Freakatorium: The Collection of Johnny Fox

Battle of Waterloo “Wexy” Bezoar. Netherlands, 1815. Bezoar stone extracted from the intestinal tract of Wexy, the war horse of Prince William of Orange. On a Victorian-era wooden base, secured by ornate brass straps. Bezoar stones were believed to have the ability to remove poisons and toxins from liquid, and were popular among the upper class of the nineteenth century. Approximately 3” diam., 6” tall with stand. Housed under a glass dome. Identifying labels are attached, together with a certification of provenance by Ashley Talbot, a/k/a “Madame Talbot.” Very good. Wexy, nee “Wexi,” was the horse of Prince William of Orange, the 23-year-old heir to the throne of the Netherlands. He commanded the Dutch and Belgian forces that fought under Wellington at Waterloo on June 18, 1815, Napoleon’s final campaign that ended in defeat for the French forces. In the final stages of the battle, the Prince was wounded by a musket ball and dismounted to receive treatment when his horse was killed by enemy fire. Wexy was one of a staggering 20,000 horses killed or severely maimed in the battle. The horse’s remains were preserved and are exhibited from June to September of each year at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum. According to the documentation accompanying this bezoar, in the taxidermy process, Wexy was eviscerated and this heavy object (an indigestible stone-like mass in the intestinal tract) was discovered among his remains and preserved. It eventually made its way to The Hague City Apothecary, whose wax seal is affixed to the base