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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

Vintage Luhrs (Beistle) Halloween Paper/Honeycomb Party Hat Witch/Moon 1940s

Beistle produced this design, as well as the additional three designs comprising a complete set, from 1946-1954. The prices for these designs have been largely moribund for years, but lately this has changed. I sold two designs in my recent auction that fetched well above the average selling prices established over the last few years. You can see all four designs on page 243.

Vintage Halloween 1900's Aleinmueller Paper Hat Black Cat,Witch Fab Graphic 14"H

This may be the first time I’ve seen one of these hats actually complete. The paper used was so thin that much of a hat was gone or severely ripped when I’ve seen one on offer. The fact that it has been on a conical mold for a while preserving its intended shape is a bonus. The price paid seems a relative bargain considering what many common items have been recently bringing. Congrats to the buyer!

Antique Halloween Moon, Bat, Witch, Cat, Pumpkin Hat

Sadly, this hat seems to have its original honeycomb replaced with what looks like orange waxed paper. Beistle made these “New Moon” hats only from 1933-1937. Four designs comprise the full set. Look at page 239 to see how these hats were originally sold.

09/13: This brought a strong $637.

BEISTLE HONEYCOMB CAT FACE CONTINENTAL HAT WITH PLUME RARE 1925-31 WITH STRAP

This desirable Beistle continental hat was produced from 1925-1931. Although these surface from time to time, seldom do they do so in such awesome condition. The companion hat to it is shown on page 238. Although the seller may have started it too high, you will rarely have an opportunity to do business with such a seller: knowledgeable and eminently trustworthy.

Antique, Vintage 1930’s -1940’s Lot of Holiday Halloween Decorations, Mask Games

This seller seemingly put a jumble of items in poor condition together and hoped for the best. Sharp-eyed collectors would have noticed the glint of true gold amidst the mica flakes. Lurking at the very top unheralded is a rare Beistle band hat. It is rare enough that I don’t recall seeing the design before. Whomever bought the lot could burn everything but the band hat and still make out just fine.

VTG 11" BEISTLE Halloween Black Cat Pumpkin Bat Honeycomb ORIG CT

It’s great to finally see some quality items on eBay, a forum that has lost much of its luster due to its lackluster policing of the categories, its practice of automatically listing and relisting the same crapola without requiring sellers to lower prices, its disparate treatment of sellers versus buyers and the seemingly endless increases to fees.
This rare hat produced by Beistle only during 1930-1931 is an example of the stuff I’d like to see more of on eBay. Beistle produced a limited number of inspired designs for their band hats during this interval. This is one of their best designs. (You can see others on page 240.) Although this isn’t in near-mint condition, I haven’t seen one for sale for so long that it may not make that much of a difference.

08/18 Update: This brought $202.50. Condition did seem to impact the bidding.

Vintage Halloween Party Hat, 1920,s Made in U.S.A

Beistle issued three “domino hat mask” designs between 1926 and 1931. Most of the time they were just stand-alone masks as shown on pages 236-237, but occasionally they were stapled to a random band hat, as in this listing. The entire bottom section of the mask is missing, so this is more of a substantial remnant than anything else. Virtually all of its collectible value has been eliminated due to its poor condition.

11/13 Update: …And yet this sold, in these bubbly times, for $86!

"RARE" WONDERFUL 1931 VINTAGE HALLOWEEN FROG FIGURE HAT WITH PLUMES

Beistle sure made some “out-there” designs. This demon frog hat from 1931 certainly fits the bill. The eccentric and memorable design reminds me of the coveted art done by arguably the finest folk artist working in the Halloween medium, Matthew Kirscht. The condition issues of the hat, detailed no nicely by this stellar seller, really weren’t material. I wish I had seen this listing. I would have been a player for more than the reasonable ending price.

Antique Vintage Rare Halloween Witch Hat Aleinmuller

I have seen a handful of Aleinmuller hats for sale during the last 30 years but all save this one had significant condition issues. The paper used was of thin stock that simply hasn’t worn well through the decades. Most of the time there are significant chunks missing, major tears and/or creasing. This Aleinmuller hat is in the best condition I’ve ever seen. Hats like this are hard to display unless you have ample wall space - something I no longer have - so it isn’t for me. However, if you’ve coveted a colorful, busy Aleinmuller design, you mustn’t let this hat escape your grasp.

09/27 Update: This changed hands for a surprisingly reasonable price of $203.50.