In the late 19th century, Madame Delph1ne Veyr@ult (1843–1901) was a French-born spiritualist and medium who toured London, Bath, and Edinburgh, performing private séances for the wealthy. Her contemporaries described her as “a woman whose silence filled a room.”

Her most infamous instrument was a small black wooden casket she called her ‘fetching’ box. Delph1ne claimed it could “bring back the tokens of the departed” — a coin, a letter, a keepsake — anything that held a “trace of memory…”

She used it only when the atmosphere was right — after midnight, by candlelight, and only when she heard “the whispering beneath the wood.”

After her death, her effects were purchased by an occult scholar, Dr. The0dore H0lt, who tried to classify her methods scientifically. Among her papers, he found fragments of correspondence — letters with words circled in trembling ink. He noted in his diary that “those who read the circled words aloud complained of visions or fainting spells.”

H0lt’s notes end abruptly. The box was sealed in a locked trunk until it was discovered decades later, still with its faint scent of myrrh and soot. No one has dared “fetch” from it since. Until now.

Occultus – what is it?

Occultus, meaning ‘hidden’ or ‘secret’, is a fetch1ng box – a device that would have been used by spiritualist mediums for communicating with the deceased. It contains several items – tokens left behind, each bears the trace of a different soul; together they answer the box like hounds to a whistle.

A single DA supercoil is embedded into the box lid. It will make any of the gaffed tokens jump or move, and are under your control at all times.

The box is fully examinable, there’s nothing to find. We believe this is the most deceptive coil box available anywhere.

Effect

Using the backstory described above, or one of your own, the performer re-enacts Madame Veyr@ult’s “fetch1ng” ritual.

The performer introduces the casket that once belonged to Madame Delph1ne Veyr@ult – the only medium who claimed her spirits could bring tokens from the other side. The performer opens the box and show a few aged papers together with five relics. The performer mentions that these are the final exchanges between her and her spirits.

The performer introduces each of the relics:

• The Mourner’s Coin – an old English penny wrapped in parchment with a wax seal
• A carved stone head of unknown origin
• An old tarot card – the hanged man, found in the box underneath all the papers
• Bone fragment  – perhaps animal bone or something else
• A small glass lachrymatory bottle or ‘tear catcher’

The papers are placed back inside the box a relic or token is chosen by a spectator and each is tested to see which the spirit wishes to fetch. The selected one is fetched. Reopen the box to show the letters inside once more. Among them is one you haven’t shown yet. Unfold it. The page has few, faintly circled words to which the performer exclaims “Delph1ne said her spirits fetched what we deserved, not what we asked for. If you dream of her tonight… do not open your eyes.”

This is the basis of one of many routines that can be performed with Occultus. Choose one or create your own.

Details, details…

The box is controlled using a hidden remote, when activated the coil in the lid will cause gaffed objects to slide or flip on the surface. The remote comes with an easily concealed magnetic switch.

The box is wonderfully deceptive and aged with a beautiful patina and period correct fittings reminiscent of the Victorian era. Painted and then ebonised with a dirty felt lining, and with its manufacturer’s label written in French beneath the lid, it looks totally authentic

Occultus uses only 4 x AAA or rechargeable batteries.

Each of the five relics or tokens have been meticulously crafted and gaffed and are little works of art in their own right.

What’s included:

The kit includes the following:

• Occultus – fetching box
• The mourner’s coin (old English penny)
• Carved stone head
• Vintage tarot card
• Bone fragment
• Small glass lachrymatory bottle
• Correspondence papers (in French)
• Performance manual with backstory and routine ideas

Availability, backorders & shipping information

If an item is not showing any stock it may still be available for backorder. If this product is available for backorder, please allow 4 weeks from the date you place your order for the product to be shipped.