This set of three items was originally part of an ultra-rare Dennison enveloped product they marketed as String-Em-Outs. Dennison released this for one season during the mid-1920s. You can see the full set on page 263. The lot sold immediately!
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Vintage Metal Halloween Noise-Maker Featuring Black Cat, Witch and Pumpkin
The tin litho noisemaker segment has been moribund for years but has been lately showing signs of life. This was one of the first market segments I collected, so these “green shoots” are welcome. This is a desirable noisemaker. Bugle produced this sometime during a 20 year span beginning in the late 1920s. I don’t believe I’ve seen this particular form with this imagery before. I show a clicker and a rectangular shaker on page 212 with this same imagery, but this round shaker is a previously unseen form for me. As I write this it has already been bid up to $93.02 with over five days remaining, so others have keyed in on this rarity.
08/12 Update: This sold for $255.33!
Vintage Halloween CREPE PAPER BOLT - COMPLETE and NEAR MINT - DENNISON!
I love this seller. They are collectors with excellent taste and deep knowledge, a wonderful combination. I appreciate their many and clear photos and their just-the-facts-ma’am description. Know that you can deal with them with confidence!
Vintage BEISTLE 8" Jack O Lantern Boy Honeycomb Halloween Original Pumpkin
It is great to continue seeing a smattering of quality listings. This listing of a Beistle roly-poly both raises and answers a question. The question it raises is this: Does it really measure 10.5” high? I’ve asked the seller to double-check the measurement. I just received a response saying she’ll do that by tomorrow. The more common set of Beistle roly-poly honeycomb figures measures 8” high. (Saying they are more common overstates it as none from the set are often seen. However, compared to the larger set of which I surmise this listing is part of, they are seen more often.) The four members of this smaller set can be seen across the tops of pages 226-227. Two of the larger set, including this one, run along the bottom of those pages. The question it answers is did this item have a stem? The one I purchased has no stem nor any evidence that there ever was one. This listed item clearly shows a stem, however denuded of surface paper it is. Sustainable guide value is $475 for this roly.
08/06 Update: Unfortunately, the seller inadvertently tore this rare roly in two. It does measure 10.5” high when complete.
08/13 Update: This sold for $280, strong dollars considering the restoration costs involved in getting it back together.
Vintage 1920-30S Gibson 3-Piece Diecut Halloween Table Decoration JOL Fence
This complete Gibson centerpiece was produced during the 1920s. It almost never comes on the market intact as one or more of the end tabs are generally missing. This is a fun piece with a lot of energy. It makes a stunning display.
08/08 Update: This sold for $302, a recent high for this set.
Vintage 1920-30S Gibson "Wise Up! This is a Party!" Diecut Sign Halloween Owl
Gibson diecuts, once definite also-rans to those made by Dennison and Beistle, have been rapidly escalating in value these past 2 years. Collectors have woken up to their rich colors and designs, their eccentricity and most of all to their scarcity. This is one of my favorite of their diecuts. Few of Gibson’s diecut designs surface regularly, especially not in this condition. I’d love to know how many of each design comprised this drugstore find. Guide value is $175, but since this market segment has moved much faster than I ever expected it to do, I expect the final price to exceed that figure. This was made during the early 1930s.
08/08 Update: This sold for $372.
RARE Vintage Halloween 20s Black Cat Waving Walking Die Cut Germany N. MINT HTF
I love this heavily embossed German diecut. It has so much energy and personality. It’s one you don’t see very often. The bonus is that it is being sold by one of the good guys. The seller is knowledgeable, honest and a true collector in his own right. Don’t hesitate in doing business with him! This particular item appears to be in exceptional condition. I appreciate and value the minimalist description. I wish more sellers would just stick to the basics rather than going on and on in their descriptions. This diecut is “2” on my RSIN and was produced during a short window in the 1920s.
08/06 Update: I’m so glad to see this gem sold for $251.50.
