Vintage Halloween Collectibles Research (1900-1979)

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...

Sane Halloween Observer Originally used mostly in novelty items and commonly called "flicker pictures" or "wiggle pictures"  lenticular printing is a technology in which lenticular lenses (a technology that is also used for 3D displays) are used to produce printed images with an illusion of depth, or the ability to change or move as the image is viewed from different angles. (source:  wikipedia ) The image below is a quickly animated gif that I created from a recent listing appearing on ebay for a 1950's child's novelty ring. A quick google search for lenticular imagery (or the wikipedia link above) will direct you to tons of interesting new and vintage uses of this technique. Here is one link to a gallery of vintage imagery on pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/ohbyjingo/action-vintage-lenticular-pictures/

Sane Halloween Observer Another of those vintage decorations that gets happily ignored by valuation mania --- this is a wonderful set for those who enjoy the old glow-in-the-dark effects on printed ephemera! These heavy card-stock decorations (approx. 3"x4") identified by the ghostly "logo" as being produced by  American Novelty Corporation of Omaha  were likely created sometime between 1943-1950. One of my favorite for the nostalgia --- (I really LOVED these type of dimly glowing paper novelties when I was a kid hiding under the covers imagining that the glowing form was eerily moving before my eyes). The following photos (at right) were taken in the dark with a time-lapse of 800 ISO for 30 seconds with 5.6 aperture. PS - If you like glow-in-the-dark novelties, check out this blog : SPOOKY THINGS THINGS THAT GLOW IN THE DARK, VINTAGE TOYS OF A SPOOKY NATURE AND OLD-FASHIONED CHILLS...