Military Binoculars
Vintage 1960s Asian Nautical Objects
Metal
Vintage 1950s Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Sports Equipment and Mem...
Metal
Antique Late 19th Century French Late Victorian Sports Equipment and Mem...
Brass, Metal
Antique 1840s European Nautical Objects
Brass
20th Century German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s Scientific Instruments
Metal
Recent Sales
Vintage 1940s American Historical Memorabilia
20th Century French Other Paintings
Panel
Early 20th Century German Industrial Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Metal, Brass
Vintage 1940s French Scientific Instruments
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Vintage 1940s Russian Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1940s Scientific Instruments
Metal
20th Century Japanese Industrial Nautical Objects
Vintage 1910s British Nautical Objects
Brass
Vintage 1940s Japanese More Furniture and Collectibles
Mid-20th Century Japanese Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Gold Plate, Brass
Antique Late 19th Century French High Victorian Sports Equipment and Mem...
Metal
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s English Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Nautical Objects
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1940s Japanese Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Arms, Armor and Weapons
Aluminum
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1950s Scientific Instruments
Mid-20th Century German More Furniture and Collectibles
Mid-20th Century European Aviation Objects
Aluminum
20th Century German Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Antique 1840s European Nautical Objects
Brass
Antique 1840s North American Nautical Objects
Brass
Vintage 1950s German Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Antique 1840s European Nautical Objects
Brass
Vintage 1940s German Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass
Vintage 1940s German Scientific Instruments
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s Nautical Objects
Steel
Early 20th Century Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Metal
Vintage 1950s Czech Scientific Instruments
Antique Late 19th Century French Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Leather
Vintage 1960s Japanese Scientific Instruments
Aluminum, Brass, Bronze
Early 20th Century Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Brass
Antique 19th Century Victorian Sports Equipment and Memorabilia
Metal
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Scientific Instruments
Brass
Vintage 1910s French Historical Memorabilia
Brass
People Also Browsed
Vintage 1940s Japanese Industrial Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s Other Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Vintage 1950s Russian Other Scientific Instruments
Metal
Vintage 1950s Japanese Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum
Vintage 1940s German Other Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1930s Japanese Other Aviation Objects
Aluminum
Vintage 1970s Historical Memorabilia
Aluminum, Brass
Military Binoculars 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 ExpertApril 5, 2022Currently, the military uses an M22 binocular as their primary field binocular with 7X magnification. In the past, the military used a range of hand-held binoculars and tripod-mounted binoculars for their scouting needs. Shop a collection of vintage, authentic military binoculars on 1stDibs.
Read More
Medal-Worthy Memorabilia from Epic Past Olympic Games
Get into the games! These items celebrate the events, athletes, host countries and sporting spirit.
Ahoy! You’ve Never Seen a Collection of Sailor Art and Kitsch Quite Like This
French trendsetter and serial collector Daniel Rozensztroch tells us about his obsession with objects related to seafaring men.
39 Incredible Swimming Pools
It's hard to resist the allure of a beautiful pool. So, go ahead and daydream about whiling away your summer in paradise.
Pamela Shamshiri Shares the Secrets behind Her First-Ever Book and Its Effortlessly Cool Interiors
The sought-after designer worked with the team at Hoffman Creative to produce a monograph that beautifully showcases some of Studio Shamshiri's most inspiring projects.
Moroccan Artworks and Objects Take Center Stage in an Extraordinary Villa in Tangier
Italian writer and collector Umberto Pasti opens the doors to his remarkable cave of wonders in North Africa.
Montecito Has Drawn Royalty and Celebrities, and These Homes Are Proof of Its Allure
Hollywood A-listers, ex-pat aristocrats and art collectors and style setters of all stripes appreciate the allure of the coastal California hamlet — much on our minds after recent winter floods.
Whaam! Blam! Pow! — a New Book on Pop Art Packs a Punch
Publishing house Assouline and writer Julie Belcove have teamed up to trace the history of the genre, from Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol and Yayoi Kusama to Mickalene Thomas and Jeff Koons.
The Sparkling Legacy of Tiffany & Co. Explained, One Jewel at a Time
A gorgeous new book celebrates — and memorializes — the iconic jeweler’s rich heritage.