Objects of Curiosities and Naturalia

Objects of Curiosities and Naturalia

Uncover the Wonders of Curiosities and Naturalia for Your Home Decor

Step into a world of fascination and intrigue with our curated collection of objects of curiosities and naturalia, inspired by the timeless allure of cabinets of curiosities. Explore a realm where unusual objects and exclusive pieces converge, inviting you to embark on a journey of discovery and wonder. 

Arteslonga Team

For More information on our Objects of Curiosities and Natural Wonders Collection

Discover Exclusive Pieces and Limited Editions

Indulge your senses with our handpicked selection of intriguing items, each a testament to the captivating world of Science and Naturalia. From magnificent butterflies to multicolored specimens under globes, our collection showcases the rare beauty of nature's wonders, meticulously preserved for your admiration.

Immerse Yourself in the Majesty of Naturalia

Experience the enchantment of herbaria and collectors' boxes of insects, each offering a glimpse into the breathtaking biodiversity of tropical forests in Asia and beyond. Marvel at the intricate details of stick insects and jade green locusts, each exuding an aura of authenticity and originality that adds a unique character to any space.

Embrace the Aesthetics of Authentic Curiosities

Elevate your interior decoration with objects of curiosities that speak to the soul, infusing your home decor with elegance and personality. From the whimsical charm of a cabinet of curiosities to the understated beauty of naturalia, our collection celebrates the intrinsic beauty of the world around us, inviting you to embrace the fantasy and wonder that each piece embodies.

Transform Your Space with Unusual Objects and Curiosities

Add a touch of magic to your interior design with unusual objects that defy convention and inspire imagination. Let your home decor tell a story of exploration and adventure, as you surround yourself with curiosities that ignite the senses and awaken the spirit of curiosity within.

Experience the Extraordinary Today

Discover the extraordinary world of curiosities and naturalia and unlock the secrets of timeless beauty and fascination. With a focus on authenticity and originality, our collection invites you to explore a world where aesthetics meet elegance, and every piece tells a story of wonder and enchantment. Elevate your interior decor with the allure of fantasy and charm, and let your home become a sanctuary of inspiration and delight.

We offer something beautiful out of the wonders created by Nature.

Coming from the mineral, vegetal or animal world, our curiosities are of first-class interest. Our curiosities hunters keep increasing their networks to find the rare pearl and we keep working hard to design pieces reserved to connoisseur looking for intrinsic value. 

Discover in this section the intriguing spirit and charm of the cabinets of curiosities and travel logs of the late nineteenth century.

In order to realize a cabinet of curiosities decoration at home, all the unusual objects, the curiosities, the intriguing articles that you discover on Arteslonga are either exclusive pieces or limited editions.

Also discover a very nice Science and Naturalia selection for your cabinet of curiosities decor: magnificent butterfly frames, multicolored butterflies under globes, herbaria, astonishing collectors' boxes of insects from the tropical forests of Asia: stick insects and locusts in jade green colors.

Unusual objects, curiosities, these works are authentic and original. They meet the criteria of simplicity, aesthetics, elegance, personality, intrinsic beauty, fantasy. They correspond to a style, a history, an era, an art of living, a style. Arteslonga is a gallery of random objects, mixtures, favorites and moods that will give your cabinet of curiosities decor a unique character.

Their particularity makes them unique objects, curiosities, unusual objects. Their rarity imposes a specific sales model: unique selling. Indeed, Arteslonga travels the world to unearth these wonders which often only exist in a single copy to make your cabinet of curiosities decoration an equally unique style.

Staged in paintings inspired by everyday life, these unusual objects, these intriguing and beautiful objects at the same time and these beautiful curiosities are presented as in an art gallery. By thus mixing eras from Napoleon III onwards, styles, ages and art, Arteslonga transmits to you the know-how of yesteryear, a French art of living, unique, renowned, recognized throughout the world.

