#chillingham collectables

[semper-legens]

111. The Haunting Season

Owned: No, library Page count: 291 My summary: A wheelchair with its own life. A dead girl who is beautiful forever. A woman hidden away from the world. A stranger needing help who was dead the whole time. Spooky tales of winter hauntings from some of the best horror authors in the business. My rating: 4/5 My commentary:

This collection has been on the shelves at work for months. It looked interesting, and I've picked it up so many times and flicked through only to stick it back on the shelf. Well, no more. I've read it now, and overall I liked it! As with any short story collection, there's individual stories I liked better or worse than others, but all together it's a pretty solid collection, and certainly an enjoyable and engaging way to spend some time. As ever, I'm only going to talk about a few of the stories that particularly stood out to me under the cut. So here we go!

The first story in this collection is A Study in Black and White, based around a traveller who sees a mysterious old house with chess-themed topiaries in the garden and finds himself compelled to rent it. I felt like this story did a great job in showing the main character to be a total dick in ways that were fun and enjoyable. He's rude to people he thinks are below him (read: everyone), sees himself as being probably the only intelligent person in the world, refuses to believe that any of the supernatural stuff around him is actually happening, and is overall just an unpleasant little man. It's classic horror storytelling - set this guy up as a bastard and it's fun to watch him fall. The atmosphere of this story was very spooky too, something about the idea of a big old house where the house itself is alive and knows far more about what's going on here than you do just gets to me. And it was interesting that very little of the horror was explained, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions.

One story that surprised me was The Eel Singers, which was Natasha Pulley's contribution and is set in the world of her novel, the Watchmaker of Filigree Street. It features the two main characters of that book, Thaniel and Mori, the latter being a precognitive who lives both in the past and future. Mori wants to visit a town where his precognition is nullified, meaning he'll be able to just relax and be himself for once without knowing what the future has in store for the both of them. But this town is not as it seems, and Thaniel and Mori find themselves caught up in it. I really like Thaniel and Mori from when I read Filigree Street, but even if I was approaching it as a beginner, I think that Pulley did a great job in explaining the quirks of this world and these characters to the layman. It never felt like endless recapping, just a nod here and there to acknowledge that these characters belong in their own world. The story itself was creepy in a fun way, with Thaniel and Mori being slowly taken over by the being that exists in this place, and barely escaping with their lives. It's tense as all hell!

The Chillingham Chair, by Laura Purcell, was another interesting one. Purcell seems to really like writing historical horror that's centred around an object - a corset, bone china, and now this wheelchair. The premise is that our main character is injured a few days before her sister's wedding to a man she had previously rejected, and has to use a wheelchair that once belonged to his father. But it seems to have a life of its own, and propels her to places she doesn't want to be. At first, you're led to believe that the chair (or rather, the ghost inhabiting it) wants to kill her, and I had some problems with that on the grounds that characterising and perfectly normal mobility device as being evil, or a hindrance to its user, wafted into the ableism zone. But then it turned out that, nope, the chair was trying to help. The fiancée killed his father and brother, blaming the latter for the former's death, and was going to kill the woman who rejected him so that her sister can inherit the whole fortune. It was a clever twist, I have a soft spot for supernatural horror where the supernatural entity is helpful or benign and it turns out the real monsters were human. Cheesy? Yes! But I like it.

Next, back to CHERUB again, and a more dangerous mission for James and Lauren.

[hollywoodfamerp]

FAMERS,

This year was the first ever year where the poll ended in a TIE. We had two categories that landed with 9 votes and instead of doing another poll, the team got creative and decided to merge two of the themes together. After merging the two winning themes, Enchanted & Tim Burton... the collection theme for the HFRP Fashion Show will be...

...TWISTED FAIRYTALES! 

On September 30th, 2022 we’re taking this fashion show to the Haunted Chillingham Castle in Northumberland, EN! Calling all glam squads, all designers, all the fashion gurus - everyone is in need because this is a mandatory event! Makeup looks, behind the scenes, prep, sketch designs - you get to choose what you want to show us. We’re about to get twisted!

However we need a few things from you guys to bring this event to life!

Models:

Anyone can sign up to be a model!

