This seller references that some collectors feel this type of item was a treat satchel while others feel they were meant to be worn as hats. I’ve seen quite a few of these over the last five years and have developed a theory based on this exposure. I feel both views are true. I’ve found that about half the time the decorative arch on either side of the item is glued to the crepe. In those cases they were meant to be worn as hats. When the arch isn’t glued to the crepe they were meant to be used as treat satchels. I strongly prefer when they can be used as treat satchels. The display “oomph” is so much greater than when the arch is lost amid the vast expanse of yawn-inducing crepe.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Rare 1931 Vintage Halloween BEISTLE JOL Jack-'O-Lantern HAT POM-POM & Honeycomb
Beistle produced two designs they marketed as continental hats during the 1925-1931 interval. The plumes were either black or orange. The other design shows a snarling cat’s face. That design has shown up far more often than this JOL continental design, perhaps accounting for the surprisingly high price fetched, especially taking condition into account.
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.
Vintage RARE Halloween Paper Party Hat Devil on Horseback! c1930s
This hat was produced by Beistle sometime during the 1930s, probably 1933-1937. This is a design that doesn’t often surface. They were made with plumes and without plumes. The buyer got a bargain.
HALLOWE'EN Fold Out Table Top Decoration -Cat on a Moon-circa 1940's
This hat design was produced by Beistle, but much earlier than the seller guesses. It was produced for a single season - 1921. This example is in poor condition and the coloration seems off.
02/05 Update: This sold for only ~$20.
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.
VTG ANTIQUE 1900'S HALLOWEEN PAPER PARTY HAT HEINMULLER ILLUSTRATOR CARROT BAT
Hats using Aleinmuller designs were made from very thin paper stock, hence it is truly rare to find one complete. Typically, chunks - and sometimes large chunks - are simply missing. This example is almost certainly in the best condition I’ve seen. I feel the prevailing bidder got a relative bargain.
VINTAGE HALLOWEEN HONEYCOMB HAT- OWL, CAT, BAT, & JOL
This band hat was produced by Beistle during 1930-1931. It looks to be in remarkable condition, although jamming it onto a styrofoam head makes me wince. The imagery is compelling. I consider it to be one of their best hats!
09/224 Update: This sold for $321.
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 Hat w/ Honeycomb Crape Paper Pumpkins and Cats
This sure looks like a Beistle hat to me, although I’ve not seen this particular design before. Based on the USA mark, it was probably produced during the later 1930s.
04/11 Update: This sold for $52.
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.