Enhance your interior decoration with these vintage works, real curiosities of modern times. Wood, ceramic, glass, or porcelain, these curiosities are unique. They will remind you of your childhood, awaken memories, rekindle smiles, provoke real emotions in you. Let yourself be charmed and enchanted by these curiosities from bygone times.

Arteslonga presents centuries of decoration. You will find the curiosities that will transform your daily life through an unusual interior. These unique, old, exclusive and vintage decorative objects will take you back in time.

The history of each piece makes it precious, special while leaving it simplicity, quality and originality. As a result, Arteslonga regularly enriches its site with finds, unusual objects, wonders, curiosities, selection of works of art, pieces of artistic craftsmanship, unique items with the aim of help you find the object of your dreams.

Discover in this section the spirit and the intriguing charm of cabinets of curiosities and travel diaries from the end of the 19th century.

The principle of the cabinet of curiosities disappeared during the nineteenth century, replaced by official institutions and private collections. These have still played a large role in certain scientific disciplines such as entomology or conchology.

A cabinet of curiosities was a place where collected objects were stored and displayed, with a certain taste for heterogeneity and the unseen. Commonly found in these cabinets of curiosities were medals, antiques, objects of natural history (such as stuffed animals, dried insects, shells, skeletons, shells, herbaria, fossils) or works of art. art.

Appeared during the Renaissance in Europe, cabinets of curiosities (Italian studiolo) are the ancestor of museums and museums. Both private (private collections) and public (institutional collections of veterinary schools, medical schools), cabinets of curiosities have played a fundamental role in the development of modern science even if they kept the traces of popular beliefs of the time (it was not uncommon to find dried dragon's blood or skeletons of mythical animals). The publication of catalogs which made the often illustrated inventory, made it possible to distribute the contents of the cabinets of curiosities to European scientists.

Disappeared in the course of the 19th century, the cabinet of curiosities resurfaced in our interiors through the cabinet of curiosities decoration. For lovers of collections, these curiosities and furniture are a must, creating a unique and charming atmosphere.

The cabinet of curiosity is the piece of furniture par excellence for lovers of collections, who seek to exhibit and store their objects with refinement.

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  • Baoulé mask, mid-20th century

    €380.00

    Very beautiful Baoulé mask, mid-20th century from Ivory Coast of the Baoulé tribe.

    A unique piece

    The single item shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    The Baoulé are part of the Akan people. They moved to western Ivory Coast more than 200 years ago and adopted the masking traditions of their neighbors, the Guro, Sénoufo and Yaure peoples.

    There are three basic types used in a special dance of rejoicing called Goli, symbolizing social order.

    Most of these masks are Kpan – with elaborate hairstyles and exquisite carvings, and represent the elderly woman during ceremonies.

    Another mask – Kple kple – represents the junior male. It is round and flat and is one of the most abstract traditional African masks.

    A third type – a Goli Gulin – represents the senior male.

  • Boa mask, mid-20th century

    €380.00

    Very beautiful Boa mask, mid-20th century from Congo from the Boa tribe.

    A unique piece. The single item shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    The Boa are mainly known for their masks, believed to be used in ceremonies related to war, to strengthen the courage of the warrior or to celebrate victories. These masks have wide-set, prominent, round ears, suggesting alertness, and are covered alternately with dark and light pigments. Ancient masks have been described belonging to warlike or secret associations and are considered war masks or diguises used for hunting although their precise function is not known

  • Punu Mask, Gabon, mid-20th century

    €380.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    A Punu Duma or Mvudi mask from Gabon with white kaolin.

    Masks like these were used by various tribes in Gabon.

    The Mwo Spirit Maiden masks depict a beautiful young girl with her whitened face and serene expression. As in life, this beautiful young girl wears an elaborate hairstyle illustrated by polychrome colors.

    The mask would be worn with a colorful costume covering his body. Although the mask has an Asian expression, no such connection has been made.

