Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Steampunk style places emphasis on the bespoke, the recycled and the handmade, as well as high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Steampunk fans also share an interest in the industrial and in machines, especially steam-powered ones.
As a design concept, steampunk can feel elusive. Unlike movements such as Arts and Crafts or American Craftsman, which are rooted in specific historical periods, steampunk combines an imagined past with the present and sometimes even the future.
In the late 1980s, writer K. W. Jeter coined the term steampunk to describe his science-fiction stories, which were set in an idealized version of Victorian London. Since that time, steampunk has evolved, emerging as a design style and a subculture.
Since the mid-1990s, steampunk-styled settings and interiors have become popular in mainstream films such as Sherlock Holmes (2009) with Robert Downey Jr.; Van Helsing (2004), which starred Hugh Jackman; or the Will Smith vehicle Wild Wild West (1999). These movies present a contemporary version of the Victorian past. Steampunk elements, such as dark walls, industrial lighting, brass fittings and Edison bulbs, have also been featured in the designs of numerous restaurants.
When talking of steampunk, design professionals often emphasize the style’s industrial elements. Interior designer Stephen Shadley particularly likes steampunk’s inclusion of factory-style light fixtures. “The elegant simplicity of those fixtures, a white or clear glass shade on a brass base, the bakelite switch. They’re beautiful and functional,” he says. “Here, form follows function almost completely.”
One of the appeals of steampunk lies in its oppositions: domestic versus industrial, refined and polished versus coarse and gritty, Victorian versus new, fantasy versus reality. Because it is up to the individual designer to develop the right steamy mix, you will find a large range of steampunk looks.
A steampunk interior can appear much like the Victorian drawing room in your imagination — stately, restrained, proper — while at the same time containing contemporary comforts and conveniences. Another steampunk-style room can look more theatrical, much like the lair of a mad scientist. And, of course, objects with high steampunk quotient, such as brass light fixtures or Victorian scientific instruments, can add charm and interest to almost any set up.
Steampunk, by combining antique and contemporary and repurposing industrial items, offers a fresh way to enjoy Victorian style.
Find steampunk-style wall decorations, lighting, decorative objects and more on 1stDIbs.
1910s American Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Early 19th Century American Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1950s American Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper, Iron
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Rubber
Early 20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Early 20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Brass
Mid-19th Century French Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
19th Century American Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
1930s British Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Pine, Paint
Mid-20th Century Canadian Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Softwood
19th Century French Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather, Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Leather
1910s European Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper
1970s Italian Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Composition
Early 20th Century Japanese Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Early 20th Century Japanese Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Bakelite
Mid-20th Century German Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Antler
Late 19th Century French Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Early 20th Century Japanese Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood
Mid-20th Century Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Iron
Late 19th Century Antique Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper, Iron
Mid-20th Century Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper, Iron
Mid-20th Century North American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Wood, Paper
Mid-20th Century German Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Early 20th Century Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper, Iron
Early 20th Century English Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Mid-20th Century American Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Metal
1950s American Vintage Steampunk Collectibles and Curiosities
Copper