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Smelly Nelly’s Black Moon Crystal Ball

20th century

The British Library

The British Library
London, United Kingdom

‘Smelly Nelly’, the Paignton witch who owned this crystal ball, had a taste for strong perfume. She believed that the fragrance appealed to the spirits who helped her to divine the future. One witness reported, ‘You caught her scent a mile off downwind … to be out with a Full Moon, Smelly Nelly and her crystal was quite an experience.’ Known as a Moon crystal, the black globe should be consulted at night, so that the seer could read the Moon’s reflection in the glass.

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  • Title: Smelly Nelly’s Black Moon Crystal Ball
  • Date Created: 20th century
  • Location: The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
  • Original Source: The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle, 341
  • Rights: Copyright The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
The British Library

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