One auction-goer is now way more prepared to ward off the blood-sucking undead than the rest of us. The private U.K. buyer took home an authentic, 19th-century vampire-slaying kit after an extensive bidding war. The £13,000 sale price – roughly $15,600 USD at the time of purchase – smashed its initial auction estimate by six times.
Low Lights to Warm Hearts, Smooth Tings Sets the Bar at SNS
The heavy wooden box contains various items for warding off vampires. This includes a bevy of crucifixes, pair of pistols, holy water, and a stake. Also included in the extensive kit is a brass powder flask, Gothic Bible, wooden mallet, brass candlesticks, and rosary beads. Official metropolitan police paperwork from the period confirms all items in the case are one-hundred percent authentic.
Charles Hanson, the owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said the item attracted a lot of attention from potential buyers leading up to its auction. The vampire-slaying kit originally belonged to Lord Hailey (1872-1969), a British aristocrat and administrator in colonial India.
“Whether through fear or fascination, it’s interesting to know a member of the highest aristocratic social order, a man with a place in the House of Lords, acquired this item. It reminds us that the vampire myth affects people from all walks of life. I think the aristocratic connection made this object even more desirable and, perhaps, helped it on its way to a particularly strong result.” – Charles Hanson
You can read more about the vampire-slaying kit at Hansons Auctioneers.
Lastly, The KOJA Treehouse by Polestar Redefines Sustainable Travel.
