There was a time not that long ago when empty candy boxes like this one or for other widely marketed candy bars wouldn’t fetch much, probably because the graphics were rarely that well executed. I’ve noticed a sustained uptick for these empty candy boxes. Is that uptick a result of how hard it has become to find graphically superior items or is there a true groundswell for these items independent of anything else?
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Halloween Vintage 9 Piece Embossed Die Cut Halloween Wall Piece Collection
This seller is offering nine diecuts as one lot. (The JOL head with a feather on the cap is a remnant for a Beistle hanging decoration.) All are forgettable except the smoking JOL. That is one of eight from a tough set to complete. I wish the seller would have provided a photo of its reverse. That alone is worth the opening price assuming it is in very-fine or better condition.
Vintage Halloween Germany black cat playing violin embossed 15” diecut
I’ve long loved this small set of heavily embossed German diecuts. Three band cats comprise the full set, with the other two playing a trumpet and a saxophone. (You can see all of them at the top of page 176.) It is hard to find one of these large early 1930s diecuts in superb condition like this one. The seller is knowledgeable, so you won’t go wrong here.
07/01 Update: This brought $261, lower than I would have thought.
DENNISON BOXED SET 6 PUMPKIN BOY CUT OUTS VINTAGE HALLOWEEN ANTIQUE H 408 FREE S
This great Dennison set is one that doesn’t often surface. First available in 1926, the design elicits a smile. Although I’m so happy that this wonderful seller got this price, my concerns about high prices scaring off the lifeblood of any hobby, new collectors, remain unabated. (This complete Dennison boxed set has typically traded for half this level.) Whether my concerns are valid is unclear. Are most of these record prices driven by COVID relief or the influx of new collectors? I hope it is the latter! Anecdotal reports from several busy sellers indicate that many buyers are new to them. I watch pricing carefully, making me especially grateful I began collecting in earnest so long ago.
4 Vintage Halloween Cardboard Nut Cups by Hallmark Unused. C. 1930’s-40’s
This result has generated a flurry of emails - all asking the same thing - “Have people lost their minds?” Now, I will say this design is spectacular. It was produced during the time when Hallmark was near the top of its artistic mastery. I love the sophisticated coloration and use of gold. The artist was inspired. These are rare in that I’ve never seen them before. But are they worth over $400 each? I would have loved to have just one even though the condition isn’t anywhere near pristine, but my ceiling would have been around $200.
eBay Has Become a Halloween Morass
Like so many of those who’ve contacted me regarding the ill-advised changes eBay instituted about one month ago, I find scrolling through the listings dispiriting. There is so much garbage! If it wasn’t for such fine sellers like zizsdream and netantiques there would be precious little to catch my interest. A recommendation is that those listing vintage Halloween include the words “Vintage Halloween” in the header. That will enable scrollers to find their items. Avoid header descriptors like “Old Halloween” or simply “Halloween.”
vintage Halloween tin NOISEMAKER witch black cats crystal ball bats moon stars
This great noisemaker was produced by T. Cohn as late as the 1950s. The siren mechanism seldom works on these anymore. The fact that this example was not silent surely contributed to the very high ending price.
Rare Vintage Halloween Whitney Table Centerpiece
This four-sided fence centerpiece in notable because its imagery is so odd. I’ve seen it only a few times in 33 years of avidly searching out such treasures. Whitney went belly-up in 1942 - much too soon for my tastes. This seller is knowledgeable and someone I’d buy from without reservation. Be sure to check out his other Halloween listings too!
06/22 Update: This sold for $209.01.
Vintage Halloween Candles Columbia Wax Works Original Box
When I first began collecting, this box of candles would sell for $10 on a good day. It shows just how this market has gentrified over the decades. My main worry about this fine hobby is this: Is it becoming too expensive for the average collector?
ANTIQUE GERMAN CROW DIE CUT VINTAGE HALLOWEEN EMBOSSED RARE FREE SHIPPING
It’s great to see some nice items being offered by such reputable sellers. The description for this 1920s German crow diecut is spot-on. Although not as rare as its mate that looks directly out, this design is desirable and not often seen. The condition is definitely in the top quartile of those I’ve seen.
06/15 Update: This sold for $311.
VINTAGE DENNISON HALLOWEEN BOX SET 6 CUT OUTS GIRL OWL JOL HAT H-94 ANTIQUE COMP
This is a tough slide box of Dennison cut-outs to obtain. It was only within the last few years that I added this product to the collection. This is one of my favorite sellers. He has been listing a solid number of A and B level items, bravely doing so in the face of eBay’s inexplicable “improvements” to their listing categories. Be sure to add this knowledgeable seller to your list of favorites so you can stay abreast of his offerings.
My Best eBay Search...
The frustration with eBay’s needless and high-handed “improvements” continues. My top search is simple. I search for “Vintage Halloween” in all categories with the box to search descriptions checked. This yields ~17,000 listings, most of them garbage. However, with 200-500 items listed in that search daily, I am finding it manageable, although I know things are escaping my review. I have a number of more targeted searches like Vintage Halloween Dennison, Vintage Halloween Decorations, etc. that I run through, although, again, this isn’t optimal from a time perspective - at least for me. Bottom line - as a collector of vintage Halloween, eBay has made it harder to use their site. As a seller, I wouldn’t use eBay for any vintage holiday goods at the moment.
Vintage Halloween RARE Partial Set (9) of Rustcraft Place Cards in Box NICE
This partial set of place cards was produced by Rust Craft of Boston during the early 1920s. The seller is correct in claiming they rarely surface. I think the BIN price is too high. The set is incomplete and several have writing. I feel $400-475 is the appropriate price.
Vintage Halloween Party Favors in original package of Five. Marked Beistle, USA
This is an envelope variant for the smallest of the Johnny Pumpkin family I haven’t seen before. The envelope is so plain! However, it sure is in nice condition and has its original contents. With only an hour to go, it has reached $405. Each of this-sized member of the family typically brings $80-90, so any further movement would represent what the bidders feel the envelope is worth.
eBay Frustration
Hi Everyone,
Well, eBay appears to be dug in on the wisdom of their focus on moving to what they call a “product-based category structure.” I called last week before a quick trip to SoCal and Disneyland. Although very polite, the rep offered zero encouragement that the status quo ante would be seen again.
I have modified my searches for vintage Halloween enough to get down to ~18,000 items, with 200-500 being added every day. I can’t imagine too many collectors going through such an arduous process, so this may be a boon for other sites or general antiques shows. The drawback for sites like Etsy or Ruby Lane is that these have only fixed-price listings with the sellers there generally having an exalted view of the worth of their offerings. I wish there was an auction-based site alternative to the “new and improved” eBay.
I know I’ll be adding items to my For sale page over the next few weeks. Many of you have written to say they will be anticipating my annual auction like never before. Although I truly appreciate that, I just wish eBay would reinstate the categories as they existed prior to May 11th.