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The Magpie & the Wardrobe: A Curiosity of Folklore, Magic & Spells
The Magpie and the Wardrobe: A Curiosity of Folklore, Magic and Spells, is a lovingly curated compendium of time-honoured traditions and curious customs that have bewitched us for generations.
Discover simple magic, heirloom recipes and forgotten fairytales in this eclectic treasury. The twelve chapters, representative of the seasons, present the celebrations, superstitions and folklore that shape our year. From cherished traditions like Valentine’s Day to the lost excitement of May Day, The Magpie and the Wardrobe reveals a calendar bursting with history, imagination and curious facts. Take a closer look at your favourite homespun rituals and the magic we conjure every day; make a candle wish, mix a moon oil elixir, and hang your romantic hopes on the predictions of an apple peel. Illustrated by a unique collection of ephemera and embellished with trinkets and charms, this sumptuous volume will appeal to the creative and curious.
Discover simple magic, heirloom recipes and forgotten fairytales in this eclectic treasury. The twelve chapters, representative of the seasons, present the celebrations, superstitions and folklore that shape our year. From cherished traditions like Valentine’s Day to the lost excitement of May Day, The Magpie and the Wardrobe reveals a calendar bursting with history, imagination and curious facts. Take a closer look at your favourite homespun rituals and the magic we conjure every day; make a candle wish, mix a moon oil elixir, and hang your romantic hopes on the predictions of an apple peel. Illustrated by a unique collection of ephemera and embellished with trinkets and charms, this sumptuous volume will appeal to the creative and curious.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published October 15, 2015
9 people are currently reading
450 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 14, 2021
I have read this book month by month during 2021 and it has been an absolute pleasure. Beautifully presented with photos of little vintage treasures, the book looks at the folklore and magic of each month. Absolutely stunning! A new tradition I will be starting this book again in January 2022!
July 11, 2018
Recommended by Grace, Emerson R. Miller Library, Five Stars, July 2018
Grace's Review:
This utterly charming and beautifully created book by artist Sam Mckechnie goes on a month by month tour of a year in folklore, superstitions, traditions, and lore. Each page of the book is actually a photographed flat lay of antique and mysterious objects, antiqued papers, books, old keys, etc. The presentation of the book invites you to take your time reading it. I could definitely see it being prolonged over the course of a year, but as it is, I definitely had to slow down to read it and enjoy it fully over the course of the month I had it checked out from the library.
To anyone interested in quirky folk traditions and superstitions around the world, or to anyone who just loves a beautifully photographed and presented book with antique objects, I highly recommend The Magpie & the Wardrobe.
Grace's Review:
This utterly charming and beautifully created book by artist Sam Mckechnie goes on a month by month tour of a year in folklore, superstitions, traditions, and lore. Each page of the book is actually a photographed flat lay of antique and mysterious objects, antiqued papers, books, old keys, etc. The presentation of the book invites you to take your time reading it. I could definitely see it being prolonged over the course of a year, but as it is, I definitely had to slow down to read it and enjoy it fully over the course of the month I had it checked out from the library.
To anyone interested in quirky folk traditions and superstitions around the world, or to anyone who just loves a beautifully photographed and presented book with antique objects, I highly recommend The Magpie & the Wardrobe.
December 15, 2020
Received this book as a first reads giveaway from Goodreads. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.
Overall Rating: 4*
Illustrations: 5*
Unknown Facts: 3*
Historical Content: 3*
Layout: 4*
Wow, first impressions are this looks amazing!! After reading only the first 2 chapters, I'd discovered historical facts, recipes, poems and fairy tales I remembered from my childhood. Impressed so much, it's beautiful and would make a wonderful quirky gift.
Overall Rating: 4*
Illustrations: 5*
Unknown Facts: 3*
Historical Content: 3*
Layout: 4*
Wow, first impressions are this looks amazing!! After reading only the first 2 chapters, I'd discovered historical facts, recipes, poems and fairy tales I remembered from my childhood. Impressed so much, it's beautiful and would make a wonderful quirky gift.
November 26, 2015
This isn't a book to borrow, it's a book to keep going back to, to explore and enjoy.
Beautifully illustrated and full of fascinating and often obscure facts some of which took me right back to my childhood. The whole book is arranged to carry the reader through the year listing special events and seasonal information.
Beautifully illustrated and full of fascinating and often obscure facts some of which took me right back to my childhood. The whole book is arranged to carry the reader through the year listing special events and seasonal information.
April 13, 2016
After hearing such good things about this book I think I may have set my expectations way too high, either that or I'm just a grumpy old ogre. Yes the book is pretty, yet it has lots of pretty things to look and bits of information throughout it but I was left with a sense of feeling there was something missing. It was like looking into a class scrapbook project, it was just too impersonal.
September 8, 2017
This delightfully artistic and beautifully crafted book was sent to me by Goodreads for review. It was somewhat reminiscent of an Olde Curiosity Shoppe, being a month-by-month charming compendium of folklore, tales, traditions, and curious customs, spiced with occasional recipes and things to craft. I particularly liked reading about how to make wax roses, floating walnut shell candles and simple lemon pomanders plus I am sure that my husband will appreciate me making the sea salt chocolate truffles. However, whilst the ephemera artwork was delightful, the coverage of the traditions was rather superficial. For example, although the book mentioned the Lewes Bonfire Societies, with which I am familiar having lived nearby, more information about these could have been included, thus making this book more substantial rather than just visually sumptuous. As it is, this is an eclectic book which would make a pleasant gift from a sceptic to a friend who is perhaps teetering on expressing either an interest in knowing more about old folklore or ‘New Age’ mysticism.