Based on the amount of sign ups for models, they will either create a few outfits inspired by a twisted fairytale or a character from a dark fairy tale! The number of outfits that you’ll have to create will depend on the amount of sign ups we have!

When signing up, members will be able to share their top three fairy tale preferences. Some examples can be found here!

We will be messaging people privately which they get to keep an element of surprise for the celebs in attendance for the fashion show.

Only the order of the show will be released to the general public

Rehearsals will take place on 9/29/22

#hfrpfashionshow

Last day to sign up is September 20th!

Performers:

Anyone can sign up to perform!

Depending on the number of performer sign ups will determine if each band/performer will perform more than one song. Each performer should expect to select at least one song to perform while the models walk the runway (think like the ‘SavagexFenty’ Fashion Show)

All performers will cover a song that represents a certain fairytale ( If you’re stuck on some options, please refer to our list of examples here.) OR a song that you believe fits the dark theme of the story. You do not have to use a song from a certain fairytale movie: i.e. you do not have to sing Part of Your World if you are representing the Little Mermaid. Remember, these are the DARK versions of this fairytale story. Not the Disney version.

You select the song for your performer!

You can ask to perform when a certain model comes out!

Rehearsals will take place on 9/29/22

#hfrpfashionshow

Last day to sign up is September 20th!

Attendees:

If you choose not to sign up your celeb to be a model or performer, that’s totally okay!

Feel free to have your celeb dressed up for the occasion. Dark colors, grunge galore, you name it - just make sure that it is grim.

Just be sure you’re out there dressed to impress - it is fashion week after all.

#hfrpfashionshow

After Party:

There will be an after party following the Fashion Show.

Details about where the after party will take place will be posted soon.

Please like this notice so we know you’re all up to date! Thank you!

[xplrvibes]

is the Vallisca the one abt the kids being killed? and they talk abt the little girl in the bed? that makes me so uncomfy. i wanna rewatch it but i might skip over that part. i love true crime as much as the next girly but when it involves kids like that i just cannot :( special place in hell for people who hurt kids.

You know actually that could be why some of their videos are just for entertainment and less about actually investigating. I definitely prefer their more serious investigation videos but not at the expense of them getting down in the dumps afterwards. id hate for them, especially colby bc he seems the most susceptible, to come away from a really awesome and intense investigation and not be able to shake the funk that comes with it.

we need a lighter topic… umm… favourite snc video of all time???

- aussie anon

Yes, that's the one, so please use discretion if rewatching it - although I think the part about the hangovers is in the beginning before any of the truly awful stuff gets discussed.

But yea...that episode is heavy. Weirdly, it actually is one of my favorites that they've done, simply because I think the way they approached it and told the story and the interviews they did were probably some of the most "professional" work they've ever done, and I respect that.

Also, that house has a creep vibe like few others.

Aside from that, though, some of my other favorites from the paranormal years are probably Mizpah, Conjuring 1, Chillingham, Wilson Castle, the Jersey Devil (I'm definitely in the minority on that one but I drove through the pines on my way back from Atlantic City all the time and know how funky that whole area is, so it has a special place on my heart lol), the Biltmore from the 2019 collection...there's probably others, but those stood out.

From the xplr days, I think I mentioned this the other day, but the ones that I remember the most vividly are the Six Flags, the Poconos, the Wal Mart they did in New Mexico, the hospital video with Jake, and...you know what? All the old xplr videos are just great. Simplistic and nostalgic as hell lol.

From 25x25, I'd say the tattoo or the one where they almost died scuba diving cause they tried to cram a month's worth of training into 3 days.

That was a lot, lol. You?

[skylordhorus]

Oh my god my dad is watching salvage hunters and the owner of the house theyre in is totally a vampire lmao

[mythicallore]

The Radiant Boys

One type of ghost that is as creepy as it is tragic is that of what are collectively called the “Radiant Boys.” The phenomenon mostly has its origins in the lore Northern England and in Germany, where they are called the “kindermorderinn.” The origins of these restless spirits is that of great tragedy, as they are said to be the ghosts of children who were murdered by their own mothers, something which has doomed them to walk the earth not only as ghosts, but also as portent of disaster and harbingers of death. Indeed, it is said that to see a Radiant Boy is a sure sign that bad luck or death is to follow, making them a frightening paranormal force that no one wants to come across, and they have become entrenched as a rather creepy landmark upon the world of ghostly phenomena.

