Cabinet of Curiosities – How to Display a Treasured Collection

The desire to collect is one that dates back for many thousands of years; in fact the first known collection – a collection of crystals from the Kalahari in southern Africa - can be traced back over 100,000 years. The passion for collecting is still as strong as it’s ever been and whether you’ve been a seasoned collector since childhood, or are just starting out, deciding how and where to display your treasures can seem just as difficult as finding them!

As already mentioned, humans have been collecting for over 100,000 years, but let’s fast-forward to the 16th century which is when the idea of displaying a collection in a purpose built cabinet – a cabinet of curiosities – really took off. At this time, ever extending colonial trade routes took travellers from across Europe to increasingly far-flung corners of the globe. Whilst travelling and exploring new lands, items were purchased or simply looted. Once back at home, rare, exotic and previously unknown items became highly sought-after and a reflection of status, taste, knowledge and wealth.

But how to display a collection? It’s important to remember that museums as we know them today did not exist in the 16th Century. However the mania for collecting which began to develop would ultimately lead to the opening of museums such as the British Museum in London which first welcomed visitors in 1759. ‘Domestic’ collections were a great source of pride for their owners and because they provided an important reflection of taste and intellect, early collectors were keen to find ways to show off treasured items to visitors. As a result, purpose built display cabinets - cabinet of curiosities – were developed and designed to showcase collections.

When it comes to displaying your collection at home, it doesn’t matter what you collect, the important thing is that the items in your collection are special and significant to you. Choosing to display them is the perfect way to appreciate your collection and ensure it stands out, rather than being hidden away like everyday clutter. However, it you collect very small or delicate items, you’ll want to protect them (and yourself!) from having to dust them too often. So, what are the options?

Shelving displays are ideal for all kinds of collections and grouping together one collection or a set of particular items together on one shelving unit, is a wonderful way to make your collection the focal point of a room. Obviously books are ideal for displaying on shelving units, however ceramics – try to group similar colours, or shapes together – or small antique items, look so much better when displayed in a group.

Here at Shimu you’ll find that we offer a wide range of stylish shelving and storage solutions, perfect for displaying your treasures to their best advantage. You’ll want your collection to be front and centre of the display, so why not opt for a simple, contemporary shelving unit with an open back and sides? Our Chinese circular display shelves look particularly stunning when used to display ceramics, for example, whilst Ming shelves were specially designed to be used by ancient Chinese scholarly classes to stack books.

The glass doors of display cabinets ensure they are ideal for displaying delicate items, or a collection of objects that you’d like to protect from dust. Our ever-changing selection of original antiques often includes display cabinets from China, whilst our range of hand crafted reproduction furniture includes a selection of beautiful cabinets based on traditional designs.

Of course you don’t have to store your collection on shelves and the large, wide top of a console table, sideboard or traditional Chinese apothecary chest, also makes the perfect place for storing your favourite items. Ceramic pieces or small antique items such as trinket boxes or tea urns, can look beautiful when displayed on a sideboard. Alternatively, the walls inside your home could also provide the perfect backdrop to a collection, so why not consider displaying plates, baskets or collectables on a wall for a maximum impact without clutter?

However you choose to display your collection, you’ll find that we have a wide and inspiring range of beautiful pieces of original Chinese and handcrafted reproduction furniture for your home.