220 – Curse: Box and figures

Physical description:

Small wooden coffin with cross on lid. Lid opens to insert poppets. 2 wax poppets.

Museum classification:

Curses

Size:

200mm x 100mm

Information:

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'Everyone should take a little interest in coffins. We will all make use of one one day. Certainly witches know about them in all of their aspects and usage. This is a puzzle coffin of sarcophagus form and made of various woods. When closed, the trick is to find how to re-open it. With it are seen a stock of three beeswax poppet dolls. Note that these dolls have a slot provided in their back into which can be inserted written spells, nail parings, hair etc. And then sealed before enclosing within the coffin, this is straight up and down ill wishing black magic. This rather elaborate toy for an average west country witch belonged as its sophistication indicates to a well to do lady who once lived in the mount pleasant area of Exeter. She was a clairvoyant and medium who worked in her maiden name of Madam de la Cour, known to her friends as Flora.'

 

Related to document 8181 which reads: "THE SORCERER'S COFFIN. This is a trick box in the form of a coffin. To gain entry to the interior a whole range of secret sections have to be pushed and moved in their grooved slides. The sorcerer uses this type of things when working black magic involving matters relating to elimination by a hastened death. It is also used in magic where the sorcerer opposes the angel of death and fights to keep a desperately sick person from death, the idea being that some part of the sick person is placed inside the trick coffin. So long as the angel of death [is u]nable to open the coffin and claim the missing part of the sick person then that person will remain in their earthly state of living."

Resource:

Object

Materials:

Wood, wax

Copyright ownership:

Copyright to The Museum of Witchcraft Ltd.

Original text by Cecil Williamson: 'Everyone should take a little interest in coffins. We will all make use of one one day. Certainly witches know about them in all of their aspects and usage. This is a puzzle coffin of sarcophagus form and made of various woods. When closed, the trick is to find how to re-open it. With it are seen a stock of three beeswax poppet dolls. Note that these dolls have a slot provided in their back into which can be inserted written spells, nail parings, hair etc. And then sealed before enclosing within the coffin, this is straight up and down ill wishing black magic. This rather elaborate toy for an average west country witch belonged as its sophistication indicates to a well to do lady who once lived in the mount pleasant area of Exeter. She was a clairvoyant and medium who worked in her maiden name of Madam de la Cour, known to her friends as Flora.'

 

Related to document 8181 which reads: "THE SORCERER'S COFFIN. This is a trick box in the form of a coffin. To gain entry to the interior a whole range of secret sections have to be pushed and moved in their grooved slides. The sorcerer uses this type of things when working black magic involving matters relating to elimination by a hastened death. It is also used in magic where the sorcerer opposes the angel of death and fights to keep a desperately sick person from death, the idea being that some part of the sick person is placed inside the trick coffin. So long as the angel of death [is u]nable to open the coffin and claim the missing part of the sick person then that person will remain in their earthly state of living."