I've never seen this lantern before. I am curious about the seller's statement that it was made in Germany for Beistle. In looking at the lantern, I don't see any markings to that effect. (I wonder if the seller simply lifted the verbiage from one of my books?) In any event, this is a rare one, snapped up for a song. This listing demonstrates the peril of using a BIN. I would have been a bidder at a level significantly above $125. (The same seller sold an identical lantern a bit earlier for $110 using BIN.)
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Beistle 1930s 4-Sided Lantern Mint!
This lantern is very fragile, made from thin paper. To have the opportunity to acquire one of this quality and in this condition is a rare event in and of itself. This collapsible form doesn't lend itself to longevity, as you can well imagine. Beistle only made this lantern for a few seasons. As I point out in my book, the cat's head was also used as part of the art of Beistle's I'm a Dumbskull game.
10/27 Update: Whoowee! The lantern sold for an astonishing $455, increasing the number of examples wherein vintage Beistle items have sold for unsustainable, some would say insane, prices.
