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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

Welcome to 2017!

Hi Faithful Readers, 
Well, the 2016 holiday season has come to a close and we are on to the new year. I just trolled through the eBay listings and found almost nothing to comment upon - not uncommon during this time of the year. 
As the most coveted vintage Halloween items continue their sustained price ascent, unscrupulous dealers are redoubling their efforts to peddle newly made crapola as old to fool trusting collectors. One troubling and accelerating trend is the marrying of old elements with new elements to create a "vintage" item. The genre most affected by this is anything having a mechanical/clockwork feature. If considering such a purchase, be sure the entire item is old and complete. So many, especially those being sold that look new, have been "Frankensteined" together. I don't know if I've seen a single example during 2016 that didn't raise at least one eyebrow. 
Don't be an easy mark. Do your research and buy from dealers only after checking around with other collectors as to these dealers' reputations. 
I am already busy preparing for my annual May auction, with all lots consisting of truly vintage Halloween items. The auction is open only to those who have purchased a copy of my third edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles. If you haven't invested in a copy yet, consider doing so before long. 
Look for more frequent updates to the blog now that the holidays are in the rear view mirror. 
 

 

Vintage Halloween Haunted House 1969 Empire Light-up Orange Plastic Blow Mold

I like many of the blow molds produced in the late 1960s but this one is my favorite. The designer was really talented in incorporating a skewed perspective to the haunted house. Nicely detailed and compact, this is one of the first ones I place in my front garden window each season. Although not rare, finding one with no fading or other condition issues is a pleasant surprise. Sustainable guide value is $65, but given that the seller is offering this with free shipping, this may be one to pick up. 

One Vintage Halloween DENNISON party invitation PUMPKIN HEAD Book THE CALL

The date on this nicely designed Dennison invitation is interesting. This item first appeared in a Dennison 1928 Price List pamphlet. This rather battered survivor has an inked date of 1938 which means that either Dennison sold these for ~10 seasons or (more likely) that the original party giver was a pack rat who held on to the pack of invitations until another party opportunity arose. I give more credence to the latter possibility because this design is seen seldom enough that it warrants an RSIN of 2. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Hello Faithful Readers!
At this time of the year not much is listed that I find worthwhile to comment upon, so I typically take a blogging break for most of December. If I find something to write about I'll create a post, but don't be alarmed if the site is relatively dormant until the first week of January. 
I am actively planning for my annual May auction - an event that is only open to those who have bought a copy of my third edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles. If you are one of those fine folk, please drop me an email conveying your email address and phone number - especially if either or both have changed. Many buyers forget to include one or both. I want to ensure that every buyer can be notified when the auction is about to get underway. 
Thanks! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
MBL

 

Vintage Early 1900s Blindfolded Girl Stand-Up Table Top Halloween Decoration

Whitney made a wide variety of these well-designed place cards during the 1920s. Many have mechanical features. Often there are mice shown running around the circular base, although this example has only a short printed sentiment. This seller had a number of these place cards up for auction that I had never seen before. All had damage so I passed on bidding, but was delighted to add to the database of now-known designs. (To see more, look on page 276.) 

Vintage Halloween Pumpkin Clapper Made In Germany Jol 2 Sided 1920's - 30'

The Germans made and exported several designs of these identically two-sided clappers during the 1920s. As I write on page 196, "All consist of heavily embossed diecuts stapled to both sides of a cardboard paddle. The diecuts for this line were finished in such a way as to make them appear distressed, giving rise to the often erroneous conclusion that the diecuts are in poor condition." Sustainable guide value for these clappers is $100, so this auction ended nearly right on the money. 

Vintage Large Die Cut Jointed Halloween Scarecrow Decoration! 3'

This overly large scarecrow diecut was made by Beistle from 1960-1962 and illustrates the plunge in derring-do the company experienced in wanting to roll with the times. Silly and benign displaced challenging and memorable design by this time in Beistle's history. Their Golden Age for Halloween was 1918-1940, followed by a period punctuated with some creativity from 1941-1955 then followed by a long decline in artistic vision exemplified by this doofus. 

Vintage Antique Halloween Lantern 4 Panel Die-Cut Pulp Cardboard Crepe Paper

Given the overall condition of this lantern, the ending price was far in excess of what was expected. Although it is true that authentic versions of this German lantern are not easily found (This lantern has been reproduced beginning in the mid-1990s.), the condition of this particular item wasn't high. If you look at the recorded bidding history, it seems that the price plateaued at $227, then was ratcheted upward to its ending level of $540 by two bidders, one of whom has zero feedback. I feel the correct level for this lantern in this condition would be ~$275. 

Pair of Very Early & Rare c. Feb. 1911 Halloween Trick or Treat Lamp Shades

These are bottoms for the small-sized Spook Lamps, early table decorations and lanterns. The smaller ones could also be used in conjunction with place cards. (You can see the factory made openings on one of the four panels per bottom.) Unfortunately, what is being offered for auction are remnants. Missing are the top sections containing the candle holder and the four support struts for each lantern that would attach to each bottom. Complete Spook Lamps are hard to find, as they were fragile to begin with. Most have not made the journey through over a century of time well or at all. 

Vintage Old German Halloween Devil Satan Face w Black Cats Die Cut Pressed Paper

The Germans produced a total of twelve tiara or diadem designs during the 1920s. All of them are hard to find in collectible condition, but this is arguably the toughest and the most eye-catching. This devil design brought only an ~18% premium to sustainable guide value, smaller than I would have forecast given that one hasn't surfaced in some time. Undoubtedly, if this had been offered for sale in August, it would have fetched far more. 

Vintage Mechanical Halloween Advertising Piece. Chases Fine Candies. RARE & HTF

The seller doesn't state an opinion as to when this was produced, but I think this interesting and large item was made during the later 1950s through the early 1960s. The benign imagery is representative of that period. The Chase Candy Company has been in business since 1876, always based in St. Joseph, Missouri. (Their best known product is the Cherry Mash.) Given the simplicity of the design I feel $595 is on the high side. However, the seller is open to offers, so if you have room this may be a good acquisition. 

11/10 Update: This sold for $545 to a very good home in Pennsylvania. 

Awesome - Vintage Beistle Four-Sided Skull Halloween Lantern - 1930's

This four-sided skull lantern was produced by Beistle in the early 1930s. When buying such items, always ensure that the bottom piece is intact (or as this seller writes, "in tack."). They are often missing making it problematic for the lantern to stay standing. Sustainable guide value for one with its bottom piece and with no staining is $125, so this seller is quite an optimist, if not a careful speller.