The reasons for why these mothers should want to kill their children are varied, but back in the 1600s and 1700s, when the dark stories began to really take off, it was mostly because of kids being born out of wedlock, a big taboo at the time, or simply out of the fact that the parents did not have enough money to support them, leading them to resort to murder. In other, more sinister cases, women did it in order to exploit a medieval law that said that second wives could inherit their husband’s property if all his children had passed away, giving these mothers a financial incentive for the coldblooded murder of a loved one.

The great majority of the eerie Radiant Boy phenomenon and sightings originate from Germany in the 1600s, and then fan out to the areas of Cumberland and Northumberland in the northern part of England along with the many German immigrants during the 18th and 19th centuries. There are numerous reports of encounters with these apparitions, which are usually described as looking like glowing young boys, or more rarely girls, who usually appear nude and are bathed in a luminous light that can be a variety of colors. The entities themselves are often indifferent to their surroundings, but cast off a rather unsettling atmosphere that typically leaves the witness in a state of shock.

By far the most famous case of an apparent Radiant Boy occurred in September of 1803, at a place called Corby Castle, in Cumbria, England, which was the ancestral home of the powerful Howard family. Here a Reverend Henry of Redburgh visited with his wife for the evening, and it would turn out to be quite a harrowing night, not the least in part because they were put up for the night in a room of the castle that was rather known for being quite haunted. The Howard patriarch would say himself of this singularly creepy room:

I must observe that it is by no means remote or solitary, being surrounded on all sides by chambers that are constantly inhabited. It is accessible by a passage cut through a wall eight feet in thickness, and its dimensions are twenty-one by eighteen. One side of the wainscotting is covered with tapestry, the remainder is decorated with old family pictures, and some ancient pieces of embroidery, probably the handiwork of nuns. Over a press, which has doors of Venetian glass, is an ancient oaken figure, with a battle-axe in his hand, which was one of those formerly placed on the walls of the City of Carlisle, to represent guards. There used to be also an old-fashioned bed and some dark furniture in this room; but so many were the complaints of those who slept there, that I was induced to replace some of these articles of furniture by more modern ones, in the hope of removing a certain air of gloom, which I thought might have given rise to the unaccountable reports of apparitions and extraordinary noises which were constantly reaching us. But I regret to say, I did not succeed in banishing the nocturnal visitor, which still continues to disturb our friends.

The Reverend would stay in this room of foreboding, drifting off to sleep as a fire roared in the fireplace to keep the chill at bay, and would write of the events that followed in his journal, saying:

Soon after we went to bed, we fell asleep; it might be between one and two in the morning when I awoke. I observed that the fire was totally extinguished; but, although that was the case, and we had no light, I saw a glimmer in the centre of the room, which suddenly increased to a bright flame. I looked out, apprehending that something had caught fire, when, to my amazement, I beheld a beautiful boy, clothed in white, with bright locks resembling gold, standing by my bedside, in which position he remained some minutes, fixing his eyes upon me with a mild and benevolent expression. He then glided gently towards the side of the chimney, where it is obvious there is no possible egress, and entirely disappeared. I found myself again in total darkness, and all remained quiet until the usual hour of rising. I declare this to be a true account of what I saw at Corby Castle, upon my word as a clergyman.

The very next day the Reverend and his wife made a rather hasty departure from the castle, reportedly saying as they did so, “I am very sorry, but we must absolutely leave you this morning.” Another, more sinister case of a Radiant Boy was supposedly experienced by a Lord Castlereagh, who had once gone by the name of Captain Robert Stewart in his younger days, which he was known by at the time of his brush with the paranormal. At the time he was stationed in Ireland, and one day had gone out out hunting in the countryside when the weather turned foul. As soon as he realized that a storm was moving in, it also dawned on him that he had strayed so far out in his search of game that he no longer could find his way back.

