halloween decorations vintage antique Witch And Cat Fan

It is nice to see a great item like this pop up on what has become a severely denuded forum for quality vintage Halloween material. Beistle produced this fan during the early 1920s with both black and orange honeycomb centers. (The orange center seems to be slightly harder to find.) It has been quite some time since I’ve seen one for sale, so if you are Beistle collector - and few Halloween collectors with taste aren’t - this may be your chance to acquire this exceedingly rare item. If this ends for anything less than $450, the buyer will have gotten a true bargain. Good luck!

04/26 Update: Whomever the buyer was got a solid deal in that the selling price was a mere $281.87. I am surprised by this result.

halloween decorations vintage antique Witch And Culderon 1925

Beistle made three sizes of their iconic cauldrons from 1928-1932. This appears to be the middle size, measuring ~7.5” across. Although there is wear on this item, it is noticeably absent from the arch, which alone is compelling. The seller’s unusual spelling and Hemingway-esque description may limit “watchers,” so a bargain may be in the offing. (My mention of it may obviate these seller-imposed disadvantages.)

Vintage Beistle Halloween Black Cat Favor Basket Nut Cup

Beistle produced four designs of what they called favor baskets between 1927 and 1931. This particular example from a stellar seller looks fresh - almost as if someone bought it, never folded it open and left it in an envelope. The colors look bright and the honeycomb perfect.

09/28 Update: This item in exceptional condition brought an exceptional price of $481.99.

Vintage 1925 HALLOWEEN Large Die-Cut Accordion Crepe WITCH & Fiery Caldron

This cauldron decoration was produced by Beistle from 1928-1932. I believe it was originally part of their Rustic Fireplace due to the streamers at the bottom meant to simulate flames. See page 127 for more information. The seller needs to include more and higher resolution photos. It is hard to tell whether the arch has been repaired. It appears as if it has been restored in some fashion.

03/10 Update: I feel the lack of good photos hampered this item from bringing the dollars it deserved. It sold for only $162.50.

RARE Antique Witch Cauldron 1925 Beistle collapsible paper Vintage Halloween

It was great to see this listing for the iconic Beistle honeycomb cauldron. This design came in three sizes, with this one appearing to be the largest. The arch, normally the scene of the crime with these delicate objects, is intact. I suspect the seller might have gotten more for this given its size and overall condition if it had been offered through an auction format.

Vintage Halloween Die-Cut Witch & Honeycomb Cauldron RARE

Beistle produced at least three table decoration designs that incorporated their signature honeycomb onto a diecut backdrop. They produced these only during the 1957-58 seasons. They were apparently not strong sellers. I don’t feel many were produced, and certainly few have survived the 60+ years since they were made. None of the three designs surface often, so this is a rare opportunity to acquire one. I’ve seen this table decoration maybe three times in 31 years of collecting. One has thus far escaped my grasp. It shows a bashful scarecrow near a honeycomb pumpkin. That can be seen on page 7 of Lasansky’s reference. The other to the set can be seen on page 228 of my third and final edition.

08/25 Update: This ended up bringing $182.49. Even though the condition of the honeycomb is problematic, I feel the buyer did well.

Vintage BEISTLE 8" Jack O Lantern Boy Honeycomb Halloween Original Pumpkin

It is great to continue seeing a smattering of quality listings. This listing of a Beistle roly-poly both raises and answers a question. The question it raises is this: Does it really measure 10.5” high? I’ve asked the seller to double-check the measurement. I just received a response saying she’ll do that by tomorrow. The more common set of Beistle roly-poly honeycomb figures measures 8” high. (Saying they are more common overstates it as none from the set are often seen. However, compared to the larger set of which I surmise this listing is part of, they are seen more often.) The four members of this smaller set can be seen across the tops of pages 226-227. Two of the larger set, including this one, run along the bottom of those pages. The question it answers is did this item have a stem? The one I purchased has no stem nor any evidence that there ever was one. This listed item clearly shows a stem, however denuded of surface paper it is. Sustainable guide value is $475 for this roly.

08/06 Update: Unfortunately, the seller inadvertently tore this rare roly in two. It does measure 10.5” high when complete.

