Dragons and witches on the shelf

Dragons and witches have old stories behind them, and the shop shelf has its own small versions in resin, names and watchful faces. The pieces in this group are Nemesis Now, a British company based in Stoke-on-Trent.

Dragons in these islands

The red dragon of Wales has its oldest written reference around AD 820-829 in the Historia Brittonum. The tale of two dragons fighting beneath Vortigern's tower was told by Geoffrey of Monmouth in the 12th century.

The Welsh flag was officially adopted in 1959, and the dragon's origin is legend rather than settled history. St George was a Roman soldier martyred around AD 303. The dragon and rescued princess were a later medieval addition spread by the 13th-century Golden Legend.

St George became England's patron saint through Edward III's Order of the Garter in the 1300s.

The dragons on our shelf

A Tale of Dragons 22cm gives the shelf a named dragon scene with its size in the title. Crystal Cave Small Dragon Hiding within a Crystal Skull gives the dragon a skull-shaped hiding place.

Eye of the Dragon Light Up Red Figurine brings a light-up red figure into the group, while Swordwing Dragon keeps the name short and sharp. Elemental Dragonlings - Fire Nemesis Now is one of the smaller dragon names, with fire right there in the title.

Nemesis Now makes cold-cast resin figurines and giftware, and describes its own products as hand-painted.

The witch's cat, the broom and ravens

The witch's familiar was a medieval and early-modern European folk belief in a spirit helper in animal form. Black cats became tied to that belief for their nocturnal, solitary habits, and the link hardened in the witch-hunt era.

The broom by the door was a folk custom of hanging a besom by or over the door to keep unwelcome spirits and visitors out. That is folklore, kept as folklore, like an old story with dust on the handle.

Broom Guard 11.5cm, Pawzuph Horned Occult Cat Figurine and Three Wise Ravens Figurines 8.7cm put broom, cat and ravens into shelf-sized form.

Where they live in a house

A 22cm dragon needs a wider patch of shelf than a mini figure. A light-up red figurine wants a spot where the red light can be seen.

A broom guard is named for a broom handle, while a raven trio can perch on a bookcase without taking over the room. None of these pieces needs a grand stage; a shelf, desk or hallway ledge will do the job neatly.

Gaia Mini sits with the witchcraft ornaments as a smaller figure. The group is more like a tiny cast list than a matching set: dragons, ravens, a broom guard, a horned cat and a light-up red eye. The dragon ornaments are here: https://goldenhands.co.uk/collections/dragons and the witchcraft ornaments are here: https://goldenhands.co.uk/collections/witchcraft-ornaments