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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

1910 -1917 “Sacred Be Ye Fire O Halloween” RARE Early Mechanical Decoration

An unknown manufacturer produced four mechanical Halloween designs pre-WWI. Two are interesting but not too out there, whereas the other two are quite eccentric. (You can see the foursome on page 284.) I’ve seen this mechanical witch at cauldron decoration a good 12-15 times and in every case the cat’s tail is missing. This seller obliquely states they have one with a complete tail. I invite this seller to send me a photo. I’d love to see a complete example. If I get it, I’ll post it.

08/29 Update: The seller took me up on my offer and sent the two photos below. She made it clear that it isn’t for sale. This is the first time I’ve ever seen one of these mechanical decorations complete with a cat’s tail. Quite nice.

mech1a.jpg
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Vintage Halloween Double Sided Cardboard Witch Lantern Paper Face USA 1940s

This lantern's ending price far exceeded what it typically fetches, probably due to its seemingly near-mint condition. As I write on page 30 of my new 3rd edition, "This lantern is devilishly difficult to find in near-mint condition. The mystery manufacturer didn't have a solid grasp on coloration as I have seen examples where the faces range from a bright green to a deep olive."