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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

GERMANY Halloween Composition JOL Pumpkin Head Veggie Figure Musical

This is a piece from another set much-loved by me. A long-time collector passed away in 1994. I was called to attend her estate sale. There, I was able to scoop up scads of vintage Halloween figurals and candy containers. Among the large purchase were all the band members shown on page 84. (Since then, I’ve added at least one more to the set.) The RSINs for the items shown on that page are all 2. I’d like to introduce some granularity to that assessment made about 10 years ago. I feel that the sax and drum players remain 2s, with the others being 3s. The French horn player, not shown, would also be a 2. It doesn’t surprise me that this drum-playing figural brought such strong dollars. It is the best of the band. Kudos to the prevailing bidder!

RARE Vintage Halloween Candy Container Grinning Cat on Pumpkin German Pre-War

The buyer of this fantastic candy container came by yesterday to show it to me. I think the seller’s photos, which didn’t accent the playful bee on the side of the cat or show the candy container in its best light, caused the price to descend to bargain territory. Frankly, the paint and detailing are top-notch. The size of the item is perfect and it is a wholly pleasing item overall. The price should have easily crested $1,000. A take-away here is critically look at the photos. If you feel details are left out or there can be better photos provided, ask for more.

Pre 1920's German Halloween Veggie Child Candy Container Carrot Arms & JOL Head

This is a great little candy container being sold by an outstanding and knowledgeable collector. I appreciate the many excellent photos, the no-holds-barred description and the chance to acquire such a solid piece at a potential bargain price point!

08/25 Update: I sure was glad to see this wonderful item brought such a strong price, fetching $351. Congrats KL!

1930'S GERMANY HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN DECORATION

This candy container looks more squat than it should. (It could be just the angle.) The complete mark on the underside is hard to discern. I think it says "Container Made In Germany." If that is so, that mark was used exclusively during the early 1950s. 

04/13 Update: This sold for a mere $148.50, so the marketplace had its suspicions as to age as well. 

Vintage 1920's German Halloween Pear Man Candy Container

I was driving with some friends yesterday morning and mentioned that I had seen this listing and felt the candy container was a good one for the price. They logged on to eBay and bought this about three hours after I had seen it. I feel this seller got lucky that I mentioned it. He had only two poor photos and a description only Piet Mondrian would appreciate. I don't think anyone else would have taken the $550 plunge with such scant information. 

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN OR GOBLIN GUY WITH BIG EARS

This small composition Veggie person was made in Germany during the early 1920s. Most of this ilk were meant to stand on round cardboard bases, hence the glue remnants on the bottom. I don't feel that the absence of the base is a material factor in valuation with this category of figurals. The buyer got a very solid bargain, given that sustainable guide value is $135. An identical example is shown on page 81. 

Antique 1920's German Halloween Paper Candy Container Jack O Lantern Figure

This small figural on a candy box exhibits a problem common to a high percentage of vintage composition pieces painted black - flaking. I have seen it so often for so many years now that it must be a quality inherent in the black paint used in the 1920s and early 1930s. In my view, such flaking underscores the age of the piece, so I typically don't find it too off-putting. 

VINTAGE GERMAN MADE HALLOWEEN CANDY HOLDER

Although started at a reasonable price, unlike too many of the listings in the Vintage Halloween category, this German composition candy container has some issues. The twig broom that originally was present is missing as is the brim of her pointed hat. The brooms have been reproduced and should be easy to obtain but repairing the hat will require a level of restorative skill that certainly eludes me.