Amazing exhibits from the virtual “Museum of Ridiculously Interesting Things” (16 photos)

"A museum of ridiculously interesting things." Don't think, we didn't come up with this name. That's what art curator and art historian Dr. Chelsea Nichols decided to call his virtual museum. In it, she shows off the creepy, weird, funny, and eccentric pieces of art she's found. The collection really turned out amazing. Let's take a look.



turnip head





This traditional Irish lantern was carved from turnips back in 1850. It looks really creepy.

Typical cat at 6 am



This paper fan in the shape of an angry cat was made for Halloween in Germany in the 1920s.

Sweets for tea



These frightening horrors are actually gift chocolate babies. They were given as Christmas gifts. This example of confectionery art dates back to 1923.

Eccentric earrings with a hint



Similar gold earrings depicting the severed heads of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were sold as souvenirs during their guillotine executions in 1793. The piece shown here was enlarged and plated in 23-karat gold by British artist Simon Fujiwara.

An item for those who don't like children but love crafts



This is a terracotta pincushion in the shape of a crying child with a huge fly on its face. The cushion was made in Paris in the early 1900s by the Georges Dreyfus pottery company.

Krampus' furry paws



These homemade gloves were used for 70 years at the annual Krampus festival, which took place in a small town in Austria. They are made from goat hair and horns.

A doll that can easily take any soul



This doll, made from scraps and dirt, came from the hand of French outsider artist Michel Nejjar around 1976-1982. During World War II, the artist's relatives died in concentration camps. His horrific work became an artistic reflection on the Holocaust.

He would play a game with you



An example of a "cheerful" vintage German toy that doesn't seem to be too fond of children.

Terrifying Crab



This is an example of late Victorian art pottery, also known as Martinware. The sculpture of a grotesque crab with a human face was made in 1880 by Robert Wallace Martin.

Remember your teeth



A creepy memento mori toothpick in the shape of a skull with a hand holding a sickle. Made from enamelled gold with ruby, circa 1630-1660.

toothy hat



This velvet headdress belonged to a London street "dentist" in the 1820s-1850s. Attached to the “doctor’s” hat are 88 teeth of his former patients.

Musician cat



This creepy wind-up toy was made in Sweden in 1906.

Wash yourself with children's tears



Despite the creepy appearance, it's just Norton "Smile and Cry" baby face wash with flannel face wash, 1930-1939. If you turn the piece over, you can find a smiling baby on the other side.

Demonic Crystal



In the 18th century, the Vienna Imperial Treasury confirmed that this was a real tiny demon, encased in a glass prism during an exorcism in Germany in the 17th century.

Witch Spirits



In 1915, an elderly woman living in a village near Hove in Sussex handed over this silver-plated glass bottle, claiming that it contained the spirit of a witch and that if the wax seal was broken it would cause "trouble".

Duck with a human face



This item was offered at auction in Cornwall in 2020. What exactly it is, who did it and in what year is unknown. The auction card said it was an “Antique Folk Art Voodoo Swamp Thing Decoy.” In general, one can only guess what this chthonic creation was really intended for.