I would classify this game as having only the most tangential of connections to Halloween. Except for the broomed witch, there really is none. Some collectors specialize in collecting fortune telling games, and a precious few are truly Halloween related, but the vast majority either have no connection or the slimmest of connections to Halloween. Just as a nice piece of colorful art, I can see the modest value this item fetched - but that price is also a judgement from the market that classifying this item as a Halloween game is incorrect. The Fortune Crystal Game is another example of an item often wrongly classified as having a Halloween connection.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Happy New Year!
Hello Readers,
Happy New Year to you!
I appreciate you taking the time to read what I post here. Looking at the site’s analytics, the reading audience has greatly expanded over the last several years, with a notable spike in 2019. I’d like to think it’s because of my witty prose, but the reality is almost certainly not that. The hobby remains expensive with more fakes, fantasy and “Frankensteined” pieces coming to market than ever before. Vigilance remains the watchword when buying vintage Halloween items. Know the sellers. Conduct business only with those who’ll stand behind their attribution forever. If you buy at shows, always get a receipt detailing the item and the seller’s contact information.
As so many of you do already, feel free to ask my opinion of any particular item you see on any forum. I’ll give you the straight skinny as I am beholden to no one.
Stay tuned for my May 3rd auction. I’ll have at least 100 lots of nothing but authentic, vintage items on offer. This go-round the range of goods is broad: German diecuts, German candy containers/figurals/lanterns, hard plastic, post cards, games and game pieces, US pulp, tin noisemakers, Dennison goods, Beistle treasures, small paper items and other rare miscellany.
As always, the auction is open only to those who care enough about the hobby to have invested in the best and most complete reference available, my 3rd edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles, by buying a copy from me. Ordering information is on this site.
Be safe, be well and be kind in this New Year!
MBL
Antique 1929 Fortune Telling Game, The Witch of Endor, Naumkeag Games, Salem, MA
This game surfaces enough that I feel $200 was an aggressive price to pay. A loyal reader asked my opinion of the listing. I said that although the overall condition was good, the BIN price was too high, given that several have sold for about half that in the last year on eBay and other forums. (The listing shows the game sold for $225, but the actual selling price was $200 according to the seller. )
RARE Antique Witch Cauldron 1925 Beistle collapsible paper Vintage Halloween
It was great to see this listing for the iconic Beistle honeycomb cauldron. This design came in three sizes, with this one appearing to be the largest. The arch, normally the scene of the crime with these delicate objects, is intact. I suspect the seller might have gotten more for this given its size and overall condition if it had been offered through an auction format.
1928 Fortunes Party Halloween Game Past Present & Future Punch Board Unused
This is a punch game I don’t recall seeing before. The graphics are both minimalist and check most of the boxes for iconic imagery. Unusually, it seems to be wholly intact. I wonder if the seller has started it too high at a $49.99 opening price?
01/02 Update: This sold for $62.99.
1916 DENNISON H636 HALLOWEEN DECORATION STICKERS SEALS Ghost Scaring Boy Set 25
This seller got a phenomenal price for this box of Dennison seals. This design was first produced in 1922, not 1916. They typically fetch in the neighborhood of $100-125, so the buyer paid a steep premium.
Halloween Vintage Toy Pumpkin (Germany?) Children's tea set sugar
The seller contacted me for my opinion on this assemblage. I said that although I couldn’t be sure of the teapot, all the other pieces were produced in Japan not Germany.
Very fine near mint 1920 Vintage Halloween German Black Cat & JOLs Tiara Diadem
This has to be one of the finest German tiaras I’ve seen. Can you imagine how rare it is for something to go through nearly 100 years and still look like this with its bright color and intact highlighting? Discerning collectors know what a treasure this is as it has been bid up to $510 as of this writing. It’ll be fun to see what this fetches!
12/17 Update: The ending price was shockingly low - $787 - surely a disappointment to the seller.
Vintage Halloween Horn Toy Witch JOL Bat Americana Décor Noisemaker Container
The horn is not a vintage one - but one made to look as if it has some age to it. It looks like something produced by Bethany Lowe or firms of that ilk. Don’t be fooled…
Contact Page Problems
Hello Readers,
I discovered this morning that the Contact page wasn’t working, in that if you sent me an email through the site I wasn’t receiving it. I don’t know how long that was the case, but I’m guessing several weeks. I worked with my site’s host’s customer support unit this morning and the issue was solved. So, if you sent a message and were left wondering why I hadn’t responded, that was the reason. Happy Thanksgiving!
BEISTLE HONEYCOMB CAT FACE CONTINENTAL HAT WITH PLUME RARE 1925-31 WITH STRAP
This desirable Beistle continental hat was produced from 1925-1931. Although these surface from time to time, seldom do they do so in such awesome condition. The companion hat to it is shown on page 238. Although the seller may have started it too high, you will rarely have an opportunity to do business with such a seller: knowledgeable and eminently trustworthy.
Vintage Gibson Halloween Black Cat Tally Cards
The buyer of this lot of two Gibson tallies got a bargain. Both are visually appealing, colorful and large. The full-bodied cat looking back is the better of the two. It is rarely seen, especially in collectible condition. That tally alone should have brought $60. This is another example of the perils of using the Buy-It-Now feature when not specializing in what is being sold.
Vintage "Halloween Parade" E. Rosen Rosbro Plastic Cat Pushing Pumpkin on Wheels
The seller has posted this for $899.99. Good luck!
RARE! Skeleton Halloween Lantern Trick or Treat Basket Original Paper Insert
I used to see more of these than I have recently. These were reproduced in the later 1990s and after, but these reproductions are easy to identify. The truly vintage slot and tab skull lanterns will always have this tan toning to the surface whereas the new ones are very white. Please keep this in mind if you see this lantern design for sale online or in shops.
Large HALLOWEEN FLYING WITCH W BIRD STARS Germany Embossed Paper Diecut H10
Even given the fair amount of surface paper missing this German windowpane diecut brought less than I would have expected. This design is one of four comprising a full set, all being roughly the same size. (Some of the cottage industries producing these windowpanes trimmed the borders some. As long as the trimming doesn’t touch the central image, there is generally no diminution of value.)
