THE 'best' antique shop in the North East has unveiled an 'extraordinary' Fiji Mermaid skeleton.
Fannies Emporium Antique Centre, in Morpeth Courthouse, announced it has acquired a Fiji Mermaid skeleton, which is now on display in the centre.
The Northumberland antique centre was recognised as one of the best in the region, after winning Antiques Shop of the Year at My Local Awards North East 2026.
There is also a 'cosy and eclectic cafe' in the centre of the antique shop, which Google reviews describe as 'unique and quite beautiful'.
Fannies shared that it had received the reputedly haunted skeleton from one of its dealers, and that several people have already reported feeling a 'strange presence' around the case.
The Fiji Mermaid is a famous 19th-century sideshow artefact originally exhibited by PT Barnum. It was claimed that the skeleton was half-mammal and half-fish; however, it was a taxidermy creation of the torso of a juvenile monkey sewn onto the tail of a fish.
While the PT Barnum exhibit has been lost, multiple replicas, often called mermaids or mermen, can still be found across the world.
"New arrival... or should we say new resident," Fannies posted on Facebook. "Rumoured to be haunted and guaranteed to stop visitors in their tracks, this extraordinary Fiji Mermaid skeleton has just arrived from Curiosities Killed The Cat and is now on display within the centre.
"Inspired by the infamous Victorian sideshow curiosities that blurred the line between fact, folklore and deception, this macabre specimen sits beneath glass, inviting visitors to decide for themselves... creature of myth, elaborate fabrication, or something far stranger?
"With its unsettling skeletal face, elongated tail and weathered appearance, it's certainly one of the most unusual pieces to enter the centre this year.
"Whether you're fascinated by cryptids, cabinets of curiosities, Victorian oddities, maritime folklore or the wonderfully weird, this is one display you won't want to miss.
"But be warned... several people have already claimed they've felt a strange presence around the case.
"See it in person at Fannies Emporium Antique Centre."
The antique centre is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 4pm, and on Sunday 10am to 4pm.
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