Our catalogue > Cabinet of Curosities

We don’t sell objects so much as stories with an object attached. So here are some of the more unusual, quirky objects that we have with interesting stories.

Each piece has been sourced from within the UK, often from old, colonial-era collections.

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7146

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    Tibetan Thigh Bone Trumpet (Kangling) with Silver Mounts & Coral

    Tibet
    19th century

    length: 34.7cm, weight: 269g

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    Provenance

    private collection, Germany.

    7148

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      Tibetan Noble’s Fine Bone & Silk Belt

      Tibet
      19th century

      length (including buckle): 105cm, width: 4.9cm, weight: 226g

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      Provenance

      private collection, Germany.

      7150

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        Rare Dayak Ironwood Ear Plugs

        Dayak People, Borneo, East Kalimantan, Indonesia
        19th-early 20th century

        diameter: approximately 5.2cm, depth: 2.6cm, combined weight: 165g

        Available - Click for more images and videos

        Provenance

        private collection, Germany.

        7005

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          Early Indian Terracotta Mother Goddess

          Mathura District, Uttar Pradesh, Northern India
          200-300BC

          height: 18.2cm, width: 8.6cm, weight: 420g

          Available - Click for more images and videos

          Provenance

          UK art market

          6524

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            Mongo Woman’s Woven Buttock Shield (Bakonga)

            Mongo People, Congo
            early 20th century

            length: approximately 88cm, width: 8.3cm, weight: 157g

            Available - Click for more images and videos

            Provenance

            private collection, London, UK.

            6797

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              Paduang or Kayan Lahwi (Long-Necked) Woman’s Brass Neck Rings & Anklets

              Paduang or Kayan Lahwi People, Shan States, Eastern Burma
              19th-early 20th century

              height (of the longest neck ring): 13.2cm, width (of the wiodest neck ring): 18.3cm, width (of the arm rings): approximately 9cm, combined weight: 4,437g

              Available - Click for more images and videos

              Provenance

              Private collection, UK; collected during colonial times.

              6541

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                Spectacular & Large Pair of Mongolian Silver Ear Ornaments or Temporals with Green Malachite & Coral

                Khalkha People, Mongolia
                19th-early 20th century

                length: 32cm, combined weight: 312g

                Available - Click for more images and videos

                Provenance

                private collection, Netherlands.

                6846

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                  Parsi Ritual Silver Ses or Sace Cone (Soparo)

                  Northern India
                  dated 1933

                  diameter: 17.3cm, height: 34.5cm, weight: 787g

                  Available - Click for more images and videos

                  Provenance

                  UK art market

                  6700

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                    Tibetan Rosary of Human Bone Beads (Mi Mgo’i Phreng Ba)

                    Tibet
                    19th century

                    length: approximately 54cm, weight: 96g

                    Available - Click for more images and videos

                    Provenance

                    private collection, London, UK.

                    6521

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                      Andaman Islands Man’s Dance Regalia

                      Andaman Islands, possibly from the Jarawa Tribe, South Andaman
                      circa 1900

                      indicative length of headdress (band & tassels): 49cm

                      Available - Click for more images and videos

                      Provenance

                      private collection, London. UK; previously, Charles Wilfred Hext (b.1880-1919)

                      3023

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                        Indian Painted Wooden Portable Shrine for the Jagannathi Trio

                        Orissa or Rajasthan, India
                        circa 1920

                        height: 38.5cm, width with all panels fold away: 19cm; with panels extended: 73cm

                        Available - Click for more images and videos

                        Provenance

                        UK art market

                        4115

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                          Exceptional Collection of 18 Aztec Black-Clay, Tubular, Ear Plugs or Spools

                          Aztec Civilisation, Capilco, Mexico
                          14th-15th century

                          diameter: 2.1cm (smallest), 3.1cm (biggest)

                          Available - Click for more images and videos

                          Provenance

                          UK art market, prior to that Madrid, Spain from before 1974

                          6523

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                            Mongo Woman’s Beaded & Woven Buttock Shield (Bakonga)

                            Mongo People, Congo
                            early 20th century

                            length: approximately 98cm, width of pompom: 12cm, weight: 292g

                            Available - Click for more images and videos

                            Provenance

                            private collection, London, UK.

