curious oddities

Sure, vampires can be sexy: the alluring young Prince Vlad in Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Selene in Underworld, the seductive Miriam Blaylock in The Hunger, and of course The Lost Boys. But for me, it’s all about the hunters.

Rogue outlaws, intense, mysterious, darkly charismatic and a little unstable. Tormented by the demons of a troubled past, they have dedicated their lives to tracking and slaying the undead. Some hunters worthy of mention are Vampire Hunter D, Saya from Blood the Last Vampire, Solomon Kane and of course Abraham/Gabriel Van Helsing.

Solomon Kane – movie in the works 2008

Tools of the trade: The Kit

There is much debate about the origin of the Vampire hunter’s kit. Some say that they were created by monks and holy men for local use, others say that they were for wealthy tourists visiting select Eastern European countries. It seems that the oldest ones in circulation are from the early 1800’s.

Left: Ripleys vampire hunting kit photo by Josh Berglund (cc ) Right: European Souvenir Kit c. 1910

Most kits consist of a box, ideally made of linden wood, containing an assortment of the following: a crucifix of some form, a prayer book, various stakes, candles, knives, bottles of holy water or soil, garlic powder, syringes, holy incenses, anointing oils and mysterious serums. Some fancier versions also have pistols or crossbow/slingshot type devices (with silver bullets of course). Authenticated kits have sold for as much as $50,000 at auction.

So if you are looking to explore this exciting career but don’t have $50,000 in your start up budget, don’t worry, good replica kits can be found for around $500-$1000.

Perhaps you would prefer to impress your friends in the comfort and safety of your own home with a custom made field research kit crafted by Alex CF. His amazing assemblages include a lost world exploration case, a werewolf anatomical research box, a vampire research reliquary and a collection of Victorian deep sea specimens.

If you are already a slayer looking to branch out, be sure to pick up a copy of Max Brook’s The Zombie Survival Guide.

Gabriel Van Helsing

And if you’re really strapped for cash but still want an exciting night in, I recommend a round of bloody Marys and the Vampire Hunter board game.