Curio Collect

Curio Collect OBJECTS WITH SOUL

Antiques from Asia, Americas, and Europe

Curio brings forgotten artifacts to life by telling their hidden stories run by antique dealer Gabe Ficht. Gabe's journey as an antique dealer began in middle school, where a fascination with coins sparked a lifelong passion for history and objects of the past. Growing up in New England, he honed his skills by learning from seasoned antique dealers and engaging with knowledgeable customers, each e

ncounter deepening his understanding of the trade. Over time, his focus expanded beyond coins to embrace the world of decorative arts, where ceramics, metalware, and glass from diverse cultures captured his imagination. Gabe is driven by the belief that every object has a story to tell, and his true passion lies in uncovering those narratives—bringing the past to life through the unique artifacts he discovers.

01/05/2026

Tlingit or Haida Native American Model Totem Pole ca 1890 found in an antique mall

01/03/2026

Brass Alms Dish from Nuremberg Germany from 1500s similar to one in Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum

01/02/2026

19th century Japanese Imari Jar found at a thrift store

01/01/2026

Precolumbian stamp with figure or…aliens?

This Western Zhou dynasty gray pottery tripod vessel (circa 11th–8th century BCE) is a striking example of early Chinese...
12/23/2025

This Western Zhou dynasty gray pottery tripod vessel (circa 11th–8th century BCE) is a striking example of early Chinese ritual ceramics. The vessel is made from fine gray clay, with a rounded body supported on three robust legs, each leg bearing raised decorative accents that emphasize structure and symmetry.

Uncovered examples of this type often imitate the form of bronze ding or li vessels, suggesting that it served a ritual or ancestral function, perhaps as a lower-cost or symbolic substitute for metalware. The surface shows impressed chord patterns applied before firing, giving the pot both texture and visual rhythm.

The vessel’s gray coloration results from reduction firing in an oxygen-limited kiln, a hallmark of Zhou-period pottery technology. Its minimalist yet powerful design reflects the early development of Chinese ceramic aesthetics, where form and proportion conveyed ritual gravity as much as decoration.

Today, such gray pottery tripods are valued for their archaeological significance and quiet monumentality, embodying the austere refinement of early Zhou ritual culture and the enduring lineage between ceramic and bronze forms.

12/10/2025

Italian Renaissance Jug hiding in plain sight

12/08/2025

Come antiquing with me - let’s see what we find

12/07/2025

Come to the antique store with me - let’s see why we find!

12/06/2025

18th century English needlework - likely from the back of a chair

12/04/2025

Dutch 17th century Roemer Glass - often seen in paintings

12/04/2025

19th century busk - can you guess what it was used for and who made it?

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Ojai, CA
93023

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