08/13 Update: This sold for $280, strong dollars considering the restoration costs involved in getting it back together.

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.

ANTIQUE VINTAGE HALLOWEEN CARDBOARD CREPE PAPER ACCORDION BAT HANGING DECORATION

I’ve been away for nearly a week on vacation and have taken few opportunities to wallow in eBay’s listings. Imagine my surprise when amongst all of the crapola, I see this exceedingly rare item in nice shape! This sinister devil bat diecut was produced by Beistle during the interval of 1925-1931. I haven’t seen one in this condition for many years. (Typically, one of the horns and at least one foot are long gone.) The orange honeycomb wings look essentially unused. Beistle also made this item with black honeycomb wings. This deserves to bring a very strong price, indeed.

03/05 Update: And it sure did bring a strong price - $970 - perhaps a record.

1925 SET OF 3 Beistle Nut Cups Honeycomb Favors Baskets RARE VTG Halloween

I feel $1200 is an enormous sum to pay for this trio of favor baskets. Beistle produced four designs of this size from 1927 through 1931. The best design, the witch wearing a dress decorated with skulls, is not amongst this trio. Even at $300 each, the envelope isn’t worth the remaining $300. It might be if it was something to look at, but being a plain glassine envelope limits its appeal and brings the “wow” factor down to nothing.

Vintage Beistle Company Halloween Honeycomb Die Cut Decoration, 1925

Wow, people were asleep at the switch here, including me. This is one of those increasingly rare, true bargains for a great piece of truly vintage Halloween memorabilia. This is one of four favor basket designs Beistle produced from 1927-1931. (I think it is the least interesting of the four designs. The best is the witch wearing a skull-festooned dress.) You can see them all on page 225.

Vintage Rare Halloween Beistle Sunflower Tally Card

It is great to see one of the very elusive Beistle tutu tallies being offered, especially by this fine seller. Beistle produced two tutu tally designs in 1930-1931 and sold them as a set. Oddly, this is the one that surfaces more regularly than the other. You can see both designs by turning to page 223. 

Vintage HALLOWEEN 4 STACKED PUMPKIN JOL w/ CREPE PAPER HONEYCOMB HAYSTACK - USA

Beistle produced at least two table decoration designs that incorporated their signature honeycomb onto a diecut backdrop. They produced these only during the 1957-58 seasons. I don't feel they were big sellers. Not only did Beistle cut off production rather abruptly but you simply never see them. This is only the second time I've seen this in nearly 30 years of avid collecting. A friend of mine snagged this by floating a BIN offer to the seller. Although the offer was a generous one in that it exceeded SGV, I have to wonder what this item would have brought if the auction would have proceeded from the original starting price of $19.99. Refer to page 228 for the other Beistle design from 1957-1958. 

VINTAGE BEISTLE HALLOWEEN HONEYCOMB CAT DECORATION 1930'S PAT NO 1593647

This result illustrates the impact condition has on value. This black cat roly-poly table decoration was produced by Beistle from 1930-1931 only. It is one of a complete set of four they produced in this size. Each of the set is desirable. SGV ranges from $275-375. This compromised example only fetched $42. Always buy the best you can afford! 

Antique Beistle Die-Cut & Tissue Halloween Goblin Spook Pumpkin Witch Decoration

Beistle produced what I call their ugly elf roly-poly for a single season, 1930. There were at least three designs comprising a full set of this honeycomb-based roly-poly table decoration size. Two are shown on pages 226 and 227. The third known design is of a sinister clown, which recently entered the collection. This is my least favorite of the three, as it is an acquired taste. SGV is $475 for one in much better condition than this one. 

03/23 Update: The seller has an interesting strategy here. The original listing offered this at $129.99 and received zero bids, no doubt to this example's poor condition. Undaunted, the seller has nearly literally doubled down by relisting it for $229.99. I find the stratagem almost quaintly cute. If you do too, resist the temptation to pay anything more than $100 for this staple-ridden ugly-elf. 

04/01 Update: There was definitely method to this seller's madness as this item fetched a BIN offer of $195 which was accepted.