Conjuring Curiosities

Get ready to feel some serious goosebumps, because today, Sabrina shows us why she calls herself a modern day witch! This episode is filled with clairvoyance, and not just because the topic is tarot. We’ll discuss the origins of the popular divination tool, as well as the uncredited talents that shaped its iconic imagery. As we navigate the twists and turns of tarot's tangled history, prepare to be mesmerized by tales of magic, betrayal, and redemption. So grab your favourite deck, dim the lights, and join us for an unforgettable exploration of tarot's hidden depths.

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The Big Book of Tarot Meanings - Sam Magdaleno

SOURCES

Public Domain Review - Etteilla’s Livre de Thot Tarot (ca. 1789)

Collectors Weekly - Tarot Mythology: The Surprising Origins of the World's Most Misunderstood Cards

Learn Religions - A Brief History of Tarot

CNN - The woman behind the world’s most famous tarot deck was nearly lost in history

Medium - The Artistic Odyssey of Pamela Colman Smith

Wikipedia - Pamela Colman Smith

Pcs2051 - YEATS FAMILY AND PAMELA COLMAN SMITH

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In our thirteenth episode, we cover the topical thirteen of course! Get your good luck charms ready, because in this episode, we're diving headfirst into the murky waters of superstition. Plenty of catastrophes have happened on Friday the 13th, but is it really an unlucky day? Thankfully, the members of the Thirteen Club are on the case, and they don’t care how many mirrors they have to smash to prove that superstition is busted.

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SOURCES:

History.com - Friday the 13th

Evoke - Horrendous things that really happened on Friday the 13th

Readers Digest - 12 Odd and Creepy Real Things That Happened on Friday the 13th

Washington Post - Friday the 13th and its history of Tupac’s death, Nazi bombings and covid-19

Foundation for Economic Education - The Bystander Effect: Myth or Fact?

Time.com - Friday the 13th: The Original Viral Marketing Stunt?

New-York Historical Society - Friggatriskaidekaphobes Need Not Apply

The Paris Review - Morituri te Salutamus

Rotary Club of Simcoe - Friday-The-13th, 2018 In Port Dover, Ontario

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This may be the only time we can say that our topic is more deadly for one of us than for the Victorians…because we’re crunching into the bizarre world of Victorian celery mania. Yes, you heard that right - celery. The Victorians couldn’t eat enough, but Sabrina will be grabbing her epi pen for this one. Tune in to learn all about the coveted Victorian vegetable, and its even more coveted vase!

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SOURCES:

Taste - Celery Was the Avocado Toast of the Victorian Era

Mitzi Collectables - Spooners & Celery Vases 101

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Grab your parkas and your tainted canned meat, this episode Clara and Sabrina are voyaging into the Arctic abyss! We’re hopping aboard Sir John Franklin’s doomed expedition through the Northwest Passage. When the ships got hopelessly stuck in the ice, everyone aboard was slowly overcome by bone-chilling cold, hunger, and desperation. We’ll discuss theories on why the crew made so many bizarre decisions, and solve the mystery that was never actually a mystery, but was “solved” over 150 years later, no thanks to colonial arrogance. If you’re drawn in by the allure of the Arctic Archipelago, The Franklin Expedition is waiting for you, although it certainly isn’t going anywhere either way…

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SOURCES:

Wikipedia - Franklin's lost expedition 

Discovering The Arctic - The Northwest Passage – the Arctic Grail

Royal Museums Greenwich - What happened to HMS Erebus and Terror?

Canadian History Ehx - The Inuit and the Franklin Expedition 

New York Times - Artifacts of a Doomed Expedition

National Library of Medicine - Sir John Franklin's last arctic expedition: a medical disaster

History.com - What Happened to the Doomed Franklin Expedition? These Are the Clues

Fandom - Timeline of the Franklin Expedition

Government of Canada - Update on the words “Inuk” and “Inuit”

Wikipedia - Northwest Passage

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Get your sea legs ready, we’re sailing through a convoluted mess of trade routes and accidental discoveries! In this episode, Clara tells Sabrina about the Europeans' ravenous thirst for spices they mostly no longer use in modern day, and all the inefficient things they did to make the trip to Asia more efficient. Also, we break the news to Christopher Columbus that he did not, in fact, find India. He didn’t even find America either, actually. And once we navigate our way to the Panama canal, we’ll explain how the cure for malaria also created happy hour. So grab your tonic water, and prepare to have your preconceptions shaken like a gin and tonic in the hands of a clueless explorer. It's gonna be one heck of a voyage!

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SOURCES:

History.com - Panama Canal

Wikipedia - Christopher Columbus

Wikipedia - Austronesian peoples 

Slate - The Imperial Cocktail

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In this episode, we’re decoding the hidden messages that the Victorians sent one another - with practically any accessory that was accessible! Clara and Sabrina delve into the secret signals hidden in the flutter of a fan, the delicate touch of a glove, and the subtle tilt of a parasol. Through newspapers from the early 1800s, we try to make sense of the nuances in gestures and symbols that spoke volumes in an era where discretion was paramount. But were these codes really as prevalent as some articles would lead you to believe? Listen to find out!

