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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

***RARE*** Vintage Halloween Witch With Fire & Broom Celluloid Viscoloid

One of my wishes relative to eBay is that they would choose to become more transparent about what items fetch when a “Best Offer” is involved. This listing shows a celluloid piece in less than pristine condition with what I thought was an offer price that would never be attained. Although the asking price of $2999.99 wasn’t gotten, what was the actual price at which the witch changed hands?

Vintage Halloween Scarecrow Celluloid Viscoloid

Celluloid, especially those items produced by Viscoloid, have enjoyed a strong run-up in value over these last few years. (In fact, few vintage Halloween market segments have been spared the concerning run-up in value. As long stated, I worry about the hobby becoming the near-exclusive playground of the deep-pocketed.) This nice scarecrow suffers from a stomach ailment that any competent restorer can remedy with a little suction cup. I’d pay more attention to the sellers - two of the most knowledgeable (and generous with their knowledge) and fair-minded collectors I have the absolute pleasure to know. Be smart - add this seller to your list and watch what they offer. You will never go wrong with them.

09/19 Update: This sold for the relative bargain price of $197.50.

Fabulous Rare Halloween Celluloid Owl Rattle! VERY Detailed Must See

This is a particularly unattractive piece. Why would the factory have marked it in this way? The black markings mightily detract from the item’s eye appeal. This was almost certainly produced by the Dupont Viscoloid Company post 1925. More information can be found on page 110. This wasn’t produced in Germany.

This seller added the following to her listing:

Mr. Mark Ledenbach says that this item is actually American Viscoloid. I do appreciate the attribution. It would have been helpful had he contacted me and not posted in the blog instead. I did NOT say it was German just that I have been told that.

I have stated many times that I cannot find his books) and frankly I am not going to shell out the money to rebuy them as the information is helpful but the books are increasingly out of date and the prices were probably out of date as soon as it was printed- as is the case with most price guides.)

He also says it is not attractive. That is a personal opinion and he has a blog to which no one can refute his unpleasantness. Personally I DO think it is fabulous. Difference in opinion.

Mr Ledenbach has taken it upon himself to attack mine and other peoples listings on his blog. Perhaps people should realize that much of the commentary in the blog is based on his opinion.

The seller rendered a huge service to the hobby with her publication of “Boo News” decades ago. I subscribed and still retain every edition as I find them informative. Her comments about my book are odd. Yes, some of the pricing is not current - especially in this environment - but that doesn’t render them “out of date.” There is a wealth of information in all three editions, but the third edition is still considered the hobby’s gold standard. (The only edition of mine I would now buy is the third.) By this seller’s standard, her “Boo News” publications should be entirely worthless, but they aren’t, of course.

This owl item is a truly vintage item with an unusual color finish. I hope it does well. (As of this writing it is at a strong $202.50.) This seller, who has been a collector for decades - and dedicated enough at one time to issue her spectacular publication, “Boo News” - shouldn’t have had to rely on me to indicate the item wasn’t produced in Germany. Why she feels I should have contacted her directly rather than simply pointing out it was made by the Dupont Viscoloid Company is odd. Her comment that she didn’t state it was German but was told that it was is an example of parsing.

All or most of the observations in my blog are opinion. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. This seller sees my comments on her celluloid owl as an attack. Of course they aren’t. Providing information is not an attack. I rarely attack listings. I will often point out that a listed item is fake or fantasy. I offer my opinion as to a listing’s condition and appearance. I offer pricing and rarity guidance. That is why the blog is so widely read. The hobby is becoming increasingly perilous. Prices are rising too quickly across most segments. Fakes and fantasy pieces abound. Collectors need to be on their guard. Reading this blog and investing in solid reference books are ways to do this.

Vintage Halloween Witch With Fire & Broom Celluloid Viscoloid Toy Rattle; Great!

Hands down, Viscoloid made the most memorable designs in celluloid. The array of stunning colors used and their unsurpassed molding sets Viscoloid items apart from all other makers. (Just look at those cheekbones!) I’ve not seen this particular witch before. It’ll be fun to see what price this fetches.

04/25 Update: I was staggered at the ending price of $2,938.88.

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN CELLULOID WITCH PULLING PUMPKIN

Halloween celluloid in good condition, like this item, has been on a tear these last few months. This piece was made in Japan during the 1920s and rarely surfaces. The seller is a long-time collector who is knowledgeable and honest. Know that you can conduct business with her with absolute confidence. If you wish to see one of the best visual displays of Halloween celluloid, turn to pages 110-115 and feast your eyes. 

09/09 Update: This great item sold for $542.89! 

Vintage Halloween Plastic Roly Poly Goblin ~ Old & Cool!

Along with so many other genres, vintage Halloween celluloid seems to be on fire. (For an awesome visual display of some of the finest celluloid designs out there, look at pages 110-115.) I contacted some close friends to see if they were the prevailing bidder, but they were aced out by another friend. Maybe the next time I swing down to southern California, I can see this rare and appealing item for myself. 

Witch With Cat in Jack-O-Lantern Vintage Celluloid Roly Poly Halloween Toy!

Vintage Halloween celluloid is a genre I have appreciation for. It amazes me the level of detail the producers were able to achieve in such a small form factor. I've never collected celluloid mainly because of its fragility and flammability, yet understand the market. (Check out the eye-popping collection shown in my third edition owned by the famously delightful Tammy and Barry!) Given the poor condition of this offering and the amount of money it would take to restore it properly, the ending price seems high to me. 

RARE CELLULOID HALLOWEEN BLACK CAT & WITCH IN PUMPKIN ON WHEELS CART EXCELLENT

The celluloid market has strengthened quite a bit over these last few months. This is a splendid item! I feel the price was quite reasonable. It may have even done better if it was offered as an auction rather than a BIN. Although I appreciate celluloid, its inherently flammable nature deters me from collecting it. However, when you can see a thoughtfully curated collection, like that owned by my close friends, Tammy and Barry, appreciation for the artistry of design makes me wonder if I've made the correct decision. As I write on page 110, "The fragile nature of this medium makes finding near-mint or better examples difficult, as most extant items have some dents and/or cracks." 

Antique Vintage Halloween Witch Pirate Roly Poly Celluloid Figures Dimestore

These are certainly two rare celluloid items. I especially like the corn pirate. Very cool. The seller doesn't point out two things that affect condition: The nose of the pirate and one of the shoes on the witch are pushed in. Both may be repairable, but be cognizant of these issues when formulating your maximum bid. 

08/01 Update: These sold for the bell weather price of $1,005. See many, many more high-end celluloid pieces on pages 110-115. 

HALLOWEEN CELLULOID BLACK CAT RATTLE EARLY 19TH C

There are several things I don't like about this listing. The seller, with zero feedback even though they've been an Ebay member for over two years, claims that this celluloid item is "...Hard to find in such good condition these days..." even though the condition is demonstrably poor. Also, the seller has weirdly included a redacted photo of me with a redacted caption taken from an article some years back on vintage Halloween collecting. I guess the intended implication is that I was referring to the same item being sold. I wasn't. Turn to page 116 for a photo of a duplicate of the item to which I was referring. That one was worth the price it fetched because it was interesting, possessed great detailing and was in mint condition. This one - not so much. 

Antique Celluloid Girl Holding Jack-O-Lantern Halloween Toy!

I never began collecting celluloid in earnest mainly because it is such a delicate medium that ​discourages much handling. Nonetheless, I certainly appreciate the art form. I have some good friends who live about 2 hours away who have one of the best celluloid collections I've ever seen, spanning several holidays. I don't recall seeing this one in their collection, nor have I seen this one before, so it must be rare.