Are You Ready for Halloween ?

[Al Kowsky]

Tomorrow is the big day for Trick or Treaters, it's Halloween ☺️. As kids Henry & I used to go out Trick or Treating as long as we made our own costumes since our parents wouldn't let us rent or buy one. I like to hand out packaged candy on Halloween, Kit Kats & Reese's Peanut butter cups, just to continue the tradition. One story that pops up every Halloween is the haunted painting that sold on eBay. The painting titled  Hands That Resist Him was made by Bill Stoneham in 1972. It is a rather creepy looking painting that depicts a young boy who stares directly at the viewer & a large female doll that stands next to him with large black eyes, she is holding a battery with wires. They are standing in front of a door with panes of glass, & inside the door disembodied hands can be seen reaching out. The reflection of a crescent moon can be seen on the top pane of glass.

                       

                       

Pictured below is a self portrait of Bill Stoneham with his avatar a raven, & an old photo of him standing next to a neighborhood girl that inspired the painting.

The painting was allegedly found abandoned by a California couple behind an old brewery. They took it home & hung it in their 4 year old daughter's bedroom. The little girl was frightened by the painting & claimed the figures came alive at night 😟. So the parents decided to list the painting on eBay in February of 2000 where it sold for $1,200. The sellers added to the listing that "they would not be responsible for anything that happened after the painting was sold". Their listing & sale of the painting started a firestorm on the web. Stoneham said that the owner of the gallery in LA where the painting was displayed & the art critic who reviewed the painting were dead one year later. Many people who saw the painting on eBay also complained about strange occurrences 🙄. A book authored by Darren O'Neill goes into detail about the painting, its sale on eBay, & strange events surrounding the painting.

Have NVMVS FORVMS members ever experienced strange occurrences with ancient coins or artifacts in their collections 🤔? If so please share them with us 😉. BTW, the painting is in storage & no longer available for the public to see ☹️, but prints of the painting are for sale.

[seth77]

This Forum needs a ghost 👻 👻 👻 reaction to be made available at Halloween time.

[JayAg47]

I just got a pumpkin for the first time for Halloween, in fact it’s the first time I see these iconic jack-o-lanterns for sale in my local shops, as slowly Halloween is getting more popular in Australia. Ironic that we are in the middle of spring and this pumpkin was probably imported from somewhere in the northern hemisphere! 

[Deinomenid]

I'm not superstitious usually, but Hekate unnerves me. Thankfully not  too many  coins  in my area with her,  though Metapontum's Artemis torchbearer coins (of which I have one,  purchased before  I realized) are supposed to allude to her. 

 

Pliny was deeply worried about the possibility of ghosts though and tells several tales that he says happened to his family involving a ghost cutting the hair of members of  his household. (!)  And also he tells this one a letter to Sura. Just for reference Athenodorus was a  top level philosopher, teacher of Octavian etc, so  the story was taken seriously. Not my translation - lifted from historydolllop

There was at Athens a large and roomy house, which had a bad name, so that no one could live there. In the dead of the night a noise, resembling the clashing of iron, was frequently heard, which, if you listened more attentively, sounded like the rattling of chains, distant at first, but approaching nearer by degrees: immediately afterwards a spectre appeared in the form of an old man, of extremely emaciated and squalid appearance, with a long beard and dishevelled hair, rattling the chains on his feet and hands.

The distressed occupants meanwhile passed their wakeful nights under the most dreadful terrors imaginable. This, as it broke their rest, ruined their health, and brought on distempers, their terror grew upon them, and death ensued. Even in the day time, though the spirit did not appear, yet the impression remained so strong upon their imaginations that it still seemed before their eyes, and kept them in perpetual alarm.

Consequently the house was at length deserted, as being deemed absolutely uninhabitable; so that it was now entirely abandoned to the ghost. However, in hopes that some tenant might be found who was ignorant of this very alarming circumstance, a bill was put up, giving notice that it was either to be let or sold.

It happened that Athenodorus the philosopher came to Athens at this time, and, reading the bill, enquired the price. The extraordinary cheapness raised his suspicion; nevertheless, when he heard the whole story, he was so far from being discouraged that he was more strongly inclined to hire it, and, in short, actually did so. When it grew towards evening, he ordered a couch to be prepared for him in the front part of the house, and, after calling for a light, together with his pencil and tablets, directed all his people to retire. But that his mind might not, for want of employment, be open to the vain terrors of imaginary noises and spirits, he applied himself to writing with the utmost attention.

The first part of the night passed in entire silence, as usual; at length a clanking of iron and rattling of chains was heard: however, he neither lifted up his eyes nor laid down his pen, but in order to keep calm and collected tried to pass the sounds off to himself as something else. The noise increased and advanced nearer, till it seemed at the door, and at last in the chamber.