The story goes that he wandered about the wilderness before coming to a home sitting out there, where he requested shelter for the night. His room was a modest affair with scarcely any furniture and a small fireplace in the corner. He soon drifted off to sleep, but was pried from his world of dreams by a brilliant light that seemed to bathe the entire room. The book Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry, by Butler Yeats, says of this encounter:

He believed he had slept about a couple of hours when he awoke suddenly, and was startled by such a vivid light in the room that he thought it on fire, but on turning to look at the grate he saw the fire was out, though it was from the chimney the light proceeded. He sat up in bed, trying to discover what it was, when he perceived the form of a beautiful naked boy, surrounded by a dazzling radiance. The boy looked at him earnestly, and then the vision faded, and all was dark. Captain Stewart, so far from supposing what he had seen to be of a spiritual nature, had no doubt that the host, or the visitors, had been trying to frighten him. Accordingly, he felt indignant at the liberty, and on the following morning, when he appeared at breakfast, he took care to evince his displeasure by the reserve of his demeanour, and by announcing his intention to depart immediately.

The owner of the house would then admit that the room was hardly ever used, and that was because there was purportedly the ghost of a family ancestor who had been killed by his own mother lurking there, and that the fire had been meant to keep the malicious spirit away. It was also said that to see the boy was a bad omen, and that indeed the cursed room had been off-limits for years, with it only opened to him because so many other guests had been staying there at the same time. It was ominously said that whoever was to see the Radiant Boy would rise in power only to have it ripped away to leave a gaping wound, followed by a horrible death, which fit in quite well with the existing Radiant Boy legend as a whole.

Indeed, this encounter would apparently live up to its reputation, and bring with it some of the darker lore surrounding the appearance of Radiant Boys, and although he would become a prominent political figure in the following years, Stewart would suddenly see his fortunes dwindle and a great many tragedies would befall his family. First his father died, which is how he took up the mantle of Lord Castlereagh, second Marquis of Londonderry, and his older brother would also die in a boating accident, then things would take a nosedive. His fortunes dwindled spectacularly, his health failed him, and his sanity began to slip over the brink of madness, forcing him to be confined to his country house, called North Cray Place. In the end, he would ede over the brink of the abyss of madness and take his own life in 1822 with a razor across the throat, fulfilling the grim prophecy that seeing the Radiant Boy would bring about a violent death.

Yet another supposed Radiant Boy is said to haunt Chillingham Castle, a medieval castle in Chillingham, Northumberland in the northern part of Northumberland, England. The castle was originally a monastery back in the 12th century, after which it went on to become a strategic location in medieval times, playing a big role in the battles between England and Scotland, and in later years an army barracks during World War II. Throughout it all there have been the stories of the castle’s Radiant Boy, who appears as a young, naked boy surrounded with a blue glow, that terrorizes an area of the castle called “The Pink Room.” The castle is so haunted, in fact, that it has been the target of several investigations by several famous TV paranormal programs, such as Most Haunted and Scariest Places on Earth.

These are only a few of the many reports of these ghostly, glowing children, this species of wraith that has appeared to frighten and in some cases bring dire misfortune. Is this all legend and lore, or is there something else to it? Are these the ghostly, tragic children of legend, killed by their own mothers and left to roam the world of the living to bring fear and strife? Or are these just spooky stories handed down through the ages? Whatever the case may be, the lore of the Radiant Boys is just as frightening as it is sad, and one hopes that if they truly are real, then they will somehow find peace in the end.

[theincidence-blog]

New Post has been published on http://theincidence.com/the-chillingham-castle-the-most-horrific-place-in-europe/

The Chillingham Castle : The most horrific place in Europe

It’s easy to see why people binge on horror films or line up for a heart-stopping, rapid-drop amusement-park ride. Turning the scenes of inhuman acts of the past into tourist opportunities is a little less easy to get behind. But it’s undeniable that prisons, castles, dungeons, and even concentration camps can fascinate people as they struggle to understand humanity’s dark side.

Just as horror-film aficionados thrill to a gory scene, the admirers of such places seek out the spine-chilling stories that are hidden within old, weary walls. Castles are at the top of the list.

