Lizzie Borden Society Forum

I love gazing balls. I just bought one myself. I had read that they were in vogue during the Victorian era. Anyone have any info on their origins and use back then?

I love them too! When I was a girl walking to school in the morning, I would pass by a house that had a blue gazing ball in the yard. I was always intrigued by it.

I found out this:

A recently revitalized trend in garden art is gazing balls. A gazing ball enables you to add color to your garden along with a touch of whimsy. The first gazing balls were used during the Victorian Era. During that time, they were always silver and provided a panoramic view of the garden. Others believe that the gazing ball was designed to keep evil spirits out of the garden. When a spirit saw its reflection in the gazing ball, it would be scared away. Nowadays, gazing balls are used primarily for ornamentation and are available in a vast array of colors.


And this:

Its history, as colorful as the ball itself, had its roots in the 13th century when it was made in Venice, Italy by skilled craftsmen. It was hand-blown then just as it is still done today. Antonio Nier, a fifteenth century priest, called it a Sphere of Light and, as time passed, the colorful ball became a permanent fixture in the European garden and home. King Ludwig II, King of Bavaria during the 1800’s, adorned his palace, a replica of Versailles, with the globe.

Legends formed about the mysterious powers of the ball. A globe was said to bring happiness, good luck and prosperity to those who owned it. The globe was known to ward off evil spirits, misfortune, illness and, of all things, witches!

The ball is purposed to keep witches away but the methods vary from story to story. Some say the ball should be placed near the entrance to the house so that if a witch came to your house she would not be able to get past her reflection as she cannot tear herself away from her own image. There are other accounts that say a witch cannot bear to see her own reflection so she will not come near a "witch’s ball". A witch cannot sneak up on a person gazing into a globe as he can see if a witch approaches from behind. The smaller ball made of colored glass as opposed to the reflective kind was believed to attract and trap evil spirits.

The gazing globe had practical purposes in a southern antebellum garden. Placed strategically by the path from the front gate, southerners could see from the veranda who was calling before the caller could see them, allowing plenty of time to prepare refreshments for their guest or to hide — whichever was fitting. In Victorian times, the "Butler Ball" served as a mirror for servants to see when guests were needing assistance without staring at them throughout the meal. Another practical use was in the foyer of the home. Parents could keep a close eye on their daughter and her date as he bid her goodnight.



From this site:
http://www.ponddoc.com/WhatsUpDoc/YardA ... globe.html

Wow! Thank you, Susan! If I'd have known all that earlier, I'd have gotten a silver one. Mine is teal. It's pretty to see the clouds in it. I think I'm gonna move it because mostly I can just see my house in it. Very interesting stuff!

You're welcome, Augusta, they really are cool! I wonder if Lizzie ever had one at Maplecroft in her gardens?

I have a 'witches' ball' hanging in a window. It's blown glass, not reflective, and has a tiny hole in the top. The idea is the 'evil spirits' will be attracted by the ball, go in through the hole and be trapped.
By the way, I bought it in Massachusetts.

I saw a large clear red one once, and it intrigued me. The balls were very popular in the 1950's, as well. I want one in pale pink. The color of an X Mas tree ball. Still looking.

I have never seen a pink one. I have 2 silver ones in my moon garden and a pale green one in the hosta bed.

They sound pretty, Shelly. I may have to settle for a miniature pink one made from an old tree ball. That, and some 1950's dime store oriental painted glass wind chimes, and I would be all set.

I love gazing balls and witches balls. I have a clear glass witches ball and the glass threads inside the ball reflect the sunlight and look a little like a spiders web.There is a fun kids book called Jane-Emily by Patricia Clapp, it is about a haunted gazing ball in a victorian garden. I know it's for kids but I still enjoy reading it.

As a kid, I remember seeing houses with gazing balls. I was always impressed with them. Many of the homes were brick ranchers with gazing balls and white wrought iron furniture.

I didn't know that they were used during Victorian times...interesting!

I used to wonder why the wind never blew them from the cement pedestal, and I took a look. They were tapered toward the bottom. The whole thing was like an ice cream cone. Another reason to like them.

stargazer--I haven't seen pale pink but I've seen magenta and mauve at Amazon.com under Patios, Lawns & Gardens. The magenta looked very pretty in the pix.

I decided to start some Christmas shopping and buy Gazing Balls for a couple of friends. I found a very good site called www.krupps.com They have stainless steel gazing balls in a lot of different colors and sizes. One of the colors is mauve and it looks like a light pink. Lots of nice garden things at that site.

xyjw, your URL will not work because there is a period after the .com

Remove that and it works fine.

Not to be confused with gazing balls- I went into one of those New Age Herb places a few years ago and was sold a Witch Ball which you put in your window to keep away negative spirits and baaaad witches. I also learned Mountain Ash (Rowan) berries are supposed to be hung on your front door to keep bad witches away (as opposed to Good Witches I guess). So I have a silvered witch ball- these are a lot smaller than a gazing ball silvered witch balls act as convex mirrors, warding off evil by reflecting it away. I was surprised to see so much about them on the Internet.
Er. . .I also have a crystal ball from my days as a parlor fortune teller (done purely for amusement I assure you) so I guess I have all sides covered. http://www.witchball.net/

Thanks Harry! Hope you liked the Krupps site.

Magenta! That sounds beautiful.

Mine didn't have any tapering at the bottom. I'm sickened to say it blew away in a storm and busted. Haven't replaced it yet. At least now I know about tapered ones. Thanks!

I have always liked gazing balls, but I have never bought one. Now I know a little bit about their history, I am more apt to buy one.
By the way Shelley, I didn't know you had been a parlor fortune teller. Also, you forgot to add Rosemary by the door to the list of things that will ward off evil. I don't have a clue if that works or not, I saw it in the movie Practical Magic.