This year, instead of going to CVS to stock up on cheap plastic skulls and fake cobweb fiber that probably has a half-life of 10,000 years, why not invest in some some high-end home design that is genuinely creepy? There is some great/terrifying stuff out there with real history and provenance that will linger in your houseguests' nightmares for years to come.

In honor of Halloween, Bloomberg News scoured the shops and auction sites for some truly hair-raising decor that will last a lifetime—and beyond.

These nine additions to your indoor theme of ghouls and goblins will be at least unsettling and maybe downright frightening. And each also could end up being a good investment that will increase in value by next Halloween.

1. Albrecht Dürer print of a Knight, Death, and the Devil: Albrecht Durer’s print of a Knight, Death and the Devil is a not so subtle reminder that death comes to everyone. In this 500-year-old engraving, the master of the German Renaissance shows a worm-eaten personification of death, with snakes coming out of his skull and a horned devil. Value of the engraving is estimated at $60,000 to $90,000. Picture courtesy of Swann Auction Galleries.

2. A Stuffed Sheep That Is Also a Bedside Table: For the homeowner who loves his pets a little too much, this real stuffed lamb can be used as the storage place for the Halloween candy. In the off-season, it is a table valued at $82,000. Picture courtesy of Barcelona Designs.

3. First Edition of The Discoverie of Witchcraft: Perfect for reading beside the open fire, this is a first edition of Reginald Scot’s 1584 treatise on witches, whose primary purpose seems to have been “to pursue the poore, to accuse the simple, and to kill the innocent.” The one-of-a-kind treatise is valued at $70,000. Picture courtesy of Sokol Books.

4. Stuffed Lizard: This stuffed monitor lizard, valued at $245, looks ready to run under anyone’s bed to emerge on Halloween night. It is offered for sale by www.ayreandco.com. Picture courtesy of Ayre and Co.

5. Allosaurus Claw: This Allosaurus claw would be particularly scary if it was used to demonstrate how the carnivorous lizard used it to disembowel prey. The claw is valued between $7,314 and $10,971. Picture courtesy of Christie’s.

6. Doll: Dolls are not scary until their eyes start to move. This Bebe Jumea in its original factory chemise could be the centerpiece for a Halloween tale of possession. Estimated at between $4,000 and $6,000 in value, it is offered for sale by Frasher’s Doll Auction in Oak Grove, Mo. Picture courtesy of Frasher’s Doll Auction.

7. Imperial Matchlock Musket From the Qianlong Period: You could set this matchlock musket beside the front door if you want to keep your candy. The musket from the Qianlong period of China has filigreed gold silver and copper design and is one of a few extant muskets in the world to carry an imperial seal. It is valued at $1 million to $1.5 million and is offered for sale by Sotheby’s. Picture courtesy of Sotheby’s.

8. Suit Of Armor: Another seemingly harmless artifact, until it starts moving on its own, this North Italian etched three-quarter-size suit of armor is from Milan around 1580. The price is not revealed. It is being sold by Peter Finer of London. Picture courtesy of Peter Finer.

9. A Real Human Skeleton: No Halloween is complete without a skeleton, and this one has the bonus of being real, although it is a compilation of bones from two people. It retails for $4,750 at The Bone Room in Albany, Calif. Picture courtesy of The Bone Room.

PW Staff Writer Karen DeMasters contributed to this story.