Our Curio Cabinets (a.k.a. Nerd Cabinet)

On By Teri PolenIn Monday Share

I know – it’s not exactly what you usually find here on Mondays, but Author Mae Clair inspired today’s post. On her blog last week HERE, Mae wrote about the origin of curio cabinets (which was fascinating – I had no idea how they came about) and the collectibles in her own cabinet. She has a variety of objects – an antique teacup, a crystal lion, a hand-painted wine glass, a beautiful carousel horse, a kachina doll she picked up in Arizona, an antique stein and shaving cup that belonged to her grandfather. It made me think about my own curio cabinet – which I call my nerd cabinet. Trust me – it’s a more apt description.

Behold in all its glory – my nerd collections. On the top shelf is a Lego scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (I love Legos thanks to Son #2). Isn’t the dragon glorious? Below that is my assortment of Funko Pops, all gifts from my sons. They consist of Hawkeye (Son #2 struggled to find that one) and Ronin from Marvel, Westley from The Princess Bride, and Ted the Geek from the movie Sixteen Candles. In front of them are Marvel golf balls that I stole from hubby after he won them at a golf tournament. He’s not a Marvel fan (unless its Iron Man) and completely unworthy of owning them. The next shelf is a Lego scene of Rei and Kylo Ren from Star Wars. I have another Lego project waiting – the head of Darth Vader – that Son #1 gave me for my birthday.

Son #2 doesn’t have a curio cabinet, but he has quite a collection of curiosities. Before COVID, he traveled abroad with his university band two consecutive summers and visited ten (maybe eleven?) different countries. I’m so glad he was able to take advantage of those opportunities before everything shut down. Just to name a few items, he’s got liqueur bottles in the shape of cellos, a mini Mozart bust, owls (he’s a fan), a cigar, and a book-shaped tin to hold teas. There are several small figurines that are difficult to make out in the photos. Not everything is from his overseas trips. Since he’s also a nerd, you can see Dragon Ball Z figurines, a Funko Pop of Will Ferrell from the More Cowbell SNL skit, and a 3D printed image of the Death Star from Star Wars. There are several other figurines too small to be seen in the pics, and these are just the things he didn’t take with him when he moved to Austin.

If you missed Mae’s post last week, make sure to visit her at the link above to learn more about the origin of curio cabinets. Now that you’ve seen mine, tell me about yours. What do you collect?

38 thoughts on “Our Curio Cabinets (a.k.a. Nerd Cabinet)”

  1. I love this. I have a lot of my daughter´s pottery in my curio cabinet as well as a kachina doll, a Creative Goddess felt doll and a Swarovski camel hubby bought me to celebrate my first book, Amanda in Arabia. The bottom shelf has a collection of my favourite books including a vintage Jane Austen. Curio cabinets are like a diorama of your life.

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    1. I love that your hubby got you a camel to celebrate your first book, Darlene – and how appropriate! Son #2 also has plenty of pottery around (one item in the picture holds his earrings), but they’re nothing compared to your daughter’s pottery. His were made in summer camp during elementary school, lol. A diaorama of your life is a perfect description.

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  2. You are bringing out the nerd in me, Teri. I love seeing and celebrating all of this stuff! Thank you for the awesome shout out for my post. I’m so glad I inspired you to share some of your collectibles and those of son #2. He is so lucky to have visited all those countries and picked up so many oddities. I have a friend who is a passionate Mozart fan, has researched him in depth and written a fictionalized account of his life. She used to host a Mozart party every year on his birthday, which was attended by writers, artists, poets and web-spinners. It was where I first drank syllabub. She would go gonzo over that Mozart bust!

    I love your collection of Harry Potter, Star Wars and fannish stuff. And I especially love that you felt your husband unworthy to own those Marvel golf balls, LOL. What a score for you that he won them.

