Curio Objects In Film & Theatre

Mysterious objects with a fascinating past, rare artefacts waiting to be found, valued and spiritual pieces; curio objects are a main theme in many adventure films, e.g. ‘Indiana Jones’, ‘The Goonies’ and even ‘Moana’. Less obvious perhaps, are objects which could arguably be considered curios based on their significance to the story. The critically acclaimed ‘Citizen Kane’ featured a sled named Rosebud as a central plot point. It was destroyed but had the characters understood its significance, it could have been preserved as a valuable possession and talking point for years to come- the original purpose of a curiosity collection. 

On the other hand, while theatre productions rarely seem to base a story around a curio (Monty Python’s holy grail tale ‘Spamalot’ being a famous exception!) commonplace objects used in theatre productions often have significance both on and offstage, becoming curios in their own right. ‘Chekhov’s Gun’ is a dramatic principle which advises “if in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired.” Adhering to this, every object onstage can have potential significance. While film props are often duplicated (there were many versions of ‘the one ring’ used in Lord Of The Rings), this happens to a lesser degree on the smaller scale of the theatre, keeping these objects as rarities, for example; puppets and original Greek performance masks can become valued in a curiosity collection. 

While in reality, objects in a curio collection have genuine significance, believable acting can make ordinary props maintain their fictional value even after the credits roll. The makers of ‘Titanic’ were often asked what happened to the real ‘Heart of the Ocean’ necklace. While the prop was based on a real piece of jewellery, the necklace’s story was fictional.

Through proximity to the audience, theatre is often considered more intimate and borrowed curios can add an extra dimension to a performance. Traditionally, Shakespeare’s Hamlet was performed using a real human skull as a prop. 

To give extra interest to a film or theatre production and extend a curio collection’s interest outside the home, here are some suggestions from our collection: 

One of our Vampire Hunting boxes would belong on the set of any of the popular film franchises featuring vampires both modern and ancient, especially the rumoured sequel to ‘Dracula Untold’. 

A revival of the 1855 play ‘Grimaldi’ based on the life of Joseph Grimaldi (creator of today’s distinctive ‘clown’ look) could feature the painting ‘Capers’, by Hans Kanters which shows a clownish figure balancing on a tightrope. 

While a film about the renowned sexologist Alfred Kinsey was made in 2004, his life and studies could certainly provide material for more films. Our wooden Phallus and Anatomical Model of the Male Penis would certainly have been of interest to Kinsey himself. 

To foreshadow the demonic nature of the title character, our Cold Cast Vampire Nosferatu Skull in bronze could be placed on a door or wall in a production of ‘Let The Right One In” a national theatre production of romance featuring the undead. 

Do you want to source curio or special props for your TV, movie or theatre production? See our online curio collection or Contact us today with your brief.