In the old days, when Prince Ivan needed a magical gizmo to defeat an ogre or a giant, he went over the bridge and through the woods to visit Baba Yaga, a witch whose house danced a slow mazurka on three chicken legs.
These days, Prince Ivan can spare himself the hike. He can go online and order a potion or a hand-made magical candle from such companies as Witch and Famous, http://www.witchandfamous.com.
Matthew Sawicki founded the "occultique" less than a year ago. Right now he offers custom-blended oils and incense as well as hand-carved spell candles. Orders are based on the spell or result the customer wishes to achieve: love or luck; money or success; healing or protection.
A hand-carved candle with a customized spell costs $30, plus $5 for shipping and handling. To order, a customer not only has to select the sort of spell he or she wants, but include relevant information in formulating and casting the spell.
The example Sawicki provides on his Web site runs: "I am ordering the "Catch a New Love Candle", for myself and I am a Scorpio. Please also include the Second Seal of Venus and the First Seal of the Sun."
The candles are created by Lady Rhea of the New York Coven of Witches, whose book, The Enchanted Candle: Crafting and Casting Magickal Light, includes illustrations by Sawicki, credited as Lord Apollo, his Wiccan name.
Orders can take up to six weeks to fill. In addition to the usual caveats, Witch and Famous includes that it "sells all products as curios only! We are not responsible for your outcomes or the effectiveness of our products! Magick likes in you – we merely provide the tools!"
The purpose of the candles and other occult objects is to focus the petitioner's or practitioner's mind, keep it in a proper space. "They have no value of their own," Sawicki said about the products he sells. "All magick is in your head."
He also plans to expand his product line. Sawicki is currently introducing bath salts, but hopes to add a variety of magickal tools and apothecary products as well.
In fact, he trained as an apothecary at Enchantments, a bricks-and-mortar storefront in New York City dedicated to the magickal arts, books and supplies. Sawicki thinks of Witch and Famous as replacing the traditional apothecary. He explains that the mass- market book retailers have undercut the old neighborhood occult bookshop and the scented candles and incense one can pick up in any mall has bastardized the craft.
Most customers find out about Witch and Famous by word of mouth through the tightly-knit pagan community. Both Sawicki and his Web site have links or mentions on such sites as Magickal Realms, run by Lady Rhea, and another run by Lexa Rosean, one of Lady Rhea's initiates.
An article in HX, a free bar magazine distributed to New York's gay community, gave him "great exposure." As Sawicki points out, "In many ancient cultures, the most honored and respected magical people were the gays ones."
Although he had to forgo any special promotions for the Winter Solstice, a pagan celebration many historians believe was appropriated by the early Christians, this year, he does plan to have promotions relating to the pagan calendar in the future. He also plans to advertise in various craft and occult publications as well as AzureGreen, an occult nexus on the Web.
Witch and Famous was already paying for itself after only a couple of months in operation, he said, but did not provide any further information about the size of his customer base or what they ordered. He does, however, keep in touch with his customers by e-mail, from order confirmations to special offers.
"Magick is in everything, if you look for it," Sawicki said.
