This horn actually sold for well below the price shown. It sold for $135.00, which I feel is somewhat of a bargain. Given the imagery, one might think this horn was produced by Beistle. It wasn’t. Instead, as I write on page 207, “This is surely an unauthorized adaptation of Beistle’s imagery.” I feel this was produced in Japan. These horns don’t often come available, so I was surprised there was such a delta between the reported selling price and the actual selling price. Whatever entity produced this horn made them in at least two sizes: 9” and 15”. I have only seen the latter size once.
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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.
Vintage Halloween Litho Paper And Cardboard Horn Noisemaker
For the longest time early in my vintage Halloween collecting days, I felt paper-litho horns with this design were produced by Beistle given the fairy motif imagery. Over the years as I became more informed, I was curious as to why I couldn’t find evidence that Beistle produced such items. Well, it seems horns like these were made without license. The mystery producer merely appropriated the art work and sat back hoping to make a buck without litigation. So, if you are a potential buyer, know this isn’t a Beistle product, but a by-product.
02/23 Update: This brought $123.50.
Vintage 1930's Halloween Screech Owl Siren Horn Hampton Co. Easthampton, Mass.
This desirable horn was produced during the 1930s. As I write on page 208, “The carboard bodies of this genre of horn were almost always re-purposed textile factory spindles. Their labels are often found affixed to the interiors.”
Vintage Haloween Tin Litho Kirchhof Metal Toy Party Horn Noisemaker
This seller, wildzombie, is far poorer than they could have been had they offered this very desirable tin litho horn produced by Kirchhof as an auction rather than the ill-advised BIN offering of $27.60. These have changed hands for upwards of $400. The colors and overall condition are exceptional with this example. Someone got a VERY good deal. I hope the seller realized their error when the listing concluded in 14 minutes.
VINTAGE KIRCHHOF TIN HALLOWEEN NOISE MAKER WITCH CATS Bats MOON
This listing lasted a scant few minutes as some savvy buyer saw the seller had made a major error in offering this desirable Kirchhof tin litho horn for about one-quarter of what it would have fetched had they just started it at $9.99 and let an auction run its course.
Vintage Halloween Horn Toy Witch JOL Bat Americana Décor Noisemaker Container
The horn is not a vintage one - but one made to look as if it has some age to it. It looks like something produced by Bethany Lowe or firms of that ilk. Don’t be fooled…
SCARCE Vintage Halloween Horn Noisemaker Decoration, USA, Patented 1921, WORKS!!
I am certain that the seller, a true delight, is over the moon with this result. The buyer shouldn’t be in that celebratory of a mood, though, as they vastly overpaid. This horn surfaces frequently enough that I’m surprised there were 5 bidders who had a hand in driving the ending price up to such an unsustainable level. The one in the collection is in significantly better condition. Anyone who wants it for $450 plus shipping is welcome to it.
Marks Bros. Halloween Cardboard Paper Horn Noisemaker Jack O' Lantern 15"
I have never seen this 15” tall Marks’ horn variant before. I own an equally tall Marks’ horn with different graphics and a 7.25” horn with the same squiggly pattern, but this variant is a new one for me. The buyer got a killer deal. Congrats!
1921 HALLOWEEN NOISE MAKER BLACK CAT witch marks bros boston 7 1/4 inch
Here is yet another seller ignorantly brimming with confidence by offering this relatively common Marks Brothers horn for a BIN of only $666. (I guess they also feel as if they are clever by picking that number.) I just shake my head in wonder and move on.
Antique Vintage Marks Bros 1921 Halloween Horn Wood Mouthpiece Paper Graphics
This is the tallest paper-litho-over-cardboard horn that Marks Brothers produced. It is much less common than the one that measures ~7” tall.
03/14 Update: This sold for a relative bargain - $69.99.
1930 GERMAN HALLOWEEN CARDBOARD TIN HORN WHISTLE NOISEMAKER SCARY FAIRY TALES
I suspect this item is a recently made fantasy piece. The graphics are unknown and don’t correspond to anything I’ve seen on unquestionably genuine German horns. Look at the only photo the seller provided of the horn’s interior. Although the bottom rim is splotchy, the interior is pristine and is constructed differently than any unquestionably genuine German horn I’ve seen. This reeks of a recently made fantasy item.
Vintage Halloween Siren Horn Screech Owl -Cardboard Noise Maker
This is a horn that doesn’t often come up for sale. Most of these lithoed-paper-over-cardboard horns are pretty forgettable, but whichever firm produced this had a great eye for design. The graphics are fresh and energetic. The metal top seems right for the horn. The overall condition is quite good. This was produced during the 1930s. SGV is $125, but we seem to be in a vintage Halloween bubble market right now, so who knows what it will bring.
10/13 Update: This sold for a bubbly $211.38.
ANTIQUE BEISTLE LITHO CARDBOARD HALLOWEEN HORN WITH WOO
For many years I mistakenly believed this was produced by Beistle due to the imagery. It was only when I couldn't find any reference to Beistle actually producing such products that I looked closely at the artwork and noticed many differences between the art in such things as their Party Books and hats and this horn. It finally dawned on me that this horn was almost surely an authorized adaptation of Beistle imagery. There is a likelihood the horn was made in Japan, but I don't know this for certain. In any event, it is a nice item, and still has a SGV of $125, but it wasn't made by Beistle.
Vintage halloween Beistle Horn
We know now that Beistle did not produce these paper-litho horns. In fact, there is no record that Beistle authorized the use of the their imagery in the production of these horns. If you examine the horn's artwork and compare it to the items with a fairy motif that Beistle actually produced, there are enough stylistic differences to lead to a conclusion that these types of horns were produced with no license from Beistle. The leading culprit in producing unlicensed items at that time was Japan, so I believe these horns were made there.
VINTAGE HALLOWEEN RARE BUGLE TOY CARDBOARD HORN WORKS NICE SHAPE
The mysterious Bugle Toy Company of Providence, Rhode Island produced memorable tin litho Halloween noisemaker designs but seriously faltered in terms of their lithoed paper output. The ho-hum imagery on this horn is representative of their aesthetic. What does make this listing interesting is that this is a marked piece. Whether out of embarrassment or not, it is uncommon for their lithoed paper items to be marked.
