Collectibles and Curiosities

19th century carved wood crucifix was sculpted from olive wood then set upon an ebonized cross with base inset with faux tortoiseshell, circa 1880s Mea...

Neo-Renaissance style armor pattern from the late 19th century. All surfaces are engraved with phytomorphic motifs. Rounded helmet with ribbed crest; fan with small circular holes fo...

Early 19th century wooden statue of St Jerome, circa 1800. South Europe.

A rare and historic diminutive hand-crafted and painted antique American country display model general store - mining trade mercantile cabinet. Mos...

An English late 19th or early 20th Century scratch-built model in glass case of Lichfield Cathedral. This stunning scale model includes replicas of the stained glass windows and was ...

19th century chainmail glove armor. This is reproduction (19th century) of a 16th century piece. Custom mount for beautiful display. Found in Argentina

Originally from the Costa Brava in Spain, and brought to America near the turn of the last century, this incredible taxidermy blowfish with shells and Mediterranean sea elements rema...

A botanic didactical specimen in the manner of the famous German botanist Robert Brendel. "In the late 19th century Robert Brendel and his son Reinhold produced beautiful and accur...

An unusual pedestal of octagonal Neo-Gothic form, the molded base supporting eight shaped and carved columns decorated with typical Gothic designs, topped by eight spikes surrounding...

Lovely face, in very good vintage condition, pure poetry.

Discover Botany's Finest: Original Brendel Botanic Models from the 1950s Unveil the beauty of botany with our exquisite collection of original Brendel botanic models: Spike, Raceme,...

A masterpiece of both cabinetmaking and mechanical engineering, this one-of-a-kind expanding table was crafted by the renowned cabinetmaker Samuel Hawkins of London for the Great Exhibition of 1851. Diminutive in size, the fascinating table was designed as a model to demonstrate Hawkins’ innovative patent screw movement to visitors of the Exhibition – six million people in total over five months. It was exhibited again a century later at the Victoria & Albert Museum during the Festival of Britain, an event intended “to symbolise two main qualities of the national character: realism and strength on the one hand, and, on the other, independence and imagination” (Catalogue of the Exhibition, 1951, p.117). To this day, the miniature masterpiece demonstrates the quest of English furniture makers to combine technical innovation with superb craftsmanship. Displaying exceptional ingenuity, Hawkins’ wind-out screw mechanism allowed one to extend the table’s base to accommodate concentric leaves with the simple crank of a handle. It is based on the inventive expanding table originally designed by Robert Jupe in 1835, which used a swivel mechanism to separate sections of the tabletop and allow for segmented leaves to be inserted. Hawkins’ tabletop, on the other hand, extends outwards directly from the center in order to accommodate additional leaves around its diameter. This unique design allowed the mechanism to also smoothly operate on rectangular tables, which could be wound out from the middle to allow for more table space. Hawkins was not alone in his endeavor to combine the technical merits of engineering and mechanics with the most artful pursuit of cabinetmaking. The first half of the 19th century saw a prolific increase in the popularity of applying new ideas to traditional furniture principles, which allowed furniture to serve many purposes. The resulting “patent” furniture was practical and refined, though few were as innovative as Hawkins’ prodigious design. Carved with the year of the Exhibition on the beautifully designed pedestal base, the table is a testament to the significance of this innovation. The model is mentioned in detail in the catalog of the Great Exhibition of 1851, the first international exhibition of industry, manufacturing, and science. Held at London’s dazzling Crystal Palace, its visitors were treated to exhibits from around the globe, including feats of engineering, innovations in industry, and marvels of design. Queen Victoria herself was a frequent visitor, along with her husband, Prince Albert, and others including Charlotte...