Antique Curiosity Box
Antique 1850s English Early Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1930s Italian Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 19th Century French Nautical Objects
Metal
Vintage 1910s English Scientific Instruments
Glass
Early 20th Century Musical Instruments
Mahogany
Antique Early 19th Century Dutch Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Antique 19th Century English Scientific Instruments
Wood
Antique 19th Century Musical Instruments
Metal
Antique 19th Century Musical Instruments
Metal
Early 20th Century German Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Musical Instruments
Rosewood, Satinwood
Antique Late 19th Century Musical Instruments
Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century Musical Instruments
Rosewood
Early 20th Century American Tobacco Accessories
Glass
Antique 19th Century Musical Instruments
Rosewood
Antique Late 19th Century American Musical Instruments
Oak
Antique Late 19th Century English Tobacco Accessories
Porcelain, Glass, Mahogany
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Late Victorian Musical Instruments
Brass, Steel
Antique Late 19th Century Austrian Romantic Models and Miniatures
Brass, Copper
Vintage 1910s British Nautical Objects
Brass
Antique 1880s Russian Victorian Collectible Jewelry
Sterling Silver
Vintage 1910s British Nautical Objects
Brass
Antique Early 1900s British Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique 1890s British Scientific Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Musical Instruments
Rosewood, Satinwood
Antique Early 1900s Nautical Objects
Brass
Antique Early 1900s Italian Art Nouveau Historical Memorabilia
Metal, Brass
Early 20th Century Turkish Historical Memorabilia
Brass
Early 20th Century English Edwardian Tobacco Accessories
Mahogany, Cedar
Antique 1850s French Napoleon III Tobacco Accessories
Antique Late 19th Century European Musical Instruments
Mahogany, Satinwood
Antique Early 19th Century Musical Instruments
Rosewood, Satinwood
Antique 19th Century Victorian Musical Instruments
Antique 1780s French Louis XVI Collectible Jewelry
Gold, Enamel
Antique Mid-19th Century Dutch Collectible Jewelry
Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Musical Instruments
Rosewood
Antique 19th Century Swiss Musical Instruments
Brass
Antique Late 19th Century German Victorian Musical Instruments
Metal
Early 20th Century English Jacobean Tobacco Accessories
Oak, Glass
Antique 19th Century Russian Tobacco Accessories
Enamel, Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Late Victorian Musical Instruments
Brass, Steel
Antique 19th Century Victorian Historical Memorabilia
Wood
Antique 1880s Swiss Musical Instruments
Wood, Tulipwood
Antique 1890s Swiss Musical Instruments
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Musical Instruments
Rosewood
Early 20th Century British Nautical Objects
Brass
Antique 19th Century Chinese Chinese Export Tobacco Accessories
Silver
Early 20th Century British Nautical Objects
Brass
Vintage 1920s American Industrial Historical Memorabilia
Metal
Antique 19th Century Dutch Rococo Tobacco Accessories
Antique 1890s British Late Victorian Scientific Instruments
Brass
20th Century Chinese Chinese Export Tobacco Accessories
Silver
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Musical Instruments
Mahogany, Burl
Antique Late 19th Century Swiss Late Victorian Musical Instruments
Brass, Steel
Antique 1860s Swiss Victorian Musical Instruments
Brass, Enamel
Vintage 1950s English Elizabethan Models and Miniatures
Lead
Vintage 1930s German Art Deco Scientific Instruments
Brass
- 1
Antique Curiosity Box For Sale on 1stDibs
Finding the Right Collectibles-curiosities for You
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.
- 1stDibs ExpertFebruary 22, 2021Antique ice boxes can be worth up to $2,000 - $3,000. Depending on its condition, an antique ice box can be a highly coveted item.
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