The seller, Sandy, also a long-time collecting friend, wrote to me while the auction was still ongoing, quite happy with the attention her handled cup was getting. I mentioned that the small cups are seen relatively frequently compared to other pieces from the set, but that handled cups are particularly desirable. Not only does the handle distinguish it from being a nut cup, but emphatically defines it as a teacup. Still, the ending price is probably not replicable. It is the result of three very determined bidders.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
RARE EARLY BEISTLE BLACK CAT HONEYCOMB HALLOWEEN HAT~DESIGN ON BOTH SIDES~
Beistle made two designs of what they called continental hats with plumes. The mate is a JOL with better artwork on either side of the central figure. (You can see it on page 238.) The vertical stripes flanking the cat face do grab the eye, but there is no doubt that it seems Beistle rather shorted this particular design. Made from 1925-1931 only, sustainable guide value is $195.
10/07 Update: This hat brought $197.50.
Original Halloween Multiple Cats On Fence Centerpiece & Envelope
This sub-genre, Whitney fences, is a particular favorite of mine. This was made in the later 1920s out of light-weight cardboard delicate enough that you assemble then disassemble at your peril. Bottom line: Put it together the way you want it and never touch it again except to gently move it to dust underneath. (That is assuming you dust at all!) Different from so many Whitney designs, each of the four sides is completely different. Somewhat later they got lazy and either had 2 and 2 designs or four identical sides. The last thing to look for when buying these fences is that all the tabs are present. This example meets the test.
Boxed Set 5 Gobolink Halloween Cut-Outs Dennison
Dennison's odd creation they called the Gobolink first appeared in their 1925 Bogie Book as a boxed set of six. Dennison never counted the example on the package as part of the contents, so this set is incomplete.
Vintage Halloween Beistle Party Favor Basket, Cat & JOL, Orange Honeycomb, 1925
Has vintage Beistle from the Golden Age ever been hotter? These favor baskets surface from time to time, but their prices, like the prices for so much of the much-coveted early Beistle material have gone right into the stratosphere. I'm really glad these wonderful things are finding their way to home where they'll be cared for and appreciated!
Vintage Beistle Halloween Bridge Tally, Scarecrow Woman, Flip Skirt Diamond Mark
This is an exceedingly rare item, made by Beistle only from 1929-1931. (The seller has misread the date pencilled on its reverse as 1924, when it is actually 1929.) This is only the second time I've ever seen this offered for sale. As it write on page 222, "The apron flips up to reveal the scoring area. (There is no sexual connotation to the last sentence.)" This is one of a pair, the other being a scarecrow man. The mate is also shown on page 222.
VINTAGE TIN LITHO HALLOWEEN NOISE MAKER WITCH/JACK O LANTERN/BAT WOODEN HANDLE
Piece for piece, I think Bugle Toy of Providence, Rhode Island made the quirkiest tin litho items around. The firm's design sensibility seems off-kilter, no doubt helping to make their tin litho items as collectibles as they are today. Bugle also produced lithoed paper over cardboard noisemakers, but these seem to have been produced by a wholly different firm as these items are devoid of creativity, bland and eminently forgettable.
SCARCE Vintage Halloween Lantern WITCH HEAD pcnm
This seller sells a mix of truly vintage and faux vintage. Whether she knows the difference, or wants to know the difference, is hard to discern. This item was made by Stamm House in the 1990s and has decorative value only. The buyer greatly overpaid.
Vintage Halloween Die Cut Johnny Pumpkin Holding Cat Easel Back Beistle 1920's
I believe this is a married piece. It seems that the head has been added to the body. Take a look at the single photo provided of the reverse and look at the difference in the toning of the cardboard. If you are inclined to bid on this item, ask a lot of questions.
Vintage Halloween Witch Party Pin The Tail Style Game w/ Envelope 1913 RARE!
