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The Brooklyn Museum is a true national treasure. Its collection of 500,000 objects represents thousands of years of history, from the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt to 20th-century America. Even if you think you've seen it all, there's probably a few highlights you missed…
Hedgehog (ca. 1938-1700 B.C.E.) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
Brush Rest in the Form of a Mountain (possibly 18th century) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
Across Chinese history, calligraphy has been considered a high art, so it's no surprise to see ornate stationery. This brush rest takes the form of a rocky mountain ridge washed by waves. Originally, it was gilded all over and would have gleamed as it sat on the scholar's desk.
Bowl with Kufic Calligraphy (10th century) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
Some of Islam prohibit images of the natural world, but that doesn't stop artists creating abstract designs from text. This plain bowl is decorated with calligraphy in the kufic style, which says, "Planning before work protects from regrets; patience is the key to comfort".
Armchair (Designed: 1869; Patented: March 30, 1869) by George Jacob HunzingerBrooklyn Museum
Living in the late 19th-Century, American designer George Jacob Hunzinger created a variety of folding beds, chairs, and other innovative designs, such as this cantilever chair. Its eclectic style would certainly make it stand out in any Victorian drawing room.
Radio (1930-1933) by John Gordon RideoutBrooklyn Museum
The ancient world and modern America meet in this art deco radio set. In the 1930s, having this in your house would have marked you as a person of style. Even today, the tiered, jade-coloured plastic casing and incised brass plate wouldn't look out of place in a trendy café.
Mans Corset (20th century) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
This beaded corset is found in the museum's African collection. In the Dinka culture of Sudan, beaded corsets are an expensive marker of social status. The yellow beads in this piece suggest that it may have been designed for a man over the age of thirty.
Kuosi Society Elephant Mask (20th century) by UnknownBrooklyn Museum
Another beaded artwork in the African collection: This elephant mask would have been a potent symbol of power, worn only by a member of the Kuosi society, an order of warriors charged with protecting the royal court of a Cameroonian Bamileke king.
Spacelander Bicycle (Prototype designed 1946; Manufactured 1960) by Benjamin G. BowdenBrooklyn Museum
Designed in 1946, built in the 1960s, Benjamin Bowden's Spacelander bike's sleek lines speak to the obsession with all things fast, in the early days of jet fighters and spacecraft. Sadly, its swept-back, eye-catching, atomic age design never really caught on.
"Rocking Beauty" Hobby Horse (designed 1964-1966) by Gloria CaranicaBrooklyn Museum
Take a moment to think about what this unusual-looking object could be… It was designed in 1964 by Gloria Caranica, a graduate of Brooklyn's Pratt Institute, and was made in New Jersey, USA by the Creative Playthings company… It's a minimalist rocking horse!
Casablanca Sideboard (designed 1981) by Memphis, Milan, ItalyBrooklyn Museum
It might look like an antenna or an Aztec pictogram, but this is the 'Casablanca' sideboard by the Italian design group, Memphis. For many years, their wacky, dotty, and downright-odd furniture was 'misunderstood', but now its seeing a revival among connoisseurs of chic.
