1910 -1917 “Sacred Be Ye Fire O Halloween” RARE Early Mechanical Decoration

An unknown manufacturer produced four mechanical Halloween designs pre-WWI. Two are interesting but not too out there, whereas the other two are quite eccentric. (You can see the foursome on page 284.) I’ve seen this mechanical witch at cauldron decoration a good 12-15 times and in every case the cat’s tail is missing. This seller obliquely states they have one with a complete tail. I invite this seller to send me a photo. I’d love to see a complete example. If I get it, I’ll post it.

08/29 Update: The seller took me up on my offer and sent the two photos below. She made it clear that it isn’t for sale. This is the first time I’ve ever seen one of these mechanical decorations complete with a cat’s tail. Quite nice.

Rare Halloween Paper Mechanical Decoration "Sacred Be Ye Fire O Halloween"

This early mechanical was made in the United States by an unidentified firm with an interestingly distinctive design aesthetic. This witch at cauldron mechanical was one of a set of four made between 1910-1917. The seller states he/she has seen an example with an extant cat's tail. I have seen many of this design and have never seen one fully intact. The condition issues identified as pertaining to this example are precisely those most commonly seen. All in all, the buyer got a helluva bargain, scooping this up for $199.95, when the sustainable guide value is more than double that. I think placing such high opening prices deters activity, something that more sellers should take into account when deciding to sell on eBay, using an auction format. The more successful sellers of vintage Halloween items start their auctions at $9.99 or less and typically get very solid results. If you'd like to see the others comprising this set, please see page 284.