Auction of Horrors
We've all seen the awful auction style programmes on BBC daytime TV but when we heard about a Horror Auction in Royal Leamington Spa then we had to check it out!. The "Old Elephant House" has often held Fairground and Circus auctions in the past but this was the first time for something more horrific!
Interesting aside: the building in Moreton Street used to be the home for performing Elephants as it belonged to Samuel Lockhart a famous Elephant Trainer. In the past he would walk his Elephants through the town down to the river to wash and water.
Onto the auction and a very curious site was presented to us as we arrived. Inside were around 300 lots with items ranging from rare promotional posters, costumes and stage props from The Circus of Horrors. through to coffins, stage illusions, snake charmers baskets, horror props, magic from Simon Drake, vintage Ghost Train artefacts and facades, freak taxidermy and steampunk clothing etc etc. It was probably the strangest collection ever to go under the hammer!
Amazingly some lots didn’t even get bids. Fancy a full sized retro cinema projector? It started at £10 and didn't sell. Or maybe an actual surgeons operating table? Only a tenner and nobody wanted it. I am sure many of these things would have been ideal cheap props in a scare attraction somewhere.
The auction wouldn't have been complete without some well-known faces, and our friends from The Circus of Horrors were there including Dr Haze, Hannibal Hellmurto and Anastasia IV. Around the room were other notable faces such as Van Buren the Magician, and representatives from the Fairground Association of Great Britain, Worlds Fair and Bizarre Magazine.
All in all, it was a very personal and welcoming auction with only around 50 people in attendance, which was good for picking up a bargain or two, even though some lots did reach a high price, Double Daisy the Two-Headed Cow, in case, reached £2,400. But at least she has gone to a good home!
The catalogue is still currently online so why not check out what you might have missed.
Interesting aside: the building in Moreton Street used to be the home for performing Elephants as it belonged to Samuel Lockhart a famous Elephant Trainer. In the past he would walk his Elephants through the town down to the river to wash and water.
Onto the auction and a very curious site was presented to us as we arrived. Inside were around 300 lots with items ranging from rare promotional posters, costumes and stage props from The Circus of Horrors. through to coffins, stage illusions, snake charmers baskets, horror props, magic from Simon Drake, vintage Ghost Train artefacts and facades, freak taxidermy and steampunk clothing etc etc. It was probably the strangest collection ever to go under the hammer!
Amazingly some lots didn’t even get bids. Fancy a full sized retro cinema projector? It started at £10 and didn't sell. Or maybe an actual surgeons operating table? Only a tenner and nobody wanted it. I am sure many of these things would have been ideal cheap props in a scare attraction somewhere.
The auction wouldn't have been complete without some well-known faces, and our friends from The Circus of Horrors were there including Dr Haze, Hannibal Hellmurto and Anastasia IV. Around the room were other notable faces such as Van Buren the Magician, and representatives from the Fairground Association of Great Britain, Worlds Fair and Bizarre Magazine.
All in all, it was a very personal and welcoming auction with only around 50 people in attendance, which was good for picking up a bargain or two, even though some lots did reach a high price, Double Daisy the Two-Headed Cow, in case, reached £2,400. But at least she has gone to a good home!
The catalogue is still currently online so why not check out what you might have missed.
|
|
|
|
The Circus of Horrors is about to embark on another large UK tour - The Curse - check their site for details
Previous Reviews
You Review
Have you experienced The Circus of Horrors? - tell us what you thought here
For information about all our attractions and reviews, visit us on Facebook!
All the latest news, stories, review and gossip can be found on the ScareTOUR Facebook page - the hottest facebook presence in the UK for Scare Attractions!
For the latest offers, exclusive discounts and more - Join the group!
For the latest offers, exclusive discounts and more - Join the group!