~ Voodoo Priestess Estate ~ ©
Aunt Nadiene's Thai White Gold Vermeil with Pyrope Garnet and Citrine Gems
Skull Ring
A Séance Spirit Reading Room Find
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Nearly twenty-two and a half years have now passed since we were called to do an estate that had been closed up for seventeen years!
A Séance Spirit Reading Room Find
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Nearly twenty-two and a half years have now passed since we were called to do an estate that had been closed up for seventeen years!
The Voodoo Estate!
This type of call usually gets us excited as they are a treasure trove. Located here in Florida, there was no electricity or running water so we rigged our own lighting and in we went. If you have ever seen the Adams Family you will have some idea as to what we were greeted with! Then the attorney handling the liquidation gave us some background. The estate had belonged to an alleged powerful Voodoo Priestess/JooJoo Exorcist, grand daughter of a Marie Laveau, and favored daughter of a Marie Glapion. These names meant nothing to us, but the late night talk of Voodoo and exorcism in the old mansion was enough to make us decide to spend the night in a hotel and return in the morning to assess the estate. The rest is history. Our research has shown that this woman was what she claimed and was indeed descended from a long line of well known Vodoun family originating in New Orleans in the early 1800's. We were pretty unnerved by this until we discovered they were also devout Catholics! Although I have to admit this was unlike any Catholic home we have ever been in and some of the items found inside were a little more than unnerving. There was no feeling of dread or unwelcome in the mansion, however there was quite a bit of contraband and other items we can or will not sell here. This is one of a few pieces from this estate we will be listing this week, so check our other listings.We will, upon the new guardian's request, issue a named Letter of Authenticity with each piece from this estate, complying with the terms set forth to us by the estate's attorney.
Some Back Story
This is one of the few remaining of the two hundred and twelve assorted pieces of Thai vermeil and gemstone jewelry that were recovered from a jewelry salesman's sample case sitting on the floor in the storage closet that served her main séance and reading room. These rooms were a commercial endeavor that had a wealthy following and it is where many of the major séances of this estate were conducted. Many, if not all of her associates worked this room, conducting séances, card readings and numerous forms of divination for their clientele. Apparently this was a lucrative endeavor, as it remained active for over six decades.
Her journals list a host of well known psychics, mediums and other celebrities that would make guest appearances and that these events were booked to capacity well in advance.
Her journaled inventory tells us this is one of the rings her Aunt Nadiene had made for her by a Thai jeweler of Chanthaburi in 1956/57. This jeweler had copied a handful of gold and gemstone rings in vermeil, many of which were gifted and inherited by her niece.
While there, she purchased a sizable quantity of jewelry to be sent home for resale to their clients. Often times claiming to cast spells or attach spirits to a piece of jewelry at a client's request.
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Aunt Nadiene
Although not a blood Aunt, she had been "taken into the fold as a child found" by her "mother" as she was said to refer to Marie Glapion. Further chronological investigation revealed her to be the daughter of a prostitute that was in her mother's (Marie Glapion) employ. Other notes found might lead one to believe her mother was an Algul. Described as a vampiric jinn like creature they claimed to have encountered in remote desert regions.
Our own research has not revealed very much other than Algul literally translates to "horse-leech," or "blood-sucking Jinn." An example was found in the 'Thousand and One Nights' as Amine. Although a drinker of blood, it is a Jinn, or demon that was never human. Unkillable by most means, it can be destroyed by fire and sometimes magic. Most inhabited unchartable regions of desert, but oil production has driven them from their homes and she claims "they live among us, posing no threat to adults save sexual fulfillment, but they must be watched around children and livestock."
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It is not clear if Aunt Nadiene was abandoned by her mother or if the mother died, orphaning the girl, but she was apparently treated and referred to as a family member, indoctrinated along with her "niece," and for many years she was her traveling companion and guardian.
Her journals note of Aunt Nadiene's passing in 1966.
She also notes of wearing Aunt Nadiene's jewelry, "Connected to her so closely in life, it awakens psychic qualities with a feeling of devotional joy to wear them."
Other journal entries allege incidents of Aunt Nadiene, "owl shape shifting," claiming the Great Horned Owl as being her spirit guide or token spirit animal, and because of this, her taking due care in the handling of owls in her bird and reptile ceremonies, not submitting them to the torturous ceremonial deaths many other species endured during these ceremonies.
She also makes record of a number of dreams in which a Great Horned Owl wearing her aunt's jewelry would appear to her. They go into detail of her gazing into her stones (sphere's), to draw upon Aunt Nadiene's power to help her in this life.
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The Ring, its Components and Commentary
Examination reveals an unusual 22k white gold vermeil, femur bone shank, skull ring set with a single faceted round citrine and a pair of faceted round pyrope garnet gems, further described below.
