Vintage Halloween Collectibles Research (1900-1979)

Sane Halloween Observer Case of the Mutilated Heirloom  or  Tear up the Panes! Here, Here! There are two mysteries in this entry, and perhaps you can detect the answers? Mystery One: We are probably still some hundreds of years (one hopes) before bits of vintage Halloween are treated like pottery sherds and bone fragments. There are enough (and more showing up all the time) intact versions of these mass-produced items that there is simply no need for anyone to be out in the field panning for fool's gold... and yet, here we are... The story begins that in April 2020 the following lot was purchased at the incredible bargain price of $33: Halloween lot of mixed-date items as sold for $33 to re-seller.  (Not to scale. Candlesticks removed from images). If you notice, tucked away in the back, is a lantern described in rough condition , but given that the great skeletons were described in ok condition this lantern doesn't look too rough and seems at least ...

Sane Halloween Observer Even though the last entry here was almost two years past, that doesn't mean research ceased. With assistance, I have since pieced together a rather large collection of imported Einzinger Narrenfibel catalogs ( some seen here in previous entries ), and this 1965-1967 edition was particularly one I had been looking forward to obtaining based on known excerpts; it also turned out to be quite the prize given the additional surprises! With this in hand, I'm still trying to figure out why it is assumed by old-school experts (as yet offering zero counter evidence in print) that paper items from Germany ceased after WWII - even though items assumed as 1930s are found here in this 1965 catalog. Einzinger Narrenfibel 65 Question! Is the tale of certain German mask makers for Karneval (and world export) similar to what occurred with embossed German diecuts? The timeline seems to match. Take Manebach, for example: -"Manebach masks were trendy in ...

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....

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)...

Sane Halloween Observer Here's something puzzling for a research enthusiast... This entry is written with no definitive assumptions of what the mysterious images shown here might mean in regards to production dates, but it will perhaps be of interest to vintage Halloween collectors? And perhaps someone out there can provide clear details on the history and dates of this apparently long-running decor and costume magazine?  For better detail - the images below link to the full image gallery by flickr contributor EYE-talian  where you can see these in much larger sizes. Vintage collectors will of course recognize the bottom-most row of characters on page 39 titled "The Ghosts in Haunted Castle." Anyone care to guess their story? The corresponding description reads something like this...  "#16 Block Mountain freize, 40 cm wide, 2m long, vibrant green wall strip of crepe paper with 7 different spooks together of embossed cardboard ... Frieze 11.50" ...