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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN JACK-O-LANTERN CANDY CONTAINER. VINTAGE 9" TALL

This soulless item has modest (very) decorative value only. It is a folk art item made for that market during the 1995-2005 interval. The design is based on the genuine item long part of the collection, even down to the nose. (See page 132.) The seller describes this as in “very vintage condition.” What does this even mean? The answer: nothing.

VINTAGE Halloween Winking Pumpkin Candy Container. Bottom slideds off.

This isn’t a vintage item unless you define vintage as being less than ~25 years old. The candy container in the collection on which this item is based measures 4.5” high by 3” across. (The felt tip on the nose of the actual winking JOL candy container is even reproduced here, testifying to the lack of artistry by whomever produced this.) This item has only modest decorative value - no true vintage value.

Vintage Halloween German JOL Pumpkin Ghost Paper Mache Candy Container GERMANY

I don’t feel this is a vintage item. Without the benefit of personal examination I can’t be sure, but nothing seems right about this item. I’ve never seen the JOL face. All of the ones I’ve seen have a ghost face that can be seen on page 62. The wear patterns seem off. The bottom opening is too small. Remember these items were attached to feet on a round wood base via a spring. The point would be to have them “dance” when tapped, so the opening at the bottom was all the way to the hem, not simply a rough hole like this one possesses.

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN EIGHT DENNISONS NO. H-37 WITCH DIE CUT OUTS & ENVELOPE 1940'S

I believe the envelope and the broomed witch cut-outs are fake. I have a vintage set in the collection and there are material differences. The problems I see are many: the image on the envelope isn’t centered; the image of the witch intrudes on the Dennison logo; the feet of the witch are blocky, lacking all of the detail present in the authentic example; the envelope differs in size from the authentic example; the envelope appears to be made from a coarse paper; the envelope is constructed differently from the authentic example; the flap isn’t shaped the way Dennison shaped their flaps; the cut-outs lack the detail present in the authentic examples, especially in the outline of the cape. I would tread with caution. Ask this seller many questions. If someone buys this, feel free to send it to me for my perusal. This seller has also listed a fence with an envelope with the stock number missing. This latter set has been reproduced. A very discerning collector in North Carolina bought such a set and sent it to me for my perusal. I concluded it was a fake. He managed to get a refund. Whether this was the seller for that transaction is unknown.

07/30 Update: This listing, containing items I believe to be faked, ended at $61. Whomever bought this, I invite you to contact me to arrange shipment so that I may inspect this in person.

08/08 Update: The buyer has just today sent these to me so that I can personally examine them. I’ll post my findings when they arrive.

08/10 Update: I examined the envelope and contents today. The entire thing is a fake. An additional anomaly I noticed is the tittle in Dennison is missing. The cut-outs are notably smaller and do not exactly match the envelope’s printed image. The authentic cut-outs would cover the printed image precisely. If you are going to purchase items from this seller, trappedintheshadow, ask many questions of her.

HALLOWEEN DEVIL CANDY BOX ANTIQUE COMPOSITION OR PAPER MACHE' NO RESERVE

This is a crudely made fake, possessing none of the detailing or character of the real deal. You can see an authentic example on page 64. The verbiage the seller employs is revealing: "Good condition for being as old as it is, I am not sure of that but it looks pretty old." With all of the indubitably great stuff up right now, leave this POS and its seller behind. 

10/19 Update: I was glad to note that this horrifically made fake garnered only $34.01. The seller should be ashamed offering this crap. 

RARE Antique Halloween Parade Pumpkin Lantern w/ Original Sticks! 1800s JH

It irritates me that so many of these have been popping up on Ebay with sellers claiming they are vintage parade lanterns. These are not vintage! They were made about 7 years ago by Bethany Lowe. I have one in my seasonal displays. Please, readers, contact this seller and educate her. However, if the past is any guide, the seller will remain blissfully wrapped tightly in their ignorance. 

Halloween Skeleton Skull Chalk Ware Ashtray Tip Tray ~ Odd Fellows Memorabilia

Over the last ~18 months, a small avalanche of items supposedly from Odd Fellows' lodges has cascaded down from Mount Fakery. The vast majority of these have been figural skeleton heads/upper torsos. Now, these ashtrays have appeared for the first time. I believe these are an extension of this new area of peril. Although these, truly old or brand new, are not really Halloween items in any event, I wouldn't buy them as anything more than poorly made decorative items. 

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PAPER MACHE JACK O LANTERN PUMPKIN 1930'S " NICE"

This seller, christmaslady51, is precisely the kind of dealer I despise. She has listed (and relisted!) this item as being a vintage one, even though she has been alerted to its lack of age by at least three collectors. She simply responds, "Thanks," and does nothing else. Is she hoping to take advantage of some new collector, wanting to off-load something clearly and sadly made offshore, perhaps as recently as last week? This abomination, with its faux-distress and curly handle, shouldn't fool anyone. Ask yourself, if it was truly old why would it be damaged in the areas the photos show? It makes no sense. To paraphrase a recent US president, Christmaslady51, tear down this listing! 

VINTAGE HALLOWEEN GERMAN DEVIL HEAD CANDY CONTAINER

It is too bad that this seller, who has been offering solid items for too-low BIN prices, is offering this item. This is one of the best known fantasy pieces that began washing ashore in the mid-1990s as truly vintage Halloween candy containers and other composition items were rapidly escalating in price. These typically are offered without a bottom, but the presence or absence of a bottom indicates nothing. There are no vintage counterparts to this well-done fake, making it, more precisely, a fantasy piece. As such, it possesses modest decorative value, about one-tenth of what this seller hopes to get. 

LARGE EARLY 1900S HALLOWEEN GERMAN CANDY CONTAINER NODDER IN BOX MINT NOS

The seller writes that this "Looks like this just came off the country store shelf." The reason it does is because it could very well have been made yesterday. Such questionable items are being seen in greater and greater numbers as the seasons pass. Bear in mind that such items, with few, if any, advanced collectors considering them truly vintage, have zero collectible value, merely scant decorative value.