Visitors to New Orleans think the city is awash with voodoo shops, and, indeed, there are voodoo shops on just about every block of the French Quarter, sometimes one is next to another. Outside the tourist zones, there is still voodoo, but it has a different flavor. There are no novelty items.
Outside the French Quarter, voodoo is serious business, and not just in the financial sense. Used unwisely, you can put somebody's eye out.
With F&F Candle closed under mysterious conditions, other voodoo shops have slowly popped up. There is one located in a house close to where I live. I walk the dog past it a few times a week. The dog always crosses the street as we approach.
The coffin spell sold by this particular provider costs $25.00. This is a reasonable price.
The spell neutralizes bitter enemies like Alka-Seltzer does an ulcer.
First you stuff a doll with moss. If you can, collect some of your victim's hair or nail clippings. Barbers and manicurists are easy to bribe in New Orleans. Everyone here will do anything for a buck.
The spell kit comes with three black candles. This is all I can tell you. The rest is sworn to secrecy.
I was in the archives at the Historic New Orleans Collection, studying ephemera while wearing white gloves, when I came upon a 1938 price list for voodoo charms:
Love Powder, White and Pink.......25 cents.
Cinnamon Powder.........25 cents.
War Powder.........50 cents.
Delight Powder.......50 cents.
Gamblers' Luck........75 cents.
Dice Special.....$1.00.
Devil Oil.....50 cents.
Come to Me Powder.....$1.00.
Controlling Oil.....$1.00.
Mexican Luck.....50 cents.
Coffin Spell Kit.....$1.25.
I love the stuff at THNOC!