One of the most frightening places to visit in Europe, Chillingham Castle in England, is a home of disturbing medieval-era history. Situated in the village of Chillingham in the northern part of Northumberland, the castle has existed for almost eight centuries. Over time, it has gone through numerous sieges and hosted many kings, including Henry III in 1255 and Edward I in 1298, as well as Edward, Prince of Wales in 1872, and even members of the present royal family.

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Chillingham Castle’s location on the English-Scottish border is pivotal to its history, since there were tensions and outbreaks of war between the two countries in the medieval period. The ruthless Edward I, known as “the Hammer of the Scots,” used Chillingham as a base of his operation when waging war on the Scots, who were led by “Braveheart” William Wallace for a time. The castle was also vulnerable to the Scottish forces coming south to attack. It was in the middle of the action and much of the action was not pleasant.

Today, of course, such tensions have completely dissolved. The English castle is hosting an exhibit of “six very collectible” Scottish artist in August 2017.

It was a starkly different story in the 13th and 14th centuries.

Visitors learn that the castle witnessed numerous tortures and deaths, such atrocities forming the identity of Chillingham. One the most frightening places in the castle is the torture chamber. Warriors, spies, soldiers, and various criminals were allegedly tortured. The victims were first put in the torture chamber, a place so dark that almost nothing around is visible, then they would be put on a spiked chair by force without any previous awareness of it. Once seated, the victim was held in the chair by two guards. Other torture devices that can be seen today include the hanging cage, the impalement device, an Iron Maiden, a bed of nails, thumb screws, branding irons, and the rack.

When on the rack, the victims’ hands and ankles were tightly fastened so they couldn’t move. Ankles were tightened on the so-called “roller,” which was continuously rotated as the victim was interrogated. When the rotation intensified, the victim’s joints were literally torn off, causing excruciating physical pain. Some of the castle’s records reportedly reveal some 7,500 Scottish casualties, including women, children, and men who were killed in the Chillingham’s dungeons.

One of the visitors of the castle recently wrote that when visiting the executioner’s room, he was finally awakened from his “Wi-Fi induced coma,” as he was stunned by the instruments of death and torture. What a compliment to the castle!

It’s no surprise that Chillingham Castle is regarded as one of the most haunted places in Britain. If one looks closely in the dungeons, centuries-old scratches can be seen on the wall where prisoners desperately marked their days. It is believed that the tortured spirits still wander, demented by their experienced horrors.

According to the ghost stories and legends collected by Richard Jones, author of the book Haunted Castles of Britain and Ireland, the most popular is the “Radiant Boy” or the “Blue Boy,” who is said to be often seen in the so-called Pink Room of the castle. At midnight, his child-like cries of fear and pain can be heard through the halls. According to the legend, as the cries fade away, a bright halo and a figure of a young boy in blue clothes appear before the eyes of the unfortunate.

Chair of nails Author: Thomas Quine CC BY-SA 2.0

Visitors have said they witnessed a flashing blue light coming out of the walls at night. Although some ascribe this to an electrical defect, others say that there was no electrical wiring in the parts where the light was seen.

Regardless of the legitimacy of the ghost tales, they’ve been intriguing enough to attract a number of tourists to participate in the organized nightly walking ghost tours at the castle which unravel the horrors of the past.

In addition, the fortified structure of Chillingham played an important part during World War II, housing many soldiers who used it as army barracks. Some of its decorative wooden elements were said to have been destroyed and burned by the army.

Fortunately, in 1982, the castle was returned to the hands of the Grey family, whose descendant, Lady Mary Tankerville, decided to restore the almost decayed building.

Being a real touristic hot spot of northern England, the castle especially captivates its visitors because, during tours, they’re encouraged to touch the artifacts and look through the relics of the owners.

One part of the castle, as well as its coach house, have been reconstructed and made into holiday apartments. It would be a unique experience to spend a night there–just make sure you turn a blind eye to the Blue Boy.