He looked up, saw, and recognized the ghost exactly as it had been described to him: it stood before him, beckoning with the finger, like a person who calls another. Athenodorus in reply made a sign with his hand that it should wait a little, and threw his eyes again upon his papers; the ghost then rattled its chains over the head of the philosopher, who looked up upon this, and seeing it beckoning as before, immediately arose, and, light in hand, followed it. The ghost slowly stalked along, as if encumbered with its chains, and, turning into the area of the house, suddenly vanished. Athenodorus, being thus deserted, made a mark with some grass and leaves on the spot where the spirit left him.

The next day he gave information to the magistrates, and advised them to order that spot to be dug up. This was accordingly done, and the skeleton of a man in chains was found there; for the body, having lain a considerable time in the ground, was putrefied and mouldered away from the fetters. The bones being collected together were publicly buried, and thus after the ghost was appeased by the proper ceremonies, the house was haunted no more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Phil Anthos]

[expat]

I have a pumpkin to look at tomorrow.  @JayAg47 has a real one. This is also from Australia

[seth77]

This is FEDEX open up pls

 

[ominus1]

...BOO!....

[Deinomenid]

For scary coins, here's one. The elephant skin corpse head always bothers me,  but  at least this one is  signed in what I think is Egyptian-version Doric at 7o'clock, circled in  red...

 

(Yes, I know...)

[Al Kowsky]

5 hours ago, JayAg47 said:

I just got a pumpkin for the first time for Halloween, in fact it’s the first time I see these iconic jack-o-lanterns for sale in my local shops, as slowly Halloween is getting more popular in Australia. Ironic that we are in the middle of spring and this pumpkin was probably imported from somewhere in the northern hemisphere! 

That pumpkin is a real beauty ☺️! Pumpkins growl allover the U.S. & New York State is famous for their pumpkin crop. Knowing that you're from "down under" your pumpkin probably came from California or Mexico 😉. I hope you carve it.

[Al Kowsky]

26 minutes ago, Deinomenid said:

For scary coins, here's one. The elephant skin corpse head always bothers me,  but  at least this one is  signed in what I think is Egyptian-version Doric at 7o'clock, circled in  red...

 

(Yes, I know...)

Your Ptolemy Tet is breathtaking 😲. Is that a micro signature I see under the bust 🧐?

[Al Kowsky]

3 hours ago, seth77 said:

This is FEDEX open up pls

 

That guy looks scarier than the kid in the painting 😁.

[Al Kowsky]

3 hours ago, expat said:

I have a pumpkin to look at tomorrow.  @JayAg47 has a real one. This is also from Australia

They did a great job enameling that coin ☺️! I'm guessing that's a Chinese zodiac coin for year of the RAT, which happens to be my sign too. Pictured below is a small Chinese jade rat in my collection.

 

[Al Kowsky]

5 hours ago, Deinomenid said:

I'm not superstitious usually, but Hekate unnerves me. Thankfully not  too many  coins  in my area with her,  though Metapontum's Artemis torchbearer coins (of which I have one,  purchased before  I realized) are supposed to allude to her. 

 

Pliny was deeply worried about the possibility of ghosts though and tells several tales that he says happened to his family involving a ghost cutting the hair of members of  his household. (!)  And also he tells this one a letter to Sura. Just for reference Athenodorus was a  top level philosopher, teacher of Octavian etc, so  the story was taken seriously. Not my translation - lifted from historydolllop

There was at Athens a large and roomy house, which had a bad name, so that no one could live there. In the dead of the night a noise, resembling the clashing of iron, was frequently heard, which, if you listened more attentively, sounded like the rattling of chains, distant at first, but approaching nearer by degrees: immediately afterwards a spectre appeared in the form of an old man, of extremely emaciated and squalid appearance, with a long beard and dishevelled hair, rattling the chains on his feet and hands.

The distressed occupants meanwhile passed their wakeful nights under the most dreadful terrors imaginable. This, as it broke their rest, ruined their health, and brought on distempers, their terror grew upon them, and death ensued. Even in the day time, though the spirit did not appear, yet the impression remained so strong upon their imaginations that it still seemed before their eyes, and kept them in perpetual alarm.

Consequently the house was at length deserted, as being deemed absolutely uninhabitable; so that it was now entirely abandoned to the ghost. However, in hopes that some tenant might be found who was ignorant of this very alarming circumstance, a bill was put up, giving notice that it was either to be let or sold.

It happened that Athenodorus the philosopher came to Athens at this time, and, reading the bill, enquired the price. The extraordinary cheapness raised his suspicion; nevertheless, when he heard the whole story, he was so far from being discouraged that he was more strongly inclined to hire it, and, in short, actually did so. When it grew towards evening, he ordered a couch to be prepared for him in the front part of the house, and, after calling for a light, together with his pencil and tablets, directed all his people to retire. But that his mind might not, for want of employment, be open to the vain terrors of imaginary noises and spirits, he applied himself to writing with the utmost attention.

