I've noticed that prices for skeleton diecuts, especially German ones, have firmed over the last year. This example is arguably the most common version and size, yet even with the condition issues nicely described by the seller, it brought the sustainable guide value.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
FN Burt Halloween Witch & Cauldron, AUTHENTIC, RARE!!
This is a spectacular piece offered by a seller I thoroughly trust. This small pulp masterpiece of a witch tending to her cauldron was made by the F.N. Burt Company of Buffalo, New York during the 1930s. These don't surface much, and when they do they are often dirty, scuffed, marred in some way and missing their paper cup. (I've even seen a few painted!) This example has none of those deficiencies - or any other that I can discern. Bottom line - if you don't have one of these small treasures in your collection, you can do no better than buying this item from this super seller.
Vintage Halloween Witch Moon Metal Chamberstick Candle RARE!
This minimally decorated candle holder brought an astonishing $305. Made by an unknown manufacturer in the late 1910s, the item could be used either as a sconce or for the tabletop. These typically trade for $175, so the price brought was strong indeed.
Antique 1920s Halloween Witch Moon Costume Decorations Crepe Paper Vintage Hat
Considering the relatively poor condition of this hat, it still managed to bring a strong $90.99. This hat, one of only four designs that Beistle issued as "New Moon Hats" from 1933-1937, is exceedingly rare. Two of the designs in the collection are shown on page 239. The other two, although described in my text, I've never been able to purchase. I feel this set is the hardest of the great hat sets to complete.
Rare Vintage Beistle Halloween Party Decorations Book MINTY UNUSED
I am offering a near-mint, complete 1923 Beistle Party Book in my auction that begins next Sunday. The offered booklet was photographed for my reference books. The lot starts at $400, significantly lower than this seller is asking for a similar copy.
Vintage Mickey Mouse Disney Halloween German Diecut JOL Band 15"~MINT~NR
This great Mickey Mouse-like band member is from a set that has always had a special place in my thinking. The design with the JOL-creature playing a horn was the first German diecut I ever purchased, subsequently upgraded several times. I was in Seattle, shopping at a long-defunct shop called Antiques Bela V. I asked the owner if she had any Halloween and she looked at me as if I was crazy. (This was early September of 1989. Back then, dealers didn't put out their Halloween wares until mid-October.) The set is a great one to have and this example looks to be in tip-top condition. If you love diecuts, snap this one up!
Early Never Used Halloween Trix Or Treats Skelton-Pumpkin Sucker/Lollipop Holder
I am glad to see Trix or Treats cards from Set B continue to bring sustainable prices. The seller mischaracterizes the manufacturing time lines. The first set Rosen issued was Set A, comprised of six designs. These are larger, more colorful cards and were issued in the 1930s. Set B, from which this card comes, was released beginning in the later 1940s. As with Set C, issued in the early 1950s, five designs comprise a full set. By and large, although cards from Set C are more difficult to find, cards from Set B typically fetch the most money. A full accounting of these sets can be found on pages 90-92.
vintage drummer figurine- handwinding - papermaché head - Germany
Readers of this blog know that I feel next to nothing being offered by dealers based in Germany is authentically vintage. The Germans made everything for export; nothing was retained to be discovered in a "warehouse find" after the Berlin Wall fell. Truly vintage Halloween winding mechanicals are exceedingly rare. I haven't seen one I feel is unquestionably authentic since I personally examined a collection in Los Angeles in 2009.
Vintage Halloween Early Jack o Lantern Decoration 20s Germany, RARE Round Bottom
Ziz may understate the rarity of these round-bottomed German JOLs. I feel they are first generation creations, made for a short time until the Germans figured out that flat-bottomed iterations would be easier to display and use. As such, these are desirable.
05/06 Update: This wonderful item brought a strong $205.50.
VINTAGE MECHANICAL HALLOWEEN OWL
This is just the clumsily shorn top from a very rare and desirable Rosen Owl Pops box from the 1930s. Turn to page 116 to see a complete example. As merely a fragment of an item, the value is quite low.
05/01 Update: Someone really wanted this remnant, stepping up to pay $42.55.
LARGE EARLY 1900S HALLOWEEN GERMAN CANDY CONTAINER NODDER IN BOX MINT NOS
It is too bad to see that some poor soul dropped $300 on this fantasy item, made no earlier than circa 2000. The gimmick employed by those who wish to pass these along as authentic is the inclusion of an old box, a tactic employed since at least 2003 when I first saw it occur at the Atlantic City show. If you want old, genuinely authentic items, be sure to check out my auction on this site. The preview begins Sunday morning with the auction formally beginning at 9:00 AM on Sunday, May 3rd. The auction is open only to those who have purchased a copy of my newly published third edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles.
Vintage Halloween Ghost Decoration
This scary Beistle winged ghost was issued in 1925 in two variants: white or orange honeycombed paper wings. Both are valued equally. This example has the typical damage: both knots are missing as is a section of the base. I understand the typically missing knots, but have long wondered why the bases are typically truncated.
Vintage Halloween Beistle Placecard
Beistle issued these mechanical place cards in at least two packaging variations around 1930. The one shown on page 220 held four: two owls, one ghost and one witch. Beistle assigned this variant stock number 757. The second held 6 place cards, three owls, two ghosts and one witch. This small package has a cello front and was assigned stock number 657. I guess Beistle made a surfeit of owls!
VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN OR GOBLIN GUY WITH BIG EARS
This small composition Veggie person was made in Germany during the early 1920s. Most of this ilk were meant to stand on round cardboard bases, hence the glue remnants on the bottom. I don't feel that the absence of the base is a material factor in valuation with this category of figurals. The buyer got a very solid bargain, given that sustainable guide value is $135. An identical example is shown on page 81.
Set of 4 SMALL VINTAGE HALLOWEEN DIE CUTS
I've written about this seller before. She has long been on my list of those with whom I do not do business, both under her former Ebay handle of shadowtown and under her current handle, trappedintheshadow. A collecting friend was the prevailing bidder and contacted me seeking my input. I said that the seller has long sold Halloween items I question, concerned about their true age. I stated that this foursome was almost certainly not the real deal, specifying that they would probably be on thick paper and have a glossy, shellacked texture. (These traits are characteristic of many Halloween items this seller offers for sale.) Sure enough, my suspicions were validated. The buyer contacted the seller and was immediately offered an apology and a full refund. Is this an M.O.? Is it a calculation that occasional returns are simply the cost of doing business? I certainly don't know. What I do know is that I will continue to do no business with her.
