This seems a steep price to pay for this trio of items with such damage. I would have forecast this would have fetched in the $450 range, so the buyer paid a premium.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
ANTIQUE GERMAN PORCELAIN HALLOWEEN " JACK O' LANTERN " PUMPKIN CUP -1 3/16" Tall
The porcelain handled cup from the child's (or smallest) set is really hard to find. Given the strong prices pieces from the various German sets have brought over the last several years, this ending price doesn't seem unreasonable. The mark on the underside indicates this was made earlier in the 1908-1932 run.
Halloween Germany Child's Tea Set, Handled small Tea Cup Saucer, 1908-1912
It is good to see quality porcelain tea set pieces surfacing right now. This handled cup and saucer is from the smallest set created by the Germans, called the child's tea set. (There were both medium-sized sets and adult-sized sets made as well.) Both elements of this listing are hard to find. Many more small non-handled cups survived relative to their handled brethren. The saucer's are much more difficult to find for some reason. Together they make an eye-catching addition to any display case.
I gravitate most strongly to certain genres more than others, surely like all collectors. I like paper items like diecuts, table decorations, centerpieces and boxed Dennison and Gibson items. I also covet small-paper items like invitations, tallies and place cards, plus love these German porcelain items. I have grown lukewarm on lanterns and candy containers and have never been interested in pulp JOLs, German JOLs, costumes, treat bags and hard plastic.
I project that over the next 10 years many collections from long-time collectors will come to market. Most of these collections are heavily weighted toward candy containers and lanterns, so it stands to reason that these genres will see a medium-term dip. From all of my travels and invitations to see the collections of those who began collecting in the sixties, seventies and eighties, I can say assuredly that it was the rare such collector who collected much paper. I am projecting (and actively acting on my projections) that the market for paper and small paper will remain strong while other genres cyclically fade over the next ten years.
Antique German Halloween child's porcelain JOL cup and saucer
I feel that the lavish multi-page spread in my new third edition has contributed to the surge in prices for undisputed German-made porcelain tea set pieces, but I am surprised by this Samson-like price. The seller is top-notch, his description and photos best-in-class - all surely contributing to the final price, but, wow, $454 for this pairing?
Rare ANTIQUE VINTAGE MADE IN GERMANY HALLOWEEN PUMPKIN CHILD'S TEA CUP & SAUCER
I have always coveted pieces from the surprisingly varied porcelain tea set made in Germany beginning in 1908. The handled cups are harder to find than the non-handled variety, and the saucers are always a good score. For loads of information and photos of pieces in this set, please refer to pages 119-121 of my newly published third edition.