October 27, 2025
A visually enchanting book! You can feel the care and intention with which each image was posed, and I spent a good long while admiring textures and colours and trinkets.
This book contains a plethora of ideas which you can implement to romanticize every detail in your life - which, frankly, I personally could use a lot more of. This book inspired my own journal entry on what each month means to me symbolically, and it also inspired me to make a little appreciation altar that helps me focus on practicing gratitude on my day-to-day life.
This book was primarily centered around UK traditions and practices, which was anthropologically interesting, as there were many special days and traditions I'd never even heard of.
This book contains a plethora of ideas which you can implement to romanticize every detail in your life - which, frankly, I personally could use a lot more of. This book inspired my own journal entry on what each month means to me symbolically, and it also inspired me to make a little appreciation altar that helps me focus on practicing gratitude on my day-to-day life.
This book was primarily centered around UK traditions and practices, which was anthropologically interesting, as there were many special days and traditions I'd never even heard of.
March 20, 2020
This book is beautiful and tells the story of where a lot of fairy tales, nursery rhymes and superstitions came from. I learned a lot of things from it. The story of Spring Heeled Jack was especially illuminating. I looked it up on the internet for more information and it was very creepy. It also include spells and for each month a color. The colors have a collage of vintage items in that color and are just charming.
April 28, 2021
Compendium of myth, folklore, superstition & folk magic, with a bit of romance (the old-fashioned meaning) & whimsy thrown in for good measure. Arranged by month, each themed, with flat-lay photographs of trinkets, charms, amulets, ephemera & tchotchkes of all kinds. Fun to browse through, & worth taking your time over the pictures. But lovely as it is, a little on the lightweight side for anyone really into folklore, folk customs etc.
April 14, 2020
I hunted all over for this book and finally found it a few years ago. It’s full of interesting facts and history, explaining why we do the things that we do. It’s fun, quirky, different - whoever you are, you’re sure to find something you will relate to in this book. I keep it out so it’s at hand to flick though whenever I fancy a bit of an escape. Definitely a gem!
November 2, 2023
This book is unusual, stunning and packed full of magic & folklore. You won’t regret reading this! I have left mine out on the coffee table so I can re-read it month by month as it gives the traditions to you in this way. It’s so charming, I absolutely adore everything about it. You won’t regret buying/reading it if you love magic/folklore.
October 27, 2022
The is a beautifully designed book, with a cottagey/vintage photo aesthetic, and writing-wise bits and pieces of oddities, loosely categorised month by month. It inclues folklore, short fairy tales, unusual ceremonies, spells and recipes. A great gift or to keep and look at month by month.
April 12, 2018
What a cool and charming book—full of folklore and lovingly curated images, artifacts, etc.
July 12, 2018
Beautiful Book with interesting cuts of folklore and magick.
December 26, 2018
The most beautiful book I have ever laid hands on.
December 27, 2018
Beautiful and interesting book; I did not want to give it back to the library!
September 17, 2019
A beautiful book. It's inspired me to make my own junk journal on a similar theme. Whether I actually do is another matter.....
October 29, 2019
Basic, but so pretty it makes up for it
February 3, 2020
Amazingly beautiful book
September 13, 2020
Lovely images and layout, but not quite what I was expecting
April 8, 2024
Informative with some pretty pictures, but it was rather a disappointment. There was a Victorian feel about the book that didn't appeal to me. Victorian style, especially the drawings are not my taste. Nor do I care for palm readings, folklore, etc. Too "new agey" for me. I started to get annoyed.
June 10, 2024
Learnt a handful of interesting tidbits, beautifully designed.
December 20, 2024
Love this magical book!
March 6, 2016
This is a gorgeous book, beautifully artistically designed. I just wished there was a little more substance to it. There was very little I didn't already know, just from a childhood and growing up in the UK. e.g.. plum stone counting rhymes, magpie numbers, apple peel fortune telling etc although I admit I was always interested in this kind of thing and my family may have been more 'traditional' (aka superstitious) than others. Dictionary definitions just seemed like space filling and the few legends/stories included were actually quite confusingly written. There was also an obsession with glitter throughout!
Really stunning though, and good if you're a complete beginner at UK folklore and beliefs. So 5 for design and 3 for content.
Really stunning though, and good if you're a complete beginner at UK folklore and beliefs. So 5 for design and 3 for content.
January 29, 2016
Lovely book filled with fairy tales, history, and the small magic of ordinary things. I spent two lovely evenings reading through the book and being inspired. I have always been fascinated by folk tales and have a great love of the sort of junk store treasures that form the backdrop of each page.
August 12, 2016
I would give it more than five stars if I could. Such a wonderful and magical book. Lovely imagery and art work. Beautifully presented collection of folklore, fables and fairytales with a sprinkling of magic with a very positive vibe. Perfect book :)
May 19, 2016
Not unhappy I read it but nothing really stood out to me in it, it's a collection of ecclectic facts about months and seasonal activities.
One I'm happy I got from the library and didn't buy myself.
One I'm happy I got from the library and didn't buy myself.
June 9, 2016
Beautiful book, full of things that made me smile.
January 25, 2017
A very pretty, charming book. Collage and tidbits of folklore & other interesting info makes this a lovely read to skim through and admire. Beautiful production of this lengthy hardcover.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews