When I first saw this listing and its ending price, I wondered why it brought so little relative to what a near-mint example should have brought. Now that I have clicked through and examined its actual condition, I marvel that it brought the strong dollars it did bring. Condition is paramount...
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
ORIGINAL 1914 Dennison's BOGIE BOOK Very Good Condition 100 Years Old This year!
Condition drives value, irrespective of scarcity. This seller greatly overestimates this tattered survivor's value by having an opening bid of $300. Better to simply list it at $9.99 with no reserve and see what happens.
Vintage Halloween Noise Maker
This tin litho noisemaker is not a vintage item. They were sold for 1-2 seasons through Restoration Hardware about 5 years ago. They have zero collectible value. Don't be fooled.
09/22 Update: Unfortunately, somebody was fooled to the tune of $28.50.
1935 Full Size Dangling Skeleton & Envelope by Beistle
This seems to be the year of Beistle. Prices for many vintage items issued by this still-going-strong American company have been in the stratosphere so far this season, and there is no reason to expect that will not remain the same for this combo. Although the envelope surfaces regularly, seldom does it do so in this condition. Listen, the envelope is large and easy to ruin, accounting for how relatively few of them that still exist in this condition from 1935. Guide value is $175 but I won't be at all surprised if this brings significantly more dollars than this - given that this seems to be Beistle's season to really shine. (I sure am glad that I have specialized in collecting this company's output for several decades.)
09/22 Update: The forecast was correct - this combo brought a strong $256.77.
vintage Paper Halloween Die Cut witch&Cauldron,Black Cat-candy container
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.
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.)
