Kirchhof produced many, many tin litho Halloween designs. I’ve always liked this one as it seems to me that the designer was having fun doing the job. The lively borders, the central pan image and most of all, the potbellied devil frolicking in the flames add up to one eye-catching, pleasing noisemaker. This lot is in nice condition and certainly is worth no less than the opening bid.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Kirchhof Tin Halloween Noisemaker Witch Riding Broom Angry Black Cat Face Bats +
This has to be the cleanest example of this rare Kirchhof ratchet I’ve seen.
10/10 Update: This sold for $610.51.
2 Vintage Halloween Tin Litho Tambourine Noisemakers with Horn, Kirchhof 1950s!
Is this an aberrant result or are values for tin litho tambourines solidifying?
Vintage 1930s Halloween clacker tin litho noisemaker toy knocker
Kirchhof produced this design along with a companion design that can be seen on page 204 for a season, maybe two. The typical form of the noisemaker is a ratchet, so this clanger style is unusual, perhaps accounting for why it has already been bid up to nearly $200 even though the condition is rough. If you are going to see one of the pair, this is the design that surfaces a bit more frequently.
Vintage Haloween Tin Litho Kirchhof Metal Toy Party Horn Noisemaker
This seller, wildzombie, is far poorer than they could have been had they offered this very desirable tin litho horn produced by Kirchhof as an auction rather than the ill-advised BIN offering of $27.60. These have changed hands for upwards of $400. The colors and overall condition are exceptional with this example. Someone got a VERY good deal. I hope the seller realized their error when the listing concluded in 14 minutes.
Rare Kirchhof Vintage Metal Halloween Noisemaker Detail Design
This noisemaker is one of the hardest Kirchhof tin items to find - and I say that even though another one sold within the month. That one seemed to be in far lesser condition and brought the still surprisingly low price of $129.12. Kirchhof sold this as one of a pair. I feel this is the more interesting of the two. Turn to page 204 to see the other design.
02/18 Update: This brought $357, much more in line with what this typically brings. The other one mentioned above was a true outlier, even given the lesser condition.
KIRCHHOF HALLOWEEN NOISEMAKER WITCH BAT DRUM ORIGINAL VG COND
It is great to see a healthy selection of nicer items on eBay. This is a desirable tin litho noisemaker, made by Kirchhof during the 1930s. It is one of a set of two designs. Both can be seen on page 204. Both are exceedingly rare, with this one just a tad more commonly seen. The design is sometimes found in ratchet form, too. For some reason, the condition of the noisemakers with this lithography is typically poorer than with others. Overall, this example is in the upper third relative to condition.
09/22: Update: This sold for $283, slightly below what I would have expected at any other time of the year.
Vintage Kirchhof Tin Litho Halloween Witch Noisemaker Clacker Vintage Halloween
The imagery is common but the form isn’t. This pair of long-handled Kirchhof pan clangers with small pans is rare. Typically, the pans are larger and the handles shorter. These are worth picking up.
09/12 Update: This pair sold for $176.49, more than I would have expected.
RARE 1930'S HALLOWEEN WITCH TAMBOURING NOISEMAKER TOY BY KIRCHHOF 6 1/4 X 1 1/4
The seller incorrectly states this tambourine was produced by Kirchhof during the 1930s. It was produced during the 1950s. Whenever you see their branding of something as a “Life of the Party” product, it is a clear signal the item was produced during the 1950s.
Vintage Kirchhof Metal Slide Whistle Halloween Noisemaker
When I was a new collector I saw these fairly regularly. Times sure have changed! I haven't seen one being offered for sale for some time. It’s great that some nice items finally are being listed on eBay after a dispiriting run where virtually all listings were forgettable. The RSIN for this slider noisemaker is 2 with a sustainable guide value of $150. Kirchhof made this nicely designed slider in the early 1930s. I can't think of similarly designed tin litho noisemakers, so if you don't have this yet in your collection, this item looks to be in very nice condition.
08/04 Update: This great item sold for $156.28.
Vintage Antique Halloween Tin Shaker Noisemaker 1930s Kirchhof USA Very Rare
The seller is correct - this is a hard tin litho noisemaker to find. However, the condition is poor, so the asking price seems steep. Kirchhof made two complementary designs, both of which can be seen on page 204. Of the two, this one will be seen more often, all else being equal. I’d say fair value for the one on offer is $150.
Vintage Kirchhof "Life of the party" tin tambourine l930's-40's
Whenever you see a tin litho item marked "Life of the Party," you know two things immediately: Kirchhof produced the item and the item was produced during the 1950s. Even if this witch face tambourine wasn't marked, you should deduce it is of more recent vintage by the bright colors used. Contrast it with one made with muted colors during the 1930s shown on page 215.
Vintage Halloween Noise Makers lot of 4
Someone got a solid deal buying this lot. The star is the round Kirchhof rattler/clanger combo, a form I've not seen before. Kirchhof made that noisemaker, as well as its companion piece that can be seen on page 204, for one season only in the early 1930s. Its RSIN is 1, so you know it simply doesn't surface often. When you do see them, they are almost always in poorish condition - faded, scuffed, dented. (I don't know why.) SGV for that item alone is $325, so bravo to the prevailing bidder.
VINTAGE HALLOWEEN NOISE MAKERS NOISEMAKERS TIN SET OF 3
The seller must not believe in the power of several clear photos and adequate descriptions. The round clanger is actually missing the front rod and ball. The horn has an unappealing smudge of lipstick. Pretty gross. The only noisemaker that seems OK is the 1930s Kirchhof ratchet, whose SGV is $35.
VINTAGE 1950’s HALLOWEEN WITCH BATS CATS TAMBOURINE KIRCHHOF NOISEMAKER NM
There are a couple of quick ways a collector could immediately determine this tin litho tambourine was manufactured during the 1950s. First, this Kirchhof noisemaker is marked, "Life of the Party," a mark only used during this time. Second, the colors are much brighter than the original design. (Look at the bottom of page 215 to see the original design issued during the 1930s.) The price of this older tambourine design tends to hover around $60, whereas the "Life of the Party" releases tend to bring less, sometimes much less.
01/19 Update: This brought $39.88, about the right amount.
