There has been a pronounced frothiness to the vintage Halloween market over the last year, similar to the frothiness seen in many other collectible categories. This result is a good indicator of that frothiness. This 1930s Jitterbug Jones table decoration with an easel is not often seen - even less so complete with its placard - but given the item’s poor condition, the ending price was much higher than was expected.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
RARE Vintage Halloween Jack o’ Lantern Tea Set Waste Bowl Germany 1914-1932
This super example of a waste bowl from the German porcelain set is a much-coveted item, affirmed by the impressive price the listing has already attained with ~6 days left to go. (It surely doesn’t hurt that the seller is so respected in our collecting community!) What many collectors don’t know is that there are three variants. The most common variant looks just like the one in this listing but is missing a face. The more uncommon variant looks like the one in this listing. The most uncommon variant - so rare that I’ve only seen it once - has a face and a “bubble skirt.” (Look under the Acquisitions tab and scroll down to about August of 2017 to see the one in the collection.)
03/30 Update: This sold for an astounding $735, a record. I’m not sure what drove this waste bowl to such heights, but am skeptical we’ll see such exuberance too often.
Unusual Gibson? Vintage Halloween black cat moon diecut napkin holder placecard
This is a nice dual-sided candy box, not a napkin holder. It was produced by an unknown firm with a good artistic aesthetic. There is a good bit of energy in this piece rather than the static designs more commonly seen. I have one in the collection and enjoy displaying it prominently. That said, the BIN price doesn’t seem to have taken into account condition. The asking price is $199.99 with an ability to make an offer. If you are inclined to make an offer on this item, an offer in the $60-90 range would be sensible.
Partial Vintage 85 Page Catalog: Halloween, Christmas, Dolls, Toys, Favors, Etc.
Based on the Halloween items shown in this catalog, the catalog wasn’t issued prior to 1928. Now, notice the two Halloween baskets referenced at the right, lower middle of the page. The design with the 2 skeletons warming their bony hands over a JOL cauldron was almost certainly never actually produced as a basket. The text references only that there are four designs. The four designs actually produced can be seen on page 225. Go ahead and read the caption to that grouping to understand what I think Beistle switched up at the last moment. (The skeletons were used as cover art for a stunt game that Beistle produced from 1931-1932 in both enveloped and boxed versions. Beistle seldom wasted finished art.)
Vintage Halloween Beistle die cut Tissue paper honeycomb Witch 1931
The seller left a considerable amount of money behind with this listing. They cluelessly gave a BIN option of $69.99. A smart buyer swooped in a scant 7 minutes later, surely chortling over the fact that they scooped up something that had the reasonable potential to bring $500-600. Congrats to the buyer!
Vintage German Bisque HALLOWEEN CANDY CONTAINER-PUMPKIN HEAD IN BANANA BOAT
I wonder why this unusual and rare candy container didn’t bring more? The buyer seems to have gotten a real deal.
