Posted 4 years ago
dav2no1
(823 items)
Vampire Slaying Kit
Not only do I collect art but I also create art.
This is my version of a Victorian vampire kit.
The bottles, handcuffs and bible are antique 1800s. The corks on the bottles I shaped and cut down from Champagne corks.
All the wood has been treated with shou sugi ban(Yakisugi) technique. The head of the hammer is encased in metal with brass screws ground down to simulate rivets. Included crude carvings to replicate an antique look.
The glass is treated with a mirror paint and vinegar solution to create a faux mercury glass effect.
I was having trouble deciding how to lay out the fabric. I had several different options in my head so I consulted my friend. My friend Terry is a retired award-winning hot rod interior guy. He helped me decide and finish the crushed red velvet interior.
Poison bottle - PD & CO. 295 - Park Davis - square brown
Hydrozone - Prepared by Chas Marchand New York USA - large brown
Bromo Seltzer - Emerson Drug Co. Baltimore MD - small blue
YAKISUGI
Yakisugi is a traditional Japanese method of wood preservation. Yaki means to heat with fire, and sugi is cypress. It is also referred to in the West as burnt timber cladding and also known as Shou Sugi Ban.
By slightly charring the surface of the wood without combusting the whole piece, the wood becomes water-proof through the carbonisation and is thus more durable. It also protects against insects, as well as making it fire retardant.
VAMPIRE SLAYING KITS
A widely accepted theory is that vampire slaying kits were novelty items for tourists visiting Transylvania after the publishing of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA in 1897. Sales of these items, as well as vampire tourism to the region, also increased after the releases of the 1922 film NOSFERATU and the 1931 Universal adaptation of DRACULA.
Congratulations.
Thank you and thanks to all that loved it!
It took me awhile to get all the antique items and decide on the final look. As soon as I saw this table for sale, I knew right away I had to have it.
Great idea. I have a very similar table I keep filled with Halloween worthy items.
I'd like to find another table. And make a werewolf kit maybe with a Flintlock and some silver balls....
A big thanks to everyone that loved my project!
Well this is certainly something different. It'd make anyone do a double take if seen in an antique store. Looks great!
Looks like the real deal! I hope you never have to put it to work. :-)
Good job with this!
Unfortunately, these were all the rage a few decades ago. Most I saw included an old single- shot percussion pistol (usually a non descript, low value piece) to enhance the set.
Saw a few sell in the $8,000- $12,000 range!
Old- timers told me at the time, that most of these were 20th century gun dealer creations. A great way to sell a cheap gun and gun box for a huge profit.
The internet has shed more light on these and most now know that they are fantasy items.
scott
Thanks to everyone for looking and comments.
The idea was a way to display some items in a fun way. I create a lot of art, some better than others. Ideas get in my head and I'm not satisfied until I create something..
And of course it wasn't until after I completed it, that I found a few era correct pistols for sale.
Happy Halloween everyone! Perfect time to revisit my Vampire Slaying Kit...
Happy Halloween Dave, hope you had a great day & didn't need to use these on Count Dracula!
nice this noir art
Thank you. I enjoyed making this one. Still want to do a werewolf kit. I have an old black powder pistol that would look great.
Really well made, great work!
Lata - Thank you for the comments. I like how it turned out.
I can't believe you made this! It is perfect, I love the old handcuffs! Funny story, not long ago I was on Kijiji and some of the selling a similar kit ( not near as nice or detailed ) I was intrigued by it because I've always had a fascination with horror movies and especially vampire movies. I've been a vampire on a few Halloween 's . I took a screenshot of it because I thought maybe I could make it myself. I'm pretty crafty & love to make things and repurpose. I'm still getting through your links and comments that you left me on my sad iron link . You have a lot of Irons in the fire for sure, where do you find the hours in the day? We definitely have the same affliction lol. I'm not sure I can list everything I collect ... many little random collections. Like you , anything that catches my eye and I also can see the beauty in things many others can't.
Not sure why it save my comments twice… And I don’t know how to remove one of them. Oh well. I found that screenshot I took of the kit on Kijiji. Yours is much nicer. I can send you the picture, but I don’t think we can attach pictures here.
