There are plenty of people who'd bury the sins of the past, but for those who believe Santayana ("those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”), Selkirk Auctioneers & Appraisers(555 Washington Avenue, Suite 129, 314-696-9041) has just the cache you've been waiting for.
The auction house has come into a trove of memorabilia from the St. Louis secret society known as the Veiled Prophet Organization. Founded in 1878 by an all-male coven of the town's most prominent citizens, the VP sought to be known for its elaborate balls and parades but is largely remembered as an all-white group that concealed itself in freaky KKK-style robes. (Yes, they still exist today, but they claim to be a force for good now.)
Well, we guess the previous owners didn’t want all of this creepy, old, racist memorabilia in their basement anymore because there is a very large collection for sale now and it includes a plethora of mementos. From Veiled Prophet-branded ashtrays, to awards to framed art and even a collection of VP Fair T-shirts, it’s all there and available.
Why would you want to own a bit of this particular section of history? We’re not sure, but like it or not, this stuff is part of St. Louis’ foundation. We all can’t just ignore this era and pretend like it didn’t exist, or we’d be just like those people who want to ban critical race theory.
There are plenty of people who'd bury the sins of the past, but for those who believe Santayana ("those who cannot remember the past are con