                            5969

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                              Burmese Bronze Rice-Noodle Maker

                              Burma
                              19th century

                              height: 15.4cm, width: 22.5cm, depth: 11.4cm, weight: 2,410g

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                              Provenance

                              European art market

                              5928

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                                Unusually Tall Ottoman Woman’s Mother-of-Pearl Inlaid Wooden Stilted Clogs (Qabqab)

                                Ottoman Turkey
                                19th or early 20th century

                                height to top of toe strap: 30cm, lengths: 22.8cm, widths: 18cm

                                Available - Click for more images and videos

                                Provenance

                                UK art market

                                6386

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                                  Burmese Royal Silk Achiek Cloth Sutra Cover

                                  Burma (Myanmar)
                                  19th century

                                  70cm x 78cm

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                                  6132

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                                    Ceremonial Dayak Beaded Hat with Pig Tusks

                                    Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia
                                    20th century

                                    length: 29cm, width: 23cm, height: 9.5cm

                                    Available - Click for more images and videos

                                    Provenance

                                    UK art market

                                    6144

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                                      Colonial Spanish Powder Flask (Yesquero)

                                      Colonial Spanish, Argentina
                                      19th century

                                      length: 7cm (not taking into account the curve), weight: 27.59g

                                      Available - Click for more images and videos

                                      Provenance

                                      UK art market

                                      5471

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                                        Gilded-Silver Mounted, Double-Sided, Pectoral Reliquary Cross with Carved Steatite (Enkolpia)

                                        Mount Athos, Macedonian Greece
                                        15th century

                                        total length of chain (circumference as worn): 72cm, length of cross (without coin): 7.3cm, width of cross: 4.5cm, thickness of cross: 1.1cm, weight: 97g

                                        Available - Click for more images and videos

                                        Provenance

                                        UK art market

                                        3466

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                                          English Tavern or Publican House Willow Nine-Pin Skittles Set

                                          West Country, England
                                          19th century

                                          heights (approx.) 30cm each, and 40cm for the king pin

                                          Available - Click for more images and videos

                                          Provenance

                                          UK private collection

                                          848

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                                            Rare, Finely Carved Coconut Money Box with Silver Mounts (Alcancia)

                                            Spanish Colonial Guatemala
                                            18th century

                                            height: 18cm, length: 19cm, weight: 437g

                                            Available - Click for more images and videos

                                            Provenance

                                            European antiques market.

                                            4676

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                                              Rare, Brass Toad-Shaped Flask

                                              Tibet
                                              circa 18th century

                                              height (with stopper): 37cm

                                              Available - Click for more images and videos

                                              Provenance

                                              UK art market

                                              2896

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                                                Rare & Unusual Ostrich Egg & Walrus Tusk Indian Tea Caddy with Silver Mounts

                                                Kutch, India
                                                circa 1880

                                                height: 25cm, weight: 785g

                                                Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                Provenance

                                                UK art market

                                                4658

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                                                  Finely Carved South Indian Nut with Silver Mounts

                                                  South India, probably Madras
                                                  circa 1800

                                                  length: 10.2cm, weight: 108g

                                                  Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                  Provenance

                                                  UK art market

                                                  3933

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                                                    Dayak Man’s Ear Ornament (Sabau) of Carved Hornbill Casque (Beak)

                                                    Kenyah/Kayan Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia
                                                    19th-early 20th century

                                                    height: 4.6cm, length: 10cm, width: 4.2cm, weight: 26.36g

                                                    Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                    Provenance

                                                    Acquired in the UK, from the estate collection of Dr George Yuille Caldwell (1924-2016). Dr Caldwell, an English-born physician moved to Singapore in the 1950s, from where he built up a collection of mostly Borneo-related textiles and other ethnographica.

                                                    5089

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                                                      Rare Indian Coco-de-Mer Ewer

                                                      Northern India
                                                      Circa 17th century

                                                      height: 45cm, width: 25cm, thickness: 18cm, weight: 3,070g

                                                      Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                      Provenance

                                                      UK art market

                                                      4313

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                                                        Eshu Dance Wrist Pendant

                                                        Yoruba People, Southern Egbado, Nigeria
                                                        19th century

                                                        height: 10.2cm

                                                        Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                        Provenance

                                                        private collection, London.

                                                        4274

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                                                          Woman’s Iron Pubic Cover (Cache Sexe)

                                                          Kirdi and Matakam People, North Cameroon
                                                          19th-early 20th century

                                                          length: 37.5cm

                                                          Available - Click for more images and videos

                                                          Provenance

                                                          private collection, UK