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Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
There have been several intriguing bizarre objects and artifacts posted at The Magic Café (dragon's eggs, shrunken heads etc.)
I was wondering, with what objects would you stock your 'Cabinet of Curiosites'? Curious, Caleb Strange.
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petethecreeper New user N. California 73 Posts |
I'm pretty dark...even in every day life when I'm not performing. Here are some gruesome bits and pieces I'd add (some of which I'm making versions of right now).
1-A Hand of Glory. This is a burglar's ultimate tool. Made out of the severed left hand of a hanged criminal (and coated in an arcane mixutre of parafin and a now forgotten concoction of reagents), the Hand of Glory (when lit) looks like a candle, but renders all (but the user) within its influence frozen and helpless. Handy (sorry...it was coming and you know it) for anyone wanting to sack a house with a minimum of fuss. Check out the graphic novel HELLBOY: BOX OF EVIL...there's some great images of a Hand of Glory. Also watch the movie The Wicker Man (with Christopher Lee), and you'll spy another H.O.G.! 2-A razor used by Sweeny Todd. YES he really existed. He wasn't the "romantic-man-searching-for-revenge" as he is portrayed in the Sondheim musical. Don't believe me? Check this out! http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial9/sweeney/index.htm 3-A cryptic letter written by John Dee to Queen Elizabeth. Dee was Elizabeth's royal astrologer. Like many of his ilk, he is considered a con-man by some, and an innovator by others. 4-A tooth once belonging to The Beast of Gevaudan. Watch the movie "Brotherhood of the Wolf", and you'll see a sensational(ized) version of this supposed true story. There was once speculation about the Beast being a lycanthrope! 5-A key from London's now extinct Newgate Prison. Perfect for a Haunted Key illusion. Some considered it hell on earth -especially the prisoners and the prison's neighbors (sanitation was non-existant) And last but not least... 6-A beckoning finger that I intend to use like a wooden, rapping hand. (I'm collecting materials for the gimmick) This, however, is actually made out of a real set of human finger bones (found at a natural history store in Berkeley)! check out http://www.theboneroom.com Hope this helps... |
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Dark illusionist Loyal user pough town new york 253 Posts |
hmmm funny you should mention sweeney todd pete. I was in a production of that last year as pireli. god that was alot of fun. I dont know what i would put in my cabinet. im not the kind of person to spend alot of money on something and then stare at it. although a shrunken head wold be a nice thing to have.
:bat: jonathan
Check out my brand new website:
www.ovationmagic.cjb.net if you like it sign the guest book, if you realy like it then realy sign the guest book. If you hate it then go away. |
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ptbeast Special user Oregon 831 Posts |
Hmm.
I guess it depends on your character. Mine includes many old letters, journals, and other documents. An assortment of murder weapons and belongings of the victims. I really like the idea of the Hand of Glory, (I might have to borrow it). A shrunken head, several amulets and cult paraphernalia. And of course a number of old books. Perhaps some torture devices and old style restraints. Since my performances center around old crimes and/or trials, that kind of explains the reasoning of my selections. Great thread to stimulate thinking... Dave |
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Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
Great suggestions everybody! Anybody into Forteana? I have a sealed test-tube full of a strange jelly like substance which fell in Liverpool. And a jar full of nuts which mysteriously fell outside a friends house, during a party, when I was asked to conduct an 'impromptu' seance. We asked for the proverbial sign, but for once, little happened. We did hear a squall of rain or hail rap hard against the window as we sat there, though, which made one or two people jump. I offered my apologies, and we got on with the party, until someone discovered the front garden covered in nuts. And very shortly after, the same garden was covered with a very different sort of nut!
Jonathan, as for expense, jars of nuts and jelly cost little more than the label on the jar and the 'document of acreditation'. And in an earlier thread, someone (sorry I've forgotten your name) suggested you carve an apple into a head shape. Sew up the 'mouth and eyes', add a bit of hair and colour, and leave it to rot. Apparently, it makes an appropriately revolting shrunken head. Regards, Caleb Strange. Anybody have any genuine or otherwise casts of Bigfoot prints in their collection. UFO pics are not the most expensive things to obtain either. Have the best enlarged, nicely framed, and hung on the wall. I also have a pair of lucky socks, neatly framed and labled that contributed, I believe, and in no small part, to Manchester United's treble in 1999. Perhaps I should've worn them last season. (Appologies to non football/soccer fans). They're certainly a conversation piece, especially with my partner! Regards, Caleb Strange.
