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This blog page was created to provide a place for my comments and
insights on a selection of the multitude of items listed in the
Vintage Halloween category of Ebay. I'd like to point out that I
have no financial interest in any of the items mentioned on this
page. I am doing this for fun as well as to educate. Feel free to
check back often, as it is my intent to update this page several
times per week depending on the time of the year. If you have a question on an item I haven't
mentioned below, always feel free to send me an email. Best, MBL
Sellers Who Receive
MBL's Vintage Halloween Stamp of Approval
55audrey,
connersgrammie,
devilwoman,
djdutch48,
dragonflydesignstudio.com,
freshest1,
fritzyfinds,
goofus999,
halloween824,
holidays2you,
jawboy71,
member666734,
mmccall,
ms.dennistle,
mysweetjanene,
northcane,
nyleos,
scarlettssister,
sellmestuff,
shiverbones,
stnick22,
whirlwind27,
zizsdream
Sellers With Whom MBL Chooses Not To Do
Business
1027-97th,
1falls,
curiousimp,
dreamcatchers*,
fallsmist52,
landerstoys,
ronscollection,
shadowtown,
warbond321,
yevdokcem
SURPRISING PRICES
130411285276 Vintage Kirchhof
Halloween Noise Makers, Lot 16
Ended 07/24 $177.50 seems excessive for the few, common
Halloween tin items amidst the dross.
180534801945 Vintage Halloween Die
Cut Hissing Cat Beistle?
Ended 07/23 The buyer is now the proud owner of a diecut
remnant. It is merely the head off of a full-figured cat with
grommets.
260634584902 Three Vintage
halloween candy containers
Ended 07/17 This lot consisted of three of the most common and
least interesting containers perhaps possible and still yielded $41.
I would have thought $25 would have been a strong result.
120591423306 VTG DIE CUT TISSUE
WING HALLOWEEN SCARECROW DECORATION
Ended 07/11 This seller must be doing an energetic jig after
selling this incredibly common and uninteresting item for $70. The
going rate is less than $10.
170506717249 old german Halloween
witch with clockwork
Ended 07/06 The buyer bought an item that was made recently.
Always be aware of any Halloween item being sold as "vintage" by
Germany-based sellers.
260627171248 Vintage 1925 Beistle
Fortune Wheel Game Complete!
Ended 07/05 I am shocked (and not in a good way) that this
iconic Beistle game brought a mere $78.99. Although not perfect, its
imperfections were such that they shouldn't have impacted value all
that much. The buyer got a tremendous bargain. The seller shouldn't
be happy.
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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
I just learned
that Ben Truwe has created a CD of his 2003 book, The Halloween
Catalog Collection: 55 Catalogs from the Golden Age of Halloween,
and is selling it for a modest $12.00, including shipping! I
have long touted this work as a must-have for any serious collector
of vintage Halloween. You can send payments to him for this via
Paypal at
truwe@mind.net.
If you prefer to send a payment through the mail, Ben's address is:
Talky Tina Press
607 South Holly Street
Medford, OR 97501
Please do me a favor and let him know that I recommended you buy his
CD via my site. Thanks!
Item Number Description
220643733704 German Veggie Man
Halloween Candy Container c1920
Ends: Undetermined This is a fine and quite large candy
container, definitely made in Germany between 1918 and 1925. I
really like the detail paid to it by the molder and painter. If it
was in perfect condition, the seller's BIN price wouldn't be
unreasonable. Considering some of its defects, I hope the seller
won't let it go for less than $450.
190423015101 1950's HUGE HALLOWEEN
LOT TIN NOISEMAKERS HATS HORNS +
Ends 07/29 The star of this otherwise unexciting lot is the
Beistle JOL-head transparency lantern. Although it has some damage,
these simply don't surface that often. Guide value is $265, but
given condition, I would expect it to fetch $100 or so.
290454393594 Rare Halloween Jack O
Lantern With Face & Body
Ends 07/29 Buyer beware...the insert is not original to this
piece and should have been disclosed.
110563767863 Early Tin Halloween
Noisemaker
Ends 07/28 This is one of the rarest tin noisemakers around.
It has an unusual double-clanger construction. Another example of
this item, in perfect condition, is shown on page 175 of my book.
I've only seen this noisemaker offered 3 or 4 times in 20+ years of
collecting. The guide value in perfect condition is $225.
170517531948 Cat Lantern Candle
Holder Papmache Composition German
Ends 07/27 Nothing about this lantern looks right: from the
smoothness of the surface, to the painting, to the pristine
condition of the inside. I suspect this was made off-shore and has a
very, very modest decorative value only. I have contacted the seller
to ask how old this piece is. I await her response.
320563297262 Antique Paper Mache
Halloween Parade Lantern Rare
Ends 08/17 This seller is WILDLY optimistic slapping a
Buy-It-Now price of $750 on this ugly, uninspired item. These began
surfacing only a few years ago, which initially made me suspicious.
