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Mark B. Ledenbach's vintage Halloween collectibles blog.

DEAD MINT Complete Set Vintage Halloween Table Decorations Favors Germany 1920s!

It is great seeing so many of these German table decorations, especially in such nice condition. A common error is to think ten comprise a full set. There are actually eleven designs comprising the full set. The standing arched-back cat has two variations: the one included in this offering with eyes looking away from the viewer and one with the cat looking directly at the viewer with a slightly different face and stance. (The latter is much harder to find.) There are also stand variations. Later in the run the wood red stands were deeper and slotted making the table decoration more functional as a place card holder.

08/17 Update: The result was surely a disappointment as these regularly bring over $100 (sometimes well over…) when listed individually.

German Skittle Sets

The photos below came from a long-time collector (He has been collecting almost as long as me!) who likes to keep a low profile.Thanks, GS! He is lucky enough to own the Hallowe'en Figures boxed set shown immediately below. This is one of at least two variants of the boxed set, the other showing all 10 of the figures. I have long called these skittles, as they were meant to be used in a game wherein a player would win by knocking down as many as possible in one release of a marble, say. 

Now, on page 26, I show these skittles plus one from a previously unknown set owned by Barry and Tammy. GS contacted me to ask if I had seen others from the second, mysterious set. He stated that has only been able to find one - the broomed witch shown in the fourth photo below. He has collected the other images as these exceptionally rare skittles surfaced here and there, sometimes after the fact, but owns none of the others. 

I asked him if I could share this information with my readers. He kindly assented and now feast your eyes. If you see these, snap them up. Whereas the more common set pieces measure ~2.75" high, the rarer set pieces measure ~3.75". The more common set was made in Germany during the 1920s. My guess is that the rarer set was made in Germany for a single season sometime between 1930 and 1935. They may have been released only in Canada like all of the very rare German diecuts, but this is only speculation.

Does anyone have photos of any others from this set? I suspect there are two more, to make an even 10. (One of the rare skittles shown is a duplicate. Coincidentally, it is the one shown on page 26.) 

VINTAGE MADE IN GERMANY HOLLOWEEN STAND UPS

During this time of the year there are few worthwhile listings, and even then many items go for significantly less than they should (or would go for later in the year). This is just such an example. These common skittle game pieces typically bring from $45-65 each, so the buyer got a steal grabbing them for ~$26 each.