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ptbeast Special user Oregon 831 Posts |
How about a dragon skeleton to go with the dragon's egg?
http://www.artbyevolution.com/fantasy.htm |
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Arlen Regular user Keith Arlen Lack 143 Posts |
I have a set of Big Foot prints straight from Willow Creek, Ca. Just up the road from were I live. They look pretty good. I can see some good detail in certain areas. I had a friend that use to go out looking for it every year on his vacation. He even has what he clams to be Big Foot Poo in his frig. Poor guy has never really had a girlfriend. Wonder why?
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Ellen Kotzin Loyal user UPSTATE, NY 280 Posts |
This couldn't fit in a cabinet--
but how about an electric chair? Funny story when we visited New Orleans last year to go to Harry Anderson's shop SPADE & ARCHER (he has LOTS of great weird stuff). Anyway--when you go in, you can sit down in 2 chairs--I picked the electric one to sit in, there was one next to it--just a plain wooden one. I asked if it was ok to sit in the elect. chair--he said I could sit wherever I wanted, then my friend Lynn sat in the normal chair which he had rigged. Her butt got an electric shock. It was funny! Let's see--some weird stuff Harry has are pickled punks, cyclops skulls, alien skulls, body parts, armadillo (from NC), there was much more too. I just don't remember it all. Magic and curiosities. Ellen harryandersonfan.com New Orleans or BUST 2003! |
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Alchemist New user 48 Posts |
Year before last around Halloween, someone put out a candle modeled after a Hand of Glory. Looks great from a short distance or in subdued light.
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Bill Fienning Special user 635 Posts |
Check out Christian Chelman's website:
http://www.surnateum.org/ It is entirely in French, but the pictures are great. Chelman is a well-known bizarrist in Belgium. We correspond with him and my wife and I have translated some of his effects for publication.
Bill Fienning
"It's More than Tricks" |
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Graham_Salisbury New user UK 68 Posts |
A delightfully creepy and mysterious object to possess is your very own Turin Shroud - with *YOUR OWN* image on the cloth.
The idea for this came from reading "The Turin Shroud: In Whose Image" many years ago where the authors propose a fascinating examination of the properties of the image on the shroud and suggest a highly plausable means of achieving this effect. Regardless of the validity of their conclusions as to WHO, WHY and WHEN - the *HOW* is what is of interest. Incidently, using modern methods/materials will make producing the effect easier and quicker - and having access to an Art College will help considerably. You can of course taylor the artifact to your own specification, you don't *have* to use the crucified imagary. I'm sure you can find a few zillion bizarre magic illusions where this object can be used. For example any illusion where you may require an object with mysterious properties, or you wish to show the effects of your 'energy'. You may even find a use for it along with a stigmata effect like Luke Jermay's. Should you so desire, the 'image' on the cloth could even contain a prediction... The presentation ideas are as vast as your own imagination. G. |
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Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
Graham, that's a good idea. Lots of religious relics can be used/adapted. Nail/wood of the true cross. Thrixotropic (think that's right) blood of a saint that coagulates and liquefies at will. The Hapsburg Lance, the lance that purportedly pierced Jesus on the cross. It's claimed that Hitler believed it to have special powers. One of the first things he did on entering Austria was to put the lance into his personal possession. And it's also said that the Allies captured the lance, albeit unintentionally, at about the moment Hitler commited suicide. There's a plot in there if you want to develop it. There are bleeding/weeping statues, milk drinking statues. Crusty sore of stigmatics, and even the Holy Prepuce (Again, I think that's the word). Randi has a list of many of the relics in his A-Z of the Supernatural.
