This is one of a trio that comprises a full set. The seller is correct in stating that this 3-D table decoration was made by Beistle. The complete set, made in the mid-1950s, is shown on page 231. This is the one that typically brings the most money when sold.
04/20 Update: Surprisingly, this fetched only $89.88.
This was interesting in that I hadn't seen it before. I wonder what it would have fetched if the seller hadn't offered it up as a BIN? I agree with the seller that it looks to be from the 1950s. Beistle's artistry was by this time a pale shadow of what it had been in their Golden Age of the 1920s and 1930s. This set's designs aren't too memorable compared to the fantastic, wildly imaginative Beistle hats shown on pages 237-241. (For instance, look at the "New Moon" hats on page 239. Wow!)
This has to be one of Dennison's most inspired designs. The artist packed a lot of detail in such a small item, meant to be used as a place card. This first appeared in 1928. As I point out on page 257, "Notice the cat's face in the flame and the candle's expression. Although not particularly scarce, this iconic, diminutive Dennison masterpiece consistently sells at or above the cited value. It was sold with stock number H565."
04/16 Update: This great piece of ephemera changed hands for $100.99, slightly exceeding sustainable guide value of $85.
This appears to be a homemade item, with the cat face crudely copied from a Beistle black cat face mask. It has modest decorative value only.
Whitney seemed to approach their Halloween merchandise outside of their many postcard designs with indifference. This is a great example. As I write on page 273, "The contents are simply four sheets with six fortunes per sheet. The value for this item is due almost solely to the envelope." Although I have assigned a RSIN of 2 to this 1920s item, and am glad to have one in the collection, it is rather dully executed. The tag line of "Just What You Are Looking For" is particularly uninspired.
Although not a prolific producer of tin litho Halloween noisemakers, Bugle Toy of Providence, Rhode Island, was an imaginative one. Virtually all of their designs pushed the envelope away from the anodyne or overly cutesy imagery so common then and toward idiosyncratic, memorable imagery. This aesthetic has made Bugle tin items highly collectible and collected. As I write on page 189, "This firm's output was much smaller relative to the others mentioned here. What their line lacked in breadth was compensated for by cleverness. (This applies to their tin items only. Their lithoed paper output is unmemorable.)" Check out page 212 for a nearly complete inventory of their tin designs.
The seller placed too low of a BIN price on these great Dennison boxed items. Although apparently incomplete (the listing's verbiage is unclear...), being able to obtain these nice slide boxes for ~$25 with shipping is a solid bargain.
Dennison really cornered the market starting in the teens and extending through the early 1930s with their imaginative assortment of boxed seals, cut-outs, illuminated silhouettes and the like. These boxed goods are among my favorite of all vintage Halloween genres. Gibson threw their hat in the ring and came up with compelling designs from time to time. These are harder to find, having been made in much smaller quantities than the quantities having been pumped out by the Dennison juggernaut. Whitney, too, tried to join the party, but their output was curiously devoid of memorable designs. I say curiously as they were a prolific producer of interesting postcard designs. Whitney's management must not have believed in the staying power of small items with which to decorate envelopes, invitations, etc.
This actually looks to be in stellar condition. Naturally, these tin litho tambourines were designed to be banged around, so it is difficult to find one in near-perfect condition. The photos convey that this still possesses bright colors and has a minimum of wear. Even the BIN is reasonable. Although one of the jangles is missing, this isn't a big deal as virtually all Chein jangles are interchangeable. This was made in the 1930s.
I doubt this is a vintage item. The shape and surfacing of the lantern doesn't look right. The bottom ring is unlike those I've seen with unquestionably vintage lanterns.
The reproduction of pulp items has become a real problem in the hobby, so casual collectors should exercise caution, buying only from reputable sources.
These fairy motif lampshades were originally part of Beistle's 1923 party set. The set was issued in three packaging variations: as a booklet, an enveloped set and a boxed set. I'll have the booklet variant as one lot in my auction that begins May 3rd. It is the very one photographed for and appearing in my third edition on page 217. The preview will begin on April 26th. The auction is open only to purchasers of my third edition. If you haven't yet purchased your copy, now would be a good time to do so.
This is a reference that doesn't often surface. It is a fact-filled work on Beistle honeycombed items. It provides clues crucial to dating when Beistle was actively manufacturing many of their more iconic items from their Golden Age. I used my copy when working on all three editions of my book, Vintage Halloween Collectibles.
I think this was a bargain for $12.72. As I write about such items in my third edition: "These scrap items were typically made at the end of a shift using whatever could be salvaged from the leftover tin litho. They were then sold as irregulars, garnering at least a little money for the manufacturer from what otherwise would have simply gone to waste."
This is only the second time I've seen this offered for sale. A seller listed two of these some years back on Ebay and I was able to acquire the one in the collection at that time. The two that seller listed were mirror images of one another, just as this is the mirror image of the one shown on page 136. Looking carefully at it, I notice some minor surface paint differences from mine, underscoring that these diecuts were made at a time when hand flourishes were not discouraged. The Germans made this very late in their production of holiday items for the export market. These "last year" designs were almost exclusively exported to the population centers in eastern Canada and are among the most interesting, out-there designs the Germans made before WWII - and arguably ever. The seller started it at $2000 and a bid was received within the hour. It will be very fun to sit back and see what this fetches.
03/25 Update: This fine diecut brought a record high of $3,100.
The seller writes rather oddly about this set, "Have no idea on his age." Let me help. These items have little age - they are proverbial newborns relative to the age of authentically vintage items. These blobby, Schmoo-like forgettables are just the thing to have if you want targets to test out that new hunting rifle. The seller further writes, "A must for your Halloween collection." Um, I think not.
These cards, marked made in Saxony, were manufactured sometime right before 1920. Although two designs are being offered, a complete set is comprised of four designs, all shown on page 286. The other two designs show a perched owl and a snarling black cat face.
