CREEPY CURIOSITIES

A Lakewood antique shop provides a window into our neighbors’ strange and eerie hobbies

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“The veil is getting thin, my friends, And strange things will pass through.”

This, according to a prolific writer, Unknown, in a poem about “a fine fall day,” hearing phantom whispers and laughter on an autumnal stroll.

No doubt about it, autumn in East Dallas brings changes, and it’s more than just the first respite from the unrelenting heat. As Halloween approaches, pumpkins appear on doorsteps — pumpkins that will wear sinister grins come Oct. 31. All Hallows’ Eve seems to bring out our inner Vincent Price as we gleefully decorate our otherwise ordinary lawns with Styrofoam tombstones and hang plastic skeletons in our doorways.

But long after most of us have packed away the zombie masks and witch hats, some in the neighborhood continue to embrace the creepy, the macabre.

Strange things abound at Lakewood antique shop Curiosities. Owned by motherson team Terry and Jason Cohen, the store displays folk art, funky primitives and, well, curiosities. Sure, you’ll find standard items such as vintage linens, Fiestaware and cast-iron toys from the turn of the century. A few steps away, though, and you’re eyeballing glass eyes. And 1930s medical models graphically depicting eye diseases and facial tumors. Over here is a Civil War surgeon’s kit with sharp, painful-looking instruments. Nearby sits a jar of teeth in a milky liquid. Perhaps you’re in the market for your own electro-shock kit.

The Cohens agree, though, that one of the oddest pieces in their shop is the African monkey fetish, a statuette with a monkey skull and fur. It probably stood guard in an African village and was blessed with magical powers by the tribe’s holy man. The monkey and its mate actually were purchased by a props person for use in the

Nicolas Cage movie “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” After the movie wrapped, the props guy sent them back to the Cohens, claiming the monkeys had “bad mojo.” One of the monkeys sold. Jason says he’s waiting for the phone to ring, expecting the current owner to ask them to buy it back. The other monkey remains in the store, even though Jason would like to add it to his personal collection. His wife, however, has put the kibosh on the idea: “She won’t allow it in the house,” he says with a laugh.

Jason, who lives in Junius Heights, is a lifelong collector and has a particular fascination with Victorian death portraits. Post-mortem photography became a trend during the early days of daguerreotypes, especially for families who couldn’t afford a painted portrait. This less expensive alternative preserved a loved one’s image, and it was often the only photo of the person. That might explain why some photos have the dead propped up in chairs or standing, some even with their eyes propped open. While some may judge such images to be morbid, Jason says he sees the beauty in them: “It was an interesting way to remember loved ones.”

His mom, Terry, a Lakewood Heights resident, also gravitates to the quirky Victorian era, her collection more focused on mourning jewelry. The Victorians used the hair of the dead to create intricate wreaths that were framed, but they also used a loved one’s hair in jewelry, weaving and braiding the hair into cords upon which they hung lockets filled with locks of hair. Terry explains, “I find them sentimental, comforting.”

Terry also has an interest in taxidermy and recalls a “cool” find by a customer who had been cleaning out a barn: a mummified cat. The Cohens bought the cat, and it sold in a couple of days. Terry’s personal collec- tion includes lots of exotic birds, and she is especially fond of those enclosed in antique glass domes. She has branched out a bit with other animals, including a couple of mice. Unfortunately, she has one less mouse now since her dog helped himself to a little stuffed snack.

Curiosities sells all manner of taxidermy: bobcats, baby ducks, rattlesnakes, beavers. Longtime customer Liz Simmons, a Hollywood Heights resident, has added an “awesomely creepy” bobcat, coyote, and jackalope to her collection. Simmons insists she is a “total animal lover” but she appreciates taxidermy as a “weird art form” and decided to try her hand at stuffing critters. Known for her holiday displays, she decided to add rats to her Christmas dioramas. Laughed at when she sought instruction on rat taxidermy, she purchased a DVD on how to work on squirrels. The rest is stuffed-rat history. If you see Simmons around the neighborhood, ask her about the taxidermied rat Christmas play she’s working on. And if anyone can tell her where to find a nutria

Another customer, according to Jason, collects “crackly, crusty dollheads and makes unusual creations out of them.” And then there’s the fellow who buys up quack medical devices to use as props in his staged photos, many depicting crime scenes. The Cohens say that lately, quite a number of customers have come in search of human skulls and pickled fetuses. Chances are, the unknown poet would agree: Strange things, indeed.

