/
   
  HOME
  ABOUT MBL
  GET MBL'S BOOK/DVD
  :: BOOK ERRATA
  A BRIEF HISTORY
  CURRENT MARKET
  MBL'S BLOG
  ITEMS FOR SALE
  PHOTO GALLERY
  FAQ
  CONTACT MBL
   
   

 

 

 

MBL's Blog
(Updated 2/4/12 11:00 AM)


 


This blog page provides a place for my comments and insights on a selection of the multitude of items listed on Ebay. I have no financial interest in any of the items mentioned on this page, as I do this for fun as well as to educate. Feel free to check back often, as it is my intent to update this page at least weekly depending on the time of the year. If you have a question on an item I haven't mentioned below, always feel free to contact me through the site.  MBL



Sellers Who Receive MBL's Vintage Halloween Stamp of Approval

55audrey, devilwoman, djdutch48, dragonflydesignstudio.com, freshest1, fritzyfinds, goofus999, halloween824, holidays2you, jazz4jols, jawboy71, member666734, mmccall, ms.dennistle, mysweetjanene, northcane, nyleos, scarlettssister, sellmestuff, shiverbones, stnick22, strega3338rby, walpurgis1031, whirlwind27, zizsdream

Sellers With Whom MBL Chooses Not To Do Business

1027-97th, 1falls, aboveindustry, cold-angel07, curiousimp, dreamcatchers*, fallsmist52, landerstoys, ronscollection, rwb9, shadowtown, warbond321, yevdokcem

COMMENTS ON COMPLETED AUCTIONS 

110817391694   1940'S US METAL TOY HALLOWEEN WITCH & OWL TIN NOISEMAKER
Ended 02/03  Given the very nice condition, the buyer got a real bargain here. Congrats!

220939159139   Small Halloween Green Ghoul Figure Composition, German C 1930
Ended 02/02  Typically these early, small German compo items, free from their original bases, sell for around $100 in near-mint condition. They were very quickly and easily made, as the detailing is scant and the hand-painted flourishes nearly non-existent. Given that and this one's overall condition, I was surprised to see it sell for $123.51.)

220938421070   2 very rare vintage 1950s halloween pirate skeleton decorations
Ended 02/01  Over the last 18 months, I've noticed that this common Beistle diecut of a pirate skeleton has brought significantly higher prices than ever before. They aren't rare, having been made for many years. The guide value is $20. Do any of my readers have a theory as to why the prices have risen on this diecut?

130637815592   VINTAGE HALLOWEEN RARE PARTY SIGN GHOST JOL "THIS WAY BEWARE" DENNISON GIBSON CO
Ended 02/01  The offering of this never-before-seen Gibson diecut caused me a great deal of consternation. I don't have it. I've never seen it before. The condition was very problematic. Should I bid on it knowing I may never see it again, but also knowing I'd never be happy with it? Or should I let it pass by waiting for a better example to come along? I have a true fondness for Gibson's output, so the decision was a tough one. I ultimately decided to let it pass by. As I sit here typing, knowing that it sold for a mere $154.38, I wonder if I made the right call.

150742329651   Vintage Rare Halloween German Pumpkin Face Child's Bowl 1920's
Ended 01/29  The prevailing bidder did not get a bargain with this purchase. These mini cups from the well-known porcelain tea set from the early teens, typically trade for around $90.

180801703693   Vintage Halloween Fortune / Stunt Game
Ended 01/28  I've seen this game twice in my collecting career, so I think it is exceptionally rare. Even given the condition, the price seems reasonable.

260941020916   2 VERY RARE VINTAGE (BEISTLE) UNUSED HALLOWEEN CARDS
Ended 01/28  These two desirable Beistle place cards with flip-out bases are two to a set of four, made in 1930-31. Several sets of these surfaced in 2007. Other than this listing, I've seen neither hide nor hair of them since. Back then, they traded between $125 to $250 per card, so for the pair to sell for $227.50 seems like a strong bargain indeed.

370572218330   Scarce Antique Wooden Halloween Noise Maker with Pumpkin Head
Ended 01/07  Given how often these are really married items (meaning not made originally together) and how uninteresting the wood JOL is, the selling price of $72.89 is difficult to understand.

120838081657   Vtg. 1950s Ratchet Halloween 4 1/2" Noisemaker Witch on Broom by Moon Tin
Ended 01/04  Unfortunately, someone just threw away $37.95 on this tin ratchet. Contrary to the seller's assertion that it was from the 1950s, it was actually made about 2007, specifically for a retailer called Restoration Hardware. This identical design took at least three forms, so be careful.  ******************************************************************************************************************

Item Number and Description

260946238256   Vintage Halloween Beistle Black Cat Moon Diecut Decoration Antique Rare
Ends 02/29 This seller consistently offers ridiculously overpriced wares. 

