I feel pieces to this set of six have never gotten the respect they should from the marketplace. These are whimsical, cleverly designed slot-and-tab candy containers issued by the General Merchandise Company in the middle 1940s through the very early 1950s. Although not at all truly rare, you still don't often see them in this seemingly pristine condition. To see the others that comprise a complete set, turn to page 54 of my newly published third edition.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
RARE Vtg Halloween Lantern BLACK CAT DIE CUT CANDLE SHADE Reflector 6.5" Tall A
This nicely designed little gem was manufactured by Gibson in the 1930s. I'm glad the seller has listed so many good photos that give you an idea of how this transparency was meant to be used. These items are hard to find as Gibson issued this for a single season. Guide value is $65.
"VINTAGE HALLOWEEN DIE CUT~WONDERFUL DIE CUT/TOY~PUSH CAT AND EYES, TONGUE ROLL"
This is actually a remnant from one of the exceedingly rare mechanical Rosen "Pops" boxes they produced as retail counter top displays. At one time this was the top for the Rosen "Pumpkin Pops" box made in the mid-1930s. Please turn to pages 116-117 to view others in this almost impossible to find family of boxes.
"VINTAGE HALLOWEEN~USA TIN TAMBOURINE~J. CHEIN~NO DINGS~1920'S
Here is a portion of the caption for this tambourine on page 215, "The goose's eye is either smaller or missing on those tambourines made later. So, the clearer or more prominent the eye, the earlier the tambourine was made."Chein produced this design in the 1920s, so this particular one was made in the last year or so of production.
Vintage Halloween E.Rosen Sucker Holder Card # 5 c1950's
This is one of five cards comprising a complete set of what I call "Set B" made by Rosen in the late 1940s-early 1950s. All of the cards from this set are desirable and somewhat hard to find. Arguably, the best card is the one showing dancing skeletons, but this card is quite appealing in its own way. All cards from all sets can be seen on pages 90-92.
09/20 Update: This sold for a strong $103.51.
Halloween Shaker Noisemaker Medcin Germany
This is a recently made item with only the most modest of decorative values.
Vintage 1940s Halloween Wall / Door Decoration Collectable Black Cats w/ Pumpkin
This seller has been trying to unload this severely damaged diecut for at least 18 months, listing and relisting it at $128. Now she has dropped the price to $90. That certainly isn't good enough. The best thing this persistent seller could do is just roll it up and use it for kindling on the sure-to-come nippy fall nights when a fire in the hearth is so appealing.
"VINTAGE HALLOWEEN GERMANY~CAT WITH SAXOPHONE 15" DIE-CUT~HEAVY EMBOSSING~EASEL
Wow, I have never seen this diecut with such bright, original colors. It must have been displayed very rarely. I am not surprised this was snapped up within minutes.
Vintage Antique Halloween Pumpkin Head Nodder
This 1920s German nodder would have originally been sold with a green feather that protruded from his head.
Vintage 1925 large Halloween Decoration with Witch stirring Honeycomb Cauldron
You seldom see this iteration with the orange honeycomb cauldron. Frankly, I like it much more than I do the typical black ones you see. Another plus is that this doesn't have any repair to the arch, a common point of failure with this design. This is the largest of the three sizes Beistle produced.
09/16 Update: I am not at all surprised it brought a very strong price of $482!
Beistle's Jointed Horrible Halloween Witch & Envelope
The star of this lot is the envelope. Even though the condition is described as poor, it is the earliest iteration of it I've seen to date. The one on page 147 was probably the second season's version as it is less busy and more refined. (I don't mean that is necessarily a good thing as I love the wordiness and vitality of this earlier version.)
Halloween Crescent Moon With Flying Witch
This is probably the best design of a set of very-tough-to-find diecuts Beistle issued in the mid-1950s when their creative juices were at very low tide. This set has an unusual feature of silhouettes separately attached to the main diecut. As I write in my newly published third edition on page 158, "More labor is required and the chance for defects increases the risk of returns. This may account for the mere three season run this diecut enjoyed."
09/16 Update: This sold for an unbelievable and completely unsustainable price of $538. The seller got top, top dollar the likes of which for this diecut probably will not be seen again.
Vintage 30 Inch Halloween Red Devil Fully Jointed & Poseable Beistle USA Die Cut
Beistle issued this "Jointed Lightning Wumpus - The Hallowe'en Devil" in 1931. The seller should invest in a better camera and spend a bit more time describing the condition as it isn't clear whether the reinforcements to the legs are to cover actual breaks or merely to make an otherwise item simply more sturdy.
Vintage HALLOWEEN Place Card Witch JOL Goblin 1930s First I've Seen !
This interesting item was manufactured by Hallmark in the later 1920s. There were ~4 different designs against a black bottom and these comprise a full set.
Thanks Tom and Linda!
I had the occasion to call a married couple of collectors in Ohio two days ago and chat about Halloween. What fun it was! I learned about the existence of another non-mechanical Rosen Pops box and some rare Dennison store display signs. We had fun speaking about the state of our hobby today and some of the reasons underlying the surge in prices we are seeing this season on many items. I don't know of another hobby where there are so many collectors so passionate about the nuances of items produced during "The Golden Age." In any event, the chat with such erudite and enthusiastic collectors made my day. Thanks Tom and Linda!