Cult of Weird Holiday Gift Guide

2018 Cult of Weird Holiday Gift Guide

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Joy to the weird! Morbid gifts for that special stiff on your Christmas shopping list.

The Cult of Weird holiday gift guide has returned for its fifth year to fill your stockings with Christmas curiosities and holiday atrocities sure to summon Krampus straight to your door.

Keep the creep in Christmas with this collection of macabre handcrafted art, antiques, and other ghoulish goodies from some of my favorite purveyors of weird and wonder.

Merry Cultmas!

NOTE: Many of these items are handcrafted and one-of-a-kind, so they may not be available long.

Forest Wall Plaque

Forest wall plaque
A plaque featuring an enchanting dark forest with a moon of moonstone or labradorite. Meticulously handcrafted with magical intent for love, courage, and protection.
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2019 Witches’ Calendar

Llewellyn's 2019 Witches' Calendar
Llewellyn’s 2019 Witches’ Calendar features magical wisdom, astrological data, and Witch’s holidays with original scratchboard illustrations by Kathleen Edwards.
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Stupid Deaths Game

Stupid Deaths game
Charles Darwin was right. He proved that only the fittest survive. This game celebrates the stupidest deaths over the centuries, and brings out players’ darker sense of humor.
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Ouija Pin

Ouija board pin
Silver Ouija pin with sliding planchette
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Catacombs Diorama

Catacombs diorama
Miniature diorama of catacombs inspired by the macabre crypts of the Capuchin monks and Sedlec ossuary. Handmade by History Bones artist by Lee Harper.
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Book of Hell

Book of Hell
Explore 3,000 years of Hell from the shadowy Sheol to Hades, Dante’s nine circles of Hell and more in this complete history of eternal damnation.
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Looking for books? Find some new morbid must-reads right here.

Ursula Pendant

Ursula by Black Sheep Jewelry
A large Amethyst cluster with clear Quartz crystals and hand-sculpted copper tentacles from Black Sheep Jewelry.
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Strychnine Poison Mug

Strychnine poison mug
Have a nice cup of strychnine with this mug from Phantasmagoria.
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Krampus Ornaments

Krampus ornaments
Set of 3 handmade kitsch Krampus ornaments.
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Ed Gein Bobble Head

Ed Gein bobble head
Limited edition hand-painted “Bloody Bobbler” of Wisconsin serial killer and grave robber Ed Gein.
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We Are the Weirdos Candle

We are the weirdos candle by SickWix
We Are the Weirdos, Mister horror handcrafted horror candle by SickWix.
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Human Hair Grave Scene

Victorian mourning human hair work
Victorian mourning inspired grave scene made with real human hair.
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Secret Society Pendant

Secret Society pendant
Antique-finished sterling silver all seeing eye pendant inspired by the symbolism and relics of secret societies.
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Skull Garden Stones

Skull garden stones
Life size, realistic skull stones cast from gypsum.
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Antique Coffin Puzzle Box

Antique coffin puzzle box
Miniature mid-19th century coffin box from Roses & Rue Antiques.
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Witchy Cat Coasters

Witchy cat coasters
Laser-cut, hand finished cat coasters with stars, moon and pentagram.
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Black Heart

Black Heart pendant from Hibernacula
Anatomical heart pendant of bronze or sterling silver with black quartz stone.
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Hot Rod Hearse T-shirt

Hot rod hearse t-shirt from Dead Sled Brand
A Rat Fink style skeleton drives a hot rod ’58 Cadillac on this t-shirt from Dead Sled Brand.
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Insect Curio Box

Insect curio box
Kickstart a wunderkammer curiosity collection with this this insect curio box from The Evolution Store.
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Bates Motel Model Kit

Miniature Bates Motel model kit
Build your own miniature Bates Motel with this wooden model kit.
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Bermuda Triangle Poster

Bermuda Triangle poster from Maiden Voyage
Glow-in-the-dark Bermuda Triangle travel poster from Maiden Voyage.
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Mounted Waterbuck Horns

Antique waterbuck horns
Antique waterbuck horns mounted on a wood shield.
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Spiderweb Garnet Ring