We believe these rings were catalog items among the jewelers of Chanthaburi with the options being choice of metals and gemstones. This is a popular regional design motif that we have encountered many times pre-dating our acquisition of this estate by many years and they are still being produced by the jewelers of Chanthaburi today.
Chanthaburi is a well known center of semi-precious stones and jewelry. It was once famous for its ruby and sapphire mines, but most of Chanthaburi's mines have been mined out since the 1980s. Today it is an industry leader in colored stone processing, including gemstone treatments, enhancements, cutting and polishing. Nearly 70% of the world's entire supply of rubies and sapphires pass through Chanthaburi.
Their journals tell us these pieces of jewelry were chosen for their design and combinations of metal and gemstones.
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Gold Vermeil
Gold Vermeil refers to electroplated silver (described below), using gold of different fineness. The US. minimum required karatage is 10K (42% of pure gold) and with a thickness of at least 2.5 microns (0.0025 millimeters) and being made up entirely of two precious metals (silver and gold). Vermeil jewelry therefore has a greater intrinsic value than gold plated jewelry with a thicker plating of the gold over sterling silver.
Gold plating is a method of depositing a layer of gold onto a conductive surface. The piece in base metal to be gold plated is immerged in an electrolyte solution with particles of gold which are deposited onto the surface of the base metal thanks to a current. This is the same technique used to form gold vermeil. In vermeil a layer of at least 2.5 microns of gold (also referred to as “heavy gold plating”) is deposited onto silver.
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Silver and Gold
More often than not, their metal of choice was silver as she notes, "Silver is the mirror of the soul related to the moon energies. It strengthens connections of the astral and physical bodies. A metal unmatched in its psychic energies and healing abilities, I have used it as a spell medium, to heal the speech impaired and to help public speakers achieve eloquence. Induced into the drink, it has expelled the toxins that caused headaches, arthritis, intestinal and blood disorders. More importantly it attracts, enhances and stores energies of gemstones, driving out negative energies the stone may have absorbed."
Although silver was her usual metal of choice, sometimes, as in this case, gold was used and she notes, "Gold transmits and conducts energies extremely well. It balances these energy fields and is beneficial in the third eye and crown meditations. It removes negative energies and brings in the positive from the stones it is with. It is a mineral of spirituality, understanding and attunement."
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It is not clear if Aunt Nadiene was abandoned by her mother or if the mother died, orphaning the girl, but she was apparently treated and referred to as a family member, indoctrinated along with her "niece," and for many years she was her traveling companion and guardian. Her journals note of Aunt Nadiene's passing in 1966. She also notes of wearing Aunt Nadiene's jewelry, "Connected to her so closely in life, it awakens psychic qualities with a feeling of devotional joy to wear them."Other journal entries allege incidents of Aunt Nadiene, "owl shape shifting," claiming the Great Horned Owl as being her spirit guide or token spirit animal, and because of this, her taking due care in the handling of owls in her bird and reptile ceremonies, not submitting them to the torturous ceremonial deaths many other species endured during these ceremonies.
She also makes record of a number of dreams in which a Great Horned Owl wearing her aunt's jewelry would appear to her. They go into detail of her gazing into her stones (sphere's), to draw upon Aunt Nadiene's power to help her in this life.
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Gold Vermeil refers to electroplated silver (described below), using gold of different fineness. The US. minimum required karatage is 10K (42% of pure gold) and with a thickness of at least 2.5 microns (0.0025 millimeters) and being made up entirely of two precious metals (silver and gold). Vermeil jewelry therefore has a greater intrinsic value than gold plated jewelry with a thicker plating of the gold over sterling silver.
Gold plating is a method of depositing a layer of gold onto a conductive surface. The piece in base metal to be gold plated is immerged in an electrolyte solution with particles of gold which are deposited onto the surface of the base metal thanks to a current. This is the same technique used to form gold vermeil. In vermeil a layer of at least 2.5 microns of gold (also referred to as “heavy gold plating”) is deposited onto silver.
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Silver and Gold
More often than not, their metal of choice was silver as she notes, "Silver is the mirror of the soul related to the moon energies. It strengthens connections of the astral and physical bodies. A metal unmatched in its psychic energies and healing abilities, I have used it as a spell medium, to heal the speech impaired and to help public speakers achieve eloquence. Induced into the drink, it has expelled the toxins that caused headaches, arthritis, intestinal and blood disorders. More importantly it attracts, enhances and stores energies of gemstones, driving out negative energies the stone may have absorbed."
More often than not, their metal of choice was silver as she notes, "Silver is the mirror of the soul related to the moon energies. It strengthens connections of the astral and physical bodies. A metal unmatched in its psychic energies and healing abilities, I have used it as a spell medium, to heal the speech impaired and to help public speakers achieve eloquence. Induced into the drink, it has expelled the toxins that caused headaches, arthritis, intestinal and blood disorders. More importantly it attracts, enhances and stores energies of gemstones, driving out negative energies the stone may have absorbed."
