Material Culture

Material Culture Shop 60K sq ft of Art/ifacts from around the World & Auction House that aims to be accessible to all. In essence, taste matters.
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We travel around the world, drawing on three decades of experience of art collection in the field, to hand-pick authentic art, furnishing, and elements for home decor. These traditional arts and crafts, ranging from contemporary to the old and antique, are available at a fraction of the price of industrial knockoffs found in catalogs and chain stores. In this age of sterile mass-production, we bel

ieve that, more than ever, the home space should be decorated with pieces of authenticity, personality, beauty, and spirit. And in this economic climate, we believe that individuals should be able to create their unique home affordably. Furthermore, we are committed through our work to environmental sustainability and a strengthening of the global community. While many large businesses pay lip service to green policies, reusing, repurposing and reclaiming traditional artifacts make up the very fabric of our business. Many of these principles culminate in the application of our knowledge to the auction business, where we can pass along the benefits of affordability and sustainability to our local, arts-rich community, and expand our reach to the society of collectors worldwide. The honed eye of Material Culture Auctioneers will bring together unique sellers and buyers who share a common belief in the importance of the distinctive and the beautiful. Whether a treasure from our auctions or our store tugs you in, our ethos remains the same. Through these objects of traditional art and utilitarian craft, we invite you to connect with the fundamental human spirit that animates creation all over the globe, and to participate in the idea that in surrounding ourselves with this spirit, we nurture our own humanity.

08/05/2026

Take a closeup look at Lot 2 from our Summer Estates auction, a beautiful Chinese lacquered wood and rattan bridal sedan. 

📍Bid in person with us at our 60K Sq Ft warehouse: 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia.

Or Browse & Bid online worldwide at materialculture.com

SUMMER ESTATES | Folk & Fine Art, Antiques, Decorative Arts, Oriental Rugs & Much More

🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Wed, Aug 12, 10 AM EST
👀 Public Exhibition: Aug 10-11

Video credit: Manos del Volcán

07/28/2026

Our Summer Estates auction features an incredible breadth of categories. Take Lot 204 as an example: a collection of Ottoman-Era Astrological Zodiac And Ta***ic Chakra Manuscript Folios. These opaque watercolor and ink miniature paintings on paper include diagrams of the alchemical hand, ta***ic feet, and Zodiac Man. Browse & Bid online worldwide at materialculture.com

SUMMER ESTATES | Folk & Fine Art, Antiques, Decorative Arts, Oriental Rugs & Much More

🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Wed, Aug 12, 10 AM EST
👀 Public Exhibition: Aug 10-11

📍Bid in person at our 60K Sq Ft warehouse: 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Video credit: Manos del Volcán

07/18/2026

We're honored to offer an exceptional work by Haiti's greatest master, Hector Hyppolite, in our Haitian and Caribbean Art of the 20th Century auction this Monday. Plus, join us for a BBQ and talk this Sunday!

JOIN US!
Sunday, July 19 | Noon–3:00 PM
Caribbean Barbecue & Refreshments: 12–2 PM
2 PM: Special Guest Speaker:
Art and Revolution: A Conversation with Sandra Levinson,
Executive Director, Center for Cuban Studies
Founder & Curator, Cuban Art Space

Free and open to the public. All are welcome.

HAITIAN AND CARIBBEAN ART OF THE 20TH CENTURY
533 LOTS | NO RESERVES

🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Monday, Jul 20, 10AM EST
👀 Public Exhibition: Jul 17–19
Guest Curator: José Zelaya

📍Bid in person at our 60K Sq Ft warehouse: 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Or Browse & Bid online worldwide at materialculture.com

Video credit: Manos del Volcán

07/16/2026

Last summer, a white pigeon wandered into Material Culture and, apparently, decided it really liked the place—especially our soaring gallery spaces, where it had plenty of room to fly.

What began as a temporary solution became something much more. We set up a cage for the bird while we contacted a local pigeon rescue. When they came to pick him up, they made a persuasive case that Material Culture would be the perfect forever home—not only for this pigeon, but for a companion as well.

Our team had already fallen in love with him, so we happily welcomed him back, along with his elegant "fancy" female. We named them Ulysses and Penelope. Before long, they rewarded us with a chick, whom we named Telemachus.

Now nearly as large as his father, Telemachus will soon return to the same rescue organization, where he'll be paired with a lifelong mate before coming home to Material Culture—continuing the story.

Every morning when we open, we let our little family out to soar through the galleries, exploring the many spaces before returning to their home. Visitors inevitably stop to watch them, and they've become some of the most beloved members of the Material Culture family.



Video credit:

07/06/2026

JOIN US!
Sunday, July 19 | Noon–3:00 PM
🍷 Caribbean Barbecue & Refreshments: 12–2 PM
🗨️ 2 PM: Special Guest Speaker:
Art and Revolution: A Conversation with Sandra Levinson,
Executive Director, Center for Cuban Studies
Founder & Curator, Cuban Art Space

Free and open to the public. All are welcome.

HAITIAN AND CARIBBEAN ART OF THE 20TH CENTURY
533 LOTS | NO RESERVES

🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Monday, Jul 20, 10AM EST
👀 Public Exhibition: Jul 17–19
Guest Curator: José Zelaya

📍Bid in person at our 60K Sq Ft warehouse: 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Or Browse & Bid online worldwide at materialculture.com

Video credit: Manos del Volcán

It’s Vetted Select Day Two! Browse over 300 lots ofINTERNATIONAL TEXTILE ARTS.Join us in person in Philadelphia:👀 Public...
06/26/2026

It’s Vetted Select Day Two! Browse over 300 lots of
INTERNATIONAL TEXTILE ARTS.

