madametalbot’s posterous

Hazel (I love that name) emailed and asked about my profile picture on Facebook, which is a photograph of the Wedding Skull I made. I have this penchant for putting real human skulls in ornately decorated boxes. I got the idea from reading about how the Catholic church not only saves but proudly displays human body parts and sometimes if you are lucky, entire bodies on view for anyone to see.

I read about ornate boxes on view that held a human skull and surrounding it was the smaller bones of the body, dried flowers, ribbons, etc. My brain went into overdrive and I ended up making not one, but three skulls in boxes.

Everything kind of ground to a screeching halt on my curio making deadline. I still have probably four more large curios to make and finish the trouvaille curio (doncha just love that crown? I searched high and low for that damned crown, it is really incredible in real life, photos do not do this crown justice!).

Then, while doing research for my death book, I discovered this amazing history regarding the Wedding Skull and how human skulls were utilized in the wedding ceremony, each hand placed on top of the skull and vows were taken similar to Till Death Do Us Part.

THE WEDDING SKULL CURIO
In 1560, a painting known as "The Judd Marriage" is an excellent symbolic illustration of life and death joined as one as part of a wedding ritual between two lovers. In the painting, the couple is taking their vows upon a human skull, surrounded by a corpse, and some funeral monuments.

"The worde of God, Hathe knit is twayne,
And Death shall us, Divide agayne."

The other inscription is directly beneath the corpse which reads: "Lyve to dye and dye to live, eternally." The wedding vow is taken on the skull, the most powerful contemporary symbol of mortal death. The Judd's knew one day they, too, would be dead as the image of the corpse by the words: "We Behold our End," a motto similar to the artifacts of the memento mori.

For more information about the Wedding Skull on my website, just click Here.

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I have been working non-stop hand-sewing the Plague Doctor dolls and this batch will be a bit different than the last batch, which was also a bit different from the very first batch.

I always like to improve and make each doll more one-of-a-kind rather than all of them looking exactly the same, so this batch will be the same faces with beaks, but each doll will be dress in different colored and textured outfits, though the same basic pattern as the original Plague Doctor will be used.

For this batch, I plan on using porcelain hands and feet, which I think will be a huge improvement as to how they will look, plus I have all this Victorian and Edwardian velvet, which I bought to use specifially for these dolls.

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My B. F. Gleason (of Brockport, NY) cooling table finally arrived, which now gives me an excuse to clean up the studio and organize it to make way for the table (70 inches long).

Here it is right here in my studio, folded up. You can just see a glimpse of the handle on the other side sticking out.

It is in remarkable condition, and will need only the tiniest bit of repair and possibly a good varnishing to keep the wood in good shape, as I noticed a few dry places that could get worse over time.

I decided to go ahead and use it as a table rather than a wall-hanging, at first thinking it might be too fragile but remembered that it if it is sturdy enough for a human body, then it will be sturdy enough to hold miscellaneous trinkets and dolls and projects-in-progress.

Here is a photo of it all set up, the only thing it is missing is the two wooden rods that pull up and down on either end, I have one for one end but it is broken and I can get it repaired as well as have another one made but not a top priority right now. Also, it is missing the neck piece (which is rarely on these things as they tend to get lost over the years).

I thought before it arrived that the spindly legs might be too fragile to use as a work table but considering it was once used for human bodies to lie one, it is actually pretty sturdy. So, why waste a good functional table, right?

B. F. Gleason Cooling Table



Front view of Cooling Table



Circa 1861-1865. Wet plate glass negative,
photographer unknown.
Library of Congress.

Above is a well-known photograph of Dr. Richard Burr, a 19th-century U.S. Army surgeon who became quite wealthy embalming dead Civil War soldiers. He is using a hand-pump to inject embalming fluid into the body (notice he us utilizing a door propped on two barrels as his makeshift embalming table, and notice the door hinge is still attached to the door).

Advertisement for the B. F. Gleason Cooling Board
The History of American Funeral Directing

Close up of the same ad

After I fix a few minor things on it, and then once it is set up in my studio I will take pictures of it in use. I need to update my studio photos anyway on my website, if you want to see what my studio currently looks like, click Here.

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The very lovely and enchanted Wendy, proprietress of The Gothic Tea Society did a fine write up blog post about my work on her blog which you can read all about Here.

While you are visiting The Gothic Tea Society, make sure to visit Wendy's other The Gothic Tea Society locations!

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I have been hired to do a bit of research on a huge amount of medieval torture devices this evening. Apparently, all of these items were said to have actually been used and that these are the real deal, not modern props. There is this fantastic history about these particular torture devices and when all is said and done, I will post more information about the outcome of this amazing collection in about a month or so.

Also, I will have more information about an ongoing research project that I have been hired to work on. Once I get the go-ahead, I will be able to discuss it more in the very near future.

And then of course, I am still working on my book--which begins in medieval London in 1348 and ends on the day Queen Victorian died, January 22, 1901--and how wonderful that much of my book ties into nearly everything I have been researching for this other project.

