Buyer Beware! Collecting Haunted Objects

Recently I decided to broaden my paranormal horizons by starting a haunted object collection (yes, I hear many of you screaming “is he crazy??”). For me, haunted objects are like Beanie Babies, buy one and you can’t stop. That is, until you have a good reason, and I now realize some of the objects I purchased may have been better off on the shelf, or the auction block!

This began last year with a trip to Rose Hall Plantation in Jamaica, home of Annie Palmer, Jamaica’s White Witch and a ghost that is just as mean dead as she was alive (Annie Palmer was notorious for torturing her slaves, and killing three of her husbands). Upon leaving the plantation home, I saw across from Annie Palmer’s sarcophagus a Jamaican man carving wooden animals. Being a self-admitted pack rat I decided to purchase an animal, but only after a wooden cat flew off the table and hit the ground without a scratch! That was it, I was hooked!

Next came the painting owned by a woman who believed it was haunted by a man who committed suicide, and owning a painting with a haunted reputation intrigued me. Then along came a doll that moves by herself and an alleged cursed clown doll (creepy without the story). I must admit I did not believe any of these objects were haunted when I bought them, but I got them cheap and figured they would be good for conversation, and cool things to bring to upcoming lectures. I knew to avoid satanic or evil objects, and the stories revolving around these objects made them appealing to me.

Now I am very familiar with the slogan “Buyer beware” because slowly but surely strange things began to happen in my home. It began with the usual feeling I was not alone. Then along came the electronics going haywire. The remote control flips by itself, and the phone disconnects. Strange scratching on my outside door has occurred as well, and I did see a gray image in the corner of my bedroom. My cats stare and cry at nothing as well. Most of this was ok for me, mainly due to all the haunted homes I’ve been in. However, the two most awkward things that have happened so far are the big giant orb seen on the Infrared camera and the feeling someone is sitting on the side of the bed….those I’m still adjusting to!

We did an investigation in my apartment, and our photographer Andy caught a very odd photo that looks like a man with a baby. This put me at ease a little more, knowing the ghost was just a guy in life who was protecting his child (the ghost that allegedly haunts the painting killed himself after his wife murdered their daughter and then killed herself). Investigator Judy felt a person exactly where I did, and we all felt the pressure drop in the room. We’re currently studying the phenomenon further. We did post all the pics and data on our website, and continue to update it.

I believe the entity in my home is “Thomas”, the man who owned the painting. Thomas and I had a long talk (or I talked, he listened) and I think we’re ok now. He still causes trouble from time to time (he knocked my IR cam over last weekend), but for the most part I’m ok with him hanging around. I learned he has his quirks: He doesn’t like the telephone, and usually is most active between 1-2 am, which has been doing wonders for my sleep cycle!
I won’t sell the item, or give it away or burn it. Thomas has been through enough in my opinion. So if he’s comfortable in my home, I’ll let him stay. The bottom line is use caution when buying certain things like antiques, objects that were cherished by the recently deceased or objects reputed to be haunted, because maybe, just maybe a Thomas will come home with you as well. As for me, chances are I will not be buying any more haunted objects anytime soon. I learned my lesson. Now if I could only persuade him to take out the trash once in awhile…

-Al Tyas,
Director,
DC Metro Area Ghost Watchers (DCMAG)

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