When I saw that eBay reported these as being sold for $1200 I knew something was amiss. These two vented lanterns were produced by Beistle during the mid-1950s. They surface frequently enough that given this pair’s condition, the selling price should have been less than $100. Sure enough, they actually sold for $76.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
RARE 1930s Jitterbug Jones table decoration Great Halloween graphics!!!
Here is another seller I heartily endorse. He doesn’t sell much, but he is offering at least two desirable Halloween items right now, the other being a Beistle electrified cat band hat. Jitterbug Jones was produced by an unknown firm during the 1930s. It is an early example of a glow-in-the-dark party product. The placard the seller references is almost always missing. This item displays well given its color and energetic presentation. I’ve only seen it offered for sale a handful of times in 32 years of collecting.
04/28 Update: $512.98! Wow. Just imagine what is would have fetched had it the placard!
WHITNEY 1920's PUMPKIN CAR DRIVEN BY WITCH INVITATION unused HALLOWEEN
I can’t say enough good things about this seller. I’ve had the pleasure of doing business with him for years and he is fantastic. I appreciate the care with which he describes his items and the many excellent photos that accompany his listings. (How I wish all eBay sellers would follow his lead!)
This awesome Whitney invitation is one of three designs that comprise a full set. Produced during the early 1920s, each is very hard to find, lending credence to the notion they were made for a single season. I hope this brings strong dollars.
04/28 Update: This sold for a very strong $425.
LARGE BLACK CAT COUPLE BOY GERMAN GERMANY DIECUT EASEL HALLOWEEN die cut
I can’t say enough good things about this seller. I’ve had the pleasure of doing business with him for years and he is fantastic. I appreciate the care with which he describes his items and the many excellent photos that accompany his listings. (How I wish all eBay sellers would follow his lead!)
The faint mark he references on the easel does date this pressing to the later 1940s. This is a tough design to find in such good condition.
04/28 Update: This sold for a strong $202.50.
Vintage 1930's Halloween black cat jack o lantern day cards post antique vampire
Hallmark produced a wide variety of these small, non-embossed diecuts on a thin cardboard stock during the later 1920s and into the 1930s. For a long time I thought these items were produced by Whitney. However, as I added to my collection of items actually marked by Hallmark, I began to see that many of these diecuts appeared as images on their tally and place cards.
Some firms were disciplined about marking their individual items. Dennison was probably the most disciplined, followed by Beistle beginning in the 1930s. Hallmark falls in the vast middle with Whitney surely being the least disciplined.
04/23 Update: This sold for $16.50.
Unusual Veggie Person Anthropomorphic Die Cut Beistle?
Beistle issued this “male” version of its Hallowe’en Elf design between 1923 and 1932. The difference between the male and female is the male design is larger and has an additional layer of foliage directly beneath the abdomen. (See page 125 for both designs plus the elusive but ever-so-desirable envelope.) A prominent collector asked my opinion of how much this should go for given its rough condition. I estimated it would bring between $250-275, so the buyer paid a substantial premium.
1920 DENNISON'S HALLOWEEN Spook w/Pumpkins Seals Stickers Box
What a wonderfully weird design. I have never seen these seals before - and certainly never a box. Given the stock number, H513, I estimate Dennison issued this design in 1919, and surely for only a single season. So, what wasn’t a big seller back then now fetches $109.16 in 2020 for an empty box - and a well-used one at that.
Vintage J Chein Halloween Tambourine
Here’s the steal of the week! The seller listed this with a BIN of $75, about one-quarter what this tambourine would have brought given its superb condition. Some lucky buyer scooped this up within 4 minutes of the listing going live.
RARE Vintage 1913 DENNISON'S Halloween FLYING WITCH Gummed Seals Stickers in BOX
Wow, this seems like a high price to pay for these seals, mainly because the box is in such bad shape. This design first appeared in Dennison’s 1914 Bogie Book so it is an early set.
May Auction Approaching
The annual May auction is approaching. The preview period will begin Sunday, May 3rd. The auction itself will begin on Sunday, May 10th. It will end at 9:00 PM, California time, on Sunday, May 17th.
There will be 114 lots this year of wonderful memorabilia!
Remember - only those who have purchased a copy of my 3rd edition of Vintage Halloween Collectibles from me are able to participate in the auction.
Stay tuned for more details.
Don’t you agree that we need some fun during this unprecedented time?
Vintage Painted Glass Candy Container Pumpkin Head Figure Metal Lid & Bail Hdl.
I’ve noticed that the more interesting (and rare) glass candy containers have been bringing stronger prices over the last 60 days than in the past many years. I’ve not seen this example before. Given the remarkable paint job still clinging to the glass, the creepy hands and the well-rendered expression, I can see why this example brought such a strong price.
Old Halloween Name Cards in Original Box Witches Pumpkins Children
All of these small paper items were produced by Hallmark, except possibly one. Which is the odd duck?
04/02 Update: Thanks to all those who replied! The standing girl at the lower left is almost certainly not something produced by Hallmark.
12 Pc. Vintage Halloween Gift Seals & Labels Package Samples W/ Thanksgiving!
This lot is a great example of the wares produced by regional manufacturers that may not have been in business long. Although their design aesthetic wasn’t advanced, this 12-piece assortment is pleasing enough that I was the underbidder.
Antique Vintage German JOL Pumpkin Halloween Childs Tea Set Rare
The stars of this superb lot were the saucers and the handled cups. You just don’t see such an assortment offered as a single lot often. The buyer, whomever it was, must be delighted.
Vintage Halloween Silhouettes - Envelope - Cats, Devil, Owl - Beistle B Co - WOW
The earliest Beistle Halloween items were primitively packaged (for the most part) and were marked as this item is, B Co. Such early items are desirable. This seller made an error listing it the way it was listed. If it was allowed to run in an auction format the seller would most definitely have received more than the paltry sum that was offered and accepted.
