Some things never get old like vampires and vampire folklore that spread throughout Europe in the 17th Century.
Since the popularity of Bram Stoker’s tale of Dracula in 1897 – based on the 15th-Century Romanian warlord, Vlad the Impaler – this age-old tale has been reborn again and again. So real is the belief in these monsters in the 17th and 18th centuries (and even today) that people went to great lengths to protect themselves and their homes by putting together a vampire-slaying kit.
The vampire box was an essential item in the home and adhered to strict rules for warding off the blood-sucking beasts. Hanson’s Auctioneer Rik Alexander said:
"These types of boxes originated in the 1800s. They were serious kits in that period as superstition and fear were part of everyday life. All items were made with intent and every metal element had to be silver."
While some authentic vampire boxes have found their way onto the auction block, they are pretty rare. This specimen is likely from the Edwardian era and appears to be more of a collection of items from five or six different traditions put together by a vampire enthusiast rather than a would-be 17th-Century vampire slayer. However, that didn’t deter collectors from all over the world from bidding on the Edwardian vampire box:
Alexander said, "Objects like this will always fascinate the world. We have witnessed media coverage as far afield as Russia, America and China."
This vampire box is described as:
A velvet-covered box with brass mounts, carrying handle, lock and key, lined with crimson silk and with a sectional interior composed of eight compartments, dated 1780. Contents include an oval enamel painting depicting the resurrection of Christ; a carved ivory figurine of a wolf in robes carrying rosary beads of Japanese origin; a percussion cap pocket pistol; cobalt blue glass phial with white metal lid (contents unknown); three clear and aqua glass bottles; rosary beads; three crucifixes; two sets of pliers for pulling teeth; a pocket knife with a mother-of-pearl handle and HM silver blade, dated 1906; a bottle containing shark's teeth, and a copy of The New Testament, Cambridge: J. W. Parker, 1842, bearing the inscription for Isabella Swarbrick, its contemporary owner.
Authentic vampire boxes would hold glass bottles containing herbs and holy water, as well as other items religious in nature, believed to repel vampires like silver bullets and a hefty knife suitable for impaling a vampire through the heart.
Alexander explains:
"Ultimately this box is a fun, aesthetic collection. It may have been personalised with symbolic items with spiritual links and held in personal reverence by the owner. For example, the fox priest has supernatural protection connections but it’s Japanese in origin."
Many of these specimens exist but none have surfaced as recently as this one sold at auction by Hanson’s in Derbyshire, England on July 21st 2020 for $3,185 USD.
It Is A Gold Seller’s Market
While the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent nose-dive of global markets have many of us frantically searching in our attics for treasures to sell for profit, gold is sky-rocketing its way to the top of the charts. Which means, now is the time to sell off all that glitters. From your gold jewellery and watches to gold coins and gilded collectibles and anything else you are willing to part with, it is a seller’s market.
According to one auction house in England, a gold sovereign coin like this George II half guinea (1756) would normally fetch a hammer price of around £100. But since lockdown, those auction prices have more than tripled. One 2020 lot sold this same coin for £320.
Charles Hanson of Hanson’s Auction House in England reports on their May 2020 Coin Auction:
"Gold dominated our Top 10 lots. The top price achieved was for lot 1083, an historical set of coins, guide price £2,500–£3,000. Dating back to 1887, the 11-strong set ranged from a gold £5 to a silver threepence. Still preserved in its original case, the set sold for £11,000 – four times its estimate."
Gold remained the strong winner in this auction with a gold proof set of $100, $50, $20, $10 coins, dated 1971 from the Bahama Islands sold for £2,300. A gold William and Mary guinea dating back to 1693, estimated at which £1,000-£1,400, made £2,100.
That’s not all. A George IIII Sovereign dated 1821 secured a hammer price of £1,600, and a George IV 1830 Sovereign made £950.
Even more modern gold coins received favourable attention with a 2005 limited-edition Royal Mint gold proof, two-pound coin in its original case with certificate, was contested to £740, and a 1995 Royal Mint gold proof, two-pound coin made £700.
Gold continued to shine in antiquities sales with a medieval gold stirrup-ring bringing in £4,600 from an estimate of £2,500. This item dated back to the 12th-15th Centuries and was inscribed with the words, IO SVI EI EN, which means, ‘I am here in’.
Gold rings put on a spectacular show with a 1720 gold mourning ring that fetched an impressive £2,500 from a humble estimate of £400-£600. In addition, a 17th century posy ring with the unique and romantic inscription of, ‘Fortunate if Favoured’, reached £800 from a £500 estimate.
Posy rings, also known as posey or poesy rings from the French word, poesie, meaning the art of poetry, were popular lovers’ gifts in England from the 15th to 17th Centuries. This particular posy ring was discovered in a field in Warwickshire, England by an avid metal detectorist. The inscription of this poesy ring is unique and differs from the more usual declarations of love found in rings of this nature including, 'I love and like my choice' and ‘In thy breast my heart doth rest’.
So forget about finding valuables in the dusty, musty attic. Simply open up that jewellery box of yours and see what golden treasures lie within. On the other hand, it might be time to take up metal detecting.