I'm glad to see such great Gibson enveloped products being offered. (Ebay really has been a wasteland overall for a long time now.) This dancing cat four-sided centerpiece was made by Gibson during the later 1920s. The seller, a very nice person and long-time collector, is correct to point out that these centerpieces don't surface often in complete, mint condition. Almost always one or more of the delicate tabs are ripped clean off. Given that the envelope is also part of the package, both parties to the transaction should be happy with the final purchase price of $200. (eBay shows $225 but the BIN offer accepted was $200.)
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Beistle's Halloween Party Helps 3 Mechanical Novelty Place Cards Witch/Cat/Ghost
This was a packaging variant I hadn't seen before, a bit earlier than the one on page 220, the envelope of which housed 4 items, but only these three designs. These great Beistle enveloped goods are very much in demand.
Original Dennison Cat Head Seals Screaming Cat Face Halloween
Most Beistle packaging is coveted and hard to come by. The earliest packaging is less interesting as Beistle hadn't yet added the detailed artwork that festooned the most sought after variety. This is an early enveloped set as there is nothing to it except the simplest of descriptions and an example of the contents glued to the front. Even so, the seller would have garnered far more than the $20 that was obtained if they had run this as an auction rather than an ill-advised BIN event.
Vintage Halloween Witch Party Pin The Tail Style Game w/ Envelope 1913 RARE!
I've seen this game several times in nearly 30 years of collecting and each and every time the envelope is barely holding together. The manufacturer must have used the cheapest, least durable paper stock possible. The contents of the game typically are fine, but the envelope is always chipping and separating. I swear even looking at one causes it to degrade.
HTF Beistle Mechanical Bat & Hoot Owl Diecut Decorations in Original Envelope
If this is an example of the delights that await us all in late 2015 when this seller begins to sell in earnest, them I am chomping at the bit! What makes this exceptional, of course, is its condition. Just look at it! I have two envelopes in the collection, one shown on page 145 and one on page 219. Neither one is identical to the one being sold here. (It is interesting that there were at least three variations.) In any event, these sellers are top-notch. I wish many other Ebay sellers would take a page out of this seller's playbook in that they supply many high-quality photos, have razor-sharp descriptions and stand by their merchandise. I have been one of their customers and can personally attest that they'll treat you right. Significantly better than the set in the collection, I may very well be a bidder!
