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Browse the most eclectic mix of unique antique and vintage home accessories from the comfort and convenience of home. Enhance the design of any interior with Knickerbocker’s carefully curated collection of American, European, Asian, and African fine and decorative arts. Our ever-changing inventory features an array of objects and artifacts from Victorian to Mid-Century Modern including lamps, sconces, art pottery, fine china, porcelain, crystal, art glass, prints, oil paintings, sculpture, folk art, primitives, nautical décor, and much more!

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Architectural Treasures at Auction

When England’s greatest country estate cleans house no ordinary tag sale will do, which is why October 5 – 7 Sotheby’s will be hosting a sale of over 1,000 lots containing 20,000 objects removed from the store rooms of Chatsworth House.


This magnificent estate in Derbyshire has served for centuries as the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, including the famous Georgiana as portrayed by Keira Knightly in the 2008 film The Duchess. Chatsworth House itself is no stranger to the silver screen having appeared in numerous films, most notably as Pemberley in the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice also staring Ms. Knightly.


While the sale includes mountains of furniture, china, glass, and fine art the most eagerly anticipated items are rare antique architectural elements salvaged from among the many castles, manors, and estates owned by the family over the centuries, including this eclectic grab bag of beautiful gilt-gesso architectural fragments dating from the late 17th and 18th centuries.


Among the rare fixtures and fittings are many long forgotten elements salvaged from Devonshire House, the palatial London residence designed for the family in 1733 by the great English architect William Kent. Once the epicenter of English society this “lost palace of London” was demolished in 1925 with many of the finest interior flourishes, including this pair of Kent designed brackets, making their way to the attics of Chatsworth where they lay forgotten and collecting dust for nearly a century.


The rediscovery of these artifacts provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of England’s architectural heritage as Kent’s work is now only to be seen in important preserved historical buildings. Aside from the 18th century a broad scope of historical English design periods are represented including this beautiful collection of 15th century carved oak Gothic tracery fragments that would look incredibly chic and romantic simply displayed and enjoyed as works of art.


Among all the grand and imposing antiques we were especially taken with this unusual little pair of charming late 17th century carved oak candle wall sconces in the form of flowering crocuses with beautifully aged patina.

Photos via Sotheby’s

Autumn Eclectic

This eclectic seating arrangement which can best be described as "Baronial Bohemian Baroque", was inspired by none other than the autumnal hues of our vintage fabric throw pillows begun here in a previous post. A simple tea dying treatment was the perfect solution for muting the super saturated colors of this circa 1972 Schumacher fabric to something more akin to the hand printed cotton chintz of eighteenth century India.


With the pillows as a starting point we’ve amassed an assortment of autumnal art and accessories ranging from the Imari orange of a vintage porcelain shell bowl to the ox blood red of the Chinese porcelain jars flanking the arrangement. The gilded floral garland swags and antique Italian gilt metal and crystal wall sconce add a metallic sparkle to the mix that stands in stark contrast to the moose antlers that recall an old rustic hunting lodge.


The painted set of Hollywood Regency wall panels have a Chinoiserie fantasy motif complimented by the antique Chinese silk embroideries set in elaborate antique frames with incredible aged patina. The 1940’s vintage lampshade has aged to a lovely parchment like tone that casts a warm honeyed glow over the brown leather sofa and woven Scottish throw blanket.


The beautifully hand painted Italian majolica pitcher holds a perfect autumn bouquet of golden sunflowers and orange tiger lilies while nearby the last of summers velvety fruits nestle delectably into a creamy white alabaster bowl. As you can see Heidi the Rat Terrier heartily approves of her "Baronial Bohemian Baroque" surroundings and has already claimed these new pillows as her own.

Photos and staging by KS&D.

Eclectic Dessert Buffet

What better way to follow up our recent “dinner for two” post than with a generous helping of dessert? We’ve scoured the butler’s pantry for our most romantic porcelain and fine china serving pieces to create a dessert buffet as rich as any frosted confection.


Anchoring the table’s right end is a charming vintage German apothecary jar overflowing with fresh hydrangea in every imaginable shade of pink and purple. Flanking the bouquet are some beautiful Limoges porcelain compote dishes with intricate gilded floral detailing including a large cake stand layered with a scallop shell compote to create a multilevel serving piece perfect for displaying cookies and other treats. Tucked between all the Limoges sits a elegant antique Austrian porcelain serving basket and a charming antique English china sugar and creamer set.


Front and center sits an intricately painted porcelain tray of unusual shape piled high with vintage German porcelain cups and saucers adorned with colorful clusters of lush ripe fruits. Illuminating the scene from behind is a pair of elaborate porcelain candelabra ornamented with cherubic figures along their bases.


Behind the exquisite Haviland Limoges biscuit jar and vintage pewter coffee pot rests a large English ironstone platter just waiting to be put into service. The set of antique Royal Worcester bowls in the foreground are of ivory china with finely detailed gilded rims. Next to these a stack of small plates includes a set of old English Staffordshire embellished with blue ivy as well as a set of antique platinum banded Lenox. The scene is finished off with a smaller bouquet of hydrangea arranged in a classical vintage Lenox vase.

Photos and styling by KS&D.

Shop New Arrivals Now!

Browse the most eclectic mix of unique antique and vintage home accessories from the comfort and convenience of home! Enhance the design of any interior with Knickerbocker’s carefully curated collection of American, European, Asian, and African fine and decorative arts. Our ever-changing inventory features an array of objects and artifacts from Victorian to Mid-Century Modern including lamps, sconces, art pottery, fine china, porcelain, crystal, art glass, prints, oil paintings, sculpture, folk art, primitives, nautical décor, and much more!

Click HERE to shop our newest arrivals now!

Vintage Wedgwood Schumacher

On buying trips for our shop we often come across incredible vintage fabrics but without a specific project in mind rarely stop to take a look. On a recent trip we had a definite project in mind and were lucky enough to stumble across the perfect piece of fabric for the job.


The fine fragile silk pillows seen here in a previous post all suddenly begun to fray at once (wonder who the culprit could be?) and vintage fabrics are a wonderful opportunity for unique throw pillows. At just over two yards this bold vintage Schumacher screen print was just the right size to make three pillow covers and dates from the early 70’s when this fine old family owned textile company was supplying fabric to the White House.


The pattern known as “Golden Cockerel” for the rooster motif was inspired by a now discontinued Wedgwood china pattern of the same name. The rich saturated hues in this fabric that were so popular in the late 60’s and early 70’s give the traditional pattern a fun more casual feel but are a little intense to contemporary eyes. A simple tea dying treatment will instantly tone down the bold colors and give the fabric a softer aged feel. Be sure to check back soon to see just how the finished products turn out!