Creel and Gow: 21st Century Purveyors of Curiosities

In the height of European Renaissance a new trend emerged: the Wunderkammer or ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’. As man began to explore the edges of the known world in science, history, archaeology, geography and art, wealthy renaissance men began constructing collections of wondrous artifacts from all corners of the globe. These became known as Wunderkammer, or ‘wonder-rooms’, places of mystery and curiosity, which displayed not only the wealth and knowledge of its owner, but also the strange and fascinating nature of the known world.

Enter the 21^st century and the Cabinet of Curiosities has made subtle and tasteful return. Thanks to collectors Jamie Creel and Christopher Gow (also a former Sotheby’s expert) the contemporary Renaissance man can also construct his own Wunderkammer.

Creel and Gow are both avid travellers and indeed concoct their collection from all corners of the globe. Creel, who frequently lives in Paris, but also has homes in Argentina and Morocco, provides the collection with everything from French antiques to Moroccan crafts. The resulting compilation is an assortment of traditional crafts, ancient artworks, antique furniture, fossils, minerals, stuffed animals, and anything else that is curious and beautiful.

Their sleek Upper East Side boutique offers everything from narwhal horns to crystal skulls and many things in between. It is refreshing to find an offering of such unique artifacts: in today’s world of mass produced and mass consumed, Creel and Gow offer the chance to own something truly original that you will find nowhere else.

And while you may not want to deck out your whole house like the set of Sleep No More, the shop does provide you with the opportunity to add interest and flare to any décor with something truly unique. You can also peruse and shop the collection online in helpful categories like ‘Natural History’, ‘Minerals’ and ‘Library’. However, a trip to the store itself (on Lexington and 70^th) is like stepping both back in time and across all parts of the curious globe.

— Oscar Lopez