Blog

Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

Large Embossed Halloween Die-Cut Collapsible Lantern RARE

The seller is absolutely correct - this is an imposing lantern. I feel it is the largest form factor Halloween lantern the Germans ever made. These rarely surface, and when they do they are typically faded and tattered. I know of only a handful in this condition residing in collections. Sustainable guide value is $800-900. 

10/13 Update: The SGV was blown away by the ending result of $1358.33. Wow! The one in the collection is just as nice, if not nicer. If anyone is willing to step up to the plate (sorry, really into the KC Royals' run...) I am willing to sell mine for $1,300 plus shipping. 

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN CANDY CONTAINER 1940S

This listing sheds some light on this unmarked item. The photos show that printed on the top flap is the exhortation to "Buy Bonds." This drives the seller's date attribution to the 1940s, something with which I do not disagree. The one in the collection does not have the reference to bonds, affirming my attribution to the 1950s. Interestingly, both variants have "Patent Pending" printed on the bottom. 

I Was Away On Vacation...

I've received a number of emails from readers clamoring for a blog update, wondering why a week had gone by between new posts. Well, I was away on a vacation to southern California, antique shopping in such cities as Pomona, Huntington Beach and Long Beach. I also visited Disneyland for "Mickey's Halloween Party" for the second consecutive year. I enjoyed bumming around with friends Tammy, Barry and Jason for the 6 days and look forward to other such trips. Now that I am back, I will update the blog through Halloween much more diligently - so don't worry. 

Vintage Style 1930s Flaming-Red Devil Halloween Lantern (Composition)

I recently took delivery of this remarkable lantern and wanted to pass along some thoughts. Although the emphasis of this blog is on the truly vintage, on occasion I add newly made pieces to the collection. I am very glad I have one of these. The artist, Timothy Ramzyk, sells a line of five Halloween lanterns both on Ebay and Etsy. This lantern is weighty and has been made with a high level of craftsmanship and care. Tim numbers each one, as they are made in limited quantities. As the years roll on, he intends to retire some designs to make room for others. I am sometimes asked what newly made items might be the collectibles of tomorrow. I am confident that all of these lanterns fit the bill. I spoke with Tim this afternoon to ask why he doesn't charge more for these works of art. For the moment, he feels these are fairly priced. However, buy any one of the lanterns and I dare you to disagree with me - they are worth every penny and then some. Buy any of all of these lanterns while they are available. 

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN 3D TABLE DECORATION PRINTED CARDBOARD BEISTLE "HERE LIES"

Beistle made a trio of these ingeniously designed 3-D decorations in the mid-1950s, when their creative juices, by and large, were ebbing. Of the three (the others can be seen on page 231), this one is the best and typically the most expensive. These almost always have notable condition issues, which this particular example seems to have avoided. Sustainable guide value is $225. 

vintage Halloween Black Cats diecut fence conecting centerpiece & Cat Stand Up

These items were all produced by Whitney of Worcester, Massachusetts. Four singing black cat sections comprise a full set. These would link together to form a rectangular shaped table centerpiece. You can see this and other four-sided table centerpieces by Whitney on pages 274-275 of my newly published reference. 

10/10 Update: The buyer did not make a good buy, paying $239.50 for an incomplete singing cat fence centerpiece. 

Halloween Tindeco Witch with Pumpkin Candy Tin Large size

I recently had the opportunity to examine this Tindeco item, the larger of the two designs they issued for Halloween. Made in the 1920s by the Tin Decorating Company of Baltimore, Maryland, this larger iteration is hard to find in this condition. Very clean and bright, it will be difficult to better this. Tindeco was sold to the Illinois Glass Company in 1935, which ceased using the Tindeco mark at that time. You can't go wrong with this seller, close friends of mine, whose knowledge of vintage Halloween is A-1, as are their ethics and honesty. Bid with confidence! 

1940s Halloween 11" Skelleton Pushing Pumpkin Cart Cardboard Table Decoration

Isn't this an awesome item? This is only the third time I've seen this candy container, made by the General Merchandise Company. It was made during the 1950s. Pay attention to the dimensions as this is a surprisingly sizable item. Sustainable guide value is ~$200. 

10/08 Update: This item fetched the crazy, unsustainable price of $344.99, almost certainly an artifact of its inclusion in my newly available third edition.