Join us in person in Philadelphia:
👀 Public Exhibition: Jun 28 - 30
🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Wed, Jul 1, 11 AM EST
📍 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Or Browse & Bid worldwide online at materialculture.com

Pictured here (left to right): Chancay Culture False Mummy Head, Central Coast, c. 1000 CE. Lot 537. Igbo Agbogho Mmuo Maiden Spirit Dance Costume, Nigeria. Lot 863. Unusual and Rare Chimu Textile, circa 1200-1400 CE. Lot 541. Wari Resist-Dyed Mantle, circa 800-900 CE. Lot 544. Navajo Rug, Storm Pattern, Ca. 1920's/30's, 4'8'' x 6'7''. Lot 571. Navajo Yei Sand Painting Rug, Late 20th C., 4'3'' x 4'2''. Lot 578. Philadelphia Centennial Exposition "Centennial" Quilt, c. 1876. Lot 606. Embroidered Sheepskin Vest, Hungary, c. 1900. Lot 620. Large Tashkent Silk Embroidered Suzani, Central Asia, 19th C., 6'1'' x 9'5''. Lot 670. Large Toraja Ikat Ceremonial Cloth (Pori Situtu), Sulawesi, Indonesia, 19th C. Lot 814.

Day One of our two-day Vetted Select auction kicks off with TRIBAL, ANCIENT & ETHNOGRAPHIC ART.Join us in person in Phil...
06/24/2026

Day One of our two-day Vetted Select auction kicks off with TRIBAL, ANCIENT & ETHNOGRAPHIC ART.

Join us in person in Philadelphia:
👀 Public Exhibition: Jun 28 - 29
🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Tue, Jun 30, 11 AM EST
📍 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Or Browse & Bid worldwide online at materialculture.com

Pictured here (left to right): Early 20th C. Hopi Eagle Kachina Doll, Sotheby's Provenance, H: 13.5". Lot 1. Pre-Columbian Moche Bichrome Stirrup Vessel - Seated Shaman, H: 8.5". Lot 38. Pre-Columbian Sican Painted Copper Mask with Dangling Tears. Lot 74. Navajo Silver And Turquoise Cuff Bracelet. Lot 88. Signed Antique Netsuke, Snarling Tiger Balancing On A Crab. Lot 174. Izzi Ogbodo Enyi Elephant-Hippo Mask, Nigeria. Lot 311. African Dogon Figural Granary Lock, Mali, H: 14". Lot 357. Pre-Columbian Quimbaya 18k Gold Poporo Depicting Cazique, 106.7 g. H: 3.5". Lot 67. A Large Painting Of The Battle of Karbala, Qajar Persia, Probably Isfahan, Early 20th C. Lot 118. Lobi Beer Fermentation Floor Pot, Burkina Faso, 20th C., H: 17". Lot 358.

06/23/2026

How has Material Culture changed over the years? In the most essential way, it hasn’t: it remains a 60K Sq Ft haven for lovers of textile arts and art objects from around the world. Take a quick tour with us of what the space looks like today.

Visit us in person in Philadelphia, or browse & bid our auctions online worldwide.

📍 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia
🌐 materialculture.com

Video credit: Manos del Volcán

Enjoy this peek at 10 Lots from our auction: Vetted Select | CHINESE & ASIAN ARTS. Then browse & bid the full collection...
06/16/2026

Enjoy this peek at 10 Lots from our auction: Vetted Select | CHINESE & ASIAN ARTS. Then browse & bid the full collection available online now at materialculture.com.

Join us in person in Philadelphia:
👀 Public Exhibition: Jun 21 - 22
🗨 Live Showroom Auction: Tue, Jun 23, 11 AM EST
📍 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia

Pictured here (left to right): Chinese 'Fahua' Glazed Porcelain Figure of Zhenwu, Daoist God, Ming Dynasty. Lot 8. Chinese Tang Dynasty Polychrome Horse And Rider. Lot 28. Chinese Polychrome Enameled Milk Glass S***f Bottle, Qing Dynasty Qianlong Mark, 19th C. Or Earlier. Lot 36. Carved Coral Figural Group Of Two Guanyin, H: 9" (23 cm). Lot 88. Burmese Mandalay Black And Gold Lacquered Bronze Figure of A Monk: 31". Lot 141. Ancient Gandharan Grey Schist Figure of Bodhisattva Maitreya, H: 27". Lot 142A. Rare Japanese Blue And White Ko-Imar or Arita Hexagon Pot, C. 17th C. Lot 152. Rare Large Pair Of Japanese Edo Period Carved Wood Nio (Vajrapani) Guardian Figures, 37". Lot 148. Rare Early Mongolian Pictorial Rug, China, 19th C., 8'4'' x 8'0''. Lot 98. An Imperial Yellow Satin Brocade Tibetan-Style 'Dragon Robe' Robe (Chuba) Qing Dynasty, Kangxi Period. Lot 105.

06/15/2026

Tranquility is found in the study of a rug. Take a breath with us this morning to appreciate the depth of color found in the saturated natural dyes from these 19th century Anatolian rugs.

For a truly meditative experience, visit our 60K Sq Ft warehouse in Philadelphia, where a wonder of antique rugs like these - among other treasures - can be found.

📍 4700 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia
🌐 materialculture.com

Video credit:

Address

4700 Wissahickon Avenue Ste 101
Philadelphia, PA
19144

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+12158498030

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