Welcome to the Curio Shop, hope you find what you’re looking for!
Steve Webkinz here. It’s hard to imagine Webkinz World without Arte Fact, but when Webkinz.com launched in April of 2005, it originally didn’t include the Curio Shop. However, just over a year later, the idea for a place where players could find some special items arrived in Kinzville.
The original version of the Curio Shop launched in early 2006 with a lot fewer options than are available today. What hasn’t changed is that Arte still updates his stock every hour, and not only is there a random chance that you’ll find an item that can only be found in the Curio Shop, but if you come at the right time, you might even finds a rare item!
Arte’s stock consists of a mixture of different items, including clothing, furniture and decorations from the KinzStyle Outlet and the WShop. While some of these items can be picked up for a discount, you’ll have to be careful, because sometimes Arte’s prices can be more expensive than in other shops. However, if you’re looking for a Curio Shop-only item or a rare item, those prices always remain the same.
While Curio Shop-only items have more recently become easier to spot since adding the “Arte’s Favorite” sticker, rare items are not. It takes a savvy shopper to know how to spot something rare.
One way to make finding rare items easier is by building your friendship with Arte. The better friends you are with him, the more specific he’ll get when you ask him about rare items. When you become one of his best customers, he’ll even tell you exactly when a rare item will be in stock.
How do you become one of Arte’s favorite customers? Here are three easy tips:
- Visit the Curio Shop every day
- Buy things from him as often as possible
- Leaving a generous tip is always appreciated
Also, don’t get too comfortable once you’ve become a good customer. If you stay away from the Curio Shop for too long, Arte may just start being less enthusiastic to see you when you finally return.
If you’re looking for a quicker way to track down rare items and you have a Twitter account, you can also follow our official @webkinz handle, turn on your mobile notifications, and watch for our #RareItemAlert tweets.
Later in 2006, the idea for a daily Gem Hunt was proposed. Because Doug the Dog had been featured as the gem-loving character in the W-Tales, the original concept was supposed to have Doug as the host in a separate Gem Hunt location in Kinzville. However, rather than add a whole new section, the Gem Hunt was instead added to the Curio Shop. “The Last Adventure” W-Tales story was later created to explain how the gem mines came to be under Arte’s control and how that affected Arte’s and Doug’s friendship. Of course, Doug the Dog now appears randomly in the Collector’s Room of the Clubhouse and will trade you any extra gems you’ve collected for some special prizes!
In 2009, an extra Deluxe section was added to the Curio Shop. Like the section for other players, the stock for Deluxe Members changes every hour, and there is an extra daily rare!
Want to see galleries for some of the rare and Curio Shop-only themes? Check out the links below:
Rare Themes
Curio Shop Themes
This has been Steve Webkinz reporting for Webkinz Newz! Are YOU one of Arte’s favorite customers? And what would you like me to report on next? Let me know in the comments below.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I have been looking for quite a while for the Below Decks Wallpaper and it is in The Curio Shop right now. Yes!! I just bought four (only needed one). The Curio Shop is awesome, I check there many times a day. I have never tipped Arte, and he always tells me when the Rare Items will arrive. I have, however, bought a lot of Rare Items, so maybe that is why he tells me.
I know this is off the topic but I was wondering if they are going to fix the glitch in The Clubhouse in the “Watch and Win” room? When you click on the screen we don’t receive the 25 coin anymore. I know they are usually working on the glitches. Any idea when? Thanks!
Thanks for fixing the glitch! It’s working now.
We need a new rare theme! It’s been years. Please? Hehe
Does anyone have tips for gem mining? I hardly ever get a gem. Thanks
I always go to the same place to mine. Then I find which gem ‘sparkles’ and click on it. Once I get a gem one time, I go back to that same mine and spot where I found a gem. It’s no longer one color gem per mine – No, I get all colors from the same mine, clicking on the same spot. Hint: Try lower sparkle gems, too.
The ‘sparkles’ have worked for me for 2 days. Thanks! But I’m still confused about the color gems being in specific mines. I still need a blue gem and a white gem to complete this crown. Should I only be looking in specific mines?
