The iconic Sunburst Mirror was made by Syroco (short for Syracuse Ornament Company), founded in 1890. Syroco was originally known for their decorative wood carving, but in the unpredictable economy of early 20th century manufacturing, shifted their focus to an innovative and cost-effective technique: compression molding. This 40-pound mirror is not made of carved wood, nor is it plastic - its ornately detailed rays are made of a concoction of wood pulp and flour that was poured into a mold before being painted and finished.

An alchemist fibbed to the King of Poland, and that is why we have European porcelain. That is how this towering, decadent Capodimonte lamp from Victorian Naples came to be. The alchemist’s name was Johann Friedrich Böttger, and he proclaimed to King Augustus of Poland that he had achieved that impossible dream we all have, to be able to turn worthless materials into gold. Gentleman that he was, Augustus put Böttger in protective custody and delicately encouraged him to produce gold.

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This hand-carved antique corner chair with mother-of-pearl inlays is an endangered species. It's not just that it's rare to find an antique of this condition in the wild - this chair is made of rosewood, a tropical wood that was protected globally and prohibited from international trade in 2013. There are 300 species of rosewood trees and they grow in tropical rainforests from Brazil to Malaysia. Rosewood is named for its floral, perfumey scent, a fragrance that can persist in rosewood pieces for years. There is something both solemn and captivating about sitting in this chair, a piece that for good reason could not be recreated in the world today. Its beauty feels rare and precious.