faster pussycat... type! type!

I saw a similar auction for a "ghost in a jar." The auction description was somewhat similar... they had dug it up at a graveyard, thought nothing of it. Didn't want to destroy it because they didn't know what would happen.

here is an interesting update from someone here at work who is all SMART and stuff. she's in MANAGEMENT, so you know that's true. :) no, ok.. i'm serious. she's smart.

This is a really interesting story. Given my Jewish background, I thought others might be interested in the following:

- The Hebrew words on the back of the cabinet are the Shemah. The Shemah is a common Hebrew prayer that translates in English to:
"Hear O' Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Blessed be His name, his glorious kingdom forever and ever."

- The Kabalah is Jewish mysticism, and "dibbuk" literally means "a cleavage of an evil spirit" in Yiddish. I don't know a lot about "dibbuks" ("dibbukim" to be more precise), but a "dibbuk" is supposedly the troubled soul of a dead person which has not been laid to rest.

- Of the articles in the box, the word "Shalom" on the statue means "peace."

- I have never heard the word "keselim." When I first read the story, I thought it might be like a game of telephone, where the sounds change as the story is told to the point where the original meaning is lost. I think perhaps "keselim" is really supposed to be "besamim," which is a spice box used in Jewish ritual. The object that looks like an odd candlestick holder could be a besamim if there was also a lid. Besamim are traditionally used in the Havdalah ritual that is performed at the end of each Shabbat on Saturday evenings. Havdalah literally means separation.

Good story, but the seller is full of crap.

Looking at the box, there is no way it was made in the early 20' s or before. Where was this lock that was on the box in the seller story? Looking at the photo, there is no lock, no bracket for a lock and no evidence of a chain or other restraining device on the front of the box.

The handle on the bottom drawer of the box is clearly more modern than the story would indicate. If the box had never been opened how did the handle get attached?

The contents: The use of the circa 1920's US pennies is interesting. I think it's supposed to reinforce the fact that the box was purchased in the 20's, but how did US coins get in a box bought in Spain in the late forties? The bound hair is interesting because it's a common symbol in popular culture of the use of witchcraft and of binding something. The rose and the stone seem like random additions that different meanings could be attached to. The candlestick holder is cool looking and I bet if you took it to a reputable dealer they would tell you it's junk.

The seller seems to originate from Portland, OR, and I bet there are a few synagogues in town. If something I owned had hebrew characters on it and it was creeping me out, I'd take it to a Rabbi and see what the heck it said.

From the pieces given, it would seem the implied backstory is that there are two spirits represented by the two different bits of hair and possibly born on the dates on the two coins; 1925 and 1928. The rose could signify they were romantically involved. The hebrew could mean one or both of them were Jewish or the person who tried to "bind" them was using some brand of Jewish mysticism. What I would like to know is what's the numerical value of the Hebrew characters.

Man, I can retcon ebay auctions.

Anyway, I believe this whole thing is crap and the box is junk and someone got creative with an auction.

Watch ebay next week when I sell an antique bycicle tire pump that plays John Phillip Sousa marches at midnight!!!

kseilim may mean seilmim or teilmim which mean a cross or crosses

i mean TZEILMIM (or tzeilam)

It's for sale again...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3701347648&category=12

apparently, not a happy person, the buyer...

I wrote an email to the buyer of the box. He is involved in some sort of paranormal investigative society. They plan on doing a thorough study on the box, I am now on his mailing list. The two updates I have received so far indicate that there was a huge flood of people inquiring about this and that the buyer has experiences a few strange signs that it might be the real thing. I have to say the box and its contents don't look like something from a Hollywood ghost story but then again what would a real haunted box look like? My reservations are, like someone already mentioned, the 40/50's modern looking drawer handle and the souvenir shop looking stone pieces. I am a skeptic, but if there really wasn't something to magic and ghosts I don't think the idea of their existence would have lasted as long as it has.

being a skeptic is good. i think being a skeptic is the only way to keep an open mind. i find the paranormal fascinating, but i've never experienced it. basically, i live by the "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophies" motto.

Check out http://www.dibbukbox.com

According to these guys, and the paranormal research people:

The box wasn't from the 20s, and had nothing to do with the holocost. The original owner made up the story to get rid of it. It was shipped to him by a relative aunt. She was a Russian Jew, and the box was from the 40s-50s.