    Known as Duma or Mvudi, it represents a female guardian spirit in the initiation of young girls, funeral rites, ancestor worship and also in full moon dances.

    Material: wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Gabon

    Tribe: Punu

    Tribe: Songye

  • Kpeliyee Mask, mid-20th century, Ivory Coast

    €190.00

    Very beautiful Kifwebe mask, mid-20th century from Congo from the Songye tribe.

    A unique piece. The single item shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Named Kifwebe or “Boismasque” – the same type of which was produced by both the Luba and the Songye – this tribal mask imposes itself with its masterful dimensions.

    The term Kifwebe refers to the mask – the society of masks – and to the wearer of the mask belonging to the male secret society bwadi bwa kifwebe.

    There are three variants: the masculine (kilume) generally with a high crest - the feminine (kikashi) with a very low or absent crest - and finally the greatest embodying power (kia ndoshi).

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Congo

    Tribe: Songye

  • Mask, Gabon, mid-20th century

    €620.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Fang's Ngil masks are generally characterized by a face consisting of high orbital cavities on either side of a long straight nose separating two fine eye incisions.

    The appearance of these masks coated with kaolin (the white color would evoke the power of the ancestors) in the middle of the night could arouse fear.

    This type of mask was used by the Ngil male society which no longer exists today.

    This secret society was responsible for initiations and fought against witchcraft. The wearers of these masks always appeared in large numbers at night lit by torches.

    Material: wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Gabon

    Tribe: Fang

  • Primitive Wall Panel Toraja - South Indonesia

    €3,200.00

    Beautiful Primitive wall panel, finely carved and painted bright colors worn by time.

    Distinctive architectural element from traditional houses in southern Indonesia.

  • Primitive Wall Panel Toraja from South Indonesia

    €390.00
    This panel, once brightly colored and finely carved, comes from the facade of one of the original houses of Toraja (Indonesia). Such panels served to establish the social rank of the householder and advertise his wealth. Each community developed its own characteristic imagery for these panels. Each one is time-worn, has its own distinct patina and is a unique and authentic collector's item.
  • Basket of Papuan on base

    €240.00

    Glass frame containing a genuine old hunting basket from the Dani tribe, made from natural materials, painted and decorated with pigments, and decorated with feathers, according to the inspiration of the owner.

    Through this personal object, this one showed his vision of the world, his sense of aesthetics as well as his know-how.

  • Carved Ethnic Shield H181cm

    €1,200.00
    Still in use in the Papuan tribes, this shield is adorned with all the ornaments to the glory of the warrior who wears it. Note the red ocher paintings, typical of this region of the world, and symbols of mother earth.
  • Irian Jaya Headgear, Nouvelle Guinée

    €290.00
    Magnificent Headgear. A superb craft work from New Guinea. Freshness of colors, lightness and diversity of materials, this set allows to discover a remarkable Oceanian art.
  • New Guinea Headdress - Shells and Black Feathers

    €220.00

    Beautiful New Guinea headdress made of shells, braided fibers and black feathers.

  • Old Hunting Basket, Papua

    €540.00

    Old hunting basket from the Dani tribe, made from natural materials, painted and decorated with pigments, then decorated with feathers, according to the inspiration of the owner. Through this personal object, this one showed his vision of the world, his sense of aesthetics as well as his know-how.

  • Primitive Ornament - black feathers and shells.

    €230.01
    Very beautiful primitive necklace from Indonesia, this one is used in family ceremonies and is composed of pearls, shells and white feathers expertly mounted on a choker of woven ropes. Mounted on a mat black metal base in the ethnological collection style.
    Available in black or white.
    A current artisanal work from the Pacific Ocean, New Guinea Papua.

    A superb work of crazy elegance, a unique and elegant decorative object on a display as in a museum.