City View Antique Mall

SAVE THE DATE! Our Annual Fall Flea Market on the Backlot is scheduled, rain or shine, October 25th, 9-5. Fall Storewide Sale starts Wed.10/22 thru Sun. 10/26. Vintage Holiday items arriving daily! 6830 Walling Lane (Skillman/Abrams) 214.752.3071 cityviewantiques.homestead.com

The Store In Lake Highlands

Candles, Candles, Candles! Wonderful fall fragrances to choose from in many styles and colors... all made with the finest ingredients. 10233 E NW Hwy @ Ferndale (near Albertsons) 214.553.8850 Mon-Sat 9:30-5:30 TheStoreinLH.com

T.HEE GREETINGS

The best selection of Vintage inspired Halloween and Fall decorations. 9661 Audelia @ Walnut Hill, Lake Highlands 214.747.5800 t-heegifts.com

Yoga Mart

Beautiful batik wrap skirts from India in many terrific colors. Great to throw on over your yoga clothes on your way to dinner. 6039 Oram (at Skillman) 214.534.4469 yogamartusa.com

Patti Vinson is a guest writer who has lived in East Dallas for 15 years. She’s written for the Advocate and Real Simple magazine, and has taught college writing. She is a frequent flier at Lakewood branch library and enjoys haunting neighborhood estate sales with husband Jonathan and children, Claire (13) and Will (10). The family often can be found hanging out at White Rock Lake Dog Park with Dexter, a probable JackWeenie.

Advocate Goods

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Anglican

ALL SAINTS DALLAS / 2733 Oak Lawn / 972.755.3505

Radical Inclusivity, Profound Transformation. Come and See!

9:00 & 11:00 am Sunday Services. www.allsaintschurchdallas.org

Baptist

LAKESIDE BAPTIST / 9150 Garland Rd / 214.324.1425

Worship — 8:30 am Classic & 11:00 am Contemporary

Pastor Jeff Donnell / www.lbcdallas.com

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org

All services & Bible Study 9:15 & 10:45. Trad. & Blended (Sanctuary),

Contemporary (Great Hall), Amigos de Dios (Gym) / 214.860.1500

PRESTONWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH / “A Church to Call Home”

Sundays: Bible Fellowship (all ages) 9:15 am /Service Time 11:00 am

12123 Hillcrest Road / 972.820.5000 / prestonwood.org

WILSHIRE BAPTIST / 4316 Abrams / 214.452.3100

Pastor George A. Mason Ph.D. / Worship 8:30 & 11:00am

Bible Study 9:40 am / www.wilshirebc.org

Disciples Of Christ

EAST DALLAS CHRISTIAN CHURCH / 629 N. Peak Street / 214.824.8185

Sunday School 9:30 am / THE TABLE Worship 9:30 am

Worship 8:30 & 10:50 am / Rev. Deborah Morgan-Stokes / edcc.org

Episcopal

ST. MATTHEW’S CATHEDRAL / 5100 Ross Ave.

Sunday Traditional: 8:00 & 10:30 am / Adult Education 9:30 am

Servicio en español 12:30 pm / 214.823.8134 / episcopalcathedral.org

Lutheran

CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH, ELCA / 1000 Easton Road

Sunday School for all ages 9:00 am / Worship Service 10:30 am

Pastor Rich Pounds / CentralLutheran.org / 214.327.2222

FIRST UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH / 6202 E Mockingbird Lane

Sunday Worship Service 10:30 am / Call for class schedule. 214.821.5929 / www.dallaslutheran.org

Methodist

LAKE HIGHLANDS UMC / 9015 Plano Rd. / 214.348.6600 / lhumc.com

Sunday Morning: 9:30 am Sunday School / 10:30 am Coffee

Worship: 8:30 am & 10:50 am Traditional / 10:50 am Contemporary

MUNGER PLACE CHURCH / Expect Great Things.

Worship Sundays, 9:30 and 11:00 am / 5200 Bryan Street

214.823.9929 / www.mungerplacechurch.org

RIDGEWOOD PARK UMC / 6445 E. Lovers Lane / 214.369.9259

Sunday Worship: 9:30 am Traditional and 11:35 am Contemporary

Sunday School: 10:30 am / Rev. Ann Willet / ridgewoodparkchurch.org

WHITE ROCK UNITED METHODIST / www.wrumc.org

1450 Oldgate Lane / 214.324.3661

Sunday Worship 10:50 am / Rev. George Fisk

Presbyterian

NORTHRIDGE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH / 6920 Bob-O-Link Dr.

214.827.5521 / www.northridgepc.org / Welcomes you to Worship

8:30 & 11:00 am / Church School 9:35 am / Childcare provided.

ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN / Skillman & Monticello

Rev. Rob Leischner. / www.standrewsdallas.org

214.821.9989 / Sunday School 9:30 am, Worship 10:45 am

Unity

UNITY OF DALLAS / A Positive Path For Spiritual Living

6525 Forest Lane, Dallas, TX 75230 / 972.233.7106 / UnityDallas.org

Sunday services: 9:00 am & 11:00 am

UNITY ON GREENVILLE / Your soul is welcome here!

3425 Greenville Ave. / 214.826.5683 / www.dallasunity.org

Sunday Service 11:00 am and Book Study 9:30 am