(Bloomberg) -- This year, instead of going to CVS to stock up on cheap plastic skulls and fake cobweb fiber that probably has a half-life of 10,000 years, why not invest in some some high-end home design that is genuinely creepy? There is some great/terrifying stuff out there with real history and provenance that will linger in your houseguests' nightmares for years to come.
In honor of Halloween, we scoured the shops and auction sites for some truly hair-raising decor that will last a lifetime—and beyond.
Stuffed White Lion
The ethics of owning a stuffed white lion aside (this one, we are assured, lived and died in captivity), think of the stylistic possibilities of a low-lit foyer, a few strategically placed floor lights, and a glowing, seven-foot-tall albino killing machine with a candy bowl at its feet.
Cost: $61,642
Albrecht Dürer print of a Knight, Death, and the Devil
Now, this might not be spooky or even scary, but it is absolutely unsettling, which Sigmund Freud assures us (PDF) is a perfectly valid form of fear. In this 500-year-old engraving by one of the masters of the German Renaissance, we see a worm-eaten personification of death, with snakes coming out of his skull, a horned devil, and variety of other symbols to remind the viewer that death comes to us all.
Estimate: $60,000- 90,000
A Real Human Skeleton
No, it’s not subtle, but yes, it is real, and yes, you can make up some excellent stories about how it made its way into your home. Maybe hang it with an inspirational sign (“Didn’t pay Neighborhood Association dues” or “Decided to ignore my noise complaint”), or simply dress it up in your local high school’s team colors.
Cost: $4,750
A Stuffed Sheep That Is Also a Bedside Table
On days that are not Halloween, this (real) stuffed sheep, made by Barcelona Design in conjunction with Deyrolle, the famed Parisian taxidermy store, can function as a bedside table. On Halloween, however, it can be where you store your candy. Fun, handy, and also a neat way to figure out which of your neighbors’ kids is willing to disembowel an animal for a Hershey’s Kiss.
Cost: $82,000
First Edition of The Discoverie of Witchcraft
The Discoverie of Witchcraft
Not every piece of decoration has to be on permanent display. Some, such as this 1584 first (and only) edition of Reginald Scot’s treatise on witches (their primary aims appear to be “to pursue the poore, to accuse the simple, and to kill the innocent”) can be used as props. Gather visitors by the fire and read the how-to chapter on torturing suspected witches.
Cost: $70,000
Human Skull
Love the skeleton, but afraid you don’t have enough room in the den? Not to worry. There’s a fun middle ground in the form of a real human skull. This one has the added plus of being 130 years old. Pro-tip: Turn it upside down, and it would make a lovely candy dish.
Cost: $1,850
Stuffed Lizard
It’s also possible to embody the Halloween spirit while diverging, if only slightly, from traditional Halloween subject matter. Such is the case with this eminently disturbing monitor lizard. Don’t believe that it’s right for Halloween? Check out the Dürer print above— you’ll see a lizard running right alongside the knight, bound for hell.
Cost: $245
Allosaurus Claw
Similarly, the petrified claw of a giant carnivorous lizard isn’t really spooky, but it is absolutely scary. This is particularly true if you demonstrate, Jurassic Park-style, precisely how it was used to disable prey.
Estimate: $7,314- $10,971
Doll
At one point in time, this doll was (probably?) not terrifying. Those days are long gone, obviously, and now this “Bebe Jumea” in its original factory chemise— ostensibly a collector’s item— could work beautifully as a casual set-piece in a more elaborate house of horrors.
Estimate: $4,000-$6,000
Painting of a Severed Head
The Head of Saint John the Baptist by a follower of Andrea Solario (Milan 1460-1522).
In theory, this is a vignette from the gospels. In practice, this is a painting of a severed head on a cake platter. The thing speaks for itself, and—with the right placement—could say more than you ever could, too.
Estimate: $3,000-$3,500
Deconstructed Lobster
Sometimes, to creep people out, all you have to do is put a dead thing on display. This “deconstructed” crustacean is definitely dead, definitely creepy, and if you look closely, oddly mesmerizing.
Cost: $4,000
Imperial Matchlock Musket From the Qianlong Period
This gun was created for an emperor; it’s covered in filigreed gold silver and copper and is one of just a few extant muskets in the world to carry an imperial seal.
Estimate: $1 million- $1.5 million
Suit of Armor
A North Italian etched three-quarter armour, Milan, circa 1580.
And finally, we end things with an artifact from the Scooby Dooby School of terror: Suits of armor are harmless enough … until they start moving. SpoOooky!!!
Cost: Price on Request.
To contact the author of this story: James Tarmy in New York at jtarmy@bloomberg.net.
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