil designed by Hans Aigner. Fantastic miniature pendant-pencil, created at the silversmith atelier of Hans...
Category

1910s Austrian Art Deco Vintage Collectibles and Curiosities

Materials

Silver, Enamel

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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