I've seen this game several times in nearly 30 years of collecting and each and every time the envelope is barely holding together. The manufacturer must have used the cheapest, least durable paper stock possible. The contents of the game typically are fine, but the envelope is always chipping and separating. I swear even looking at one causes it to degrade.
RARE Germany Die Cut Halloween Fortune Teller with Envelope M-NM NR
The seller describes this as the Holy Grail of German diecut Halloween items. Although this MAY have been true years ago, it is definitely much less true today. As I write on page 125: "Because of how this game was meant to be used, less than ~40 complete examples are known. (About 20 of these were discovered in an old drugstore in Kentucky and were sold at an auction in Ohio several years ago. These have been filtering into the marketplace since, greatly reducing the value of this item for the short and medium terms.)" I believe the starting price of $1,000 is near the current sustainable guide price.
Fantastic New Pulp Witch Head Available
It is rare that I tout anything but vintage items on this blog, but take a look at these. There is an artist named Timothy Ramzyk in Wisconsin who meticulously and painstakingly hand molds his own designs from a heavy, durable pulp. He has five designs in very limited quantities at price points that are in a few words, way too cheap! The designs from last year are a skull, a JOL, a black cat head and a devil head. The devil is shown below. This year he has unveiled a scary green-faced witch - and you can feast your eyes on it alongside the devil. I just got it yesterday and I was awed at the workmanship. I proudly have these two treasures on exhibit in my main display room. (For those who I've been lucky to host at my home, you know that in order for something to be placed in that room, it has to carry its own weight. These do, easily.)
Now, Tim is only making 12 JOLs and 20 of the other four designs for the entire season. (Of course, there are at most 19 witches left.) The price for the devil, JOL and black cat is $83 each, postpaid. The price for the skull and the awesome new witch is $95 postpaid.
Tim has created a steel stamp of his logo and has permanently branded his creations, as he has a healthy respect for protecting the vintage market. He numbers and dates each of his creations.
For those who know me, you know that I rarely buy anything Halloween unless it is vintage. I've made an exception - and you should too. Snap these up before they are ALL GONE by contacting Tim directly at pulpnovelties@aol.com. He lists these as well on eBay and Etsy.
Antique Halloween Embossed Diecut Pumpkin Jack-o-lantern Pressboard Germany
Unfortunately, this is merely a carefully trimmed middle from a somewhat common diecut set. Six comprise the set, all encircled with a decorative, starred border with a crescent moon on one side. The entire set can be seen on page 184. As a remnant, the value is maybe 10% of what this buyer paid.
VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PARTY INVITATION, 1927 BEISTLE POP UP WITCH WHEN OPENED
Beistle made at least two versions of these wonderful pop-up invitations. This example, the witch exulting over her cauldron, was sold in the late 1920s. (In fact, this was used in 1927.) A significantly rarer version shows a pop-up scarecrow along with three JOLs. Beistle issued this design beginning in the early 1930s and probably didn't make them that long since I've seen that version sold only singly. From what I know, an extant box has never surfaced. You can see the rarer design on page 223.
Vintage 1930s rare 14 inch HALLOWEEN Jitterbug Jones & WITCH 2 GLOW-IN-THE-DARK
I'd love to know the story here. When this lot ended at $636.99, I didn't believe it. I called a close friend and fellow collector to get her reaction. She said maybe it is time to sell our collections if people are willing to pay such a high price for items with such obvious condition issues. Not only are both items missing their placards, but the amount of wear, plus the presence of tape remnants, is a turn-off. However, the seller relisted the pair less than a mere two hours later. So, did the prevailing bidder get cold feet? These really shouldn't go for more than $200-$250 total.
09/22 Update: I received an email from the prevailing bidder today explaining that she had inadvertently placed a mistaken bid amount by inserting a third digit in her haste to bid. The seller graciously accepted this explanation and didn't bind the bidder to the placed bid. Doesn't this truly indicate that the seller is fair-minded?
