Bizarre Mirror Discovered In Attic


Woodbury: Lisa Utrecht of Discord initially thought the 18th century guilt frame she glimpsed behind a stack of junk in the attic belonged to a painting. But after moving the boxes of decaying Christmas ornaments and old clothes, the 35 year old art-dealer discovered an 18th century French full length mirror that may be more mystery than antique.

     Embedded in the upper right hand corner of the mirror's glass is a 13th century German dagger that had neither damaged the glass nor emerges from the other side.

     "I'm thoroughly amazed by it," says Utrecht who acquired the entire contents of an attic at an estate auction in Coffins Grove. The attic was so messy, the family of the estate was too daunted to organize it for sale. "From what I can tell about this type of dagger, it goes into the mirror by more than one half its length but doesn't come out the other side. It's as if the steel has fused with the mirror's silvering. It's not a fake; the dagger is too massive to be held in place by the glass itself. And as if that's not weird enough, there are three tiny concentric rings in the glass where the blade enters."

TeutKnig.jpg
Teutonic Knight, c. 1250 A.D.
     Dr. Dexter Miers, a professor who teaches midevil history at the University of Emmetsburg, examined the dagger for Third Eye Over Iowa. An expert in midevil arms and armor, he concluded the dagger had very interesting origins.

     "It is a weapon carried into battle by a Teutonic Knight. The decorative cross on the pommel and inscription across the hilt are indicative of the this type. There is also a large nick at the base of the blade that corresponds to the sizes of most sword or axe-type weapons used during the 13th century."

     Utrecht says she asked the family of the estate, whom she declined to name, whether there was a story connected with the mirror but no one admitted knowing anything about it. When asked if she wanted to sell the unusual mirror, she stated that she intended to keep it. "I'd like a few other experts to examine it first. I don't want to be responsible for selling it to someone in case the thing is cursed or haunted. And besides, I'm growing fond of it."

     Anyone who has heard stories concerning such a mirror as this may send them to Third Eye in care of Ms. Utrecht.

        

    





Back to this Issue Contents
sigil2.jpg