Located just 20 miles from the Tennessee state border on the shores of Lake Guntersville, the town of Scottsboro, Alabama is known for many things, including its amazing fishing, but the main draw of this small town Alabama is a store like no other – the Unclaimed Baggage Store.

As the name suggests, the store buys luggage, packages, and merchandise from airlines, buses, and other transport companies left behind by their owners. Luggage has the option of returning home prior to arriving in Scottsboro. It takes up to 3 months of work to try to reunite the luggage and parcels with their owners. After that he comes to the store where you can get amazing deals on new and lightly used merchandise.

The best part about a visit to the unclaimed baggage store is that you never know what you will find on a day-to-day basis. There is always something new. Even the staff who sort and prepare the merchandise for sale are surprised at what they find.

Here’s a look at some of the more unusual items that have arrived at the unclaimed baggage store over the years.

1. Hoggle Puppet The labyrinth

In 1986, the successful fantasy film Labyrinth has been freed. The film starred rock singer David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King, and was directed and produced by Muppet creator Jim Henson. One of the film’s most beloved characters was the goblin Hoggle which, at the time, was one of the most complicated Muppet creations to make and operate.

With one person inside the puppet and four people outside, the puppeteers would operate 18 motors to bring the fictional character to life with realistic body movements and facial expressions.

As you enter the unclaimed baggage store, you will be greeted by the Hoggle puppet used in the movie. He arrived at the store with its foam structure in a sorry state. Doctor Gary Sowatzka, master of the dolls, has been called in to work his magic and restore the goblin to its original state.

Say “hello” to Hoggle when you visit the store.

2. Ret Turner Fashions

Ret Turner was a legendary wardrobe and costume designer in the entertainment industry who put glitz and glamor on stars such as Cher, Dinah Shore, Dolly Parton and Diana Ross to name a few. During his long career, Turner has been nominated for 21 Emmy Awards and won the prestigious award five times.

As you walk through the aisles of the store, you will come to a wall display that asks, “Can you guess who owns these stage clothes?” Spoiler alert: the answer is: the Osmonds.

Turner was one of Marie Osmond’s favorite designers and one of her sequined dresses is on display along with a matching pair of shoes, a tuxedo and a long skirt. The items arrived at the store in the mid-1980s in an indescribable suitcase with a tag indicating its point of origin (or destination) was Utah. He never returned home but found a new home at the store.

3. Space shuttle camera

From 1981 to 2011, NASA’s space shuttle was the workhorse of the US space program, sending 848 humans into space to perform various science experiments, observations and build the International Space Station.

One of the tasks of the astronaut was to photograph the earth and the activities on board the spacecraft. To do this, the Nikon company developed a special camera – the Nikon F, one of the first digital cameras that we all take for granted today.

The company has developed three of the cameras. One of them accidentally got into lost baggage and found their way to Scottsboro and the unclaimed baggage store. It’s such a rare and historic piece that the store returned it to NASA after the store identified what it had found.

4. Rattlesnake

Snakes on an airplane? Sure! Why not? Imagine the surprise of the staff at the unclaimed baggage when they opened a gym bag and found a rattlesnake. Not just a taxidermy-stuffed rattlesnake, but a real not-too-cheerful rattlesnake.

The snake was not offered to the public for sale.

5. Reduced heads

What could be more surprising than to find a rattlesnake alive in a gym bag? It’s pretty scary. How about finding a shrunken human head? On a stick, no less.

The shrinking of a human head is a real thing. The process was a ritual devised by the Jivaro tribe of Ecuador. If any of the family members of the Jivaro tribe were murdered, it was up to that tribe member to avenge the death. After avenging death, the tribe member would have to prove that it was a mission accomplished to the deceased so that he does not come back to haunt him. The Avenger would shrink the killer’s head in a process that details you really don’t want to know.

Enough said about it.

6. Assortment of vintage and rare headwear

As you enter the unclaimed baggage store, you are greeted by a display of some of the unique and unusual items that staff have found in the past. One of these displays is a collection of vintage headwear.

In this glass display case are five examples of hats and face coverings the store has stumbled upon over the years. There is a Russian GP-5 gas mask with filter that was issued to citizens of the Soviet Union during the Cold War in 1970. There is also a vintage New York Central Railroad driver’s hat from the 1930s, a helmet romain gaulois, a vintage sword fencing mask and cowboy hat autographed by boxing legend Muhammad Ali.

7. An expensive Barbie

In March 1959, the toy world was put on its ear with the introduction of a new doll – Barbie. The doll started out as a simple doll that girls could dress up, but over the years Barbie has been a trailblazer not only in fashion but careers as well. Her playsets have had her in countless careers, including as an astronaut.

Many Barbies have been found in lost luggage over the years, but one was very special. The doll was found in a lost suitcase, cleaned up and offered for sale on a shelf. A woman then bought the doll for her daughter who, like many children, began to blow her head off. When she did, a roll of money totaling $ 500 fell. Apparently, Barbie needed money for her adventures.

8. Ancient Egyptian funerary mask

Every once in a while an expensive-looking suitcase arrives at the unclaimed baggage store. One day what store staff described as a “well-traveled” Gucci suitcase arrived, and when they opened it, they found an ancient Egyptian burial mask.

The mask dated from around 1500 BC, and from the time of Moses. The item was sold to Christie’s auction house along with a treasure trove of other Egyptian artifacts found in the same case.

9. 1934 French newspaper

Almost 25 years ago a remarkable piece of history was found in the store – a French newspaper from 1934, Black and white. Although yellowed, the 336-page leather-bound paper has survived the ravages of time remarkably well and arrived at Unclaimed Baggage in 1998.

The newspaper is displayed under protective glass in the store’s main sales area. The diary is a time capsule of stories from April to December 1934. Its name, Black and white, translates to “Black and White”, which it is.

10. Violin made by a pupil of Antonio Stradivari

Antonio Stradivari was one of the most famous luthiers of the 17th century, designing guitars, cellos, harps and, of course, violins, to sound exquisite and incredibly brilliant.

He also taught the students how to make these classical instruments. The best thing you can do to own an authentic Stradivarius violin is to own one designed by one of your students. One of these priceless violins was discovered in a lost baggage opened by staff at Unclaimed Baggage.

11. Tribal staff with a bite

Authentic Native American artifacts are in great demand. With intricate carvings and unusual ornaments, a pipe or headdress is extremely valuable. One of these artifacts ended up in the unclaimed baggage store – a Native American walking stick with teeth. Real teeth!

The staff features the vivid image of a fierce warrior showing off his teeth, but upon closer examination you will see that these are real human teeth in all their pearly whiteness.

12. Emerald green

Many visitors to Unclaimed Baggage gravitate towards one of the two long jewelry counters. Inside the display cases you will find beautiful sparkling diamond rings, gold bracelets and more at incredible prices.

One item you won’t find in the case is the 40.95-carat emerald that was found in one of the lost suitcases collected by the store. The origin of this exquisite stone is not known, perhaps it was from Colombia. It was valued at $ 25,000 and sold for $ 17,000.