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SOURCES:

Alexander Meddings - The Weird and Wonderful World of Victorian Dating

Friends of Dalnavert - Date Like a Victorian: Courtship and Romance in the Victorian Era

Sothebys - The Secret Language of Fans

Fashion History Museum - Myth Information: The Fan Code

Medium - A Brief History Of The Victorian Era Dating Rituals

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Get your hands and feet ready everyone, this week Clara introduces Sabrina to her favourite weasel, Gef the talking Mongoose! In the early 20th century, the Isle of Man became the unlikely setting for one of the most perplexing paranormal phenomena in history. We delve into the first hand accounts of interactions with this strange ghost of a creature, and discuss what, or who, Gef really could have been, with some of the best quotes ever spoken by talking mongeese. Let us make our case on why you should join the cult of Gef!

 Vanisheddddddddd……

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SOURCES: 

Atlas Obscura - The Bizarre, True Story of Gef the Talking Mongoose

Weird Historian - Things Said About the Talking Mongoose of the Isle of Man

Mental Floss - The Strange Story of Gef The Talking Mongoose

Wikipedia - Gef

University of Lodon School of Advanced Study - Christopher Josiffe

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In this episode, Clara tells Sabrina about Victorian undergarments. From crinolines to drawers, and chemises to petticoats, we'll undress the secrets of each undergarment and its role in shaping the silhouette of the era. Join us as we examine how these garments were worn, why they were necessary, and the surprising ways they influenced Victorian fashion. But wait, weren't all those layers unbearably hot? And why is it that vintage and antique clothes always seem so tiny? Listen to this episode to find out!

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SOURCES:

Kate Tattersall - Early Victorian Undergarments Part 1

Vintage Dancer - Victorian Stockings, Socks, Hosiery, Tights & History

Lancaster History - How Victorian Women used the Privy in Multiple Layers of Clothing

Historical Sewing - Passionate About Petticoats

Recollections - The Victorian Skirt – from Petticoats to Bustle: Part 1

Wardrobe Shop - THE COMPLEX HISTORY OF HOOP SKIRTS

Victoria and Albert Museum - Corsets, crinolines and bustles: fashionable Victorian underwear

Victorian Underwear - The Victorian Gentleman Undressed

Sustainable Rookie - Your Clothes Are Probably Made Of Plastic: What Fabrics To Avoid 

Victoria and Albert Museum - Collections

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In part 2 covering corset controversy, we dive deeper into the history of corsets. Clara tells Sabrina about their role in maternity wear, children's corsets, and the evolving dynamics of gender and fashion. We also cover the propaganda that men used to claim corsets were harmful, in response to the growing Suffragette movement. We explore the multifaceted reasons behind the shift away from corsets, acknowledging women's agency and the broader cultural shifts that influenced fashion choices.

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VIDEO MENTIONED:

How Victorian Men Taught Us to Hate Corsets: The Biggest Lie in Fashion History

SOURCES:

Lemelson Mit - Mary Jacob Brassiere

The Wildcat Tribune - The history behind corsets: how a piece of clothing sparked controversy, criticism and empowerment

NEXUS - Effects of Long Term Corseting on the Female Skeleton: A Preliminary Morphological Examination

Wikipedia - Corset controversy

Lancaster History - Make No (Whale)Bones About It: Debunking those Corsetry Myths

MD History - Victorian Image of Pregnancy through Corsetry

TWO NERDY HISTORY GIRLS - Teeny Tiny Corsets

Lives & Legacies - Stay Informed About Historical Undergarments

Victoria and Albert Museum - Collections (Photos)

Katherine Sewing - I Wore a Corset During my Entire Pregnancy and Here's What I Learned

Fashion History Timeline - 1800-1809

Smithsonian Magazine - What ‘Bridgerton’ Gets Wrong About Corsets

Lara Corsets - About anti-corset propaganda....

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This episode, Clara can no longer contain her corset knowledge! She tells Sabrina about the intricate history of corsets, and debunks the myths surrounding these iconic garments. Contrary to popular belief, corsets were not always the suffocating torture devices depicted in period dramas. In fact, they served a multifaceted purpose in Victorian society, offering support, shaping silhouettes, and even promoting better posture.

See photos discussed in this episode on our instagram

Follow us on tiktok for videos that cover a condensed version of each topic!

VIDEO MENTIONED:

I Grew Up in a Corset. Time to Bust Some Myths.

SOURCES:

Victoria and Albert Museum Collections

Lemelson Mit - Mary Jacob Brassiere

Messy Nessy - Men Wore Corsets, History Says

The Wildcat Tribune - The history behind corsets: how a piece of clothing sparked controversy, criticism and empowerment

NEXUS - Effects of Long Term Corseting on the Female Skeleton: A Preliminary Morphological Examination

Wikipedia - Corset controversy

Lancaster History - Make No (Whale)Bones About It: Debunking those Corsetry Myths

Lives & Legacies - Stay Informed About Historical Undergarments

Victoria and Albert Museum - Collections (Photos)

Fashion History Timeline - 1800-1809

Smithsonian Magazine - What ‘Bridgerton’ Gets Wrong About Corsets

Lara Corsets - About anti-corset propaganda....

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