Spiderweb garnet ring
Sterling silver spiderweb ring with garnet handmade by Black Dust Jewellery.
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Jim Jones Mug

Jim Jones mug
This Jim Jones mug from Hammer and Bone is the perfect gift for the true crime fan, cult follower, or Kool-Aid enthusiast on your shopping list. From now until Dec. 31 use promo code CULTOFWEIRD to save 10% on your entire purchase from Hammer and Bone!
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Planchette Enamel Pin

Ouija planchette enamel pin
Glow in the dark Ouija planchette pin by artist Jessi Hardesty.
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Bray Road Beast Documentary

Bray Road Beast DVD by Small Town Monsters
The latest film from Small Town Monsters explores the bizarre true events surrounding werewolf sightings on Bray Road in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.
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At Rest Coffin Pillow

At Rest coffin pillow
Black damask coffin-shaped throw pillow with embroidered “At Rest” coffin plaque.
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Calamityware Ornaments

Calamityware Ornaments
Decorate your tree with giant attacking robots, sea monsters, UFO invasions, frog plagues, zombie poodles, and more with these unique ornaments from artist Don Moyer.
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Lamprey in a Jar

Lamprey wet specimen
Lamprey wet specimens from Mz. Jones’ Curiosities.
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Circus Sideshow Lampshade

Circus sideshow lampshade
Lampshade featuring vintage circus sideshow advertisements.
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Iron Maiden

Ceramic Iron Maiden figure
Ceramic Iron Maiden figure inspired by the toryure device on display at the Medieval Crime Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany.
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Vine Moonstone Bracelet

Twig and vine moonstone bracelet
Bracelet with sterling silver cradling a moonstone cabochon.
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The Man From the Train

The Man from the Train
Bill James examines a series of seemingly unconnected axe murders across the country between 1898 to 1912 and makes a startling discovery: The murders were all committed by the same person, and he uncovered the identity of one of the deadliest serial killers in America.
BUY NOW

Looking for books? Find some new morbid must-reads right here.

Gothic Macabre Candles

Gothic macabre memento mori candles
A set of 4 vanilla-scented gothic candles with vintage memento mori illustrations.
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Antique Poppy Engraving

Antique poppy engraving
Antique French hand-colored engraving from the 1860s of a woman using poppy seeds to put giant anthropomorphic bugs to sleep.
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Mourning Locket

Mourning locket by Seance Perfumes
Mourning locket from Seance Perfumes with Memento Mori scent.
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Mystery of the Exploding Teeth

The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth: And Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine
This wryly humorous collection of stories about bizarre medical treatments and cases offers a unique portrait of a bygone era in all its jaw-dropping weirdness.
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Life Cycle Art Print

Life Cycle by Jason Limon
Life Cycle fine art print by Jason Limon.
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Coffin Bath Tray

Coffin bath tray
Coffin-shaped handmade birchwood bath tray.
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Brain Bell Jar

Brain bell jar
Miniature resin brain in a glass dome tribute to the greatest literary and cinematic cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter.
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19th Century Candelabras

19th century gothic candelabras
A pair of original Gothic Revival candelabras from the 1800s.
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Living Buddhas

Living Buddhas
This book explores the esoteric self-mummification tradition of monks in Northern Japan who starve themselves, bury themselves alive, and meditate until death.
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Specimen Ring

Insect specimen ring
Preserved jewel beetle specimen in a decorative floral setting.
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Serial Killer Coloring Book

Serial Killer coloring book
Bring 37 serial killers to life in this unique adult coloring book.
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Evil Eye Witch Hand Pin

Evil eye witch hand pin
Ward off negative energy with these witchy inspired enamel pins.
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666mas Ugly Christmas Sweater

Merry 666mas ugly Christmas sweater
Merry 666mas Christmas sweater with skulls, upside down crosses, and a reindeer in a pentagram.
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Haunted Holiday Stocking

Haunted holiday stocking
Spooky Christmas stocking to adorn your haunted hearth.
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UFO Blanket

UFO blanket
Blanket featuring drawings of UFO sightings.
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Born to Be Posthumous

Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey
From The Gashlycrumb Tinies to The Doubtful Guest, Edward Gorey’s wickedly funny and deliciously sinister little books have influenced our culture in innumerable ways, from the works of Tim Burton and Neil Gaiman to Lemony Snicket. Some even call him the Grandfather of Goth.
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Elongated Mummy Skull

Peruvian elongated mummy skull
Genuine elongated skull dating back to 800-100BCE from the Peruvian Paracas culture.
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Need more weird gift ideas?