My usual payment for these type of research projects are vintage human skulls, real shrunken heads, Egyptian mummy bits--things like that.

he Foetal Skull Dolls all went up for sale early Friday morning on the 13th, and as of this writing, they are now all sold out. Below are a few pics of the dolls, and if you want more information about the materials used, you can go to my website Here.

I just love those twins so much, they went pretty quick. I have three more Foetal Skulls and will make three more adult dolls that should hopefully be ready for Christmas. Right now, I am full-steam ahead working on the Plague Doctor dolls, my deadline for these is set for December 13th.

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The Mutter Museum has a brand new Blog and on Friday, they posted a lovely post about the exclusive custom poster I hand-illustrated and offset printed for them. You can read all about it right HERE.

They have also implemented a very impressive online store HERE and...should you feel the urge to purchase the commissioned poster I did exclusively for the Mutter Museum, by all means, go ahead and click HERE!

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As of this writing, SIX Foetal Skull Dolls are completely dressed, their costumes all hand-sewn using all Vintage and Victorian velvets and other fabrics I had stashed away just for these dolls. Once they are all completed, the fun part will be adding vintage, antique and Victorian era embellishments, many of which I have collected over the years. Only then will the dolls will be just perfect.

If I have time--and I think I will--I want to finish up the two Junior Foetal Skull dolls, since I have all the fabric out, might as well put some clothes on them, too.

Here is a picture I took last week of all nine dolls, lined up ready for their costumes:

Four of the adult Foetal Skull dolls
And so we don't forget, remember I still have another 10 Mourning Dolls that I made last year and didn't have time to finish them. They are still waiting to be dressed:
The anatomical heart doll
(with china arms and feet)

3 stump dolls and four skeleton dolls
(with china arms and feet)

Two memento mori medical dolls
(with china arms and feet)
I pulled them out yesterday, and here is what greeted me when I popped the lid off the container where they are currently residing, waiting patiently, ever so patiently for their clothes. They look a tad miffed to me.

Lucky emailed to inform me that Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab and Black Phoenix Trading Post will be putting out the next Vampire Tarot card in the "15 Painted Cards in a Vampire Tarot" series (story by Neil Gaiman) which is the Magician card sometime in November.

Here is a photo of the t-shirts which I
yanked directly from their website

Here is a The Magician

And - here is the original artwork
for The Magician

And the original artwork for the advertisement
for the Vampire Tarot series

And the credits card I hand-illustrated
for the Vampire Tarot series

Here is the all important link for this shirt and tarot which you can buy at the amazing Black Phoenix Trading Post website, and the main page for everything Vampire Tarot is right Here.

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab is presenting an officially licensed dual scent-and-art series inspired by Neil Gaiman's short story, "15 Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot."

Each month Black Phoenix Trading Post will be adding a new t-shirt featuring Madame Talbot's breathtaking artwork for Neil Gaiman's "15 Painted Cards from a Vampire Tarot".

This is a charitable, not-for-profit venture. All proceeds from every single set and tee go to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, which works to preserve the First Amendment rights of the comic community.

I will of course post here when each new Tarot, Scent and T-Shirt becomes available.

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Also I received the newest CD from The Woodbox Gang, pics are below:





The music is INCREDIBLE, I have listened to the CD probably ten times today!

Here are some pictures of my little odd town, that I compare often to Twin Peaks and a bit of Northern Exposure.

------------------------------------------------------- In other local news, the husband and I like to follow the latest in beach combing finds which usually consist of corpses and other body parts. A few days ago, the body of a 47-year-old woman was found dead having washed ashore on a beach near Grayland, Washington (near Aberdeen, Washington).

Apparently she and another man were sailing on a 25-foot sailboat and may have ran into a bad situation. Some debris washed ashore at the north entrance of Willapa Bay, such as cushions and galley items. The body was identified by her name engraved on her dentures.

You can read the whole story at The Daily World by clicking the link Here.

Also, for those who have been following the stories of all those washed up feet clad in tennis shoes, well, another one showed up on a Richmond beach in Vancouver, B.C.

This is the seventh foot found. Two men were walking on the beach on Tuesday evening when they came across a white size 8 and 1/2 Nike running shoe. It also had a human foot still in it.

The first severed foot was found August, 2007 (the owner of that foot was eventually found belonging to a deceased man whose name has been withheld at the request of his family).

Another man's foot, this one a right foot was found on Gabriola Island in August, 2007.
The foot has remained unidentified as of this writing.

Then, two more feet were found July, 2008 on Valdez and Westham islands. They both belonged to the same man.

In December of 2008, two ladies feet were found in Richmond and belonged to the same woman.

Link here.

I have to wonder, why just feet?

Update: The other body just washed up the other day.

Lucky informed me today that the outrageous Woodbox Gang (sort of like bluegrass but more like "caustic acoustic" and "trashcan Americana") just posted on their website their brand spanking new Full Length Studio Album titled White Trash Voodoo.