Hi, I choose 3 rocks in a row and when the bottom of the rock sparkles I click on it. I don’t sell my gems if I already have them. When I get a crown I may only need one gem for the next one and the next one. Or maybe I only need 2 gems for the next crown because I saved them all!
Each mine is home to various gems and each mine is also the only place you can find The main, most-valued gem of that particular mine. Buried Bones mine houses the Webkinz ‘W’ and is a good place to find all prismatic gems (but others of lesser value can be found in these mines, too) Howling Horse Mine is mine to all the Blue Gems and only home of the Ocean Sapphire. The Flea Floater mine houses all green Gems, but is the only Home of the Earth Emerald. The Muzzle Mouth Mine is Home to all the red gems and only home of the Ruby Heart And last, but not least is the Barking Mad Mine, Home of the Corona Topaz and all other yellow gems. As I said, earlier, other lesser valued gems are also available in these mines. Write down what you get in those mines and it won’t take you very long to figure out the most efficient way to Mine the gems you need for your Crown of Wonder.
By the way, the presence of a spider or a bat seems to have something to do with finding a gem, too. I follow the bat and often find gems near where it disappears. The Spider usually means s gem is close by.
I visit Arte much of the time, whether I’m shopping or gem mining. I am hoping you bring back the Swan Bed! I know Arte used to sell it, but then it was retired for good, and never came back, leaving me sad since I never got go buy it. One day?
Thank you for the report and the pictures of all the Rare Themes. I really wish that Arte would have more Rare items a lot more often. I love designing those room themes, especially Egyptian. PLEASE have more of the harder to find Egyptian room pieces, like the bed and throne. I honestly think it would be an awesome idea if Arte would have at least one really RARE piece from at least one theme each hour, all day! Have it one piece in both the regular shop and the Deluxe shop, too. Make it so that it is fair for ALL Webkinz players. From all the awesome room designs we see posted here in Webkinz Newz, you can tell we all love designing rooms. I have been working on rooms for “Lord of The Rings”, “The Hobbit”, “Harry Potter”, and “Star Trek: The Original Series”, plus rooms for Ancient Egypt, Medieval, Persian, Aztec, and Wonderland. It’s SO hard to find items for the Rare Themes. Why is that? Wouldn’t it make more sense if you had them where we could buy them with KC, or even eStore points? Please make it where we can easily get these items. They shouldn’t be just “rare themes”. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-(
Oooh! I am so in for those themed rooms!!
The items are considered rare because they are harder to get and RARE. If you were able to get them easily, they would those their title as “rare.”
Kelly, I so agree with you! This way it gives you something special to work toward. If we get it all whenever we want it is no longer rare and we’d no longer need Arte. We already lost Debbie Dragon from the spa, I don’t want to lose Arte from the Curio Shop. That being said, I would really like to see him run for Mayor next election.
Dixiecup, I understand that having the “rare” items gives us something special to work toward. But should it take years to even get that “rare” item? And how do we get some of the “rare” items that Arte never has in the Curio Shop? Like the ones you can “maybe” find in the trading cards. You know, the trading cards that you can never find in stores anymore. I use to buy the trading cards in places like Target, Cracker Barrel, and stores that sell lots of trading cards. Like the plushies, the trading cards are hard to find. Oh, yes, you can find them on ebay, but you run the risk of the codes already being used. Having the “Rares” accessible to all members wouldn’t put Arte out of business (seeing that he’s not a real live person anyway), he could just sell other items from the WShop or even the eStore that could be bought with regular KC. So…if no one in WW wants to make it easier for us to find, buy, and collect the RARE items we really want, how about creating some “Rare” Room Themes that could be bought with regular KC. Have an Ancient Egyptian Room, Medieval Room, Aztec Room, Wonderland Room, a Space Theme, etc, etc. If Arte can’t have more Rare Room theme items, what’s the point of having the Curio Shop? He just has the same items over and over anyway. Maybe have a Rare Room item every hour? Every two hours? I’m tired of spending months, and years, trying to get the items I want! There is NO FUN in having to search and wait like that! As for Debbie Dragon, why not bring her back? And Dr. Quack? Have a small spa for all players to go to get a Happiness Boost, or a nice bath. Have Dr. Quack reopen his Clinic. It was actually fun taking our pets to see him. Even a check up when they aren’t “sick”, would be fun. If the creators of WW wants us to play and pretend in WW, then make it more fun, and fair. Make the Rare Room Themes available to all!!!
