Practical Magic

April 2, 2016 11:05 AM

Edward Lovett was a bank employee and amateur folklorist fascinated with charms and amulets and the superstitions they represented. He rambled early 20th century London collecting charms from soldiers, sailors, street vendors and others. Today the charms are preserved in the Wellcome Collection, Pitt Rivers Museum, and Horniman Museum.

This particular rabbit hole brought to us by Streets of Salem .

posted by Miko (2 comments total)

Awesome post!
posted by teponaztli at 1:33 PM on April 2, 2016

Brilliant, thank you. We have many household charms around the house, protecting each door, each of which has a fond memory of travel or a friend. We don't rationally expect them to work, but I don't think that is the point, is it?

If I were a soldier I think I would avoid a charm for fear of its loss...
posted by alasdair at 2:11 PM on April 2, 2016