  • Chief Sioux Headdress Reproduction

    €390.00
    Beautiful headdress of war of Sioux chief. Reproduction of a real headdress of war chief Sioux. Made from real turkey feathers and finely woven pearls. A superb actual workmanship: colors, lightness and diversity of materials.
  • Indonesian Headdress - Shells and Feathers

    €220.00

    Beautiful headdress made by hand from Indonesia made weaving seashells, braided fibers and feathers.

    These headdresses were worn during festivities. Sold here on his display, as in a museum.

    A remarkable and beautiful work of art.

  • Big Chief Sioux Headdress

    €490.00
    Beautiful headdress of war of Sioux chief. Reproduction of a real headdress of war chief Sioux. Made from real turkey feathers and finely woven pearls. A superb actual workmanship: colors, lightness and diversity of materials.
  • Primitive Panel Toraja - South Indonesia

    €280.00

    Beautiful Primitive wall panel, finely carved and painted bright colors worn by time.

    Distinctive architectural element from traditional houses in southern Indonesia.

  • Ere Ibeji Figure, Nigeria

    €420.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Ibeji male figurine with pleasant features and facial scarifications. He has a sensitive expression. The character wears a traditional high-bonnet hairstyle. The surface has a nice brown patina. It is decorated with pearls around the waist and arms.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Nigeria

    Tribe: Ere Ibeji - Yoruba

  • Papou Necklace on Base H82cm

    €280.00
    Beautiful decorative necklace made with shells, pearls and feathers. Delivered with its black metal foot, this superb ethnic and tribal necklace will bring a touch of adventure and discovery to your interior. This necklace is handcrafted in Papua.
  • Column Statue Idol Timor XXL, H283cm

    €1,550.00
    Column Statue Idol Timor with a height of 283cm. Red carved wooden statue, originally from Timor Island. Dating back to fifty years, these statues are erected at the entrances of houses under construction during traditional rites. They thus bless the house and its inhabitants and embody the power of the gods or of Nature.
  • Wall Panel Toraja South Indonesia

    €390.00
    This panel, once brightly colored and finely carved, comes from the facade of one of the original houses of Toraja (Indonesia). Such panels served to establish the social rank of the householder and advertise his wealth. Each community developed its own characteristic imagery for these panels. Each one is time-worn, has its own distinct patina and is a unique and authentic collector's item.
  • Column Statue Idol Timor XXL, H293cm

    €1,550.00
    Column Statue Idol Timor with a height of 283cm. Red carved wooden statue, originally from Timor Island. Dating back to fifty years, these statues are erected at the entrances of houses under construction during traditional rites. They thus bless the house and its inhabitants and embody the power of the gods or of Nature.
  • Primitive Panel Toraja - South Indonesia

    €240.00

    Beautiful Primitive wall panel, finely carved and painted bright colors worn by time.

    Distinctive architectural element from traditional houses in southern Indonesia.

  • Hemba Ancestor Figure, Mid XXth Century

    €480.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    A classic female Hemba ancestor figure with hands placed on the chest, eyes half open. These figures are imbued with the nobility of ancestors increasing the family lineage. These figures would have been shown during important ceremonies aimed at strengthening the family's position. As a spiritual container, the figure would facilitate the connection between the world of the dead and that of the living. It has beautiful scarifications on the abdomen.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Congo

    Tribe: Hemba

  • Ancestor Figure, Mid XXth Century, DR Congo

    €520.00

    This unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    A typical female ancestral figure with nice varied patina. The stylistic similarities with the sculpture of the neighboring Kuba people are evident. Beautiful scarifications all over the body with a typical coiffure.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Congo

    Tribe: Ndengese

  • Ceremonial Seat, Chokwe Tribe

    €1,400.00

    Chair from the Chokwé Tribe, mid-20th century.

    The single item shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Most seats in sub-Saharan Africa are low stools carved from a single block of wood. However, as early as the 16th century, Portuguese traders and explorers introduced back chairs to southern and eastern Africa. Chokwe artists soon began producing similar chairs by adding sculptural scenes and Chokwe motifs.

