Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
MODERN STYLE
The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw sweeping social change and major scientific advances — both of which contributed to a new aesthetic: modernism. Rejecting the rigidity of Victorian artistic conventions, modernists sought a new means of expression. References to the natural world and ornate classical embellishments gave way to the sleek simplicity of the Machine Age. Architect Philip Johnson characterized the hallmarks of modernism as “machine-like simplicity, smoothness or surface [and] avoidance of ornament.”
Early practitioners of modernist design include the De Stijl (“The Style”) group, founded in the Netherlands in 1917, and the Bauhaus School, founded two years later in Germany.
Followers of both groups produced sleek, spare designs — many of which became icons of daily life in the 20th century. The modernists rejected both natural and historical references and relied primarily on industrial materials such as metal, glass, plywood, and, later, plastics. While Bauhaus principals Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe created furniture from mass-produced, chrome-plated steel, American visionaries like Charles and Ray Eames worked in materials as novel as molded plywood and fiberglass. Today, Breuer’s Wassily chair, Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona chair — crafted with his romantic partner, designer Lilly Reich — and the Eames lounge chair are emblems of progressive design and vintage originals are prized cornerstones of collections.
It’s difficult to overstate the influence that modernism continues to wield over designers and architects — and equally difficult to overstate how revolutionary it was when it first appeared a century ago. But because modernist furniture designs are so simple, they can blend in seamlessly with just about any type of décor. Don’t overlook them.
Style: Modern
Color: Black
Lladró at the Derby Horses Sculpture by Ernest Massuet. Limited Edition.
By Ernest Massuet, Lladro
Located in New York City, NY
Glossy porcelain sculpture racing in the racetrack limited series represented by three horses with jockey of intense red and blue colors, combination of different glazes. Base includ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Spanish Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Porcelain
Nureyev, 1995
Located in London, GB
Nureyev
Phaidon Press, London, 1995. Softcover in dust jacket.
The book presents some of the most iconic photographic images of Nureyev and contains a complete resume of Nureye...
Category
20th Century European Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Pablo Picasso, a Retrospective, Library or Coffee Table Book, 1980 New York
Located in New York, NY
Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective, The Museum on Modern Art, New York, library or coffee table book, 1980.
Published on the occasion of the exhibition "Pablo Picasso: A Retrospective,...
Category
20th Century American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Cartier Vintage Black Sunglasses with Box, 1990 Silver Logo
By Cartier
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Vintage Cartier classic black sunglasses with silver CC logo.
Classic, timeless, sophisticated piece to add to your wardrobe
Authentic, vintage, rare, Cartier Paris France Black Ja...
Category
Late 20th Century French Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Resin
"The Making of Evita Book by Alan Parker" Coffee Table Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
“The making of Evita Book by Alan Parker” coffee table book
Featuring an introduction by Madonna, the film's star, a behind-the-scenes account of ...
Category
1990s American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Contemporary All Black 8 Player Poker Table With Marble and Glass by Impatia
Located in Milan, IT
Unootto is a reinterpretation of the traditional professional poker table, making the A-game stylish and sophisticated.
This one-of-a-kind octagonal poker table features a unique smoked glass top frame supported by an inner black marble top, finished off with a black Alcantara playing surface. The table is supported by black nickel-finished metal legs, which make this jewel of Italian design even more brilliant.
The table is designed to accommodate up to 8 players with the option of adjusting the number of players with removable leather armrests available upon request as an accessory add-on.
Product Details:
Marble inner top frame: Nero Frabosa
Glass outer edge: Smoked
Alcantara playing surface: Anthracite
Metal components/legs: Black Nickel
This table is exclusively 100% made in Italy and sourced from the highest quality materials.
*This item is shipped flat-packed and requires assembly on-site. All assembly instructions are included in the crate upon shipping*
**Accessories are not included but available upon request**
- Leather armrests set
- Custom poker chip game set with leather box, dice, and dealer
- Bespoke leather cup...
Category
2010s Italian Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Marble
Black Beech wood Foosball Table with Aluminium Handles, Made in France
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Scroll down and click "view all from Seller" to see more than 400 other unique products.
Made in France from solid beech wood, this foosball is the one you will find in French cafes...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Ottoman Costumes Turkish Hardcover, January 1, 1986 Coffee Table Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Ottoman Costume Book (Turkish) Hardcover, January 1, 1986.
by Fenerci Mehmed Fenerci MehmeT Album (Author)
From the 15th century on, Europeans attemp...
Category
Late 20th Century Turkish Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Kinetoscope Projector Thomas Edison, Dated About 1904, USA
By Edison
Located in Madrid, ES
Kinetoscope projector Thomas Edison, dated about 1904,
is a museum piece.
Film Projector Thomas Edison, USA, in excellent condition.
Mounted on a ...
Category
Early 20th Century American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Marni Black Leather Belt with Gold Bow
By Marni
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Marni black leather belt with gold bow.
Women black lamb leather belt with bow by Marni.
Utterly chic never worn early 2000s Marni leather bow belt.
...
Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Over the Desert Au Fil du Désert Textiles from the Nomadic Desert Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Over the Desert - Tents And Weaving Of Nomadic Pastors.
Au fil du de´sert: Tentes et tissages des pasteurs nomades de Me´diterrane´e
(French Edition)
(French language) Paperback...
Category
1990s Moroccan Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
From the Far West Carpets and Textiles of Morocco Hardcover Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
From the Far West Carpets and Textiles of Morocco
Fiske, Patricia L. and Pickering, W. Russell and Yohe, Ralph S.
in black cloth covered board ...