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Some of her journal entries concerning citrine read; "This stone has very strong, positive vibrations that are readily available. Its energies intensify with use which is enhanced by their cutting."
"The stones have proven useful in calming all associated with them. A proven aid for those seeking spiritual growth. The meditations and healing's that I have administered with these stone have been most rewarding."
"Power crystals that are to be used wisely and with respect. They are ever manifesting one's wants and needs. Look to them in healing as these are ancient ceremonial crystals for use high in the order which allows their energy to be configured and directed."
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The Pyrope Garnet Gems
The pair of prong set, 3.2 mm faceted round pyrope garnet gems used as the eyes in this skull ring are of good to fine cut with a predominantly dark red/pink color. These are very nice stones that are eye clean, displaying a very desirable color and an abundance of flash.
An extensive collection of pyrope garnet was recovered from this estate as she held interest in more than one South African mine that yielded an abundance of stone. Her notes tell us the miners, upon finding the pyrope began experiencing visions of their ancestors and past lives. She had those stones carefully excavated and shipped to her in 1952 where she used them in ritual spells to enhance their natural abilities.
Although it is a possibility, we find it highly unlikely the stones used in Thailand were from her mines.
She does however attribute all of the pyrope in her collection with entries that read; "their power lay in their ability to increase earth energies into the body with extreme grounding properties, stronger than any I have yet to encounter. Their ability to unlock memories of past lives when used as a third eye (placed in the center of the forehead) clearing all negative energy allowing these memories to emerge. I have also found them to stimulate love, passion and fertility, an exciting side affect that I had not expected."
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"I must warn you however of the old adage "be careful what you wish for," as many dream experiences, left uncontrolled will manifest in visionary and physical form. With experience you will find that as your dream reality unfolds before you it will allow you to alter that reality by your will and cause creation to manifest into our current reality."
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Back to the Ring!
The pair of prong set, 3.2 mm faceted round pyrope garnet gems used as the eyes in this skull ring are of good to fine cut with a predominantly dark red/pink color. These are very nice stones that are eye clean, displaying a very desirable color and an abundance of flash.
An extensive collection of pyrope garnet was recovered from this estate as she held interest in more than one South African mine that yielded an abundance of stone. Her notes tell us the miners, upon finding the pyrope began experiencing visions of their ancestors and past lives. She had those stones carefully excavated and shipped to her in 1952 where she used them in ritual spells to enhance their natural abilities.
Although it is a possibility, we find it highly unlikely the stones used in Thailand were from her mines.
She does however attribute all of the pyrope in her collection with entries that read; "their power lay in their ability to increase earth energies into the body with extreme grounding properties, stronger than any I have yet to encounter. Their ability to unlock memories of past lives when used as a third eye (placed in the center of the forehead) clearing all negative energy allowing these memories to emerge. I have also found them to stimulate love, passion and fertility, an exciting side affect that I had not expected."
~!~
"I must warn you however of the old adage "be careful what you wish for," as many dream experiences, left uncontrolled will manifest in visionary and physical form. With experience you will find that as your dream reality unfolds before you it will allow you to alter that reality by your will and cause creation to manifest into our current reality."
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Back to the Ring!
An extensive collection of pyrope garnet was recovered from this estate as she held interest in more than one South African mine that yielded an abundance of stone. Her notes tell us the miners, upon finding the pyrope began experiencing visions of their ancestors and past lives. She had those stones carefully excavated and shipped to her in 1952 where she used them in ritual spells to enhance their natural abilities.
Although it is a possibility, we find it highly unlikely the stones used in Thailand were from her mines.
She does however attribute all of the pyrope in her collection with entries that read; "their power lay in their ability to increase earth energies into the body with extreme grounding properties, stronger than any I have yet to encounter. Their ability to unlock memories of past lives when used as a third eye (placed in the center of the forehead) clearing all negative energy allowing these memories to emerge. I have also found them to stimulate love, passion and fertility, an exciting side affect that I had not expected."
~!~
"I must warn you however of the old adage "be careful what you wish for," as many dream experiences, left uncontrolled will manifest in visionary and physical form. With experience you will find that as your dream reality unfolds before you it will allow you to alter that reality by your will and cause creation to manifest into our current reality."
~!~Back to the Ring!
It is marked "925" with no maker's or assay marks, and tests as .925 Sterling Silver Standard.
It is certainly a nicely aged vintage ring with an extraordinary provenance that is much nicer than our photographer has been able to depict.
~!~Buyer to pay our discounted shipping rate of $6.85 for Insured USPS Ground Advantage Mail with Tracking, handling and lagniappe.
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