  • Chief Dogon Stool, Mali, Mid XIXth Century

    €620.00

    A unique piece. The items shown in the picture are exactly the items you will receive.

    Stunning chef stool hand carved from a single piece of wood

    A beautifully carved stool from Mali.

    The ancestral figures or nommo are symmetrical and geometric sculpted in relief.

    They support the higher seat and should represent ancestors seen as authority figures.

    According to Dogon cosmogony, the stool is made up of two discs; one representing the sky and the other the earth.

    It shows signs of wear due to aging but remains remarkably solid.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Mali

    Tribe: Dogon

  • Chief Stool, Guinee Bissau, Mid XIXth Century

    €1,200.00

    A unique piece. The items shown in the picture are exactly the items you will receive.

    Superb chef's stool hand carved from a single piece of wood by the Baga tribe of Guinea-Bissau.

    Stools are a minor art form for the Baga whose large masks and snake figures are among the largest and most impressive in Africa.

    Striking modern pumpkin shape with intricate decorative carvings around the top edge.

    It shows signs of wear due to aging but remains remarkably solid.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Guinea Bissau

    Tribe: Baga

  • Lapis-lazuli on brass base (2,5kg)

    €1,560.00
    3kg Lapis Lazuli block on brass base - Afghanistan. A wonderful unique piece!. The Lapis-Lazuli whose royal blue color is very sought after is the most famous of the stones linked to intuition. The great rulers of the world (Pharaohs, emperors, kings ..) have always considered it as a sacred stone intended to help them achieve in g-reign with wisdom and justice.
  • Set of 2 Ancient African Stools, Gabon

    €1,200.00

    Two unique pieces. The items shown in the picture are exactly the items you will receive.

    Chairs and stools are prestigious objects for the Kota people of Gabon.

    You can notice how they use similar characteristics on all of their sculptures and other subjects that they create. L

    The seat is decorated with various geometric patterns engraved in what appears to be copper and brass.

    It shows signs of wear due to aging but remains remarkably solid.

    Material: Wood, Brass and Copper

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Gabon

    Tribe: Kota

  • Mexican Sand Stone on Stand 5kg

    €990.00

    Mexican sand stone on stand.

    One of a kind !
    Each desert of the worls gives a different type of Desert Rose.
    These rose-like formation of crystal clusters of Selenite include abundant sand grains. And in that case, sand from the Mexican desert of Chihuahua.
    This tall piece has a unique shape made of small round roses and flowers of flakes gathered million of years ago by the evaporation of an ancient shallow salt bassin that covered this enormous sandy surface that is now between Mexico and USA. 
  • Male King Figure, H156cm, Mid XXth Century

    €3,200.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Wooden male king (Ndop) figure.

    The figure sits cross-legged on a square platform (yiing) carved with a representation of a climbing vine.

    Ndop statues are idealized representations of the Nyimi or kings of the Kuba kingdom.

    Material: Wood

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Congo

    Tribe: Kuba Bushoong

  • Crystallized Sulfur H19cm - 1,6kg

    €708.00
    Magnificent crystallized native sulfur presented on a base.
    Very shiny specimen of a pure and dazzling yellow, coming from a Bolivian mine near San Pablo de Napa.
    Before being transformed into matches, sulfur is a mineral on matrix.
  • Ancestor in Terracotta, Nigeria, Mid XXth Century

    €440.00

    The unique piece shown in the picture is the exact item you will receive.

    Little is known about the Nok culture, which is defined largely on the basis of its stunning terracotta artwork.

    Aesthetically, the sculpture is both naturalistic and expressionistic, with very distinctive elongated forms, triangular eyes, pierced pupils and nostrils, and elaborate hairstyles.

    The function of this art is unclear, although the care with which they are executed has led some to claim that they represent nobility.