Kelly989, yes…I know they are “Rare”, but that is not the point! This is a game! It is all virtual reality, not REAL life. There is no reason to have the coolest theme items be “rare”. They should have them where we could get them! Sometimes it takes YEARS to find an item you want. There is really no need to have RARE items in a game that is “supposedly” for children! I dare say more adults play this game than children. As an adult, if I want to spend my hard earned real cash on virtual items for “rare” items, then Webkinz should HAVE those items available for me to buy in Webkinz World! I shouldn’t have to hunt and wait for the items to “possibly” appear at the right time for the right price in the Curio Shop! I don’t sit at my computer 24/7. Besides, Arte seldom has the really so called “rare” items in his shop. How else can a person get a “rare” item they want? The whole concept of having “rare” items in a virtual game is really rather silly.
RARE teaches children somethings are just a little harder to find and to cherish them a lil more , not to trade those, Last winter a newer person was in OPEN clubhouse room and wanted to trade me a Mad Scientist hair the whole outfit. I let them know I had paid for the outfit in the past . They needed to save it and accepted another item. I let them know the difference so they could look at rare items on line and not lose something. A little knowledge helps. Good thing they met me in an open chat room . And yes I have paid for the costume in the past but I just couldnt be mean and cheat them . NOW if it was GOBLIN FEET or ANGEL HALO I might have felt different I only have 1 of each.
I know how you feel. Someone cheated my granddaughter out of some of her cherished items by lying and telling her Floridisa was a very rare Aztec themed throne and that the slippamarink was a skating rink for her pets. She was crushed. She traded her Gamers sofa and a couple of other items from the boutique. Of course when she went to put these items in her room, her pets promptly gobbled them up. Wish you had been her trusted trader :(
Well I’ve been friendly with Arte for many years. One day He just quit telling me the time that a rare item would appear. I sure miss that. I still visit him every day.
Yes, I’ve been on good terms with Arte for years now. This report has been very helpful, because I wasn’t aware that I could fall out of favor with Arte, and that he could ever be ‘less enthusiastic’ to see me. Thanks for the tip Steve! I buy things from his shop regularly, and I visit him almost every day, so for now, things are fine. I have gotten really used to him telling me when to expect sale items and rare items, and find it very helpful. I do not have a twitter account, but that ‘rare item alert’ would be awesome, so maybe I’ll have to look into it. Here’s a question for Steve – who assists Arte in making sure that he cycles his inventory well, and periodically offers all of those wonderful items from the rare and curio shop themes listed above? I shop basically daily, and there are some items I see every day, and some items that I haven’t seen for months, and am eagerly waiting for (like one more space dining chair!) I would be happy to help Arte stay organized, if he’s hiring!
Beckinz8, Hi, can you remind me what your user is, I think like myself it’s not the same as here. I think I know, but want to be sure, Thanks, DF
Yes dogfish, you are correct. I am pretty sure that we are already friends in WW, but I don’t remember your username either. (Aren’t we a pair!) My UN is kalcan8. I remember that you’ve said that you like to hoard in WW. What do you collect? I have one friend who collects plushies, and another who collects PSFs, and I’m more of a furniture girl. Are your pets fashionistas, or do you just collect a little bit of everything? Hope you are having a great weekend!