Haha..if your a fast clicker. It'll happen sometimes. You can't edit comments but the original poster can delete comments so I deleted the doubles..
Yes..I have a little bit of everything. I have been collecting since I was young and somehow managed to keep all my stuff. And of course because my sister and I are actively looking for new items for our etsy shop, we're out buying regularly and you never know what treasures people have other than what you were there buying. I like smaller items that I can stuff in my display cases.
The only way you can share is if you post the item. Or if you want, you can email me directly..
dav2no1@yahoo.com
Yeah I just call me quick draw McGraw lol, I will have to go lightly on that button thanks for fixing it up. Isn't it great that your sister is interested in the same thing , does it stem from your parents? What is your Etsy shop called? My best friend has a shop on Poshmark she does vintage clothing assorted mid-century modern items. I was actually thinking of opening a Poshmark Site.. I really have to downsize some period. I have one son who is 33 and it would be cruel of me to leave a house full of my collections for him to disperse of / also he might just sell everything cheap at a yard sale and then I would have to come back and haunt him lol. Regarding your vampire kit ... I think you were better off saving your gun for The werewolf kit . Everyone knows you can't kill a vampire with a bullet! Now a squirt gun filled with holy water might come in handy .. that would be the kit for this Era
Unfortunately my dad was into Ham radio and electronics. He repaired radios for other hams..they would send radios from everywhere or bring them by. Also taught classes in the basement digital fundamentals, crystal troubleshooting, electronics theory, Ham license and advanced license classes, etc. He taught at the vocational school for a few years in late 60s between retiring from Air Force and starting at Boeing. So my basement was full..been selling at electronics fleamarket for 10+ years..still got stuff. No one wants it now, because no one fixes stuff and a lot of Ham enthusiasts are passing and releasing their estates. See here..
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/293195-hy-gain-antenna-advertisement-give-away
Mom was Japanese and had many dishes and glassware..thats how we started the Etsy shop..she had too much stuff. My sister dove in and became a glass guru. So we specialize in vintage glassware..depression, carnival, fancy, art glass etc. But we will buy anything vintage that may sell. We are both collectors so we can cherry pick stuff for ourselves. I've opened her eyes to stuff she never gave second thought to, so we make a good team. We're 5 star sellers. Unfortunately it's really a hobby at this point..its profitable but money goes back to inventory. And we have a huge inventory that we're working on getting listed. We only sell good pieces..no chips, cracks, fleabites.. its getting harder to find vintage glass items and have to buy when we can. We ship for free...its expensive to pack, ship and source items. We have started to do some local fleamarkets..good way to sell larger items that cost too much to ship.
Northwest Vintage NOWVI at etsy
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NOWVI
And FYI..there a lot of work you don't see..like the fact the pieces aren't just laying in there. All the foam is cut out to fit each item. Including figuring out the perfect angles to tilt the bottles and Bible forward in a presentation style. Gluing, cutting and laying the felt was challenging to get the right look..thats why I asked for my buddy's help. Years of hot rod interior experience ..lots of tricks and tips..things I never thought of. Still need to add a small piece of mirror in the kit..
I can relate to that... my father passed almost 2 years ago and we had to clean out his house. He was of the generation that they did not waste anything and if something could be used it did not get thrown out. That generation were master repurposers ( before Pinterest made it cool) Dad had his ham operators license as well . I kept his 2 vintage handheld radios ( they look like large walkie-talkies, you need a ham operators license to operate them ) I know this because I snuck one outside One night when I was about 10 or 11 and my friend and I hid and we're playing with it and we heard the police come on it
and sounded like they were looking for us . I was pretty quick shutting it off and taking it back in the house. Not sure why I hang onto them, but if there's ever a zombie apocalypse they might come in handy lol I've been collecting since I was a child although my mother liked to purge and gave a lot of my toys and items to cousins and friends . It definitely starts out as a hobby but it is a very addictive hobby.. it's like a treasure hunt !! You're right, if you can find a story to go with the item it is a huge bonus. many times the story is better than the item.