However, I had occasion to examine one in-person in Snohomish, WA a
few months ago and concluded that it was, indeed, old. Even so, this
item is definitely the poor step-cousin to the awe-inspiring tin
parade lanterns made in Toledo around 1902. I would assess its value
at between $100-125 on a good day.
180535019651 4 VINTAGE Beistle
HALLOWEEN Witch/JOL/Elf/Clown Diecut
Ends 07/25 These designs rarely surface, but bear in mind when
bidding that these are quite
small. They seem to be more
scraps than actual diecuts. This seller offered an identical lot
that ended on 07/11 and brought $66.99.
250667587054 Vintage Halloween
Paper Mache Vampire Demon Bucket Pail
Ends 07/23 This forgettable, amateurish grotesquerie was made
off-shore, perhaps as recently as a week ago. It has essentially no
value.
350374340085 Vintage Halloween
Paper Lantern Witch Owl Cat Skeleton
Ends 07/21 This excellent shade was made in the 1920s by
Gibson. An identical example can be seen in my second edition on
page 46 with a guide value of $80. I have rarely seen this shade in
such stellar condition.
120596161239 RARE VINTAGE GERMAN
HALLOWEEN WITCH & DEVIL NOISE MAKER
Ends 07/19 This is a very scarce iteration of this genre of
early German noisemakers. One typically sees a witch on one side and
a black cat on the other. The devil being present catapults this to
a whole new level. It seems to be in collectible condition. Don't
worry about the squeaker being silent - most are. If this goes for
less than $375 the buyer will be getting a deal.
320559912837 3 Vintage Halloween
Witch Noisemakers Clicker Paddle +
Ends 07/19 This knowledgeable seller does point out that the
witch noisemaker isn't old, as are the other two items in this lot.
I just wish the headline verbiage would have been written so as to
have zero confusion about the entire contents of the lot being truly
vintage. The witch noisemaker was made in the mid-1990s and is
essentially worthless. The Merri-Lei item is a true rarity and the
gem of the lot.
260633911613 VINTAGE GERMAN HAND
PAINTED JOL RATCHET NOISE MAKER
Ends 07/18 I believe this to be a newly made item.
290453445841 VINTAGE HALLOWEEN
MECHANICAL STORE DISPLAY
Ends 07/18) I wish this was complete! The seller is correct
that this was originally attached to a Rosen Spooks Pop box. In my
decades of collecting vintage Halloween, I've only seen a complete
Spooks Pop box once - and I bought it. It will be instructive to see
what this remnant brings. (This actually
brought $99.99 - quite a pretty penny for a remnant!)
250665368008 Vintage Halloween
Jack O Lantern Paper Mache 1940's
Ends 07/15 (These shameless hucksters,
unfortunately hemorroidally persistent, are now selling under yet
another name, yevdokcem! This new identity omits the bit of fluff
that they are selling a collection out of Santa Fe. Why can't Ebay
shut them down? Apparently, these people, who take us all for
lummoxes, buy pulp items needing repair under the name araxi1636.
They then try to flog perfect pulp items under a panoply of
different names. Check it out for yourself.) Wow, these
people are bold in what I see as their dishonesty. This "new"
seller, 1027-97th, with an appropriate welcome to the Ebay feedback
system with a richly deserved negative are the VERY SAME clods who
have been selling vast quantities of USA pulp items for years under
their other seller names: 1falls and fallsmist52 saying that no
repainting or restoration of any kind had been done to anything
being sold. Now read their auction verbiage for this and other
auctions previously listed under their new seller name of 1027-97th.
It is an easy conclusion to reach that these sellers are breath-takingly brazen in their assertions. For instance, check out
their auction
260608797899. They state that they are selling for a long-time
collector out of Santa Fe. Really? Who is this collector? The
seller, 1027-97th, doesn't list their true location, hiding it with
such changing mythical locations as Sleepy Hallow and Spooksville. I
wonder if this is to give the impression they live in Santa Fe, to
perhaps stave off suspicions amongst buyers that 1falls and
1027-97th are the same seller. Readers, if you
want authentic, unrestored/unretouched USA pulp items, the supply is
quite large as these kinds of decorations were made by the tens of
thousands for many seasons. Buy from a source you consider
completely credible. Does this seller (1falls aka fallsmist52 aka
1027-97th aka yevdokcem aka araxi1636) meet that test?
360279148478 Antique LOOK
Holloween Decloration USA by H.E Luhrs
Ends 07/14 I laughed out loud reading this seller's auction
verbiage. Read it for yurself, u'll shorely get a laff.
270603884034 Antique 1920's German
Halloween witch candy container
Ends 07/13 Be cautious when buying these cards, originally
made by Fibro Toy. The earliest ones are all marked in black ink on
the bottom with the name and address of the manufacturer. Two of
these Fibro carts were reproduced in the 1990s. The reproductions
have wood wheels and look identical to the originals except for a
shine from the glossy paper stock used. The originals ALL were made
with flat paper stock. It is hard to tell what paper stock was used
for this one, as the photos are poor. If you're interested in it,
email the dealer and ask a lot of questions. Best case, it was made
in the 1950s based on the lack of any markings. If so, price should
be ~$80.
