Old bottles, antique Gothic-Revival cast iron architectural salvage, and vintage and antique books pull this display together.
Black candles top off a very heavily detailed Art Nouveau candelabras for an even spookier look. When paired with Gothic influenced items, many Art Nouveau items show in an entirely different light! Their beautiful flowing lines and flourishes suddenly become ominous.
Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Thrice and once, the hedge-pig whin'd.
Harpier cries:—'tis time! 'tis time!
Round about the caldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.—
Toad, that under cold stone,
Days and nights has thirty-one;
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot!
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt, and toe of frog,
Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing,—
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf;
Witches' mummy; maw and gulf
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark;
Root of hemlock digg'd i the dark;
Liver of blaspheming Jew;
Gall of goat, and slips of yew
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse;
Nose of Turk, and Tartar's lips;
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,—
Make the gruel thick and slab:
Add thereto a tiger's chaudron,
For the ingrediants of our caldron.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn, and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
-- William Shakespeare from Macbeth Act IV Scene I
-- William Shakespeare from Macbeth Act IV Scene I
If you can't tell from the photo, the book is opened to Chapter XIII (13). How appropriate!
While some of these medicine bottles are genuine antiques, some are antique bottles with new labels on them. By mixing the new ones with genuine ones, it further adds to the illusion that everything is old.
Again, I'm mixing old bottles with new labels, and antique medicine bottles with original labels. I got my new labels from Love Manor on Flickr. If you click the link, it will take you to where you can download these labels for free in various sizes.
I simply printed them in color on letter sized label paper, cut them out, and peeled off the backing, and stuck them on. Be sure your bottles are clean when you apply the label or it won't stick.
Since I just happened to have some lab equipment lying around the house (on display in the guest bath, as a matter of fact) I chose to incorporate it into the display, as well. I found this source through Google today, in case you want to order some!
I love watching Hocus Pocus and the Halloweentown movies this time of year! Hopefully I'll have some friends over for chili, ghost stories, and we can all watch these!
This display is so boo-tiful!
This lovely, creepy antique Gothic-Revival cast iron fence post makes a lovely topper for a candle.
And please don't worry--I WILL NOT be lighting any of these candles!
Sources for items:
Bottles: Yardsales, Estate sale leftovers--many were free.
Cast-iron architectural salvage, antique medicine bottles, lab equipment, and Art Nouveau candelabras; The Oak Antique Mall, www.theoakantiques.com, 804-861-6111
Ironstone platter: Estate Sale
Antique wooden corbel: Through The Garden Gate, http://www.throughthegardengateantiques.com/, 804-746-5778
Antique books: Various thrift stores
Vintage-Inspired Labels: Love Manor (links to blog) on Flickr; http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovemanor/tags/labels/
Having the bottles grouped en masse on this wonderful antique English Ironstone platter help add to the spooky, aged look.
[Edit to participate in the Halloween Blog Party!]
I hope you have enjoyed this early Halloween Treat! I'd love to see what you are doing for the Fall Holidays! What are some of your Fall Traditions?
If you have any questions on anything in my blog, please feel free to ask! Please become a follower if you haven't already--please leave me a comment letting me know that you are a follower so that I may follow back! Until next time!
