Well, another Halloween is nearly in the books. This season has gone by so fast that it seems as if I began putting out my decorative things just yesterday.
There have been a fair number of very good vintage Halloween items up for sale on eBay this season, although some of the prices collectors are willing to pay stretch the limits of credulity. I've been able to add a great deal to the collection this cycle, especially as my collecting interests turn away from German compo candy containers and toward the rarer paper goods produced by Beistle, Dennison and Gibson. Over the next few years I'll reduce my candy container collection to my favorite 50-60, selling the others through my annual auctions held in early May. (I have already begun setting great finds and de-accessioned items aside for the 2017 event. Remember that my auctions are open only to those who have purchased a copy of the third edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles.)
Today will be a busy one for many of us. Look for my next update tomorrow. The happiest of Halloweens to you and yours!!
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
RARE 1933 HALLMARK HALLOWEEN PARTY INVITATION CARD, OWL& BAT MOTIF
I tell you, as more of the 1930s Hallmark paper ephemera surfaces, it grows on me more and more. Their designs are clever and involved. Just look at this invitation! I love the trompe l'oeil aspect. My typical policy is not to buy any such item with writing inside, so I passed on this, but wonder if I made an error. My interests have been gradually changing - away from candy containers and lanterns and much more decidedly toward paper items made by Beistle, Dennison and Gibson. I have added 1930s Halloween items produced by Hallmark to my search list, so hope to find unadulterated examples to add to the collection.
Beistles Halloween Party Helps 3 Novelty Place Cards In Envelope Witch/Cat/Ghost
Beistle issued these in at least three packaging variants. One was under their "Party Helps" line with an envelope containing the three place cards shown in this listing. The stock number was 527. The second variant was for an envelope containing four place cards (still just the same three designs...) with the stock number of 757. In the envelope of four in the collection, the fourth is a duplicate of the owl. The third variant was an envelope with a plastic front containing six place cards with a stock number of 657. Interestingly, there are not two of each design but two ghosts, one witch and three owls. One could surmise then that the owl is the most common of the three designs and the witch the least common. I don't know if that is correct, but if you happen to have either of the final two variants, please check the contents and let me know the design distribution.
Vintage Halloween Themed Mechanical Noisemaker Toy
This great siren noisemaker was made by T. Cohn during the 1950s. There aren't that many tin litho siren designs relative to clangers, ratchets and shakers, and this is arguably the best one. The form is compact, the design creatively takes advantage of the space available and the siren is LOUD! Generally, these have become silent over the decades, but the seller describes this as fully functional. Working examples come up rarely, and the seller started this at a reasonable price using the auction format. Sustainable guide value is $80.
11/03 Update: I suspected this would bring strong dollars as it was in beautiful condition and described as fully functional. But the predominant factor is the ending price of $154.50 was that one hadn't been offered for awhile. With a cadre of impatient collectors these days, people want their collectibles now. If several were to surface within relatively close proximity to one another, the price would settle at its sustainable level of ~$80.
RARE GERMAN LUHRS DENNISON BEISTLE SCARY CLOWN BROWNIE MECHANICAL DIECUT TOY
This very odd mechanical decoration was made by a company whose mark is so miniature on the piece that it cannot be discerned. The vampire clown pushing a JOL in a wheelbarrow is such a weird combo that this particular diecut hasn't received the collector "love" it deserves. This particular item shouldn't bring much because of the extensive damage. Not only is the tip of the hat missing, the item is soiled and the "foot wheel" at the front shouldn't be there. If you look on page 284 you can see the original wheelbarrow's wheel has been clumsily replaced with the damaged "foot wheel." This is one of a set of four designs this unknown company produced - and definitely the most bizarre. You can see the others on page 284.
11/01 Update: This Frankensteined item brought $101.01.
Vintage Tin Halloween Toy Cymbals
Someone got the bargain of the year with this lot. The seller foolishly listed this exceedingly rare set of cymbals with a BIN of $25. The seller must now realize that they made a serious error when the listing ended in less than five minutes. How serious? The set would have surely realized $700-900.