    This was such a fun post. Nerds of the world, unite! 😁

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    1. It’s difficult to see in the pics, but he has a few Mozart items (music was one of his majors). I love the idea of a Mozart party – my son would absolutely attend, lol. The second hubby walked i the door with those golf balls, I confiscated them, lol. Thanks for the idea, Mae!

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  3. What a fun post, Teri. I think if we all posted our “oddities” it would tell each other so much about us. 🙂 Love all these collections! My granddaughters are Lego fanatics and my oldest granddaughter is obsessed with Harry Potter Legos. She even has a Harry Potter Lego Chess set. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

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    1. We have plenty of HP Lego kits, Jan. My son and I even put together Hogwarts Castle (over 1000 pieces), then I threatened all of their friends about getting near it. So much work, but so fun to put together! Son #2 is a chess player, and he’d love to get his hands on a HP set. Have a great week!

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  5. Gwen M. Plano

    I love this post, Teri. I have fewer “odd” things these days because we recently moved across the country. It’s amazing what such a journey can do to one’s collections. 😊

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  7. WendyW

    I love your curio cabinet! My mother had one filled with teacups and tea sets and I loved it. I don’t have one, as I’ve moved so often in my life, and just never had the room.

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    1. Thanks, Wendy! My son is a huge tea fan, and he’d probably love to see your mom’s collection. My MIL collected small spoons from their travels. They weren’t displayed in a curio cabinet, but in a wall holder. It was amazing to see all the places they’d traveled to.

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    1. Bet my geologist son would enjoy seeing those survey instruments. You should have a grand reopening of your curio and get the things out of storage, Craig. And Farmer Ted always rocks – he’s been a long time favorite of mine, lol.

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  14. I never knew the origin of curio cabinets until I read Mae’s post. I love your collections. Neat that your son was able to travel so much. I also love owls and have a collection of them (packed away now). One is even a music box that plays “Take Me Home Country Roads.” I might have to dig those out again.

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    1. You should, Joan! Have a grand reopening like I suggested for Craig. Son #2 has owls everywhere. Most things in his kitchen even have an owl theme. He was so fortunate to visit all those countries before the pandemic hit, and we’re glad he took advantage of it. Something he’ll always remember.

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  15. Tee-hee! This was such fun, Teri. I love the “Nerd Cabinet.” I never had a curio cabinet, but (before the most recent cross-country move) I had a few things strategically placed on various bookcases. Ha, I guess I had a nerd shelf. 😀 (I gave up all the books, cases, and nerd-ifacts for that move too. However, the Michael Whelan dragon sculpture I “rehomed” rather than simply giving away. Hopefully he is still as well loved by the new owners. LOL.) Thanks for sharing this bit of fun. Big hugs.
    https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.e119a227910310c51c4b2b117b42c7b4?rik=Zi%2bPI796wAGDig&pid=ImgRaw&r=0

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    1. That dragon is gorgeous! Glad he has a new home and well-loved. I’m steadily adding more to my nerd cabinet – maybe I’ll do another update by the end of the year, lol.

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  16. This is really cool! I remember my grandma had one of these and it was slam full of glass figures, all kinds. I have a glass cabinet that I use as a “Greenhouse” for my plant babies. I have lights in it and all that. I love that you have a “nerd” cabinet because I feel like I need one now too. haha.

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    1. You should get one, Leslie! I’m fascinated by your greenhouse. I’d love to start a small one like that, but I’m afraid of what might happen. My thumb sure isn’t the greenest. Plants at best have a 50/50 chance around here.

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  17. Victoria Zigler

    I don’t have a curio cabinet, but I do have a whole load of Harry Potter and Lord Of The Rings figures and collectables on a shelving unit in my living room, plus a couple of Star wWars plushies and figurines, several other ornaments (most of them animals or fantasy creatures… In particular a small collection of Westies, a few dinosaurs, and a couple of unicorns).

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    1. I’m loving the descriptions of your shelves, Tori. So many good things on them. I’m also a dinosaur fan after my oldest son fell hard for them when he was little. I know more about them than the average person, lol.

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