"Creepy" Artifacts

Death is difficult, especially when a relative dies far from home. Pittsburgh mortician Ralph Schugar earned his pilot’s license, purchased a Ford Tri-Motor and established an aerial hearse service in 1930. Flying a decedent home reduced time and worry for the family. I admire Schugar’s vision, but this photo shares it a bit too vividly! — Matt Anderson, Curator of Transportation 

This clown from A. Schoenhut Company’s popular Humpty Dumpty Circus was crafted in the high-quality tradition of German toymakers. Elasticized cords allow the clown’s jointed head, arms, and legs to be posed — giving me the impression that he might be getting into some mischief when no one is looking. — Saige Jedele, Associate Curator, Digital Content

In the 1920s, a friendly rivalry existed between magicians Howard Thurston and Harry Houdini. While Houdini distrusted and publically debunked séance mediums, Thurston was a “healthy skeptic,” cautiously open to the potential of life after death communication. Thurston’s stage illusions often referenced popular supernatural phenomena of the late-19th & early-20th centuries. — Kristen Gallerneaux, Curator of Communication & Information Technology

I’ve crossed paths with a lot of artifacts over the years, but this creepy doll coffin, complete with corpse, has always stood out in my memory. Remarkably, this is not our only toy coffin, just the only one that comes with a body. Death is a part of life, but this possibly takes that notion a little too far! — Patrice Fisher, Assistant Registrar

I think I just saw one of those spiders move… — Jim Orr, Image Services Specialist

Whether awe-inspiring or ghostly, the experience of coming face-to-face with a long-dead president is sure to be hair-raising. In 1865, sixty days before his assassination, a war-weary Abraham Lincoln allowed sculptor Clark Mills to create this life mask. John Hay, Lincoln's secretary, later remarked that the mask showed one “on whom sorrow and care had done their worst without victory.” — Ryan Jelso, Associate Curator, Digital Content

In my job I see countless unusual artifacts, but this one is by far the scariest! The doll’s looks alone are unsettling, but what’s creepier is what’s inside. The phonograph recordings these dolls play are terrifying; a mechanically garbled child’s voice eerily singing “Mary had a Little Lamb” is the stuff of nightmares! — Jillian Ferraiuolo, Digital Imaging Specialist

For centuries, cadaver dissection has been an essential component of medical education. Photographs of medical students posing with cadavers were common in the 19th and early 20th century. These students, dressed in their Sunday best, look understandably proud to have had the opportunity to learn from dissection. Despite its good intentions, the photograph is haunting. — Katherine White, Associate Curator, Digital Content

This doll once had a face, and I'm sure it was once well-beloved by a little girl. Now, I think it skitters around collections storage in the dark when no one is there to see it. — Ellice Engdahl, Digital Collections & Content Manager

This clock is likely the creepiest in the collection, from its black cast iron case to the weird green dancing figures under the Gothic spires. All of the decorative elements are just a bit off. — Charles Sable, Curator of Decorative Arts