Vampire kit sells for $20,000

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The man successfully bid $20,700 for the rare case complete with stake, poisons, pistol and dagger. His successful telephone offer Tuesday beat out two other bidders vying for the kit being auctioned in time for Halloween.

The item, consigned by a Denver-based weapons collector, was part of a collection of European furniture auctioned by Butterfield & Butterfield. As is its policy, the auction house would not identify the name of the buyer.

The case, which had a pre-sale estimate of $7,000 to $10,000, reportedly was retrieved by a returning U.S. World War II serviceman from a European hotel. Experts have dated the kit to the early 19th century, auction spokesman Levi Morgan said.

The decorated wooden box includes several crucifixes, bottled poison liquids, medical tools, wooden stake, etched steel dagger and a Queen Anne-style flintlock pistol with pewter balls.

Also in the kit is a mirror with a handle designed as a coffin lid, candles and a leather-bound book of incantations printed in German.

On the bottom of the case are unidentified photos of a young man in military uniform and another man dressed in a dark suit.

If legend is any indication, the men in the photos are not vampires because vampire images can't be reflected.

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