    Material: Terracotta

    Age: mid-20th century

    Origin: Nigeria

    Tribe: Nok

    Tribe: Kuba Bushoong

  • Small Iconic Stele

    €360.00
    From the Kingdom of Queen of Sheba, exceptional small iconic stele, current reproduction of pieces that existed dating from the 3rd/1st century BC.
    These steles are the remains of forgotten civilizations of the South Arabian Peninsula and more particularly of Yemen, a thousand-year-old country with dreamlike landscapes and unique architecture in the world.
    For many, it remains the land of incense, “caravan routes” and the lands of the sultans.
    Hand-carved from sandstone by our artisans, these steles were originally pillars. Rectangular in shape, with the effigy of stylized faces, they were sometimes engraved with the name of their owners.
    These faces, always represented from the front with a straight nose, topped with eyebrow arches in strong relief, were framed by almond-shaped eyes and a small mouth with pursed lips.
    Their stylization is remarkably abstract, their primitive appearance has inspired more than one artist of the modern era.
    Patinas and wear due to time are skillfully reproduced in our workshops in a natural way.
    They are each presented on a matte black “museum style” base.
  • Red Gorgon on Black Base H85x95cm

    €1,030.00

    Bright red Gorgon on brass base

    Its color is incredible, but completely natural. We managed to preserve the beauty of this gorgon, even on your console! It comes from Micronesia, Melithaea ochracea-

    Red gorgonians (Acabaria biserialis) line the rocky slopes between 20 and 100 meters deep. It is necessary to use a flashlight to appreciate their brilliance, because at this depth, the red appears dark blue.

    Attached perpendicular to their support, the colonized polyp branches filter the water with the current to capture the micro-organisms in suspension.

    A very beautiful decorative object.

  • Capsule of Green Bird-Winged Butterflies H47cm

    €1,320.00

    Stunning naturalistic globe featuring bird-winged butterflies - Ornithoptera Priamus - encapsulated in a capsule-shaped globe.

    The base is in aged brass.

    Packaging specifically reinforced and suitable for shipment.

    The most common of the bird-winged butterflies -Ornithoptera Priamus- is actually not that common as it is only found in a few small islands in the Pacific: Papua New Guinea, South Moluccas Islands, Solomon Islands.. .

    Islands where the forests are decreasing year after year under the influence of men.

    This is why this protected species will be delivered with a CITES.

    Only the males have these bright colors, the females are even larger, but brown in color.

    They are so remarkable that our specimens now come from a farm in Indonesia.

  • Naturalistic Globes Mix of Butterflies, Set of 3

    €460.01
    Nice set of three naturalistic globes featuring a mix of butterflies on a branch of white Salix, dried flower and moss. Round wooden base with black finish in the old Napoleon III style.

  • 12 Butterflies from Pacific Islands H66cm

    €3,720.00
    12 magnificent bird-winged butterflies in a capsule globe.
    The most common bird-winged butterfly - Ornithoptera Priamus - is actually not so common, because it is only found in a few small islands in the Pacific: Papua New Guinea, Southern Moluccas, Solomon Islands...
    Islands where their forests diminish year after year under the influence of men. 
    This is why this protected species will be delivered with a CITES. 
    Only the males have these bright colors, the females are even larger, but brown in color. 
    They are so remarkable that our specimens now come from a farm in Indonesia.
  • Large Statuette, H63,5cm, Etruscan Art

    €460.00

    Large statuette presenting a reproduction of an "Ombra della Sera", a masterpiece of Etruscan Art dating from the 3rd century BC. BC, from ancient foundries in the Volterra region of Italy, and preserved at the Guarnacci Museum.

    The story goes that Giacometti, in love with these statuettes, was inspired by them to design his emblematic sculptures.

    Its workshop bronze patina gives it a warm and authentic appearance.

    Material: bronze finish metal.

    A very beautiful contemporary artisanal work for this beautiful object of Art.

    For a refined and eternal interior decoration.