120854404584   NEAR MINT Vintage Halloween Witch Diecut Standup Decoration Germany
Ends 02/13  This large German diecut is difficult to locate in this eminently collectible condition. Being sizable with irregular borders, it is very prone to tears and bends. The true bonus with this auction is that it is being offered by one of the very few sellers on this forum that I hold in the highest regard. You will never be unhappy with your business dealings with zizsdream!

180810704985   Primitive Vintage Style Cast Iron Ghost Girl Pumpkin Bank
Ends 02/09  It's nice to finally see a seller honestly describe these as being in a "vintage style" rather than vintage. Unfortunately, many of these fantasy pieces have been sold to unsuspecting buyers. One prolific seller of these, bigindian15,  has been peddling them for years, with differing explanations as to how he managed to stumble across such quantities. The bottom line: these are fantasy items, made recently, with zero collectible value.

270903833169   RARE Antique Pulp Paper Mache JACK O' LANTERN in UNUSUAL FORM
Ends 02/05  I wonder how this seller can guarantee this to be "...honest, old and attic fresh..." when it wasn't made before 1995ish?

280815779292   dennison vintage cut-outs 4 owls halloween
Ends 02/03  This is an interesting lot in that I've not seen these owl cut-outs sold with a glassine envelope before. The typical way for them to have been sold was in a slide box with an inventory number of H-99. Dennison's record keeping has always been impenetrable to me, with no visible logic to their inventory numbering system. (These sold for a very reasonable $39.99.)

160723671613   Identically-sided 3D flying Bat Halloween decoration USA Gibson Art 1930s rare!
Ends 01/31  I have come to truly appreciate Gibson's output over my collecting career. They didn't have the marketing muscle of Beistle or Dennison, but they strove to introduce unusual and whimsical products to retail establishments year after year. This bat is wonderful - and appears to be in near-perfect condition. I think the Buy-It-Now price is reasonable, and would hope this fine item gets snapped up.

180803134559   Vintage Halloween Fortune Crystal Game
Ends 01/30  Although this unremarkable fortune game is marketed as having a Halloween connection, it really doesn't. Just casually look at the imagery. What about it conjures Halloween?

170769057282   SET of VINTAGE HALLOWEEN JACK O LANTERNS GERMAN PAPER MACHE Full set of 9!!!
Ends 01/29  Directly below, I discuss this set of fantasy pieces. This seller, based in Germany, provides an excellent photo of the entire faux set. Keep it and refrain from buying any of these items unless you wish to try to decorate cheaply! They have zero collectible value. (Pity the poor sap who dropped $557 on this dreck.)

200702995129   VINTAGE HALLOWEEN JACK O LANTERN 1920'S GERMAN COMPOSITION
Ends 01/25  Look at this seller's six other listings of JOLs and copy the photographs. You will then have an excellent library of seven of the nine fantasy pieces from the set that began appearing in the mid-1990s to fool collectors. Unscrupulous manufacturers in Germany, understanding how quickly prices were rising for truly vintage German Halloween items, began cranking these things out by the truckload. I can't begin to guess how many collections I have examined where items from this set were proudly residing. If you have purchased these for any more than simple decorative value, return them to the dealers you purchased them from for a full refund. As I have said for years, never buy any Halloween items from sellers based in Germany. The Germans made Halloween items strictly for export, so little to nothing was left in their country to be "discovered" in warehouses.

320833627211   VINTAGE DIE CUT BLACK CAT W/ GREEN EYES RED TONGUE
Ends 01/23  Do not buy this diecut remnant. What do I mean by a remnant? This was cut from a circular diecut wherein the cat was the center of the entire item. Flip to page 162 of my book to see what I mean. Given it is merely a remnant, it has no collectible value.

370577318591   VINTAGE RARE DEVIL HORN GERMAN HALLOWEEN NOISMAKER
Ends 01/22  Like the faux devil head referenced below, this is another of the very well-known fantasy pieces that began polluting the hobby in the mid-1990s. I was fooled back then, spending $300 on one even though I had suspicions from the start. (Pay attention to your intuition!) It lingered in my collection for several years until I confirmed that it wasn't vintage. I attempted to get my money back from the dealer I purchased it from, Jenny Tarrant, to no avail. (I never did business with her again, and never will.) The seller here mentions that the devil horn appeared in one of Pam Russell's books with a citation that it was old. In an email received from her years ago, Pam admitted that she had made a mistake. Don't be fooled, like I was. (I'm glad to see this POS brought a mere $61 bucks.)

