Category Archives: Show Cabinets

My wife used to collect thimbles, and everywhere we traveled we sought out the thimble that came from that country or town. Most of them are just tourist items, like the Plymouth coffee mug, or the Olympic Mountains key ring, or the Boston tea caddy. From the UK, we had thimbles from Paignton in Devon, St. Ives in Cornwall, and Great Yarmouth in Norfolk.

But, where does one store all these curios? That is where the curio cabinet comes in, and is used very effectively to display our collections and items of which we may be proud. I’ve even known people to show off their grand collection of seashells in this piece of cabinetry.

What is it that you collect? Silver spoons perhaps, or coat buttons, or maybe even shot glasses. Given the right size and style of the curio cabinets, all these personal items will fit and look very good on display.

Art is something that can be appreciated by the person who either creates it, or the person who looks at it. Collecting curios is an art which is there to be appreciated, so why not have it on display instead of closing the lid on a box in the attic or basement. And even if I cannot personally appreciate a collection of coat buttons, I can admire the collection that someone has taken the time to put together. The curio is the vehicle through which others can see these items, and of course, it also gives them a glimpse into who the collector is.

Another advantage of the curio cabinet is that it serves to protect the valued collection of small glass items or porcelain figurines. There’s nothing more annoying or frustrating when showing a friend or neighbor your treasured champagne glass from Paris, than they fumble the item and drop it. It is much better to house these fragile pieces in a strong, comfortable home, out of harm’s way.

The other point about this cabinet is that there are many varieties available, and one style or color would better suit the colorful buttons from around the world, whilst another would be more appropriate for that stunning collection of gemstones.

The great advantage of the curio cabinet over other methods of display is that each item has its own little shelf space, separating it from its neighbor. It is like a series of little boxes all lined up together, like pigeonholes in the company administrative office. Most are glass-fronted, so that the items are readily on display. But others have a little door to open, which then reveals the treasured contents of gold, silver or even platinum.

Another great feature of the curio is the capacity to install lighting around to enhance the displayed items. If the cabinet is a fixed feature on the wall or on a countertop, lighting can be used to good effect to show off the beautiful contents. Of course the cabinet doesn’t have to be a fixed feature, as it can also be used as a storage device, and be brought out when the contents needs to be seen.

If you have a collection of items that you would like to display, rather than storing them in the attic or bedroom closet, consider the curio cabinet; that is what it was made for. Continue reading →