Take a look at gift guides from previous years for inspiration:

Share your weird Christmas with us! Throw a Santa hat on something strange and tag your photo #MerryCultmas.

Johnny Fox sideshow collection

Freakatorium: The Sideshow Collection of Johnny Fox Hits the Auction Block

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Own some amazing pieces of sideshow history from the collection of sword swallower Johnny Fox.

An amazing assemblage of circus sideshow artifacts and memorabilia is hitting the auction block this Saturday at Potter & Potter in Chicago. The collection belonged to sword swallower and magician Johnny Fox, known as the King of Swords, who died in 2017. The items range from cabinet cards, sideshow banners, circus posters, and gaffs like a Fiji Mermaid and furry trout to vintage taxidermy, skulls, and numerous other oddities. Fox displayed his curiosities in his Freakatorium, El Museum Loco, in Manhattan’s Lower East Side from 1999 to 2005.

Everything from the museum will be up for auction except a glass eye that supposedly belonged to Sammy Davis Jr., which had been on loan.

Alive! On the Inside! Potter & Potter is pleased to present the over-the-top, one-of-a-kind Barnumesque collection of renowned sword swallower, comedian, magician, and curiosity seeker Johnny Fox.

Expect a sale like no other, populated with sideshow banners (Fred Johnson, Snap Wyatt, Siegler and Meah), tribal art and artifacts, furry mink fish (very rare), magic tricks, swords for swallowing, and oh, so much more!

Fox amassed an amazing assortment of natural and unnatural curiosities which he displayed at The Freakatorium, “El Museo Loco,” a singular establishment he operated on the lower east side of Manhattan from 1999 – 2005. The entire contents of the collection will go on the block, from Johnny Eck memorabilia to circus posters, sideshow gaffs, Fiji mermaids, and even the disembodied wax head of Mao Zedong. This is one sale without comparison, filled with a thousand things you never knew existed – or that you wanted.

Here are some of the amazing and bizarre things from the catalog:

Human Dynamo sideshow banner by Fred Johnson
Sideshow banner by Fred Johnson depicting an electric chair illusion c.1950

Vintage photos of sideshow performers
Sideshow performer CDVs

Spidora sideshow banner by Mark Frierson
Spidora sideshow banner by Mark Frierson

The Walter L. Main Circus train wreck in Tyrone, Penn., 1893
The Walter L. Main Circus train wreck in Tyrone, Penn., 1893

Clothing owned by Tom Thumb
Clothing and other items owned by P.T. Barnum performers Tom Thumb and his wife Lavinia

Adelaide Herrmann's Electrocution Illusion
Adelaide Herrmann’s Electrocution Illusion c.1910

Plaster cast of Lobster Boy Grady Stiles' hand
Life size plaster cast of Lobster Boy Grady Stiles‘ hand

Skeleton Man Isaac Sprague
CDV of Isaac Sprague, the Skeleton Man c.1870s

Mysterious devil fish
Mysterious devil fish, also known as Jenny Hanivers

Betty Broadbent tattooed lady
Betty Broadbent, Youngest Tattooed Lady, had 565 tattoos. Photo c.1928

Martyrdom of Saint Agatha of Sicily
Oil painting depicting Saint Agatha of Sicily having her breasts cut off

Vintage Odd Fellows banners
Mid-twentieth century painted silk Odd Fellows banner

French mourning hair grave display
French mourning hair grave display, 1888


The mummy of Ramses II photograph c.1880s

Chupacabra diorama made by Mark Frierson
Chupacabra diorama made by Mark Frierson

Sideshow banners by Snap Wyatt
Sideshow banners by Snap Wyatt c.1950

Brank scold bridle
A brank scold bridle used to prevent women from gossiping and being a public nuisance

