342 – Witch Mirror

Physical description:

Wooden Witch Mirror, with a hand carved frame in the shape of a witch. The top half of the frame depicts the witch's head, with bushy hair, a pointed hat, and a very characterful face. Her hands are raised and touching the side of her face. The lower half of the frame is more stylised, and suggests the witch's legs, as if she was sitting cross-legged.

Museum classification:

Divination

Size:

580mm x 260mm

Information:

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'There are witch mirrors, and there are witch mirrors, but of all the mirrors used by witches this one is the top. This type of mirror was turned out in some quantity for one comes across examples up and down the country. To date I know of seven others exactly the same. Of course, a familiar spirit has been conjured and coaxed into making the mirror its home.
When you use these mirrors you gaze into them then suddenly you will see in the mirror some one standing behind you. Whatever you do, do not turn around. Remember that, never never turn around. What happens next? Good gracious, you just talk quietly to the figure or face in the mirror, close your eyes if you cannot bear it, but never, ever turn around.'
Mentioned in Doreen Valiente's description of the exhibits at Cecil Williamson's 'House of Spells' at Polperro (Transcripts from Doreen Valiente's Diaries 1959-1966, in the museum library (133.43 VAL), pp.29-34). She describes it as 'a very fine piece of wood-carving', and as she was later photographed with just such a mirror it is tempting to think she was inspired by seeing this one to acquire one herself.
A similar mirror was recorded by Sotherbys Auctions as having been made by T Pooley in Belfast in mid 19C.

The Museum received an email in November 2017 which said: "As a small boy I grew up in the village of Tideswell Derbyshire and a friend of mines uncle was a legendary craftsman called Advent Hunstone who is now long gone but he does appear on google if you do a search who used to make lot of wood carvings for churches in and around the area
But I know as a child he also used to carve the witch mirrors identical to the one that you have mostly in his spare time when he was not to busy with other projects
I can Remember them being hung up on the walls of his workshop and also I some of the village homes.  His son William who carried on the business after Advent passed away and still produced the mirrors up to the 1970s when he retired "

Advent Hunstone died in 1927.

This object was loaned to the British Library for The British Library ‘Harry Potter’ Exhibition [ London: October 2017- Feb 2018, New York: October 2018 – January 2019, Kobe: September 2021 - November 2021, Tokyo: December 2021 - March 2022 ]

One of these mirrors was sold at auction in 2021 for £300 signed W E Hunstone 1950

 

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Wood, glass

Copyright ownership:

MWM

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'There are witch mirrors, and there are witch mirrors, but of all the mirrors used by witches this one is the top. This type of mirror was turned out in some quantity for one comes across examples up and down the country. To date I know of seven others exactly the same. Of course, a familiar spirit has been conjured and coaxed into making the mirror its home.
When you use these mirrors you gaze into them then suddenly you will see in the mirror some one standing behind you. Whatever you do, do not turn around. Remember that, never never turn around. What happens next? Good gracious, you just talk quietly to the figure or face in the mirror, close your eyes if you cannot bear it, but never, ever turn around.'
Mentioned in Doreen Valiente's description of the exhibits at Cecil Williamson's 'House of Spells' at Polperro (Transcripts from Doreen Valiente's Diaries 1959-1966, in the museum library (133.43 VAL), pp.29-34). She describes it as 'a very fine piece of wood-carving', and as she was later photographed with just such a mirror it is tempting to think she was inspired by seeing this one to acquire one herself.
A similar mirror was recorded by Sotherbys Auctions as having been made by T Pooley in Belfast in mid 19C.

The Museum received an email in November 2017 which said: "As a small boy I grew up in the village of Tideswell Derbyshire and a friend of mines uncle was a legendary craftsman called Advent Hunstone who is now long gone but he does appear on google if you do a search who used to make lot of wood carvings for churches in and around the area
But I know as a child he also used to carve the witch mirrors identical to the one that you have mostly in his spare time when he was not to busy with other projects
I can Remember them being hung up on the walls of his workshop and also I some of the village homes.  His son William who carried on the business after Advent passed away and still produced the mirrors up to the 1970s when he retired "

Advent Hunstone died in 1927.

This object was loaned to the British Library for The British Library ‘Harry Potter’ Exhibition [ London: October 2017- Feb 2018, New York: October 2018 – January 2019, Kobe: September 2021 - November 2021, Tokyo: December 2021 - March 2022 ]

One of these mirrors was sold at auction in 2021 for £300 signed W E Hunstone 1950