• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to footer

Icy Sedgwick

Folklore & Fantasy Fiction

  • About
  • Books
  • Folklore Blog
  • Podcast
  • Free Book
  • Portfolio
    • Public Speaking
  • Non Fiction
  • The Magic & Mayhem Series
  • Short Story Collections
  • The Grey O’Donnell Series

occult

Is spirit photography even possible or is it just fraud?

October 3, 2019 by Icy Sedgwick 5 Comments

Spirit photography was a huge craze in the 19th century. But is there any possibility it might yield real results, or is it all just one giant con?

We live in an age in which we’re used to edited imagery and special effects. But such visual trickery predates Photoshop and other software by a good century and a half. The field of spirit photography relied on a mixture of belief, photographic gimmicks, and new technology to ‘capture’ the dead. Is it really all […]

Share this article:

  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading…

Filed Under: Occult Tagged With: death, ghosts, halloween, occult, spirit photography, spiritualism, spooky, supernatural, the gothic

What is alchemy and did it ever work?

August 24, 2019 by Icy Sedgwick 3 Comments

Many think alchemy was the process of turning lead into gold. Was there more to it than that, and did it ever work? Find out in this article.

Mention alchemy to most people and they’ll either think of the philosopher’s stone. Or they’ll think about turning lead into gold. Alchemy was actually a worldview, according to the oldest texts written in Greek. They came to Europe via the Middle East after being translated into Arabic. Robert Allen Bartlett makes the claim that alchemy […]

Share this article:

  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading…

Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, alchemy, folklore, occult

The Brazen Head: Medieval Prophecy Machine or Tall Tale?

August 17, 2019 by Icy Sedgwick 1 Comment

The brazen head is a legendary automaton capable of answering any question you ask of it. Was it a real fortune telling machine, or a tall medieval tale?

Over here in the Fabulous Folklore Family, we’re no strangers to severed heads. And we’re old friends with those that make prophecies, like that of Bran the Blessed. Or Orpheus, whose head washed up on the island of Lesbos. But as it’s Magical Month, we’re going to delve into the mysteries of the Brazen Head. […]

Share this article:

  • Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon
  • Share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Print (Opens in new window) Print
  • Share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp
  • Share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram
  • Share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit

Like this:

Like Loading…

Filed Under: Folklore Tagged With: #FolkloreThursday, magic, occult

Footer

Connect with Me!


Icons by Icon8.

Folklore Podcast

Get your fabulous folklore fix on your favourite podcast app! Find it here or subscribe on these platforms (or your app of choice)!


goodpods top 100 history podcasts


Goodpods Top 100 History Podcasts


Listen now to Fabulous Folklore with Icy podcast

Declaration

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

My Gift to You

Policies

I do not use AI in any of my workflows. I conduct research myself using books, journals, and other sources, which are always indicated in each article, and I write and edit my articles. I also record and edit my podcast episodes myself.

Read my Privacy Policy

Or check out my Cookie Policy

Categories

Show Your Support


Who is Icy Sedgwick?

icy sedgwick

Icy is a folklore blogger and host of the Fabulous Folklore podcast. She is based in the north east of England, where she was born and raised amid the folk tales and legends of Tyneside and Northumberland. Icy is fascinated by history, cinema, art, and the occult, and griffins will always be her favourite mythical beast. She also writes dark fantasy novellas, Gothic short stories and the occasional weird Western, and she holds a PhD in Film Studies!

Copyright © 2026 · Author Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

%d