REST IN PIECES; MACABRE ADVENTURES OF A CURIOSITIES COLLECTOR | Oddity Shopkeeper | Justin Torone

Justin Torone is a curiosities collector & the co-owner of Rest In Pieces oddity shop in Richmond, Virginia. After a reading about the historical significance of cabinets of curiosity, Justin begins with lore from the cemetery across the street for his shop.  Then we get deep into methods for preserving animal bones: dermestid beetles; articulation; degreasing, maceration, boiling, & later, wet specimens. We find out who the shop's audience is and how they acquire their vintage taxidermy & specimens. From there we leave the animal kingdom & turn to the human as Justin describes the most audacious highlights from his collection: folk art mourning mummies; an "overmodelled" skull; & a medically bisected fetus. All of which begs the question of legality, further illustrated by a university's illegal skeleton auction & a much more nefarious oddities black market. To bring this macabre feast to an end, Justin tells the story of how be become acquainted with a paranormal con-woman who asked him to jeopardize his morals. 

Check out Rest in Pieces oddity shop and their great Instagram account.

Reading excerpt from Cabinet of Curiosities: Collecting and Understanding the Wonders of the Natural World by Gordon Grice.

Music provided by Windhand

"Three Sisters"
Written by Windhand
Performed by Windhand

"Boleskin"
Written by Windhand
Performed by Windhand

"Aition"
Written by Windhand
Performed by Windhand


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