Vintage Halloween Collectibles Research (1900-1979)

Sane Halloween Observer Spooked by German diecut availability through the 1970's, (pushing experts' guide dates beyond the 1920s-1940s)? As mentioned in the blog introduction - ( see addition of point #6 ) - content is offered here from historical print (re: vintage discoveries), so I welcome counterpoint (likewise  from historical print , that is) that does indeed seclude German diecuts to a time before the mid-century. In fact, I would be most grateful if anyone would provide an actual account of German diecut manufacturers which, to my knowledge, does not exist? This leads us to yet another expansion for the availability of certain German diecuts (previously glimpsed in the entry Halloween in Germany: 1955 ).  In a similar pirate theme, we now have this  Narrenfibel 1960 catalog (shown here scanned from the vintage item) that offered its German audience the chance to buy these embossed cardboard items - a Hellcat, Skeleton, and Port Lantern... (see the English transl

Sane Halloween Observer If the popularity and inventiveness of Beistle is to vintage Halloween collectibles what a major pop group is to music, then Rust Craft is the obscure alterna-band you never heard of - somewhat (yet thankfully) obscure and magically bizarre. (Apologies for the lo-fi quality of these images)...  For more Rust Craft, see also:  Ain't Grub Grand!  or  Gold Filigree Halloween .

Sane Halloween Observer Does excluding the knowledge of other fields in turn affect our current understanding of certain vintage collectibles? I would attest that while each of us may have familiarity to large catalogues of past imagery (for example vintage decor images by Beistle, Dennison, Gibson, etc.), we should also ask if we (myself included) fully understand the historical context of their appearance. For example, do we know the full extent of design processes, merchandise production, and business operations ---- all of which are extremely important to properly assess time-capsule discoveries of Halloween items. If we ignore external and/or related variables we might create a powerful but incorrect interpretation. Just to play devil's advocate (with  no reference to current listings ) what follows  is historical fiction  that assumes  minimal  yet practical knowledge of the past employees of Gibson and Dennison. Note that  photography sub-titles  are  actual , and ima

Sane Halloween Observer This entry is dedicated to arguably one of the most ignored Halloween noisemakers of vintage collectibles - the Flex-a-tone ( wikipedia ). Its minimal graphics (opposed to artwork that lifts others into triple digits) may forever hold the value of this particular item down (as of this writing) to about $10-$25, and yet for audiophiles it could in fact be the most desirable of any in this genre. Contrary to other noisemakers with their monotonous racket, the musical sound of a Flex-a-tone  was used in the recording studios of classic cartoons and vintage jazz for its glissando effect - a warbling that changes tone - something like a ghost crawling up and down your spine. You probably recognized that sound instantly and can likely name a few tunes or shows where you've heard it? (For example, one person identified it used in the film Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977) whenever the evil sorceress Zenobia made her appearance). Well, it'

Sane Halloween Observer Some items, like German diecuts and tin toys, repeatedly cycle through the market, perhaps indicating that if it's in a book or often listed on ebay that its not really a rare item at all --- or maybe those items just get attention simply because they've been loudly identified? While this noise continues with a known set of collectibles, occasionally some items are a genuine surprise. The item shown in this post, and not even in that good of condition, stunned quite a few people, even old-school enthusiasts. Why are we still lacking in information about some items, even the not so rare? Here's a digital rendering of how this diecut might have appeared as whole, noting that the bottom right corner (paw and tombstone area) is obvious artistic license based on the Gibson style. Digital version (above) and photo (below) as shared on facebook  Vintage Halloween .  Digital re-creation based on image below. Image as seen on  facebook V

Sane Halloween Observer Do you have any concerns about the assessed rarity and value of German-made diecuts in your collection? It may be of interest to view a series of earlier entries here that show a number of diecuts (formerly dated 1920s-40s) instead appeared to have been on the market in the 1950s ( Halloween in Germany:1955 ) through the 1960s ( Seven Spooks in Narrenfibel ) reaching all the way to the mid-1970s  ( Dead Skeletons ). As a possible reflection on what may be newer perspectives, or just post-holiday doldrums, here are some interesting auction results from January 2016... that are well below typical values suggested by various guides. Sold for $125 ($25 each) plus auction fees . Sold for $80 ($27 each) plus auction fees . Sold for $90 ($30 each) plus auction fees . Sold for $0 - auction passed Sold for $125 ($31 each) plus auction fees . Sold for $125 ($31 each) plus auction fees . Sold for $200 ($40 each)  plus auction fees

Sane Halloween Observer A well-known admirer of vintage Halloween currently credits a series of candy containers, pull-toys and rockers (constructed of paper-laminated cardboard) to  General Merchandise Company  of the 1940s-1950s. Determination appears based on the bottom abbreviation of G.M. CO. , but what is the historical record of this company and of its product output?  As of this writing, I find no iteration of a plausible General Merchandise Company referred to as G.M. Co. (for example   -  The Treasury that was at one time named General Merchandise Company has no evident markings of G.M. Co. on its catalogs). As well, other than a few known series of holiday containers (for Easter , Valentines Day , Halloween see below marked G.M. Co), I find no other products via an internet search. Note that research is made difficult because  general merchandise  is a common term of business categorization such as  dry goods ; many businesses could describe themselves as a general