This rare invitation was actually produced by Dennison. It first appeared in their 1916 Bogie Book as “Witch, with envelope” H26. It took me decades to find a mint example with envelope. With over three days to run, this invite has already been bid up to $179.50.
Blog
Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
MINT RARE Antique Halloween Trifold Invitation w/ Witch & Envelope Dennison 20s
Too many of these have come onto the market in too short of a time. (They were all in the same condition.) Sellers need to space things out as the price declines are inexorable. So, this one sold on 9/8 for $525. A different seller offered one that ended on 9/23. That brought $380. The same seller as the first one offered yet another that ended on 10/1. That brought $242.62. If another one shows up in the same condition I would think it would fetch $175.
RARE Vintage Halloween Screaming Jack-o-Lantern 15' die-cut decoration 1920s
Dennison first produced this “Screaming JOL” diecut in 1931. The seller is correct in saying this seldom surfaces. The condition of this example was quite good, so I was only mildly shocked when it achieved $1,225. (I wonder if those are pinholes near the top of the diecut?) I am a believer that the artist created a cross between a screaming JOL and a snarling cat. Look at the whiskers then the hole pattern under the nose. Do you see it?
RARE MINT COMPLETE Antique Halloween 6 Large Leaf Seals in Box, Dennison 1920s
Dennison created so many memorable seals, illuminated silhouettes, cut-outs, etc. that to pick THE favorite is hard, but to pick A favorite is easy. This slide box of 6 assorted leaf-face seals (3 and 3) is a favorite. Whomever designed this was pushing those boundaries into the truly spooky, the sweet spot of Halloween collecting. Many Dennison seals are whimsical, cute and comforting. Far fewer live in the land where Linda Blair still rules. For that reason, this is definitely a top favorite.
10/12/26 Update: This awesome set brought a shockingly high price of $957.97!
SUPER RARE Dennison USA 1930's Black Cat Halloween LAMP Shade Cut Out! WOW!
Thanks to the keen eye of the Sherlock Holmes of Dennison products, Anita R,. I now know that this Dennison item isn’t a shade, but something to be used as a decorative base to a candle stick. She pointed out that it appears on page 19 of Dennison’s 1934 Halloween Parties magazine. I have updated the errata page.
HTF tri-fold vintage Halloween Ghoul party invitation, 1920's Gibson?
Here’s an example of price inflation. This Dennison invitation sold on 09/13 for $243.50. One in the same used condition sold 07/27 for $122.50. Interestingly, the one not even identified as being produced by Dennison received nearly triple the bids.
Very Rare 1916 Dennison Trifold Invitation Ghost Vintage Halloween H-27 Stock
Prices for many things seem to be out of sync with where values have been even recently. Take this Dennison invitation. Is it desirable? Obviously. Is it scarce? Yes, no surprise given it is 110 years old. Is it worth $566.99? Four bidders seem to think so. Would I pay that? Certainly not for one that was used and glued into a scrapbook. Near-mint examples have recently sold in the $300s range, so this represents a substantial increase over the recent “baseline.” I have long fretted that prices have become so elevated that the lifeblood of any collecting market - new collectors - would dry right up. I had a newish collector write yesterday that she is reevaluating her desire to collect vintage Halloween. That’s too bad because it is such a great hobby populated by so many fun and interesting collectors. But do I get it? Sadly, yes I do.
Vintage Halloween Dennison U.S.A. Cardboard Candy Nut Cups lot of 4
These small late 1920s Dennison treasures don’t surface very often, especially when several identical designs comprise a single lot. I do wish the seller would have included many more photos, especially images of the other sides of the nut cups. As the listing stands now with over two days left, bidding has reached only $26.
05/26 Update: This lot sold for $240.50!
Vintage Dennison Halloween Parties Games Decoration Favors Stunts Magazine 1934
It is hard to find a copy of this 1934 Dennison publication in decent condition. Relatively few of these were printed as the Great Depression had tightened its icy grip on the nation at that time. (In fact, Dennison ceased printing this last of the Bogie Book cousins after the next year.) This copy may be one of the best I’ve seen. But, the price is stultifying. I feel $125 is the right price for this great item.
Vintage Halloween 1930'S Dennison THIS WAY Owl Die Cut Wall Sign Antique USA
I wonder why people would bid this up to $74.76 given its condition?
BOXED SET Of 5 Antique Vintage Halloween Witch Silhouettes Dennison 1920s
Even though boxed Dennison items are having another turn in the sun, this result surprised me. The set contains only 5 of the original 18 illuminated silhouettes. The front example is incomplete and the box has condition issues. Yet, it still brought $355. If someone wants my complete and mint set shown on page 252 top/left, it can be yours for $750.
Vintage Halloween Dennison Leaf Face Gummed Seals Complete Box W 6 Seals 1920's
Dennison produced an amazing variety of seals, illuminated silhouettes, cut-outs, etc. housed within slide boxes. Designs range from the forgettable to the disquieting to the beguiling. (Give me all the disquieting ones!) Wouldn’t you agree this fits the disquieting bill? One of my favorite designs, this seller is offering this 1924 box complete with the correct complement of seals - two designs, three each. Yes, the box is tattered but can be restored. Dennison slide box products have been on a nice tear of late, so it will be informative to see what this lot brings.
05/22 Update: This sold for $465, a strong result.
Vintage Dennison Halloween Die Cut Cardboard "Hallo' Inn" Door Hanger Decoration
Although this actually sold with a BIN of $375, given the condition I was surprised it sold at that price point. Dennison, like pretty much every business during the Great Depression, had to scramble to survive. They released this design in 1930 on thin-stock yellow paper, and probably restricted the print run to ensure they sold everything they produced at full retail through their stores. It is a great, eye-catching design, rivaling the other door hanger design released that same year. (See the top of page 143.) Dennison played their cards well as they survived the Great Depression unlike so many of their smaller competitors.
Antique Vintage Halloween Dennison The Spook Meet Hallowe'en Party for Grown-ups
Dennison was routinely trying new things to promote their wares, one of the reasons they are still in business today. In 1929, some employee had the idea of targeting decorating ideas for specific types of events and promoting these ideas in an eight-panel fold-out brochure. There were at least three of these publications. I own examples of the first and third in the series. (You can see the third on page 107.) These come up rarely, probably because the print run was small and few kept it. I have only seen this a handful of times and the third in the series only once. The condition is less-than-ideal, but it may be worth picking up if you feel the price is right.
02/18 Update: This fetched $106.27, more than I would have predicted.
Original Pack 6 Vintage Halloween Cardstock Owl Diecut Die Cuts Dennison 1920's
I am intrigued by the glassine envelope Dennison used to house this set of six owl cut-outs. I’ve not seen that form of packaging before, so the listing stood out. I suspect the properly marked glassine envelope makes this set quite rare. It sold for $200, so the buyer may have gotten a good deal.
