A long-time reader asked if I knew what firm produced the set of four small paper items below. He then wondered if the same artist that created the quartet did the artwork for the Pick-A-Pumpkin game discussed at length on page 125. Even though I had seen this quartet many times over in the nearly 40 years since I began collecting, I had never made that connection. Isn’t it obvious now, though? I don’t know which firm produced the quartet, but I think it is a given the same artist was involved in these projects. Thanks to GS for his insightful thinking! If anyone knows what firm produced the quartet, please let me know.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
1920s Vintage Halloween jack-o’-lantern Pumpkin Die Cut Ephemera NOT POSTCARD
These two items with fortunes on the verso are remnants from the Beistle fortune game shown on page 125.
11/23 Update: This lot sold for $38, quite a lot for remnants.
HALLOWEEN DIE CUT PUMPKIN GAME
These are remnants from the Pick-A-Pumpkin game that was printed in both Germany and the USA around 1920. You can see the complete game on page 125. As remnants, these would have decorative value only.
03/26 Update: These remnants sold for $52.49.
Rare Halloween Fortune Teller Game Witch Black Cat Owl Brownie Made in Germany
There was a time when what this seller is offering this great game for would be a steal. Those days are gone for a few more years, at least. As I write on page 125, "About 20 of these were discovered in an old drugstore in Kentucky and were sold at auction in Ohio several years ago. These have been filtering into the marketplace since, greatly reducing the value of this item for the short and medium terms." I feel that $1,100 to $1,200 is the current market value of a mint example of this game - long one of my favorite items.
RARE Germany Die Cut Halloween Fortune Teller with Envelope M-NM NR
The seller describes this as the Holy Grail of German diecut Halloween items. Although this MAY have been true years ago, it is definitely much less true today. As I write on page 125: "Because of how this game was meant to be used, less than ~40 complete examples are known. (About 20 of these were discovered in an old drugstore in Kentucky and were sold at an auction in Ohio several years ago. These have been filtering into the marketplace since, greatly reducing the value of this item for the short and medium terms.)" I believe the starting price of $1,000 is near the current sustainable guide price.
