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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Enquiry about object: 6541
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
Provenance
private collection, Netherlands.
Enquiry about object: 6700
Tibetan Rosary of Human Bone Beads (Mi Mgo’i Phreng Ba)
Tibet 19th century
length: approximately 54cm, weight: 96g
Provenance
private collection, London, UK.
Enquiry about object: 6695
Fine Bamboo Under-Vest for Qing & Qing-style Court Robes & Wedding Costumes
China & possibly Straits Settlements circa 1900
width: approximately 47cm, length: 41cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6521
Andaman Islands Man’s Dance Regalia
Andaman Islands, possibly from the Jarawa Tribe, South Andaman circa 1900
indicative length of headdress (band & tassels): 49cm
Provenance
private collection, London. UK; previously, Charles Wilfred Hext (b.1880-1919)
Enquiry about object: 4115
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)
Provenance
UK art market, prior to that Madrid, Spain from before 1974
Enquiry about object: 6523
Mongo Woven Woman’s Buttock Shield
Mongo People, Congo early 20th century
length: approximately 98cm, width of pompom: 12cm, weight: 292g
Provenance
private collection, London, UK.
Enquiry about object: 4115
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)
Provenance
UK art market, prior to that Madrid, Spain from before 1974
Enquiry about object: 5969
Burmese Bronze Rice-Noodle Maker
Burma 19th century
height: 15.4cm, width: 22.5cm, depth: 11.4cm, weight: 2,410g
Provenance
European art market
Enquiry about object: 5928
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
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6386
Burmese Royal Silk Achiek Cloth Sutra Cover
Burma (Myanmar) 19th century
70cm x 78cm
Enquiry about object: 5920
Torzhok Gold Embroidered Goatskin Boots
Torzhok, Tver Gubernia, Russia first half of the 19th century
heights: 39cm, lengths: 26.5cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6132
Ceremonial Dayak Beaded Hat with Pig Tusks
Dayak People, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia 20th century
length: 29cm, width: 23cm, height: 9.5cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6123
Important Indo-Portuguese Goa Seychelles Nut Vessel with Silver Mounts
Goa, India circa 1750
height: 28.3cm, length: 32cm, width: 13.7cm, weight: 1.295g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 6144
Colonial Spanish Powder Flask (Yesquero)
Colonial Spanish, Argentina 19th century
length: 7cm (not taking into account the curve), weight: 27.59g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 5710
Dutch Colonial Surinamese Escaped African Slave (Maroons or Bushinengues) Wooden Stool
Maroon or Bushinengue People, Suriname, South America 19th-early 20th century
length: 40cm, height: 29cm, width: 23cm
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 5471
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
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 3466
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
Provenance
UK private collection
Enquiry about object: 848
Rare, Finely Carved Coconut Money Box with Silver Mounts (Alcancia)
Spanish Colonial Guatemala 18th century
height: 18cm, length: 19cm, weight: 437g
Provenance
European antiques market.
Enquiry about object: 4676
Rare, Brass Toad-Shaped Flask
Tibet circa 18th century
height (with stopper): 37cm
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 2896
Rare & Unusual Ostrich Egg & Walrus Tusk Indian Tea Caddy with Silver Mounts
Kutch, India circa 1880
height: 25cm, weight: 785g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4658
Finely Carved South Indian Nut with Silver Mounts
South India, probably Madras circa 1800
length: 10.2cm, weight: 108g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4032
Carved Coco-de-Mer Sufi Mendicant’s ‘Begging’ Bowl (Kashkul)
Northern India or Iran (Persia) 18th century
length: 28cm, width: 13cm, height: 10.5cm
Provenance
UK art market.
Enquiry about object: 3933
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
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.
Enquiry about object: 5089
Rare Indian Coco-de-Mer Ewer
Northern India Circa 17th century
height: 45cm, width: 25cm, thickness: 18cm, weight: 3,070g
Provenance
UK art market
Enquiry about object: 4313
Eshu Dance Wrist Pendant
Yoruba People, Southern Egbado, Nigeria 19th century
height: 10.2cm
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 3285
Tibetan Gold & Turquoise Official’s Pendant (Sochi)
Lhasa, Tibet 19th century
length: 11.2cm, weight: 11g
Provenance
private collection, London.
Enquiry about object: 4274
Woman’s Iron Pubic Cover (Cache Sexe)
Kirdi and Matakam People, North Cameroon 19th-early 20th century
length: 37.5cm
Provenance
private collection, UK