The Human-Skin Lampshade, and other bizarre antiques (tattoo, collection, watch)

[Monastic555]

After watching a human-skin lampshade get auctioned off, I began thinking of other offbeat-type antiques. So if anybody runs across any other such oddities, it would be interesting to share them here.

I suppose the most well-known artifact in human-skin is the book bound in human-skin and which is kept at Harvard University. Those who wish to view the book have to go through a red-tape procedure.

[Zelpha]

Goodness gracious.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by Monastic555

After watching a human-skin lampshade get auctioned off, I began thinking of other offbeat-type antiques. So if anybody runs across any other such oddities, it would be interesting to share them here.

I suppose the most well-known artifact in human-skin is the book bound in human-skin and which is kept at Harvard University. Those who wish to view the book have to go through a red-tape procedure.

Ewwwww. Why....? Reminds me of Hannibal Lecter.

[texdav]

It gives me the creeps as well as those that seem to be fascinated with such things.

[OrangeCoriander]

There are some human flesh-bound books at the Mütter Museum in Philly. Often they were made from patient's "donations" to their doctors. I highly recommend the museum for all sorts of interesting reasons.

[Bulldogdad]

Stories from the macabre.

Can't help but hear Vincent Price's voice in my head when I read this thread.

[danielj72]

Human skin lampshade??? I believe that is from the holocaust. It should be buried, as its part of a victim of one of the worst crimes in human history. I cant imagine why someone would want an artifact like that. To me it is just to sick to preserve, for any reason.

[Happy in Wyoming]

Originally Posted by Monastic555

After watching a human-skin lampshade get auctioned off, I began thinking of other offbeat-type antiques. So if anybody runs across any other such oddities, it would be interesting to share them here.

I suppose the most well-known artifact in human-skin is the book bound in human-skin and which is kept at Harvard University. Those who wish to view the book have to go through a red-tape procedure.

Could you provide a link to the auction house? That's the sort of item that would definitely interest me.

In 1980 I ran across an announcement of the auction of the contents of the defunct Museum of the Macabre in Hawaii. I received a catalog which I found delightful. One item I recall was a female forearm with a ring on her finger. The best items were a group of tsantsas (shrunken heads) which had been authenticated. Needless to say, I was champing at the bit waiting for my day of departure. Then one terrible day I received a post card station that the auction had been cancelled; the entire collection had been sold by private treaty.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by danielj72

Human skin lampshade??? I believe that is from the holocaust. It should be buried, as its part of a victim of one of the worst crimes in human history. I cant imagine why someone would want an artifact like that. To me it is just to sick to preserve, for any reason.

This is what I think of too. The Nazis used the skin of their victims to make lampshades. That's sick.

Human remains should be buried.

[Monastic555]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

This is what I think of too. The Nazis used the skin of their victims to make lampshades. That's sick.

Human remains should be buried.

Actually, according to forensics, the Nazi lampshade was just a rumor. The rumor was explained on a National Geographic documentary. The only skin specimens that were found were specimens of extracted-tattoos. Since a lamp was standing right next to the skin specimens, someone jumped to the conclusion that they were used for the lamp shade. That started the rumor that the lamp shade was made of human skin. That Nazi rumor persists to this very day, despite forensics to the contrary.
So the present-day lampshades originate from a different source.