Sharpshooting trick shot sideshow performers
Sharpshooting/trick shot artists c.1900s


Life size sacrificial lamb prop, Valley of Milwaukee, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Wisconsin

Vintage shrunken heads from South America
Vintage shrunken heads from South America

Kar-Mi buried alive lithograph
Kar-Mi buried alive lithograph, 1914

Sideshow performer Charles B. Tripp, the Armless Wonder
Charles B. Tripp Armless Wonder cabinet card c.1887

Vintage taxidermy
Vintage taxidermy

Sideshow performer Laloo and his parasitic twin
Sideshow performer Laloo and his parasitic twin c.1880s

Cave bear baculum
Baculum (penis bone) of a cave bear

Antique embalming table
B.F. Gleason embalmer’s cooling table c.1886

Bearded Lady Annie Jones
Bearded Lady Annie Jones c.1890

Furry trout
Furry trout

Fiji cannibal fork
Four-pronged cannibal fork from Fiji

Atlantica banner for a Girl in Fishbowl sideshow illusion
Atlantica banner for a Girl in Fishbowl sideshow illusion

Contortionist in a bizarre costume
Contortionist in a bizarre costume c.1940s

Masonic coffin
Early twentieth century felt-covered wood coffin, Valley of Milwaukee, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, Wisconsin

Antique chastity belt
Chastity belt with vicious face to ward off potential sexual activity

Mummified cat
Mummified “walled cat” named Fluffy, found in the wall of an old building in New York

Tibetan kapala skull
Tibetan kapala skull

Magic tricks and sideshow illusions
Magic tricks and sideshow illusions

Wexy bezoar stone
Bezoar stone extracted from the intestinal tract of Wexy, the war horse of Prince William of Orange, 1815

Tibetan llama bone necromancer hat
Tibetan llama bone necromancer hat

Miniature flintlock pistol with ivory grip
Miniature flintlock pistol with ivory grip, early twentieth century

Erotic optical illusion cabinet card
Erotic optical illusion cabinet card c.1900s

Manfish sideshow gaff created by Mark Frierson
Manfish sideshow gaff created by Mark Frierson

Jerry Pope naval tattoo art
Jerry Pope naval tattoo art c.1940s

Half man half woman
Adam and Eve vaudeville pamphlet c.1920s

Mourning portrait of Lisette Weber with hair and straw
Mourning portrait of Lisette Weber with hair and straw, Germany, c.1886

Antique poison rings
Antique silver poison rings, early 1900s

Pre-Columbian human skull
Pre-Columbian human skull with seashell discs covering eyes from Oaxaca, Mexico believed to be part of the Zapotech culture

Victorian taxidermy bird diorama
Victorian taxidermy bird diorama

18th century Italian reliquary
Reliquary from Genoa, Italy containing the bone fragment relics of 7 saints, 1763

Zoma the Cannibal sideshow banner
Zoma the Cannibal sideshow banner c.1930

See more in the Freakatorium auction catalog.

The auction is happening Saturday, November 10th at 10am.

h/t Weird Historian

Bigfoot erotica

Author of “Bigfoot Erotica” Becomes US Congressman

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Bigfoot erotica devotee Denver Riggleman wins congressional race in Virginia.

Denver Riggleman made headlines back in July when he shared the cover art of his upcoming book on Instagram. The book is called The Mating Habits of Bigfoot and Why Women Want Him. The cover image is a sketch of a buff sasquatch with a sensor bar over his genitalia.

Riggleman’s opponent Leslie Cockburn tweeted a screenshot of the post, saying that Riggleman “has been exposed as a devotee of Bigfoot erotica.”

“Yes,” Riggleman responded, “I wrote a book about Bigfoot believers. Bigfoot pics by military bubbas are meant to be funny. I didn’t know what Bigfoot Erotica was until @LeslieCockburn mentioned it.”

Well, the people have spoken.

Thanks to yesterday’s election, Riggleman beat out Cockburn for the position of U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District seat.

Now, if you’ve been following Cult of Weird for a while (which it seems Riggleman hasn’t, or he would know) the rise of monster erotica in recent years has helped turn Bigfoot into a veritable Fabio of the cryptozoological world.