The first part of the night passed in entire silence, as usual; at length a clanking of iron and rattling of chains was heard: however, he neither lifted up his eyes nor laid down his pen, but in order to keep calm and collected tried to pass the sounds off to himself as something else. The noise increased and advanced nearer, till it seemed at the door, and at last in the chamber.

He looked up, saw, and recognized the ghost exactly as it had been described to him: it stood before him, beckoning with the finger, like a person who calls another. Athenodorus in reply made a sign with his hand that it should wait a little, and threw his eyes again upon his papers; the ghost then rattled its chains over the head of the philosopher, who looked up upon this, and seeing it beckoning as before, immediately arose, and, light in hand, followed it. The ghost slowly stalked along, as if encumbered with its chains, and, turning into the area of the house, suddenly vanished. Athenodorus, being thus deserted, made a mark with some grass and leaves on the spot where the spirit left him.

The next day he gave information to the magistrates, and advised them to order that spot to be dug up. This was accordingly done, and the skeleton of a man in chains was found there; for the body, having lain a considerable time in the ground, was putrefied and mouldered away from the fetters. The bones being collected together were publicly buried, and thus after the ghost was appeased by the proper ceremonies, the house was haunted no more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderful writeup ☺️! Most ancient cultures have fascinating ghost stories & witch stories too. Let's not forget that many witches were burned at the stake not that long ago, in the U.S. too 😬.

[Deinomenid]

29 minutes ago, Al Kowsky said:

Is that a micro signature I see under the bust 

It's Slavey's  signature.

A Halloween nightmare coin. And some  more -

 

[expat]

This coin (not mine) was part of a 2016 set commemorating William Shakespeare

[Al Kowsky]

13 minutes ago, Deinomenid said:

It's Slavey's  signature.

A Halloween nightmare coin. And some  more -

 

That's a wonderful collection of dies 😮!

[Ryro]

Wonderful thread and thanks for sharing such a creepy image😱 @Al Kowsky

I've never seen any ghosts, aliens, floating spectrs, though would love to, that hallucinagens cannot explain. 

And Hell's bells, Yeus we're ready for the greatest unholy day of the year!

Sorry, I'm unable to share my costume as I'm a ithyphallic Satyr this year. The Great thing is, no costume required!

What's up with ole Septy having such fun\creepy provincials?

[David Atherton]

The perfect book for a classics fan on Halloween. 

 

[Curtisimo]

Oh I’m ready!!! The front of my house is decked out to look like a scary graveyard with skeletons running amok. I’ve got projectors to make it look like skeletons are dancing in my windows, I’ve got black lights to accentuate the details in the graveyard and a motion detection animatron of the grim reaper to give trick or treaters a good natured fright.

Tomorrow I will pull out my final trick.. a smoke machine with a custom made chiller so the fog stays low to the ground.

Oh… and about 10 pounds of candy to give away. I love Halloween!

Love your set up @Ryro.

9 hours ago, Ryro said:

I'm a ithyphallic Satyr this year. The Great thing is, no costume required!

🤣
Happy Halloween Everyone!

Edited October 31, 2023 by Curtisimo

[hotwheelsearl]

Well, halloween is just another tuesday on the good ole USS Dwight E Eisenhower. At least they stopped flying planes for a bit so we've got Nightmare Before Christmas playing

[Al Kowsky]

12 hours ago, Ryro said:

Wonderful thread and thanks for sharing such a creepy image😱 @Al Kowsky

I've never seen any ghosts, aliens, floating spectrs, though would love to, that hallucinagens cannot explain. 

And Hell's bells, Yeus we're ready for the greatest unholy day of the year!

Sorry, I'm unable to share my costume as I'm a ithyphallic Satyr this year. The Great thing is, no costume required!

What's up with ole Septy having such fun\creepy provincials?

Wow, your kids sure look ready for Halloween 👻! I love the spooky entrance 😍. Some kids might give pause before walking through that entrance for a trick or treat 😟.

[Al Kowsky]

6 hours ago, David Atherton said:

The perfect book for a classics fan on Halloween. 

 

I love the cover on that book 😍. Some guys like it rough 🤣.

[Al Kowsky]

3 hours ago, hotwheelsearl said:

Well, halloween is just another tuesday on the good ole USS Dwight E Eisenhower. At least they stopped flying planes for a bit so we've got Nightmare Before Christmas playing

If you had spoke sooner we could have air-dropped a bag of candy for you 🤣.

[Hughie Dwyer]

13 hours ago, expat said:

This coin (not mine) was part of a 2016 set commemorating William Shakespeare

And one of the coins managed to come into my possession. 😃