They’re all fake. Fun, but fake.
A vampire hunting kit is a collection of objects, typically housed in wooden box, that would have been used to defend against or kill vampires. They contain many of the defense methods from folklore: holy water, a crucifix, a rosary, wooden stakes, garlic, etc. Vampire kits are frequently said to come from 18th or 19th century Europe and are described as antique collectors items. They’re impressive works of art but as vampire hunting kits they are all fake – all of them.
Fun but fake
There is no evidence these kits existed earlier than the second half of the 20th century. While objects in the kits may be centuries old (an old prayer book, an old crucifix, maybe the box itself), the kits as a whole are recently assembled creations.
The proliferation of vampire movies during the 20th century has certainly led to the creation of these kits. Jonathan Ferguson is the most commonly cited source for research into these kits. Ferguson points to Hammer Films vampire movies (such as 1973’s The Satanic Rites of Dracula) and especially the 1985 movie Fright Night as influences on vampire hunting kit creation.
Antique-ish
These kits are innocent fun until someone thinks they are buying an actual antique vampire hunting kit. Auction houses and retailers tend to be very cautious on how they described these kit, walking a fine line between trying to sell a kit but also not stating the kits are authentic.
In 2022 Hansons Auctioneers sold a “mysterious vampire-slaying kit” for £13,000. In 2023 Material Culture had numerous vampire hunting kits & tools for sale at auction, with an “Antique British (London) Vampire Slayer Kit” selling for $2,500.
The Mercer Museum in Pennsylvania had a kit donated to them in the 1980s. Among other things it contains silver bullets (which turns out are actually pewter), a concept more associated with werewolves than vampires. The inclusion of silver bullets (and a gun for that matter) in a vampire hunting kit seems odd but makes sense when you realize silver bullets appear in the vampire movie Satanic Rites of Dracula. It’s a detail that points to the recent creation of the kit, debunking any idea that it’s a centuries old antique.
The Vampa Museum, also in Pennsylvania, has a large collection of vampire hunting kits. Their “The Art of the Kill” exhibit features dozens of kits with hundreds of vampire killing items. The museum carefully talks about belief, tradition, and art but avoids explicitly claiming these are real kits created by people thinking they were fighting against vampires.
Low Steaks/Stakes
Ultimately the lack of authenticity shouldn’t detract from the fun. If you go into buying a kit with the knowledge that you aren’t buying a real vampire hunting kit then have fun. Maybe instead of paying for a kit you build your own. You can have fun creating a kit while potentially protecting yourself from the powers of darkness.