[bigvolcano]

#ThrowbackThursday "Chillingham and Upper Crystal Creek are about 12 kilometres, or 15 minutes drive, along Tourist Drive 34 (Murwillumbah - Chillingham Road) from Murwillumbah, and is the NSW gateway to southeast Queensland World Heritage National Parks, including Springbrook National Park, which is home to the truly amazing Natural Bridge (previously known as Natural Arch)." Big Volcano Places - Chillingham: https://www.bigvolcano.com.au/places/chillingham.htm #visitbigvolcano #tweedvillages #tweedhinterland #farnorthcoast #northernrivers #historicphoto #blackandwhitephoto #historical Reposted from @pastures_of_the_blue_crane Posted @withregram • @tweedregionalmuseum 🚚 🍌Truck used by johnny Brims of Chillingham transporting bananas to Murwillumbah Railway Station. This load has 500 cases! (Ron Johansen Photographic Collection, 1964). #TweedRegionalMuseum #Chillingham #History #FlashBack #OldPhotos #TweedShire Shared via Instagram @bigvolcano https://www.instagram.com/p/CcmqKOoJLI2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[yung-chaos-blog]

Chillingham Castle – The Chilling Tale Behind The Most Haunted Hotel

Chillingham Castle – The Most Haunted Hotel In The UK The medieval castle of Chillingham Castello is located in the village of Chillingham, Northumberland, England. The castle was the home of the Gray and Bennet families from the fifteenth and eighties, and the property was bought by Humphry Wakefield until he married a Gray family member. I went through the nation in 1298, King Edward I stationed with his military, in Scotland, during the march against the iconic William Wallace. For the King, a special stained glass window, an event that was very rare in the medieval times in small England, was created to commemorate this event. The passage of the King on the manner to the conflict with the Scots was not random: the manor was in a strategically basic situation for the time being, on the frontier between two fighting countries. The building was used several times as a staging point for British armies, but many times it was attacked and besieged by the Scots for attacks to the south. Chillingham Castle The palace was significantly improved over the centuries but mainly maintained the initial building. The battlements were built at Edward III in 1344 and the former monastery became a true military guard. In 1617 Chillingham was visited by James I, the first king of England and Scotland to join together in the same crown. Given the peaceful relations between two countries of Britain, but mainly united by a single sovereign, there had become pointless a military stronghold in the region. The grave has been filled, the arches have changed, a banquet hall and a library have been constructed. Chillingham Castle History, The castle was used as a castle several centuries later in the Second World War. Most of the ornamental wood outside was scattered and warmed up by the troops during that drastic era. The castle was ruined after the war. The lead was removed from the ceiling, causing significant harm in big areas of the construction. Sir Humphry Wakefield purchased the Castle in 1982, whose wife Catherine came out of the Gray family of Chillingham, which restored the castle carefully. Today big sections of the building are accessible to the public and there is also an overnight stay within tourist activity. One of the most terrible and intractable locations in the castle is the torture chamber. There are several instruments inside, which are still in ideal condition, used in medieval times. The tools were used to torture and kill about 7,500 Scots, including males, females, and kids of all epochs, during a three-century war between England and Scotland. Chillingham Castle History – The Story of John Sage & The Blue Boy The present owners announce the most famous castle in Great Britain, and several documentaries and inspections have been filmed here. Some of these ghosts have historical roots, such as Lady Mary Berkeley (image below), others are newer and more casual, such as John Sage. Also known as John Dragfoot, he was said, in the days of King Edward I, to be a sadistic ex-soldier who became a torturer. John Sage’s tale is very detailed and bloody, with many devastating and cruel tortures, wild sex and possible punishment. This cruel and sadistic torturer, who died about 1200, was often seen walking around the castle without any certain historical references. He used to enjoy his job and he even developed fresh and enhanced techniques to pain his victims. He reportedly tortured over 7,500 people to death (and killed many hundred others in various ways) during the three years he held the job. It seems that he complimented the Scottish adults and the older children held and put them to death in the courtyard after the war against the Scots, who wanted to remove the prisoners ‘ castle. He took an axis still visible and murdered the youngest kids in the Edward room, where the candlelight still swings by itself, sometimes and individuals report a foul scent and a weird atmosphere. John Sage finished when his wife unintentionally strangled as they loved the “torture rack,” in the dungeon of the castle. For John Sage, his boyfriend’s dad was, unfortunately, a Border Reiver who said that if Sage was not put to death, he would collect a large army and attack the Castle. John Sage was hung out openly in front of a huge and passionate audience in the castle grounds by a tree. And when he slowly passed away, individuals cut him apart as “souvenirs.” It would be interesting to learn whether the historical record or locality refers to this individual, but this is a mystery. The castle has a beautifully stocked dungeon, and a demonic evil torturer is a real creative environment. Rather the tragic wife of Lord Gray from Wark and Chillingham (1655-1701) was Mary Berkeley (died 1719). It was abandoned by its unfaithful husband, and it was a true scandal that swept away with her sister, Henrietta. The broken heart of Lady Mary left her child, hung around the castle halls and longed for her wandering husband’s return. He never came back, and she never seemed to be gone. Today, the castle tourists report the silk rustle with an unrealistic chill. In the little medieval church of St. Peter’s at Chillingham village she is said to become just past the castle. The castle’s most popular ghost is “Blue (or radiant) boy,” who torments tourists into the Pink room according to the owners. After a scary lamentation, the visitors who felt their presence in the past asserted they saw blue flashes or a “halo” of blue light on their beds. The brilliant figure should then be shown as a little kid in blue. While the “Blue Boy” is the most popular ghost, it is thought that apparitions end with renovation, when a man’s and a kid’s bones are found within a three-meter thick wall. Rests of the blue moldering material along with the skeleton have been found. A thirsty ghost, it seems, once imported a footman protecting the silver family, in the white garment. The woman was in white, begging for a drink of water, and the unfortunate guy was approached. When he turned to follow her desires, he suddenly recalled that the cloakroom had been locked (to safeguard the silver) and that no one would have had access! When he returned to her, he discovered that she had disappeared. The woman was probably the victim of poisoning, hence her water search.

