Prices for the five-card Rosen set that this design is from, Set B, have risen dramatically over the last three years. The owl is arguably the least interesting design. Moreover, the condition of this listing is perhaps very good+, making the end result all the more surprising. A sustainable price is $85.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Vintage Halloween Germany Windowpane Diecut Decoration Owl Antique 1930s HTF
The Germans produced four windowpane designs. If you are going to see one design, chances are it will be this one, the owl. (You can see the others on page 170.) What makes this particular example noteworthy is its condition. It seems to have a minimal amount of surface paper loss and crackling. The seller states that this was produced during the 1930s. Although that cited date is more often than not correct, it isn’t in this case. There is a black circular mark on the reverse of the diecut that indicates it was made during an interval of 1946-1949 in an occupied zone of Germany. This shouldn’t have a material difference on valuation.
06/10 Update: This fetched $732.53.
MINT Large Vintage Halloween Paper Party Plate Decoration Beach & Arthur 1930s!
This has been an interesting year to watch market trends. One segment that, inexplicably to this collector, has risen rapidly is the Beach & Arthur plate segment. This lot that ended on 5.21.23 for $216.07 was far below what an identical plate offered by the same seller brought just three weeks earlier, $353. This is the correct trajectory as the market is reacting to perceived abundance. If other identical plates are listed, the prices should continue to drop. (Interestingly, this seller listed a plate with an identical design but with a different size, 6”x6” rather than 8”x8”, that also fetched an eye-popping yet unsustainable sum of $233.05 on 5.14.23.)
Plates aren’t rare. They were made by the tens of thousands and sold 6-12 to a pack. So, a good practice to adopt is to ask sellers if they have duplicates they plan to list. If so, wait. If one is too eager, they will almost always overpay.
Dennison Vintage Halloween Spook Ghost Seals sticker holiday H 468 box
Based on the stock number, this box of seals was probably released in 1915. It is a rare design - one that I had not seen before. I decided not to be a bidder as I have a bias against products that don’t have at least half of their stated contents. This arbitrary cut-off may be dumb, for it is possible I won’t see this again. However, other factors weighed against a bid. The seller didn’t provide many photos and puzzlingly said the box was “full and unopened.” The seller later added a needed clarification. So, the central question for me is this: Was the ending price of $405 justified for a box with 4 of 25 seals? I say no, but at least two of the bidders disagree.
Vintage Halloween Ghost Place Card with Saying Movable..RARE...
This ghoul place card was produced by Beistle during the interval of 1930-1931 as one of a set of four sold in an envelope. At least one of the stock numbers used for this set was 757. The ending price of $97 seems high given that the place card’s condition is so compromised. The two topknots are missing and the toning is too noticeable.
Original Vintage 1920's Halloween Lantern 12 Panel Collapsible Made in Germany
There was a stretch during this year on eBay when items I’d consider B and A-level weren’t bringing strong dollars. Given a few results in the last two weeks, that stretch MAY be at an end or considered an anomaly. This twelve-panel lantern is a good way to illustrate the point. I’d consider this item to be C-level, a good display item that is very common, even given its age. For many years this design in perfect condition would trade in a narrow range around $150. (Similarly, the hard plastic Rosen witch-on-motorcycle would trade in a narrow range around $300.) Lately, though, even lantern examples in rougher condition like this one are bringing prices well in excess of the “historical” norm. As of this typing, this lantern has been bid up to $185 with over three days to go. What accounts for this? The ready answer is that the interest in common yet eye-catching designs is prompting bids from an influx of new collectors who may feel intimidated by some of the more stratospheric prices being bid and paid for vintage Halloween items. As the continuation of any hobby depends on new hobbyists, this may be considered a “green shoot” to purloin a phrase used by a former Fed Chair, Ben Bernanke. We’ll see…
05/09 Update: This sold for $278.89.
