Beistle produced only two table top centerpiece designs in 1955. Both are quite coveted and typically bring far more than this one brought. Condition certainly contributed to the ending price, but time of year may have played a part as well. As I write on page 233 about these centerpieces, “It, for me, represents the last gasp of the best of Beistle’s iconic imagery before the blandness and silliness of their later designs ran rampant.”
Blog
Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Early Vintage Halloween Diecut - THIS WAY - Owl on Sign
The seller, who surely knows this information given how much vintage Halloween he sells, doesn’t mention that this diecut was produced by Dennison beginning in 1928. These diecuts are seldom seen with such rich coloration, surely accounting for the high price the buyer was willing to pay for this diecut with an RSIN of 3.
Vintage 1920-30S Gibson "Wise Up! This is a Party!" Diecut Sign Halloween Owl
Gibson diecuts, once definite also-rans to those made by Dennison and Beistle, have been rapidly escalating in value these past 2 years. Collectors have woken up to their rich colors and designs, their eccentricity and most of all to their scarcity. This is one of my favorite of their diecuts. Few of Gibson’s diecut designs surface regularly, especially not in this condition. I’d love to know how many of each design comprised this drugstore find. Guide value is $175, but since this market segment has moved much faster than I ever expected it to do, I expect the final price to exceed that figure. This was made during the early 1930s.
08/08 Update: This sold for $372.