[nofomoartworld]

Hyperallergic: How Art Secured American Banknotes for 150 Years

Alonzo E. Foringer, “Standing female with wheat and scythe” (1927), oil on canvas, signed “A. E. Foringer. N. Y. C.,” 30 x 30 inches, created for American Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Before the United States produced the Hudson River School or paintings of the American Frontier, the new country proved its artistic might on banknotes. Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club chronicles 150 years of this history, with over 250 paintings, drawings, etchings, banknotes, and stock certificates, along with currency from 15 countries. Mark D. Tomasko, who collected most of the works on view, notes in an introduction that security engraving “was one of the first arts in which the United States became a world leader.”

Tomasko explained to Hyperallergic that his interest in security engraving spawned from collecting coins, which he started doing at the age of 10. “Within four or five years, I became interested in banknotes.” At the time, “three different kinds of paper money were circulating”: green-seal federal reserve notes that survive today, red-seal US notes, and blue-seal silver certificates. “Still later, when my grandmother gave me some stock certificates of the Marmon Motor Car Company [1920s–30s], I discovered securities, as they were the largest format for banknote engraving. By the late 1960s I was interested in the engraving on the banknotes and securities — who did it, how was it done, and where the artwork came from.”

There were several factors that contributed to the success of this financial fine art in the US, including the quality of engraving firms in Philadelphia and New York as well as a system that allowed nearly all American banks to issue their own notes. And the more expertly executed the security engraving, or “vignette,” the harder to counterfeit the note or bond. The exhibition at the Grolier Club begins with early 19th-century pastoral scenes, including work by Asher B. Durand, who worked in banknote art before concentrating on landscape paintings, and progresses up to the 1960s–80s, when artists like Robert Lavin were modernizing allegorical figures to represent new technology and industry.

Robert Savage, “Abundance” (1927), die-proof engraving, India on card, image 3 x 2 5/8 inches, American Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Consolidated Biscuit Company, stock certificate (1936), 100 shares; specimen, 7 3/8 x 11 3/8 inches, American Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Images of Value is arranged so that almost every banknote is accompanied by its source artwork and engraving; thus visitors unfamiliar with the process (probably the majority of them, although this is the city of Wall Street) can appreciate the evolution of an artwork as it was transferred to currency. For instance, “fancy heads” representing allegorical women that were popular as engravings proved difficult to copy. (Some of these women were named — Martha Washington appeared on US Silver Certificates from 1886 to the early 1900s, the first historical woman to be immortalized on American federal money — but most were anonymous.) In the early 19th century, the art had to be created at miniature size for the engraver to trace; later, photography allowed it to be reduced to scale. The sources of the visuals could be eccentric. While banks often commissioned original artwork, others drew from books, lithographs, and, by the late 19th century, photographs, with the progression of the print industry promoting the diversity of vignettes.

