curio

noun

Etymology: Clipping of curiosity, 1851. Compare cabinet of curiosities and French objet de curiosité.

1. A strange and interesting object; something that evokes curiosity.

   “Staghorn ferns, with their antlerlike leaves, are really curios of ferndom and never fail to gain attention.”

   “Video telephony is just about the only new technology from that particular movie that has appeared—and it was technically possible when the movie was showing. 2001 can be seen as a curio, but what about Star Trek?”