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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

UNCOMMON Antique Vintage Halloween Cat Diecut Decoration Germany, 1920s!!

This is a rare and desirable diecut, indeed. Don’t confuse this with its smaller cousins. This is a honker of a diecut - measuring over 19” high! The immediate tip-off that this is a rare seated cat German diecut is the wide mouth full of what appears to be razor-sharp teeth. This design nearly always includes an easel. It makes an eye-catching display.

ANTIQUE GERMAN HALLOWEEN JACK-O-LANTERN PUMPKIN TIN TOY TWO FACED NOISE MAKER

The Germans didn’t produce a great number of tin holiday designs during the 1930s, the decade this was issued, due to constraints placed on their use of metal by the Versailles Treaty. A high percentage of what they did produce during this time skewed to the edge of normality, certainly one of the reasons German holiday tin from this era typically does so well. The sterling feature of this design is the cigarette shown on only the one side. This one surfaces rarely, so although this is a bit rough compared to other items this seller has been offering of late, it may be worth a look.

RARE Antique Vintage Halloween Diecut & Crepe Paper JOL Table Decoration Germany

This micro-segment of the overall market, German crepe and cardboard table top decorations, has really come into its own these last five years. Before that, you could barely give these kinds of things away. The Germans cleverly designed thin lithoed paper appendages and glued them onto a simple orange or black crepe sleeve. Once slapped together, they were sold for pennies. The few I’ve kept around for any length of time stood due to the sleeve bottom being filled with tissue paper or bubble wrap.

Vintage Halloween Diecut Small Black Cat face with hat, Germany

I was surprised to see this diecut garner so many bids and dollars. Both ears should have sharp points. The ear on the left as you look at the diecut seems blunted. In any event, the Germans produced at least three versions of this diecut. The hats on each differ. One looks at you (this one…), one looks down and one looks to one side. The one looking down is exceedingly rare. I’ve only seen it once - when I purchased it.

Vintage Halloween die cut Black cats Germany

This seller states that they have been a collector for over 40 years. I wonder, then, why they have such an exalted view of value. The lot is being offered for a BIN of $575, with an option to make an offer. These are quite common. A fair offer would be in the $200 range.

Vintage Halloween 1920s German Tiara Diadem Diecut Jack O' Lantern Clown RARE

These German tiara or diadem diecuts had their moment in the sun four years ago. Many examples were bringing $1800-2300. I sold several of mine privately then as I felt the market segment was wildly inflated. It was. Today the tiaras bring significantly less money (50 to 70% less). I like that the seller included a copy of the box top showing all twelve designs. This is a box that has eluded my grasp these many years.

DEAD MINT Complete Set Vintage Halloween Table Decorations Favors Germany 1920s!

It is great seeing so many of these German table decorations, especially in such nice condition. A common error is to think ten comprise a full set. There are actually eleven designs comprising the full set. The standing arched-back cat has two variations: the one included in this offering with eyes looking away from the viewer and one with the cat looking directly at the viewer with a slightly different face and stance. (The latter is much harder to find.) There are also stand variations. Later in the run the wood red stands were deeper and slotted making the table decoration more functional as a place card holder.

08/17 Update: The result was surely a disappointment as these regularly bring over $100 (sometimes well over…) when listed individually.

RAREST Vintage Halloween Fence Diecut Decoration JOLs Black Cats, Germany 1935!!

This is considered by many collectors to be THE German diecut to own. Its length, complexity of design and overall scarcity are three of the more important factors making this statement a true one. These don’t surface often. The last one was on eBay in late October 2021 and it sold for $5,000. That example was in significantly better condition than this one, so this one’s condition may act as an upper limit gate on the valuation, although with prices unsustainably frothy, who’s to say?
This diecut is rare enough that I wasn’t able to locate one good enough for the collection until just ~3 years ago. A couple of notes: This diecut design was factory folded at the center then shipped. The fold line is between the second and third figures. Although I haven’t seen more than a dozen of these in 34+ years of collecting, a majority of the ones I’ve seen have separated at this fold line. Several were missing the left-most figure for some reason.
I chatted with the great seller this morning. She stated that sometimes great rarity trumps minor-to-moderate condition issues. I agree with the sentiment. It’ll be fun to watch this auction!

08/07 Update: The result was shockingly low given the rarity of this diecut. Yes, $2551 is a lot of money but considering an example in somewhat better condition sold just nine months ago for almost double tells me too many high-end items are hitting the market within too short of a time frame. Whomever the buyer was should pat themselves on the back for such an unbelievable score.

NMINT SCARCE Vintage Halloween JOL & Crescent Moon Diecut Decoration Germany 20s

With an imminent birthday, I’m feeling my advanced age! I remember when I could pick all items from this set of six all day every day for $45. How do newer collectors afford such things today? This item with nearly eight days left is already bid up to $255. I’m so glad I began collecting in earnest in 1988.

07/24 Update: This common diecut sold for $285.

RARE Vintage Antique Halloween Black Broomed Witch Diecut Decoration Germany 20s

The Germans produced quite a few broomed witch diecuts, not surprising given the iconic nature of the image. Most of these diecuts are seen often, but this is an exception. The coloration with a touch of gray by the eye is appealing. The condition is outstanding, as is the seller, although her penchant for naming diecuts isn’t something I’m fond of. I’ve heard from a number of readers that this seller’s descriptions are much too wordy. Although I definitely agree, and feel reasonable yet substantial edits can be made, one cannot deny that zizsdream typically receives strong results. I know that the hobby will be pleased with a plethora of high quality listings she’ll be offering over these next few months, so I will be mentioning many more of her listings than normal. My typical practice is not to mention a seller too often as I’ve been told that a positive mention on my site tends to goose ending prices upward, and I don’t want to have any perceived favoritism, but the reality is that eBay has largely become a “quality vintage Halloween desert,” so when good things are listed I’m going to be inclined to mention them regardless of seller.

antique halloween decorations

This seller is squandering chances for a sale by having perhaps the most anodyne header she could devise, poor photos that don’t give any hint of the state of the embossing and by having an opening bid that is much too high. Sigh….