Evelyn Nesbit on the Cuyamel Fruit Co. $100 First Mortgage Gold Bond (1925) (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

For instance, 1925 coupon-size bonds from the Cuyamel Fruit Co. feature the face of Evelyn Nesbit, lifted from a printed photograph. Although she’s unnamed on the engraving, it was only a couple of decades after the 1906 murder of Stanford White, who was shot in the head by her husband, Harry Kendall Thaw, for their past involvement (at the age of 16, Nesbit may in fact have been raped by the famed architect). Meanwhile, the head of a cow in Edwin Landseer’s “Wild Cattle of Chillingham” was likely borrowed from a book illustration. The wide-eyed English animal became a Texas longhorn when it was altered for an 1889 Honduran banknote, then an 1893 Spanish bull-fight ticket and a 1900 railway stock certificate.

Installation view of Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club, with security engravings from Edwin Landseer’s “Wild Cattle of Chillingham” (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

The exhibition throws a bit of shade at modernism by stating that the “Salon art of the late nineteenth century had given way to new art movements not suitable for vignettes.” Alas, no “Nude Descending a Staircase”–adorned Fruit bonds were to be. Instead, artists like muralist Alonzo E. Foringer contributed a draped figure sitting on a generator for a Kansas City Light & Power company gold bond, or holding a telephone for the Stromberg-Carlson telephone-equipment suppliers.

This adoption of contemporary references in allegorical art continued through the 20th century. A 1975 Westinghouse Electric Corporation debenture was decorated with a rare nude male figure, who lifts an atomic symbol before an array of electronic instruments on a rocky vista. While security art for currency and other banknotes has become more sophisticated over the years — the current US $100 bill has color-shifting ink, a security ribbon, and even microprinting alongside its watermark of Benjamin Franklin’s portrait — the originality and execution of the work remains an integral part of counterfeit protection.

Installation view of Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club, with a debenture from the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Felix Octavius Carr Darley, “Scene of Union soldier showing sword to blacksmiths” (1864), wash drawing on heavyweight paper, signed “F. O. C. Darley fecit,” 9 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches, for Continental Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Union soldier showing sword to blacksmith (1865), die-proof engraving, India on card,1 3/4 x x 2 3/4 inches, Continental Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Union Military Scrip (Topeka, Kansas, 1867), $5, issued scrip note, 3 x 7 1/8 inches, Continental Bank Note Company, New York (courtesy Grolier Club)

Fenian Brotherhood, Certificate for Irish National Bonds (late 1860s), 3 1/4 x 7 1/2 inches, Continental Bank Note Company, New York (courtesy Grolier Club)

Artwork by Bernard Romain Julien (1850s–60s) with banknotes from the Farmers Bank of Missouri (1862) and the Northwestern Bank (1861) (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Chromolithograph of art by Michele Fanoli (1850s–60s) with a $1 banknote from the Corn Exchange Bank (1850s–60s) (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Proof from the American Bank Note Company (1870s) with artwork by Currier & Ives (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

$1 banknote (1896) from US Bureau of Engraving and Printing featuring Martha and George Washington (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

City walls of Peking (now Beijing) (1919), folding postcard laid onto board with sky drawn in, 5 /2 x 11 3/8 inches (courtesy Grolier Club)

Louis A. O. Delnoce, city walls of Peking (now Beijing) (1919), approval die-proof engraving (etching), India on card, 1 3/8 x 2 7/8 inches, American Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Asia Banking Corporation, one dollar (1918), proof banknote face, 3 x 7 inches, American Bank Note Company (courtesy Grolier Club)

Installation view of Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Installation view of Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Installation view of Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s at the Grolier Club (photo by the author for Hyperallergic)

Images of Value: The Artwork Behind U.S. Security Engraving, 1830s–1980s continues at the Grolier Club (47 E 60th Street, Upper East Side, Manhattan) through April 29.

The post How Art Secured American Banknotes for 150 Years appeared first on Hyperallergic.

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