Large Vintage Halloween Table Top Diecut Display (5242)

This exceedingly rare festive centerpiece was produced by Beistle for one season only in 1955. They issued two designs. (The other is shown on page 233.) In my view, this is the stronger of the two designs. SGV is $375, but these come up so rarely that who knows what it may bring. As of this writing, the item, in solid collectible condition, has already been bid up to $315. Good luck to the pursuers!

07/31 Update: This sold for a startling - and surely never to be repeated - $909. I've had conversations with close collecting friends since this auction's end wondering if there is a bubble firmly forming in the vintage Halloween market. Is this the time for me to begin selling my collection in earnest? 

H E Luhrs Embossed Halloween Crow Decoration 1940 Beistle Company

I had to chuckle when this seller states with bravado that this crow diecut "is unmistakably an H E Luhrs creation." Not only has the possessive gone missing, but the assertion is, in fact, mistakenly made. As you, my faithful readers know, this is a heavily embossed diecut made in Germany during the 1920s. It has nothing to do with Beistle or Luhrs. 

Vintage Halloween 1940's FAIRYS PARADE CAT Honeycomb Hat Luhrs/Beistle/USA

This fairy honeycomb band hat was produced by Beistle from 1933-1941. Although the design existed prior to 1933, it wasn't released as a hat until 1933. This stylistically goes very well with their 1923 party set. SGV is $95. 

Vintage Lot of Die Cut Halloween Decorations Witch Pumpkin Bat Frankenstein Cat

Nothing pictured is truly vintage. The three members of the cat band were made during or after 2003. As I write on page 154, "Reproductions are easily discerned by the white accents, two bottom slots on each for a folded cardboard stand and their heavy paper stock with their orange/brown backsides." The cat atop a JOL was made a bit later. The give-away on that items is the glossy paper stock. 

Halloween Dennison Tally Smiling Spade Face Atop JOL

This is one of the exceedingly rare Dennison small paper items produced in the golden window of 1928-1932. The other thematically similar item in the collection first appeared in Dennison's 1930 Price List pamphlet, so I suspect this is from the same year. (You can see it on page 260.) This has that kooky design aesthetic so coveted by Dennison collectors. I had to pay a princely sum to acquire this, but I have no regrets. 

Halloween vintage game TAKE A CHANCE STUNT GAME witches devils scarecrows jol

This stunt game was produced by Beistle during the 1930s. Like this particular example, when these surface they typically have one or more of the perforated areas disturbed. This sold for $125. A pristine example would go for much more. Pre-1950s Beistle items have been a hot market segment for many years. 

VINTAGE JOL DIECUT~US MADE ~ STAND OUT FACE

Beistle produced this line of at least four different designs during the mid-1950s to wide yawns from the marketplace. They didn't catch fire then and haven't to date. The 3-D effect is rudimentary and the differently lidded JOLs are forgettable. Beistle was largely empty of creative juice by this time - and this line clearly shows it. 

ANTIQUE HALLOWEEN - mini JACK-O-LANTERN pumpkin cup & saucer RARE

This is a doubly great item. The diminutive cup has a handle and the saucer is exceedingly rare. Although unmarked, these items are German-made. The Japanese made rather crude reproductions of only the basic items like the teapot, sugar and creamer. The Germans produced a wildly inventive range of these porcelain wares from 1908 through 1932. If I had to pick my top three segments of the vintage market, this segment would be amongst them. SGV for the handled cup is $125. SGV for the saucer is $175. The saucer was also produced with an orange and burnt orange finish. 

07/19 Update: This super combo sold for $344. 

1930s Halloween Pressed Cardboard Skeleton Head decoration

Here is an excellent example of a rookie seller leaving quite a bit of money on the proverbial table. This exceedingly rare German diecut was offered for the pittance of $98. SGV is $525. The Germans made a common skull and crossbones diecut without a hat, and at least two variants with hats. (The other can be seen on page 178.) Both of the hatted skulls are really tough to find, especially in the decent shape this offering appears to be in. Why wouldn't the seller have simply listed this in the auction format? 

ANTIQUE Halloween Squeaker Toy JACK O LANTERN Wears DEVIL MASK Removes MASK

This is almost surely the only legitimate German Halloween mechanical I've seen on this forum in years. True vintage mechanicals are rare and should be well-worn. There are a few dealers who routinely offer this genre of items on eBay. Their offerings are dubious - outright fakes or mash-ups. If you are inclined to buy these kinds of things, be VERY cautious. 

Vintage Halloween Beistle Witch Die Cut & Tissue Paper Honeycomb Hat bv8363

This Beistle band hat is so rare that I didn't know it even existed. The other designs were all made for the 1930-1931 seasons, so I suspect that is the case here. The design is stunning. I wish I would have acquired it. I placed a bid of ~$1030, but was far short of the final result of $1412.87. 

Small Embossed German Halloween Diecut Witch

The Germans produced two variants of this embossed witch face. This is, by far, the rarer of the two. They typically trade for $250 and up, so this result, even given the condition, is surprising. (You can see the other design on page 177.)

Halloween Dennison Invitation, THE CALL, 1929, JOL Reads Book, Rare

I've come to the opinion that some of Dennison's finest work can be found in the small paper they produced from 1928-1932. Given the greater economic forces at work during much of that interval, production was sharply curtailed, making items made at this time largely hard to find. This invitation, The Call, was sold singly in shops with an inventory number of H580. It first appeared in Dennison's 1928 Price List pamphlet. During the last few years, small paper has been a hot segment of the market. This seller is a long-timer collector with an exceptional eye for good design. I have long enjoyed doing business with her and give her my highest recommendation. 

1930s HALLOWEEN Dual Sided JOL LANTERN w Yellow Cardboard SIDES w Inserts

This lantern was produced by Beistle for the 1933-1935 seasons. It rarely surfaces. The seller measurements are a bit off since the lantern was made in two sizes: 11.5" x 4.75" x 12.5" and 10.5" x 4.25" x 10". The inserts were made with either green or orange paper. I found the one in the collection early on, probably around 1990. I didn't realize how lucky I was to find one. I've seen only a handful since. SGV is $300. Given this lantern's condition issues, it'll be instructive to see the ending price. 

Vintage WITCH Black Cat Flying Broomstick Diecut MADE IN USA HALLOWEEN DIE CUT

By the late 1950s Beistle was riding on fumes creatively. Before they slid into a stylistic abyss for the next few decades, they managed to produce three pretty awesome diecuts, albeit with what I'm sure was great weariness. This is one of the three very odd witch designs Beistle produced at the time. The non-embossed diecuts rarely surface in collectible condition. Given where Beistle was at that time, I don't think they produced very many of any of the three designs. Check out page 159 for the other two from the set. My favorite is the witch looking behind her with very worn shoe bottoms. Also, each of the designs has the artist's initials cleverly woven into the design. Can you see them? 

07/12 Update: This sold for $169.10.