Disturbing Online Auctions

Have you ever seen a disturbing auction on Ebay or similar on line auction site? DisturbingAuctions.com has an impressive collection of the world's most disturbing auctions ever.

With categories with titles like "Emotionally Scarring Toys" and "Terrifying Dolls", the site features some truly strange and amusing auction items.

The site's description reads: "This site is dedicated to the research and study of the most bizarre items found for sale on Internet auction sites. Not the obviously fake auctions, like the infamous human kidney, but truly tacky stuff that people really, honestly, believed that someone would (and in some cases did) buy."

The items listed are not for sale through the site but were actual auction items on sites like Ebay. Often, the bid results for each item are included in the item's listing.

There are some items that truly are disturbing, like the Beer Can Doll and the Wax Half Doll. The Beer Can Doll truly becomes disturbing when one looks at the second picture. The Wax Half Doll is a strange, asexual torso and head with loosely attached arms and the oddest doll face ever seen.

But some of the auction items are downright interesting and could be useful for educational purposes. Take, for instance, the 1962 book "A Complete Guide to Funeral Service Management" by Wilbur M. Krieger. I would like a look at that just for curiosity's sake.

Some items are impressive examples of creative genius. Take, for example, the Saddam Hussein voo-doo doll. Back in 1999, some enterprising doll maker came up with the idea of creating little clothe dolls representing Saddam that people could buy and apparently cast spells over. There is no information on whether this particular doll sold.

Some of the dolls listed under "Terrifying Dolls" are pretty, such as the Cracked Dolls. And maybe it's just because my biological clock is ticking, but the Preemie Baby Doll made me want to pick it up and rock it to sleep.

The site also lists items that are actually nice examples of folk art, like the UPS Driver Sculpture. This is a dried-apple head doll dressed, for some reason, like a UPS driver. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve dried-apple head dolls, so I didn't find this item disturbing in the least.

Dolls and toys are a large chunk of what the site has to offer, but they are not the only types of items listed. There are home furnishings, clothing and accessories and even some canned pork chops.

If you are looking for an amusing way to pass the time while you're supposed to be working, have a look at DisturbedAuctions.com. I can't guarantee you that you will be disturbed, but I am fairly certain that you won't be bored.