These are the kind of jobs I really enjoy, they gave me some ideas and atmosphere and let me do what I do (that is why they hired me, in order for me to do what I do best). This has a Southern Gothic feel to it, the scary-intense Jesus-fueled snake-handler type frenzy where you can almost smell the brimstone cooking downstairs.

A link to their website is right here and please buy this band's music, because they are an American White Trash VooDoo treasure.

Foetal Skull Doll and Plague Doctor Doll Reservation List:
If you would like to reserve one of the two dolls mentioned above, please email Lucky to put your name on the list.

His email is Lucky AT MadameTalbot DOT com or email BrennanDalsgard AT Gmail DOT com and we will put your name on the list.

Here is the October 31st updated reservation list of the Mourning Dolls:

Foetal Skull Dolls:
1. Mistress Diane
2. Miz Bella
3. Ann G.
4. Holly C.
5. Lisa (male version)
6. Aysha
7. Sara C.

Below is an alternate list should someone cancel their reservation:
1. DA
2.
3.

Plague Doctor Dolls:
1. Denise
2. Hilary
3. Lisa
4. Stephanie
5. DA
6. Susan
7. Leslie

Below is an alternate list should someone cancel their reservation:
1.Sergio
2.
3.

The husband woke me up today and said as I drank my coffee that he signed for my Dad at the post office, and that my Dad was waiting for me downstairs. So I got up and there was this small box wrapped up tight sitting all alone on the wrapping table.

I went ahead and opened it up and was very happy to see a heart-shaped box inside. It is a Biodegradable Heart Urn and came with instructions on how to utilize the urn and its lovely possibilities.



The Heart Urn can be used for a Water Burial or a Biodegradable Burial. Also tucked in with the Heart Urn is a card with a heart on it that apparently has seeds, and when planted, wildflowers will grow. And in the envelope, my Dad's Washington State Burial Transit Permit, which "Must Accompany Remains to Destination."



I opened up the Heart Urn and there he was, tucked in his baggie and tied with a cremation-bling that I know he would have loved (he loved his bling).

Dad was born 11 11 33 (1111)
Died died 10 10 09 (1010)
His cremation number is 2020.
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When we called in Hospice, they informed us that because of Dad diagnosis with brain and lung cancer, he would be eligible to donate his body to MedCure, which provides organs and tissues to researchers and educators in order to find cures for many diseases or conditions, such as lung and brain cancer.

Once MedCure harvested what they needed from my Dad for their studies, they took care of everything associated with his donation. This meant that someone from MedCure assisted both my Mom and I throughout the entire process and made it incredibly easy.

They took care of having someone pick my Dad up immediately after he died, and transported his body to Portland, they helped with the Death Certificate, they did the cremation and returned the cremains in that most lovely heart shaped urn.

And best of all, it did not cost my Mother a single thin dime towards funeral and/or memorial expenses, which my parents and I are absolutely against paying for.

I have only positive feelings with the outcome of my Dad and his gift to medical research, and his gift to Mom by not having her bank account bled dry from greedy funeral directors.
 
I am going to keep Dad here in my studio and build a nice framed curio memorial for his ashes, and decorate it with his beloved boxes of bling that he loved so much. And of course, I will post it here as a celebration of my Dad's life and his gift to others.

Charles emailed and was curious about the Egyptian Mummy Linen that I just received in the mail the other day and asked if I could post pictures of it, and also, if it was the real deal.

And here it is, the Egyptian Mummy Linen in a rather large plastic bag with some identifying stickers adhered to it. Because of who I deal with, I can assure you that all of my Egyptian Mummy items are in fact very real.

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I thought I would go ahead and post some of the Ancient Egyptian Mummy items that I have acquired over the years through trades (usually arcane research work in exchange for Egyptian Mummy bits). I received most of the Egyptian Mummy bits from the proprietor of the Niagara Falls Museum, the same place where Ramses the King mummy had been hiding out in one of the mummy exhibits.









About two or three years ago, we bought two authentic Ancient Egyptian Mummies from a man who bought them from a museum many years ago. It seems the museum was about to throw them out and he made an offer and they sold them to him, original cases included. They lingered in his basement for years and years until his wife basically got sick of having them taking up space, and told him to get rid of the mummies. So he called us.

We bought them and brought them back home where they resided in our living room for about a month and a half. One is completely intact (sans its wrapping and missing only a foot) and the other mummy had been disarticulated as a college project. The mummy was all there, but really, it was just a case filled with a skull, bones and an awful lot of bitumen.

The hand-carved skull and crossbones on the floor under the table originally came from some castle in Germany. We found it lodged in a garden and made an offer to the owner which she happily accepted. The jars in the case contain real shrunken heads, all of them long since sold.






Here you can get a better idea of the dis-articulated mummy and all the bones scattered about  in the different boxes. The skull was in tucked safely in a box in the case and I was surprised by how amazingly intact it was, and it had most of its teeth. The "dirt" you see on the floor of the case is the bitumen, the resin that was used to coat the body before wrapping it in linen/shroud.
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