Category
1980s Moroccan Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
William Eggleston’s Guide - John Szarkowski -1st Edition, MIT Press & MOMA, 1976
By William Eggleston 1
Located in London, GB
First Edition, published by Museum of Modern Art, New York, and The MIT Press, Massachusetts, 1976.
This first edition of this groundbreaking book, cited by photographic historian ...
Category
1970s American Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Modernist Wooden Cello Case
Located in Pawtucket, RI
Interesting modernist, cubist handmade wood cello case from the 1900-1920s. Great folk art object with dovetail joinery and replete with old traveling stick...
Category
Early 20th Century German Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Wood
The Genius of Charles James 1982 Exhibition Catalogue Book
By Charles James
Located in Stamford, CT
The Genius of Charles James exhibition catalogue by Elizabeth Ann Coleman. Book accompanied the 1982 Brooklyn Museum show. Soft cover first edition.
Category
Late 20th Century American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Pair of Vintage French 1970s Sunglasses
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A pair of vintage 1970s sunglasses. Made in France.
Category
1970s French Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
The Luminous Years by Karl Bissinger
Located in New York, NY
First edition of The Luminous Years: Portraits at midcentury by Karl Bissinger. Hardcover with plastic dust-jacket. It's a collection of Bissinger's ric...
Category
Early 2000s Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Paper
6.5 Ft. Tall Heavy Iron Statue Replica of the Eiffel Tower, Recycle Vintage Iron
Located in Atlanta, GA
A tall 6.5 foot tall Eiffel Tower replica statue. This iron replica of Paris' famous Eiffel Tower is custom made of various vintage pieces. It is...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Iron
Visionaire Number 36 Power Numbered Edition
By Visionaire
Located in Palm Springs, CA
A rare Visionaire number 36 entitled Power. From a collector’s Palm Springs estate. Edition numbered 078 of 5.000 numbered copies.
Category
Early 2000s American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Plastic, Paper
Blu Marble and Art Glass Chess Game Set, Italy, circa 1960s
Located in Los Angeles, CA
An Italian marble and art glass chess game set, circa 1960s, Italy. Marble game board has a beautiful rare blue marble colors that include: white, and a marble combo of white/blue/gr...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Marble
Pablo Picasso Womans Magical Head Cubist Chicago Sculpture Maquette Mid-Century
Located in Hyattsville, MD
“Maquette” (after Pabloe Picasso) Very Old Maquette. Black enamel over different types of metal; steel, copper or brass. Unsigned.
Category
1950s Unknown Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Venini Book, Limited Edition, 1978
Located in Sacile, PN
Venini book, 500 limited edition copies ed. 1978-
Black aluminium cover 135 fine color illustrations.
Category
1970s Italian Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Aluminum
Bottle Cap Chain Sculpture
By Clare Graham
Located in San Diego, CA
A remarkable and expertly crafted huge chain link sculpture comprised of roughly 5000 re-purposed bottle caps. Each link measures approximately 5.5" x 4" wi...
Category
20th Century American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Albert Paley, Menorah, 2013
By Albert Paley
Located in Concord, MA
Albert Paley (born 1944)
Menorah, 2013
Formed and fabricated blackened steel, brass
Measures: 11 x 22 inches
Signed, dated and numbered at base
Edition of 18 (plus 2 artist’s pr...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Brass, Steel
Orologi Da Polso Book, 771 Illustrations, 401 Pages, 1988
By Priula & Verlucca, H. Kahlert, R. Muhe, G.L. Brunner
Located in Sacile, PN
Orologi Da Polso book Priula e Verlucchi edition 1988
771 illustrations, 401 pages.
Category
1980s Italian Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Paper
Bric's Italy Handcrafted Travel Tote Cargo Life Bag Italian Leather
By Fendi
Located in Chula Vista, CA
handcrafted travel tote Cargo Life bag Italian leather Bric's Italy
Made in Italy
9 d x 24 w x 17 h
Preowned vintage condition.
See images please.
Category
1990s Italian Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Leather
Metal Patinated Ceramic Jesus Christ Memorabilia Figure, circa 1950
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Jesus Christ metal patinated ceramic statue.
Made Spain, circa 1950.
In original condition, with minor wear consistent with age and use, preserving a beautiful patina.
Signed by M...
Category
1950s Spanish Vintage Modern Collectibles and Curiosities
Materials
Metal
Modern collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a broad range of unique Modern collectibles and curiosities for sale on 1stDibs. Many of these items were first offered in the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artisans have continued to produce works inspired by this style. If you’re looking to add vintage collectibles and curiosities created in this style to your space, the works available on 1stDibs include more furniture and collectibles, decorative objects, tables and other home furnishings, frequently crafted with metal, paper and other materials. If you’re shopping for used Modern collectibles and curiosities made in a specific country, there are Europe, Italy, and North America pieces for sale on 1stDibs. While there are many designers and brands associated with original collectibles and curiosities, popular names associated with this style include Gufram Furniture, A$AP Rocky, dlsc, and Lladro. It’s true that these talented designers have at times inspired knockoffs, but our experienced specialists have partnered with only top vetted sellers to offer authentic pieces that come with a buyer protection guarantee. Prices for collectibles and curiosities differ depending upon multiple factors, including designer, materials, construction methods, condition and provenance. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $7 and tops out at $96,443 while the average work can sell for $986.
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