Dr Cagliostro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Investigations of the Unknown

Author: Oskar Hejll

Details: Hard Cover, 120 pages
Language: English
ISBN: 978-9-1981056-1-2

Dr Cagliostro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Investigations of the Unknown

Dr Cagliostro’s Cabinet of Curiosities – Investigations of the Unknown is a fascinating book. Assuming the role of the mysterious Dr Cagliostro, the author – Oscar Hejll – presents a Cabinet of Curiosities mirroring the strange collections of adventurers, travelers and scientists in the 19th century, but specialized in the occult and supernatural.

In the cabinet he has gathered everything from mummified mermaids to Sami shape-shifting belts to objects that comes from the hazy borders between science and the supernatural in the early 19th century. With a starting point in the objects the author leads the reader down a path between the fictive and the factual, leading to a universe where vampire hunters, secret societies and monsters are natural parts of our history and reality, as it might have been perceived in the 19th and early 20th century.

Oskar Hejll has created this parallel reality that reflects our history in a fantastic and inspiring way. The objects, artefacts and the stories they can tell is the central theme in his book, and through them we are able to peek into a reality that might have been. Every object and artefact in the book is painstakingly researched and created by Oscar himself, in order to give them a detail and sense of reality that is rarely encountered in fiction.

Through this collection he not only wants to enlighten us with knowledge, but also create a lust for learning – a perfect example of this is how the museum of natural history in Stockholm received many queries about the Svea mine in Svalbard after Oscar presented his story about how an alien skull was found there. A minute sense for details and knowledge makes watching the fantastic, wonderful and strange objects Oscars has filled the book with, a pure delight.

Mysterious Objects and Strange Stories

While the book obviously will appeal to anyone with an interest in the occult and supernatural, it has also much wider appeal and is highly appreciated by a broader audience. The mysterious objects and strange stories will appeal to anyone who finds vampires, aliens, magical cupboards etc.- fascinating.

Designers, modelers and people with an interest in steampunk will be drawn to the intricate crafts and the aesthetics of the objects. Larpers and role players will find source material in the book and backgrounds about Scandinavian werewolves, theories on the essence of ghosts or examples of vampire killing kits inspiring to create new stories and adventures. Readers familiar with authors such as Umberto Eco, H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe will feel where some of the literary inspiration comes from.

Part I – CURIOUS CONTRAPTIONS

• Johann von Goethe’s ghost goggles
• File: Astral vision device – The Eye of Anubis and the mysterious Desert Glass
• Werndl Weihwasser Pistol M 1860
• The Thomas Edison Necrophone

Part II – STRANGE CREATURES

• The Mermaid from Paulet Island
• In the Footsteps of the Abominable Snowman
• The Yeti – In Search of the Abominable Snowman
• Dilong, The Chinese River Dragon
• Ghost Fliers – The Grave of the Ghost Flier
• Ghost Fliers – Operation Searchlight

Part III – THE DARK ARTS

• The Necronomicon
• The Magical Tools of Dr John Dee
• Dark Arts in South America – Head-shrinking rituals amongst the Jivaro Indians
• The Golem from Chelm

Part IV – DEALING WITH THE UNDEAD

• The Oil of Judah haNasi´
• A Vampire Hunter’s Equipment
• Revenants – Unveiling the Undead
• Count Rakoczi’s Vampire Slayer Gun

Part V – WEREWOLVES, SHAPESHIFTERS AND LYCANTHROPES

• The Shapeshifting Belt from Karesuando
• Werewolves – Shapeshifters, Lycanthropes and Hounds in the Lord’s service

Part VI – SECRET SOCIETIES AND MALICIOUS CULTS

• File: The Assassins – The automaton scorpion
• File: The Assassins – Enemies of Dr Cagliostro, part I
• File: Dagon – The Sofala Mermaid
• File: The Freemasons and the Dog-Turk, an occult conspiracy in 18th century

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