Victorian vampire hunting kit up for auction

Vampires were big in the Victorian era. Books such as Dracula and Varney theVampyre were bestsellers and adventure travelers to eastern Europe reported that the people still believed they existed.

A rare vampire hunting kit from this era is now for sale. The box contains a crucifix, pistol, wooden stakes and mallet, a Book of Common Prayer from 1851, and bottles of holy water, holy earth, and garlic paste. There's also a handwritten note quoting Luke 19:27: "But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me."

Vampires have been in the news a lot recently. Archaeologists in Bulgaria have just discovered two vampire graves. Hit the link to read the Gadling article I wrote about it.

Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons, from Les tribunaux secrets, published in 1864.