As we went deeper into the 1960s, Halloween designs typically became more forgettable compared to those from the Golden Age. (This is one of the main reasons my collection is so light on items made after 1960.) Some manufacturers kept chugging along putting out solid designs. This is an example. U.S. Metal Toy issued three designs at this time that are, arguably, the best tin litho noisemaker designs from this period. The others are the full skeleton and the witch with an owl on her shoulder. All will only have plastic handles. The color of the handle is immaterial to value. See these other designs on pages 204 and 207.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Vintage U.S. Metal Toy Mfg. Co. Witch Cat Halloween noisemaker
This seller must feel he/she has stumbled upon a rare noisemaker as it is being offered for $49.99. This item was manufactured by U.S. Metal Toy sometime during the early 1960s. All of the major manufacturers were using plastic handles by that time as they were cheaper than the previously used material, wood. I've always liked the winsome design of this tin litho item. These typically trade for ~$20.
Old Vintage Halloween US Metal Toy Mfg. Company Skeleton Noisemaker
I wonder why sellers who are only vaguely familiar with an item use the BIN method rather than the auction method? This coveted skeleton noisemaker, made by U.S. Metal Toy during the early 1960s, typically fetches no less than $225. Even though the seller may have purchased it for a dollar, why wouldn't they do some research before picking a figure out of the air and letting it go for half of what they would have surely gotten if they had simply auctioned it?
3 Vintage U.S. Metal Toy Litho Halloween Horns Noise Maker NOS Sealed in Package
I enjoy seeing things in original packaging as it provides data on what, when and how items were originally offered to the public. Tin litho noisemakers typically had plastic tips beginning in the 1950s and always did into the 1960s. This header card used by U.S. Metal Toy has a zip code, meaning that it was used after July of 1963. The rather banal imagery used on the header card was typical of that time, although the firm didn't alter the actual tin lithography of the horns for decades. This is a great packaged set that doesn't surface often.
05/31 Update: This package ended up bringing $148.49.
