Have you ever heard the term? By definition, it has its origins in the Renaissance. A Cabinet of Curiosities was a collection of rare, unusual, and valuable objects that was displayed in a cabinet for the purpose of learning and discovery. They were the European equivalent of modern museums. 

Today, Cabinets of Curiosities are becoming quite popular again. The design enthusiast can find beauty in the oddest things. People are collecting shells and fossils, twigs, and bugs, eggs to feathers. I will admit to picking up a feather from the yard. While in Florida, I fell in love with the blue fungi, found on branches while intertwined with Spanish moss. A birds nest found in the spring inside our grill complete with abandoned eggs, a bee hive, to name a few. Yes, I have the seashells scooped up on the shore in Florida.

I feel that my whole home is a cabinet of curiosities! Of course, we can’t forget the Frog Spear hanging over the Welsh Cupboard, or the Barn Vent that hangs over my sofa. I’m not sure if these qualify as a curiosities, but they are sure curious to me.

With this thought in mind, I’ve been making some minor changes, reworking things, and just a general freshening up. Placing old things in new positions, and trying to reimagine the things that I have loved, for so many years. I decided to treat the built-ins in our lower level room, like a cabinet of curiosity. Whenever I make changes like this I always spend several days tweaking things and then I let things settle in. I revisit the look over and over for several more days, and if I’m still liking it. I conclude that it is a keeper, for now!

The bookcases down stairs have been essentially the same way for a couple of years, showcasing some pewter and my blue and white transferware. It’s been a bit spare and uniform. I decided to stuff it. A collection of Charles Dickens books, that were my great grandmothers started the mess! These books have been hiding behind a chair stacked up for the last year or so, ever since I removed them from the wicker suitcase they had been stacked in.

I loved them in the suitcase but, I was ready for a different look. Making the decision to stuff the top shelf above the TV with these books was a good one, I think. I added in a few pieces of transferware. Placing the books to the back of the shelf, I loved the way the transferware popped in front of them.

I placed one open book facing down, added in a couple of black tin document boxes, and a nice bottle that I picked up at an estate sale. Great estate sale, I bought quite a little bit, more on that later. The other elements add interest and texture.

On the other side I put my traveling desk, open with a pewter mug filled with turkey, pheasant feathers and porcupine quills. Turkey feathers and porcupine quills were the writing implements of choice back in the day. Ink wells, a French postal scale, a bone wax stamp and some of those fungi covered twigs round out the top of the box. Then, I added an Iranian block printed placemat for an anchor, another bottle with a tax stamp, that I picked up at that estate sale, a mahogany tea caddy, and a brass spyglass.

The second shelf holds mostly Transferware but also a collection of Bronte’s books. The very first repro bottles I ever bought when I was in Philadelphia, more ink wells, a flower frog, and a tureen.

On the top shelf a collection of more old leather bound books, my Sheltered Peasants platter, a sugar bowl missing it’s lid with a leather carpet ball on top, crystal decanter and an old cream pitcher that was one of the first pieces of transferware I bought for $3.50 at an antique show!

I think the mix of different patterns of transferware creates a more appealing display, with its variation of color and density. Collected mostly in the 90’s and 2000’s, I still love seeing where this collection will take me. Do you have a cabinet (or two) of curiosities?

I want people to be curious when they come into my home. I want them to feel free to walk up to something and say, “What’s this?!” Ask me questions! To me, that is the greatest compliment of all.

Next on the list for this room is a plate wall. We will see how that works out for me! And a couple more small changes I have made.

It is really, really cold here, and we have our first snow of the season. Finally!!! I do have to go out this morning, so stay warm.

Thanks for stopping!

Shelley