Can an inanimate object–or anything, really–be cursed? It’s hard to say. Will I do my best to avoid anything that carries the label out of fear that it actually is? You bet.
It doesn’t matter how unlikely it is, the second someone says they think something might be cursed, I instantly lose all interest in it. Sure, people who know that tend to abuse the information–especially during lunchtime–but if it means not developing a rare skin disease and coughing up blood, I’m fine with it. Owning a cursed item is no walk in the park, unless a walk in the park sound torturous to you. Check out these supposedly cursed items and be sure not to take them home if you find them at a yard sale with a “please take” sign.
1.) Annabelle the Doll
After a woman was given this Raggedy Ann doll as a gift, she and her roommate kept coming home to find the doll in different places throughout their apartment. If that wasn’t creepy enough, they claim that the doll began leaving them notes that asked for help. When a psychic told them the doll was possesses by a young girl named Annabelle who died in their building, their friend told them to get rid of it. Right after he said that, the friend began to levitate. A few nights later, he was found with significant claw marks on his chest. The two women hired exorcists, but they were no match for the evil doll, which now resides behind glass at the Warren’s Occult Museum.
2.) The Crying Boy Paintings
When Italian artist Giovanni Bragolin painted a picture of a crying boy, there’s no way he could have known what it would one day become associated with. Decades after the work was completed, a firefighter finally spoke up about how they’ve noticed that they’ve come across prints of this particular painting in many house fires and not once was the painting ever damaged. Too many for it to be a coincidence.
3.) The Dybbuk Box
A dybbuk is a possessive spirit from Jewish mythology and apparently this box that was bought in an estate sale in 2001 is home to one. It is thought that someone summoned the dybbuk through a Ouija board and trapped it inside of a wine cabinet. Future owners and even their guests claim to have had terrible nightmares of an evil hag while sleeping inside the same house as the box and its last owner developed a rare skin disease while it was in his possession, or vice versa.
4.) The Death Vase
In the late 1980s, someone is said to have found this vase buried in their backyard. In the vase was a message that read “Beware… this vase brings death,” but they discarded the note and sold the vase to an auction house. The next three owners of it died within months.
5.) Koh-i-Noor Diamond
This 109-carat crown is thought to bring good luck to any woman who has it, but its male owners and their families have been anything but. Emperor Sher Shah Suri died shortly after coming into possession of it and his son was murdered soon after.
6.) James Dean’s Car
When meeting James Dean for lunch, Sir Alec Guinness said to James “If you get in that car, you will be found dead in it by this time next week.” He was. In addition to taking the young superstar’s life, the car has also been involved in the deaths of a handful of others, be it directly or tangentially through sold parts.
7.) Blarney Stone
While kissing the stone is thought to be good luck, removing any part of it has been said to lead to incredibly bad luck, such as loss of employment or worse. Much worse.
8.) Busby’s Stoop Chair AKA Dead Man’s Chair
Back in 1702, Thomas Busby strangled his father-in-law for sitting in his chair. It is said that 63 people have died sitting in that same chair since, thanks to the curse Busby put on the chair before his own execution.
(via io9, Listverse)
Even if you’re a skeptic, it’s best if you avoid any items with a famous curse that spans decades. You might just want to play it safe.
