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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

Vintage Beistle Halloween Haunted House

This diecut is instructive as to some ways to quickly date when an item was manufactured. Typically, when you see these brighter diecut colors you can assume the item was made no earlier than the mid-1960s. The imagery, not too scary or challenging, is another clue to the item's age and leads one to the same conclusion as to time frame. Lastly, as this is a Beistle item, the mark used is the strongest clue. Beistle used this mark - and uses it to this day - beginning in the 1960s. The market for Halloween items manufactured beginning in the 1960s and forward is in its earliest stages. For those interested in this era of memorabilia, prices should slowly increase as items in collectible condition disappear into collections. 

Have A Merry Christmas!!


As my long-time readers know, I typically take a break to recharge the old Halloween batteries during most of the month of December. With my newly re-designed site, I've been tinkering with a few things well past the typical date on which I walk away to focus on the Christmas season. I have made a few posts today, but don't plan on making any more until after New Year's Day. (Of course, if I see something I just can't help myself about, I may take a few minutes to post, but with the very low quality level and and avalanche of items being listed and re-listed on Ebay ad infinitum ad nauseum, there is a strong likelihood I'll not metaphorically take up my pen before several weeks have elapsed.)

Halloween Cardboard 4-sided Lamp Cover

This lantern, made by Gibson in 1929, is quite scarce. I have only seen it for sale a handful of times in nearly 25 years. As I point out on page 45, this is a good example of how clever manufacturers would re-purpose imagery as a cost savings measure. The imagery of this lantern is nearly identical to Gibson's "Ring the Belle" game, also a scarce item. The ending price of $202.51  was pretty much where it should have ended taking its condition into account. 

Vintage HALLOWEEN TAMBOURINE Noisemaker Witch Skeleton Black Cat Tin Litho

The seller was right in saying that this tambourine comes up infrequently. There were many pieces to this set, all made in the 1960s. Virtually all of the set can be easily found, but not this tambourine. Made by an unknown manufacturer, one of the quick ways to deduce its age is by the imagery. The cute and simplistic design screams, "I was made well past the heyday of the most coveted Halloween designs!" The price for this item was far stronger than I would have forecast, especially considering it wasn't perfect. 

Old Halloween Noisemaker Bell with Witches

This particular tin litho design was made for many years by U.S. Metal Toy. One way to determine approximately when a noisemaker like this was made is by looking at the handle. This one has a plastic handle, which dates it to being made in the 1960s. All else being equal, the noisemakers with wood handles are worth more. 

Mint - Very Rare 1930's German Paper Mache Skull Noise Maker

This skull horn, and the several others from this set of horns, was made in the mid-1990s. They first made their appearance at an antiques show in Atlantic City and have been plaguing our fine hobby since.  They typically show up in boxes, six or so to the box. The boxes are actually old, and it is the age of the boxes that has fooled many dealers into thinking the contents, too, are old. The horns have decorative value only. Don't be fooled! 

Halloween noisemaker

Please see my post from 11/10 for further comments on this faux noisemaker. I find it irritating that the seller continues to flog these as vintage even though she has been informed that they aren't. 

Old GERMANY Diecut WITCH Paddle Halloween Noisemaker

This seems to be a very good deal. There were a variety of these German diecut clapper items manufactured in the 1920s. Virtually all of them  were painted in such a way that would denote wear to the untrained eye. (The way these were painted is identical to how a few diecuts like the owl in the middle of page 163 were painted.)