In message <[log in to unmask]>, HISTARCH 
automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> writes
>maybe a long shot here: has anyone heard/seen anything about miscellaneous
>odds & ends of lumber being called "curious"?
>maybe early half of the 19th century, and maybe only in british usage...?
The OED records meanings for 'curious' = "delicate", "dainty", "made 
with skill" - would any of those work in your context? The OED doesn't 
have the phrase, but putting it into a search engine comes up with two 
19th century references, from New York and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Cheers,

Pat
(who thanks you for the occasion to look up 'lumber' in the OED, too - 
in the sense of 'bits of furniture, and other things' it's related to 
lumber in the sense of 'a pawn shop', which is derived from 'Lombard'.
-- 
Pat Reynolds