330448961808 Vintage Halloween
German Candy Container 1940's
Ends 07/12 Unlike the entry immediately below, I've long held
these types of candy containers in especially low regard. These
clumsily and poorly made space-takers represent the nadir of German
ingenuity and craftsmanship. Unfortunately, the seller is offering a
buttload of these grotesqueries all at once.
360278343657 Early German
Halloween Porcelain Jack O Lantern Teapot
Ends 07/11 Out of my entire collection, I've always had a
special regard for pieces from this porcelain tea set. This teapot
is truly the heart of what is a whimsical and eye-catching set. This
is a perfect example - no condition issues and possessing an
authentic, early mark. If this doesn't fetch at least $650 something
is truly amiss. (The buyer got an exceptional
deal here!)
180529118095 4 VINTAGE Beistle
HALLOWEEN Witch/JOL/Elf/Clown Diecut
Ends 07/11 These designs rarely surface, but bear in mind when
bidding that these are quite
small. They seem to be more
scraps than actual diecuts.
190412793689 1920's Halloween
Vintage Stained Glass Window Dennison
Ends 07/09 It is great to see this rare item up for auction as
they surface so rarely. However, as with all things paper, condition
is paramount - and the condition of the item is significantly
less-than-perfect. As shown in the guide, a perfect example should
bring ~$750. This example might crack $175-200, but even that level
is problematic. (I am astounded that this
diecut, albeit quite a rare one, brought $500. If you examine the
public bidding history, you can see that the prevailing bidder had
one competitor. Save for that competitor, the item wouldn't have
sold for more than ~$100.)
130405736993 UNOPENED PKG. - 8 VTG.
HALLOWEEN DIE CUT CAT MUSICIANS
Ends 07/07 It is unusual to see this complete set in unopened
packaging. (Cool, too...) This set was made for many years, and this
dates from the tail end of the production, 1959. You can tell this
by the package labeling, and its use of "A Beistle Creation."
220630440036 Dancing Skeleton Toy
w/ Envelope. BEISTLE, ca. 1920's.
Ends 07/07 This should frame up quite nicely. You'd get a
superb, and hard-to-find display envelope from an early Beistle
offering for a minimal total amount.
130404921517 VINTAGE HALLOWEEN
WITCH LANTERN/BASKET CARDBOARD/PAPER
Ends 07/05 This is a notoriously difficult lantern to find in
decent shape - and I've never figured out why. In addition to the
minor flaws this seller diligently points out, one side of the
lantern appears to be quite faded compared to the other.
180526228014 VINTAGE Beistle
HALLOWEEN Black Cat/Yellow Moon Diecut
Ends 07/04 This is a diecut that doesn't typically get the
respect it deserves. Made by Beistle in the later 1950s, it rarely
surfaces in collectible condition, probably for two reasons: the
irregular borders and the thinner than normal paper stock used. This
example seems to be near-perfect, and you can't do business with a
better seller, one I am proud to have on my "approved" list. Guide
value is $150. (I was very pleased to see this
great diecut fetched $179.50.)
300440062611 1930's Vintage
Beistle Halloween JACK-O LANTERN GAME
Ends 07/02 This is a very difficult game to acquire in top
condition, as this example seems to be. Beistle made two variants of
this game - one with a flip-out base and the other with a flat base.
Although the flip-out base adds something a mite snazzy, both are
equally hard-to-find. Beistle only manufactured this game for one
year, 1930, so there aren't that many of them out there. Guide value
is $250. Anything less than this would be a major coup for the buyer
and should be a major disappointment for the seller. I'll be
watching... ($316.60 was a strong, healthy
result for this amazing game!)
370400968182 ANTIQUE MOON HEAD MAN
MECHANICAL SQUEAK TOY HALLOWEEN
Ends 07/01 This item has nothing to do with Halloween and
shouldn't be listed in this category. The seller should know better.
370401053071 CAST IRON HALLOWEEN
GIRL GHOST COSTUME BANK COIN BANK
Ends 06/29 This is a fantasy item, made expressly to deceive
novice collectors. These began popping up like fungi on a shit farm
when Morphy sold a cast iron Halloween doorstop in 2005 upon which
the design for these abominations was based.
280524874880 Vintage Halloween
Paper Mache Jack O Lantern JOL
Ends 06/29 This is a POS, probably made by an uninspired
crafts student at an underfunded elementary school. If you need
something for target practice, this is your item!
170504831280 Devil Candy Box
Papmache Composition German
Ends 06/29 This is NOT a vintage piece. This could very well
have been made last week. Notice how the seller says nothing about
its supposed age. It has very minimal decorative value only.
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