If you want to get away from the directly religious, the blood of the saint can be vampire blood. The statue can weep for a lost ghostly lover etc. One more thought. Relics were kept in reliquaries, in little ornate boxes, and rarely handled. Adapt one of your old props, and you can have it come and go at will. Finally, forgive me Graham if you were suggesting this, but one of the interesting things about the Turin shroud is that it appears to be a negative image. Imagine having some message/face etc appear on cloth/wall/floor etc., but it's very faint. Someone has the bright idea of taking a negative image, say through a camcorder/digital camera, and it's seen in its true glory. Regards, Caleb Strange.
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David de Leon Elite user Sweden 418 Posts |
I don’t have a cabinet of curiosities yet, but when I do it might contain (in addition to some of the great things suggested so far):
• A vile containing the last breath of Christ (smells of mints if opened). • A shard of the holy grail with a clear thumb print on it (perhaps the print is unusual in some way, perhaps looping around in a cross-like shape?). • The bottle of wine that my parent drank the night when I was (unintentionally) conceived. • Mysterious everyday objects and messages: beer mats and/or notepads with cryptic or meaningful messages and/or pictures on them. For instance, my daughter will sometimes tear out segments of books and newspapers that turn out to be surprisingly meaningful (I already have one of these framed). I remember an exhibition about Vikings that I went to. The object that impressed me the most (more than the finely crafted jewellery, beautiful weaponry or elegant boat hulls) was a small chicken bone that someone had carved (in runes) the message: ”kiss me”. For me that was a profound experience, one that bridged the gap in time and culture between me and the person who wrote it: the message is so human and conjures up a real person and a real situation. • The best toy I ever got in a Kinder egg (a small loop the loop and a car that can be shot through the loop). |
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Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
David the minty breath of Christ reeks of product placement to me. 'And so He took the bottle of Coke and said, "This is my blood poured our for you, and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Drink it in remembrance of me"' .
Regards, Caleb Strange.
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kingsnqueens New user Oklahoma 77 Posts |
I have a small bag of dirt from castle Vlad ... Dracula. Could this be the same dirt used in the monster's coffin?
Manyfingers |
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Graham_Salisbury New user UK 68 Posts |
Quote:
If you want to get away from the directly religious, There are numerous Out Of Place Objects and anomalous animals that should be included (stuffed) in a Cabinet of Curiosities. I'm sure you will be familiar with all of these if you are interested in Forteana: 1) Cat with "wings" 2) Frog found within a solid stone 3) Plastercasts of human footprints alongside 'dinosaur' footprints. 4) Bizarre atifacts found within coal such as human tooth, hammer, chain etc. 5) Various 'apports' - coins and stones that have 'materialised' during a poltergeist manifistation 6) Replicas of the dinosaur figurines of Acambaro, Mexico. The list goes on and on and on... I love these sort of objects because they take the mind, if only for a moment, to a place somewhere between this world and another - not unlike magic. G. If you are interested, you can actually buy replicas of some of those artifacts mentioned above for your own Cabinet of Curiosities. Some creationist organisations sell a lot of this material - for example: http://www.creationevidence.org/cemframes.html Just click on "Replicas". I have not bought any of these products, and so I do not know the quality of the objects being offered. As always, Caveat emptor... |
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Ellen Kotzin Loyal user UPSTATE, NY 280 Posts |
You guys forgot the jackalope!
Ellen harryandersonfan.com |
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sweetcarl Regular user Brussels, Belgium 120 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-01-08 17:05, Bill Fienning wrote: Just for everyone's information: I have started translating Christian Chelman's amazing site (www.surnateum.org) into English. It is a gargantuan job; a real labour of love. I don't anticipate being done anytime soon, but I'll be sure to let you know when it goes live in English. |
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Xiqual Inner circle Upper left quadrant 4935 Posts |
Hi David,
I'm sure you already know that the runes carved in the chicken bone are probably a rune spell of some kind. Edred Thorsen [Steven Flowers] has a great book called Rune Magic going into great detail about these types of spells. Cheers, James Quote:
Still with the Chinese circus
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Caleb Strange Special user Manchester UK 676 Posts |
Sweetcarl, that IS truly sweet and heroic. Thanking you in anticipation.
Regards, Caleb Strange.
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