Old Vintage Halloween Cardboard Diecut Die Cut Out Table Decoration Beistle 1955

I have concerns about this item being a poorly done reproduction. I’ve asked the seller, who is a regular seller of vintage Halloween items, to include photos of the interior so that potential buyers can see how the sides are connected.

Update: The seller quickly added additional photos. After reviewing everything, this is what I wrote to the seller just now: “Hello, Thanks so much for adding the photos so quickly. Although the interior construction is consistent with a known vintage item in my collection, I feel this is a somewhat less sloppy reproduction than what another eBay seller offered recently. My primary concern is the lack of white in the piece. Truly vintage such items have a pleasing three-color presentation. The one you are offering has a two-color presentation. My feeling is that this was made to fool the newer collector. I feel it is a reproduction, not a truly vintage item. Best, MBL”

Another Update: The seller changed the listing after my input, offering it for a BIN for $59.99, with private offers to those having it on their Watch List at $49.99. Given that I feel it is a poor reproduction, the BIN price is much too high.

Yet Another Update: Some person acquired this reproduction for $47 plus ~$7 shipping. The listing shows it sold for $59.99, but that is just an artifact of eBay’s studied lack of transparency.

EXCEEDINGLY RARE Vintage Halloween Diecut Centerpiece Decoration, Beistle 1955!!

This magnificent centerpiece was produced by Beistle in 1955. Beistle’s design engine was sputtering at this time, so much of their output then was forgettable and/or retreads. However, they managed to probably even surprise themselves with the two (and only two) centerpiece designs made at this time. Both are full of action and easily captivate the eye. They rarely surface in collectible condition. When they do the common defect is total separation at one or both joints. Although this example doesn’t suffer from that defect, it is by no means perfect. In my view, though, the defects are reasonable and to be expected. As I type this, the bidding is already at $200.50 with 15 bids, so I fully expect the ending price will be significantly higher. The two 1955 centerpieces are amongst my favorites in the collection. They are large, bold and pretty damn awesome.

07/14 Update: This sold for $382, lower than I would have forecast.

DENNISON IMPRESSIVE “HALLOWE‘EN CENTERPIECE FOR YOUR TABLE” COMPLETE SET OF VINT

Dennison issued this Hallowe’en Centerpiece boxed set in 1933. I’ve seen this several times and haven’t ever been able to get excited about it. In 1933, the Great Depression was strangling many businesses to death, and those that wanted to make it had to be creative. Unfortunately, sometimes being creative meant creative economically, not artistically. The contents of this set are uninspired and forgettable. The best thing about it is the box. This excellent seller has over 140 listings right now - many of which are pretty amazing! This set is for the Dennison completist only.

10/03 Update: This sold for about what I expected - $159.50.

Halloween 1920's Gibson Diecut Dancing Cat Centerpiece with Envelope

This great set rarely surfaces in what the seller describes as mint condition. Typically, one or more of the connecting tabs are long gone. This dancing cat centerpiece was produced by Gibson during the later 1920s. The seller received a healthy price for this, but I wonder if the ending price might have even been higher had she started the auction with a significantly lower threshold.

5 DIE CUT OUT HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS 4 WITCHES & ONE GHOST FENCE SNAKES PUMPKINS

This is a jumble of parts to arguably the very best interlocking centerpiece that Whitney ever produced. Each piece is quite a bit larger than pieces comprising other interlocking centerpieces. Some of these pieces measure up to 9.5” high. The lot on offer is missing a side while having duplicates of two others. Sadly, all look to be in regrettable condition. Look on page 274 to see the one ghost side missing. This may very well have been one of the few Whitney paper masterpieces they produced before shutting their doors in 1942.

04/02 Update: This jumble sold for $135.50.

Halloween Gibson Diecut Black Cat Holding JOL, Tail Wrapped Around, 1920s

This listing has prompted me to add to my book's on-line errata page, something I've been meaning to do for some time. I know now that Gibson did issue the four sides of the centerpiece at the top of page 271 as individual diecuts for a short time during the later 1920s. 

Large Vintage Halloween Table Top Diecut Display (5242)

This exceedingly rare festive centerpiece was produced by Beistle for one season only in 1955. They issued two designs. (The other is shown on page 233.) In my view, this is the stronger of the two designs. SGV is $375, but these come up so rarely that who knows what it may bring. As of this writing, the item, in solid collectible condition, has already been bid up to $315. Good luck to the pursuers!

07/31 Update: This sold for a startling - and surely never to be repeated - $909. I've had conversations with close collecting friends since this auction's end wondering if there is a bubble firmly forming in the vintage Halloween market. Is this the time for me to begin selling my collection in earnest? 