VINTAGE RARE TIN HALLOWEEN NOISEMAKER WITCH BLACK CAT CLAPPER
Tin has been one of the coldest genres in the hobby for well over five years. Mint tambourines and the most unusual tin litho items are the sole things commanding substantial dollars, by and large. This exceedingly rare item surfaces perhaps once every two years. Unmarked, the graphics are whimsical and fun. The design is odd in that the handle is plain Jane. All of the effort and money was put into the two clapping disks. Made during the 1920s, sustainable guide value is $275.
Rare Vintage Metal Halloween Witch Moon Broom Candlestick Handle
These dual-purpose candle holders could be used on the table or hung on walls as sconces. These surface a bit more often now than they used to, but I've never seen versions where the crescent moon is only an outline. All others I have seen have silver moons. Does this make a material difference relative to value? In my opinion, no. Sustainable guide value is $175 each.
10/29 Update: The pair sold for $405, somewhat above sustainable guide value.
large 15 inch German Halloween embossed BLACK jack o lantern saxophone die-cut
The ending price for this diecut was much higher than I would have expected. Although this is a diecut made for one season (1934 or 1935) and shipped only to eastern Canada, the sustainable price for one in near-mint or better condition is $650. The condition of this item is decidedly below near mint mainly due to its washed-out coloration. Collectors, have patience when a rare item comes available. Buy only the best, then limit yourself to a reasonable expenditure.
VTG 1920'S 30'S HALLOWEEN PARTY PLACE CARD W/WITCH CAULDRON FROG
I love these early place cards as sometimes the imagery is so odd. Why would a frog be shown resting in front of a roaring fire? Given an amphibian's love of wet conditions, it makes no sense whatsoever, which also makes the card so memorable and desirable. The fact that it sold for a song (or a ribbet...) is sort of a shame. I wish that I would have seen it in time. I would have loved for it to be part of the collection!
Rare 37in Vintage Germany Embossed Diecut Jointed Cardboard Skeleton 1950s Mint
The Germans produced three sizes of articulated skeleton diecuts. The most common is the smallest one, which measures 27" high. The middle size measures 37" high and would have an RSIN of 2. The largest size, measuring a whopping 50" high would have an RSIN of 1. I've seen it change hands for well north of $500.
GERMAN COMPOSITION VEGGIE BAND MEMBER~BASS DRUM CYMBAL~1920'S~HALLOWEEN~1 OF 6
Although this sub-genre of German figurals is not universally loved, I've long appreciated Veggie people. I feel the very best set issued was the six member band of which this is the centerpiece. Although all of its members are hard to find, this bass drummer seems to be the hardest to find of all. This is only the second time I've seen it for sale. The one in the collection came from a long-time collector and dealer's estate. I picked it up in 1994.
Antique Halloween Skull Die Cut Beistle USA 1930'S Human Skull in Cauldron
I can't recall seeing one of these up for sale for many, many years. This skull table decoration with a flip-out base was made by Beistle from 1930-1931. The one in the collection is unmarked, but this one has the diamond mark that was discontinued right around this time. This is a rare item with a sustainable guide value of $375. Given that one hasn't surfaced in some time and the propensity for some collectors to spend foolishly, who knows what this will fetch. I will be watching.
10/23 Update: As I suspected, this flew right by sustainable guide value, fetching $460.
Vintage Beistle Halloween Die Cut Cat Decoration.
I returned yesterday from a quick trip to southern California. One of the many activities during the trip was visiting the home of this fine seller. He specializes in figural advertising but dabbles some in Halloween. I had the opportunity to personally examine this smiling Skairo diecut made by Beistle in 1931. Aside from some raised paper at some of the fingertips, the diecut is amazingly bright and free of most of the issues that plague these very large diecuts. If one wasn't already part of the collection I would have endeavored to snap it up that evening. If you've been looking for one, you'll be hard pressed to find a better example.
10/25 Update: This great item brought $461.89.
Vtg Halloween Flying Witch Seals Stickers In Tiny Box Like Dennison Fabulous!
This small box of seals was produced by Whitney during the 1920s. The market leader for such boxed seals was Dennison by a wide margin, followed by Gibson and their simpler yet somewhat quirkier designs. Whitney was definitely out of their element in making these sets. The art is flat and uninteresting. They rarely marked these boxes, whether out of shame or expediency I cannot say. Dennison boxed sets were produced in relatively high numbers and had a national distribution. Gibson less so and Whitney even less so. Although hard to find, especially complete, these typically change hands for around $100 per box, so the buyer paid a premium here.