Bigfoot erotica by Denver Riggleman

In related news, the deceased owner of the Bunny Ranch brothel was elected in Nevada.

We live in exciting times, folks.

Browse monster erotica on Amazon

The Ghastling

Stories for the Dark Season: The Ghastling Book 8

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A collection of new short horror stories for Halloween and Samhain.

“Samhain marks the beginning of the darker half of the year, and there is darkness in the pages that follow. So lock the door, draw the curtains and light that jack-o’-lantern. We’ll see you on the other side…”

The latest volume of short horror stories from The Ghastling features new fiction from contemporary authors compiled especially for Halloween and Samhain.

About The Ghastling Book 8:

Book 8 is our seasonal edition compiled especially for Hallowe’en & Samhain. In Damien B. Raphael’s story THE SCULPTURE, an artisan suggests that the flesh of a pumpkin is far more forgiving for this type of work than the more traditional turnip – but what exactly has he been commissioned to carve in his dimly-lit studio? Grinning, hand-carved faces light the town in Catrin Kean’s FOGTIME, as children in bedsheets run from door to door swinging rattling buckets. Dressing up as someone else – or something else – and demanding treats is another odd custom that we’ve grown to accept as part of the season. This too is traced to the Celts, who were said to leave offerings of food and drink to placate the fairies, witches, demons and unfortunate souls who wandered between this world and the next on Samhain. Perhaps it isn’t just the young trick-or-treaters, then, that make Mammy lock the doors and pull the curtains.

In Alys Hobbs’ IN WE COME, it’s adults who roam the streets disguised – a troupe of actors, to be exact, searching for an audience for their folk play. “Make room, for in we come! We’ve come a-mumming, three-two-one!” However, this troupe’s antics seem to go beyond mere performance, and it may not just be money or food that they’re looking for in exchange. The Celts believed that the sun began to grow weak during Samhain, and so bonfires were lit not just in honour of the dead, but also to guide them on their journey – and keep them away from the living. So when Jenny watches a constellation of flickering lights appear on Kristy Kerruish’s THE HILL, she should probably keep a safe distance – but Trevor has been gone for a while, and it’s all mumbo-jumbo anyway…isn’t it? Mr Fanner certainly hopes not, as he walks AMONG OCTOBER’S FIELDS with the derelict Riverbrook Home for Boys in his sights. Callum McKelvie’s story begins with whispers: the tragic fire, all the children gone and mysterious sounds across the fields at night. Mr Fanner is searching for inspiration for his next ghost story, but he may wish that he had looked elsewhere. Leaving the restless bonfires of Samhain behind, let’s instead turn to the quietness of the fireside, where storytelling has long been the preferred form of entertainment. At Halloween, the attention of the fireside storyteller unsurprisingly turns to ghosts and the macabre, and so we felt it was important to include a selection of tales that, if not specifically Halloween-themed, were befitting of this seasonal tradition. So read aloud if you dare the DIARY OF A DEADMAN by N. A. Wilson, follow Mark Sadler into the sweltering woods in THE POACHER’S BALL and enter Florence Vincent’s THE TEMPLE to experience foreboding in a foreign land. Then, we suggest you gather friends around the campfire to share HOW SHADOWS FALL, C. L. Hanlon’s fresh take on the legend of the vanishing hitchhiker.

The Ghastling Book 8
BUY NOW ON AMAZON

MORE spooky reads: 2018 Cult of Weird Fall Reading List

Ouija board blue ghost

Creepy Hollow Studios Producing Sculpture of Ouija’s Iconic Blue Ghost

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Own a sculpture of the Blue Ghost from vintage William Fuld Ouija board boxes.

Creepy Hollow Studios, creator of Terror Bears and a collector/restorer of talking boards, is working on a limited run of 1/4 statues based on the Blue Ghost from vintage William Fuld and Parker Bros. Ouija board boxes. An extremely limited run.

Only 4 of these will be produced.

Two will be made in cold cast resin, and two in translucent resin that glows blue.

Some of the proceeds will go to benefit the Talking Board Historical Society.

More info here.

Recent: World’s largest Ouija board OuijaZilla unveiled in Salem