Thanks you Beckinz8, I’m off to add you to my notebook. I’m afraid in my case, it’s what I don’t collect. I don’t collect PSF but have more than 600, LOL I even accidentally hoard. My favorite items are beds, wardrobes and windows. I have all of those ever made in WW. You can always find me on the trade forum if you are in need of some pesky hard to find item. I love to help other serious players. Even though I collect all clothes in general, most of my pets are in their BD suits LOL They only dress to go out. Take care, sending that chair now DF
You are sweet and awesomely amazing! Thank you for the chair! I’m off to complete my icy mist leopard, Opal’s, space station room right now! Do you have 600 PSF because you have 600 pets, or because the foods have been gifted to you? Do you know if there is an article explaining step by step how the trade forum works? I went there once, and I didn’t understand it. If I say that I have one bake sale item, and I’m looking to trade for a different one, do I just check back, and then friend whoever responds, and then send them my item? Sorry, I’m just confused and need a ‘trade forum for dummies’ guide!
Hi Beckinz8, Glad you finished your room. BTW did you already have the space dresser? I don’t think it shows up in the curio anymore. I have more than 500 pets on my main acct and many more spread across many more accounts. Yes, people do send me PSF and they just accumulate like so many other items. I only “collect” specialty” foods, like Holiday and Academy. As for the trade forum, you could post a wish list, things you haven’t been able to get in the game. Then wait for the replies. FR the people and work out a deal. It has become more of a gift forum than trade. LOL DF
No, sadly the dresser, earth table, and moon lamp were before my time in WW, or at least before I really started to figure things out. I used to miss a lot for about the first year, until I discovered WKN. I haven’t been missing those items though, because until Steve’s article, I didn’t even know that they existed. I am pretty pleased with how Opal’s room turned out. Wow! 500 pets! I have trouble keeping up with 35! LOL! Are they all plush, virtual, or a mix of both? (Does Webkinz even have 500 plush pets??) Have you been playing since the beginning? I’m pleased to know such a dedicated player!
Dogfish, you are correct. As with the Cow jumped over the moon lamp and earth table, the Space Dresser has also been retired. Arte never has those items available.
Hi Beckinz8, I have tons of plush, but prefer virtual. I have a hard time giving the plush away, but will donate soon. I just can’t leave them all taking up room here while I’m at college LOL I began in 07 but became so serious that I soon collected every item I missed. Look for the retired items coming your way (at lunch time) I multitask like crazy. Fortunately I’m an honor student. LOL Take care DF
Whoa. @_@ I opened the gift box from you, and I literally said, “Ack! What did you do?!?” That was waaaaaay too generous a gift. I am… speechless. Thank you seems too small. I really appreciate your enormous generosity isn’t big enough either. *heading off to rent space on a billboard on the interstate* *brb*
I prefer the plush, but I can rarely find them anymore. *sigh* I will sometimes comb through Amazon for deals, and then add a new webbie to my collection. But since Ganz seems to be discontinuing plush, everyone will be holding on to the ones they have and I won’t be able to get my hands on any. I had plans too. I am still looking for the perfect Harry, to sit on my shelf beside Ron and Hermione. And what will my faithful badger Samwise do without his Frodo. And don’t even get me started on Merry without Pippin. I don’t want to split up famous pairs/groups by having some be plush and some virtual. I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I’ll just have to keep hoping and searching. Congrats on being recognized for your hard work, dogfish! You should feel very proud of attaining honor student status!
I had that happen too. He was telling me when rare stuff would be coming and then he just quit. Buy stuff every now and then, be sure to tip him generously too. I did that for about a week or so and then he started to tell me when rare stuff was coming again, right down to the hour.
you must tip arte every day. the more the better then he will tell you the time. it takes time but you will get there
tuxkitty, just visiting Arte every day is not enough. You also have to buy things from him. I try to buy something from him almost daily, even if it is just a small item for 30 KC….every purchase counts. And try to tip him as often as you can. Again even if it is a small tip, it helps to keep him happy! Also, being a Deluxe member also helps to keep your status with Arte as a special customer! Hope this helps!
GREAT Report Steve!!! Thanks for all you do for us in Kinzville (especially behind the scenes) to make the town so enjoyable! I would like to nominate you for Kinzville’s next MAYOR ~ Do I hear a Second??? Always Appreciative!
Just so everyone knows Arte takes about a month to become friendly so he tells you the time rare items are on.
Yeah, we never had twitter give hints of when rare items visited the Curio Shop. We had to get in Arte’s good graces. *wink*
Great report, thank you Steve!