5 Real-Life Cursed Objects You Don’t Want to Own
Not every haunting is tied to a house. Some spirits cling to things - objects soaked in grief, rage, or mystery. These five real-life cursed items have been blamed for fires, deaths, and terrifying visions… and in some cases, they’ve disappeared entirely. Whether you believe in curses or not, one thing’s for sure: no one wants to bring these home.
The Basano Vase
Status: Missing
Origin: Italy, 15th Century (allegedly)
The Basano Vase is one of those legends where even the existence of the object feels like warning. Said to have been crafted for a young Italian bride in the 1400s, the woman allegedly died on her wedding night - clutching the silver vase. From then on, every person who owned it is rumoured to have died under mysterious or sudden circumstances. Over the centuries, it passed through collectors, some even trying to rid themselves of it - but the deaths continued. Eventually, it was reportedly sealed in a box with a note: “Beware… this vase brings death.” The story goes that it was last buried in an undisclosed location to prevent further harm. No one knows where it is now. Maybe that’s for the best.
The Crying Boy Painting
Status: Mass-produced
Origin: 1980s, UK
On the surface, it’s just a sad-looking child painted by Italian artist Giovanni Bragolin. But in the UK during the 1980s, this seemingly harmless artwork gained a reputation for surviving house fires - untouched and unburnt - while everything else was destroyed. British tabloids ran with the story, linking dozens of fires to homes that had this painting hanging on the wall. Some firefighters even claimed they refused to go near houses with “The Crying Boy” inside. Despite being widely debunked by sceptics, the sheer number of coincidental cases was enough to spark a national panic. Some even held public burnings of the prints.
Today, they still turn up in charity shops - but would you take one home?
Bela Lugosi’s Mirror
Status: On display (Haunted Museum, Las Vegas)
Origin: 20th Century, USA
This antique mirror was allegedly owned by Bela Lugosi, the actor famed for playing Dracula in the 1930s. According to lore, Lugosi used it for spiritual rituals or possibly just as part of his famously eccentric lifestyle. But the mirror’s truly dark reputation came later.
It was discovered in a house where a brutal murder had occurred - a home where Lugosi once stayed. Witnesses claim the mirror showed disturbing visions and reflections that weren’t there and that people who looked into it experienced nausea, headaches, or even violet impulses. Now housed at Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum, visitors have fainted, cried, or refused to enter the room altogether. Whether cursed by tragedy or just an object that absorbed something dark, it’s a mirror many prefer to leave covered.
Ötzi the Iceman
Status: On display (South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Italy)
Origin: 3300 BCE
Ötzi is one of the oldest naturally preserved mummies ever discovered - found in the Ötztal Alps in 1991. He lived over 5,000 years ago, and his remains have helped scientists learn about Copper Age life. But alongside the fascination came a growing list of people who met untimely deaths after working on or with his body.
A mountaineer who discovered Ötzi died in an avalanche. A forensic pathologist was killed in a car crash en route to lecture on the mummy. A tour guide who worked closely with the exhibit died of a brain tumour. In total, at least seven people linked to Ötzi have died under what some call suspicious or sudden circumstances.
While researchers deny an actual “curse”, the legend continues to grow - especially since the last man to work with the body joked about the cursed right before his accident.
Anna Baker’s Wedding Dress
Status: On display (Blair County Historical Society, Pennsylvania)
Origin: 1800s, USA
Anna Baker was a young woman from a wealthy family who fell in love with a lower-class ironworker. When she planned to marry him, her father forbade the union and sent the man away. Heartbroken, Anna remained single for life - and kept the beautiful wedding dress she’d chosen locked away.
After her death, the dress was donated to the local museum…and that’s when things got weird.
Visitors and staff began noticing the dress swaying and shifting - even though it was kept in a sealed case. Some claimed it rocked gently as if being worn. Others reported cold spots or the sensation of being watched. Paranormal investigators have attempted to capture the dress in motion, but the results are inconclusive.
To this day, some say Anna’s spirit is still waiting for the wedding she was denied.
Final Thoughts
Cursed objects tap into one of the oldest human fears: that something ordinary can carry a trace of the extraordinary. Whether the stories are superstition, coincidence, or something else entirely - these items remind us that some things are better left alone.
So… which one creeped you out the most? 👀 Let me know in the comments.
Beth 🖤