RARE 1930'S HALLOWEEN WITCH TAMBOURING NOISEMAKER TOY BY KIRCHHOF 6 1/4 X 1 1/4
The seller incorrectly states this tambourine was produced by Kirchhof during the 1930s. It was produced during the 1950s. Whenever you see their branding of something as a “Life of the Party” product, it is a clear signal the item was produced during the 1950s.
Main Diecut Wall Redesign
A few months ago I was able to acquire one of the very few German diecuts that had eluded my grasp for decades - the four figure fence. It is a long piece, so I knew when buying it that I’d have to free up some wall space somehow. For those whom I’ve had the pleasure of hosting here, you know that I have almost zero free wall space. The task wasn’t one I was looking forward to. I decided to deaccession about two dozen German diecuts that had long been part of my personal collection. (I’ll be listing a few of them on my For Sale page in the next few weeks. The others I’ll largely save for my May 2020 auction.) Before I left on a long road trip, I took these diecuts off the wall so I’d have to complete the redesign soon after my return. Well, I was astonished at how quickly the redesigned wall came together on Thursday. What you are seeing in these two photos is one wall in my home festooned with diecuts. {There are others!) You’ll find some of the rarest of German diecuts in this photo - all in stellar condition. What do you think? (In case you’re wondering about the art, the paintings are by the supremely talented Matthew Kirscht.)
Vintage Fold Out Happy Halloween Card Boy in Bed w Black Cat Owl Full Moon JOL
The same clueless seller referenced in the post below sold these exceedingly rare 3-D cards for a song, leaving another pile of money on the table. The key learning - as I’ve pointed out MANY times - if you don’t know about the value of an object, NEVER use the BIN format.
Vintage Candy or Nut Cup Halloween JOL Man Corn Legs Arms 3 1/8" Tall 1920s
This seller left gobs of money on the table by using an ill-advised BIN for each of these listings. These sold within minutes for $25 each. I was relaxing at a lodge in Salmon, Idaho and scrolling through the listings when I saw these. Unfortunately, my fingers couldn’t fly across the keyboard fast enough. All were gone in seconds. Even though the condition of each wasn’t mint, I had NEVER seen these designs before - none of them. If sold through an auction format, I have no doubt they would have realized $250+ each or more.
Vintage Rosen Halloween Hattie Cardboard Lollipop Holder
Rosen issued two sucker holder designs they called Hallowe’en Hattie. The later one, in brighter colors and with much less detail, is inferior to this one. I’ve only seen this earlier design a few times so was surprised it brought so little. Look at Hallowe’en Harry on page 90.
Vintage Antique Die Cut Halloween Tutu Beistle Honeycomb Sunflower
This Beistle tally sold for a strong price considering the noticeable color loss to the one side. Beistle sold this design from 1930-1931. Another design comprises the set. Interestingly, that other design appears far less frequently, one of the many mysteries about the secondary marketplace for vintage Halloween. Look on page 223 for the other design.
Vintage Tindeco Halloween Tin Girl Witch Jack O Lantern Broom Holiday Candy Tin
Tindeco made this and its larger design for many seasons beginning during the 1920s and ending in 1935. They are common. What is uncommon about this particular item is its condition. Just look at that luster! It has to be one of the best ones out there. The buyer got a bargain for $85.
Vintage 1940's Halloween Paper Mache Jack O Lantern Pumpkin with original insert
The Japanese made few JOLs - or conversely few have survived. I sold two in my May 2018 auction. One of these, Lot 79, was identical or close in size to this one. Here is how that lot description read:
”The Japanese made a half-hearted attempt to penetrate the JOL market dominated by Germany in the 1920s and through the mid-1930s. They were largely unsuccessful. Consequently, JOLs produced in Japan, especially early compo-wash-over-cardboard examples are breath-takingly rare. This one measures ~4.75” high by ~5.5” across. (All measurements exclude the bale, if present.) The multi-piece inserts are original.”
That lot sold for a scant $66 - a true bargain. This one is in better condition. I feel these are rare enough that they should bring $100-150.
07/28 Update: Inexplicably, this sold for only $56.69.