Vintage Halloween Witch Centerpiece Whitney Co. Ma. Late 1920's Diecut

eBay has been a real desert for months, so it nice to see a few really nice things pop up these last few days. This wonderful four-sided centerpiece fence comprising two designs was produced by Whitney during the 1920s. I have an envelope this set was sold in, so know Whitney assigned it a stock number of 2477. As I write in the section showing various fence centerpieces, "The presence of all tabs for each interlocking section significantly increases the value of the overall centerpiece." Sustainable guide value is $200, which has already been exceeded. It will be interesting to see where this ends. 

02/14 Update: This sold for the phenomenal sum of $379.99!  

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN ORIGINAL BLACK CAT CENTERPIECE GIBSON 1920'S

This rare table centerpiece was produced by Gibson during the later 1920s. It is nice to see one perfectly intact. It is more common to see individual sides wrongly offered as diecuts. SGV is $200. I don't recall seeing such a nice example of this centerpiece for many years. 

RARE VINTAGE DENNISON HALLOWEEN JACKOLANTERN CAT CREPE PAPER CENTERPIECE IN BOX

I've had numerous opportunities to purchase this set for the collection and have always passed. It simply doesn't appeal to me. The box lid is the most interesting part of the whole thing! Dennison was not doing their best work in 1933, after coming off an especially creatively fertile time from 1928-1932. This sad set seems wholly uninspired. 

HALLOWEEN TABLE PIECE, GREAT COLORS AND GRAPHIC

Beistle produced this great table decoration for a single season, 1955, and gave it limited distribution for some reason. They issued two designs, with this one being the more interesting. (Turn to page 233 to see both designs and to see if you agree with my opinion.) I am not keen on the sparse description offered by this seller, nor with their characterization of this one being in "almost perfect" condition. However, this is an item that comes up for sale very rarely, so some collectors may be OK with overlooking condition. Sustainable guide value is $375 for one in better condition. 

09/20 Update: This one fetched $370.77. 

Great Vintage Halloween Set of Four Dancing Black Cats

The seller is probably wondering if they put too low of a BIN price on this lot as it lasted less than 42 minutes. This interlocking centerpiece of four dancing cats was produced by Gibson during the late 1920s. It is unusual to find the envelope, no matter the condition, and to find that all of the cat's interlocking tabs are still present. Guide value is $175. 

MINT Rare Whitney Halloween 4 Piece Table Decoration JOL Vegetable People Fence

09/09 Update: Unfortunately, this turned out to be a complete fake! The buyer contacted me when he received it, concerned that it didn't seem right. I asked him to ship it to me for my personal examination. I received it today and his concerns were justified. Here is what I wrote to the buyer: 

I received the package this morning containing the fence and its envelope. I just now carefully examined the contents. They are, without a doubt, fake.

The envelope is the clumsiest part of the fake. The forger took pains to make it look old with ersatz staining and portions missing from under the flap. The wear and the missing portions are inconsistent with true age and true usage. The forger is not good – and we should be grateful for that. You can actually see a blue line along the left obverse side like they decided to repurpose some other paper. The weight of the paper is inconsistent with every truly genuine Whitney envelope I possess and have examined. The greater size of the numerals, 77, is inconsistent with every truly genuine Whitney envelope I possess and have examined.

The four fence sections are also poor copies. They are on paper weight that is much too thin. The colors are washed out. There is a lack of the detailing that my authentic set possesses. The trimming done on the fakes is poor and inconsistent with authentic examples.

The fakery is consistent with the garbage I’ve seen two eBay sellers pawn off as genuine on unsuspecting buyers for years now: shadowtown and curiousimp.  

I am distressed that another nice vintage set has been faked! You cannot be too careful these days!

Importantly, I have spoken with the seller who, I completely believe, was duped himself when this item was purchased some years ago. He immediately refunded the buyer's purchase price. He and his wife are long-time generalist antiques collectors who, like the rest of us, can't be expected to know a lot about every collecting genre. I only wish other sellers, when learning they had been duped, were as upstanding and as responsive as this fine seller. 

Vintage Halloween Party Table Decorations - Witches & Black Cats - 8

It was interesting to see what this lot brought. The lot consists of two four-sided light cardboard interlocking centerpieces, one comprised of four different vignettes showing cats on fence sections while the other is comprised of two different sides showing witches. Both were made by Whitney during the 1920s. These four-sided centerpieces seldom surface, and when they do they are invariably damaged in some way, most commonly by missing or creased tabs. Of the two, the cat centerpiece is more desirable and marginally more rare. Guide value for both together is $475, so these brought what I would have expected. 

Rare Vintage Halloween Dancing Cats Centerpiece

I'm glad to see such great Gibson enveloped products being offered. (Ebay really has been a wasteland overall for a long time now.) This dancing cat four-sided centerpiece was made by Gibson during the later 1920s. The seller, a very nice person and long-time collector, is correct to point out that these centerpieces don't surface often in complete, mint condition. Almost always one or more of the delicate tabs are ripped clean off. Given that the envelope is also part of the package, both parties to the transaction should be happy with the final purchase price of $200. (eBay shows $225 but the BIN offer accepted was $200.)