250972639976   VINTAGE MID CENTURY HALLOWEEN CAT & WITCH DECORATIONS
Ends 01/20  This is a diecut that surfaces very rarely, but when it does it invariably has damage. This was made by Dennison and first appeared in their 1928 Party Magazine. It was made for perhaps one or two seasons, accounting for its elusiveness. Dennison had a sense of whimsy and fun fully on display here. The book value is $185, but because of condition issues I'd guide the price to around $125. We'll see... (And it came in at $94.14, a good value...)

120842957314   VINTAGE HALLOWEEN West German Paper Mache Jack-o-lantern
Ends 01/19  This is another well-known fantasy piece. Sets of eight different models began appearing in the mid-1990s, and they have plagued our fine hobby since then. This iteration, as well as all the others in the set, have no collectible value. (Glad to see no one was fooled with this listing.)

180794961575   VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PAPER MACHE PULP JACK - O - LANTERN
Ends 01/19  This is a home-made item with little collectible value.

350522996398  1920/30s Halloween Devil Candy Container, German Made, Excellent Condition
Ends 01/18  This is one of the better known fantasy pieces that began appearing for sale in the mid-1990s. There is no vintage equivalent. I discuss this faux item on page 66 of my book. These regularly surface with no attached candy box, so the presence of a candy box is a new twist on an old story. This has no collectible value. Definitely avoid...

260930492362   Vintage Halloween German pumpkin face teaset
Ends 01/14  The asking price is much too high for these, given that the sugar bowl has no lid and the cup is probably from Japan. A realistic price would be in the neighborhood of $350. Read the seller's answer to whether the sugar has a lid. WTH?

270887870171   early vintage Halloween WITCH Large German Candy Container pressed
Ends 01/12  This isn't old either. Although there is a lot of paint crackling and other condition issues that might entice you to believe it to be old, it surely isn't. It is hard to convey in writing what to look for with these fantasy items, but the flat expressions these have is one giveaway. Another is how pristine the interior cardboard is versus the faux-distressed exterior. I sure wish our fun hobby wasn't polluted with such garbage. (Sorry to see that some poor schmuck threw away $89.99 on this.)

220926222817   Vintage CORN MAN Candy Container GERMAN 1930's Halloween
Ends 01/11  Most of these compo wash over cardboard tube candy containers are modern reproductions - like this one. Although it is VERY difficult to discern new from old, the slanted hat on these containers is a good indication that it isn't what it seems. Avoid...

150730025908   Rare Vintage Beistle Halloween Party Decorations Book
Ends: unclear  This is a good example of a seller asking for the moon for an item while not adequately taking condition into account. Although these Beistle party books typically do trade between $350-450, those prices are obtained for mint condition items with complete contents, a far cry from this rather pitiable offering.

380399314987   Vintage German Halloween Jack o' Lantern Rattle & Whistle Noisemaker #2
Ends 01/11  This is not a vintage item. Blumchen's imported a large set of these from Germany in the mid-1990s, polluting our fine hobby for nearly two decades now. (Wow, someone tossed away $39.99 on this.)

220924491250   Old Halloween Diecut GIANT OWL MOUSE HONEYCOMB WINGS
Ends: unclear  This lackluster diecut, made by Beistle in the 1960s, demonstrates the sad design decline of this once great source of truly inspired Halloween decorations. Compare this forgettable owl to their 1920s Halloween elf diecut - for merely one example among many. Beistle still exists. Why don't they revitalize their art staff and begin making limited edition designs for discriminating collectors like us? They should begin this effort by hiring my long-time good friend, and for even a longer time a talented artist, Matthew Kirscht, to spearhead the revitalization!

220923369221   Hardcover Dennison's Bogie Book 1925 Halloween Parties Decorations Original
Ends: unclear  I cannot believe this listing is still available after nearly one week. Hardcover, non-ex-library Bogie Books are as rare as cogent thoughts in Michele Bachmann's head. The asking price of $95 is eminently reasonable given the parlous state of the front cover. SNAP THIS UP!

320820993654   4 ANTIQUE PRESSED CARDBOARD HALLOWEEN JACK O LANTERN
Ends 01/08  I greatly dislike when a seller (especially when the seller is really just an antiques mall striving to reach a broader market) slaps a laughably high price on objects knowing only that the objects have some value, but little else about them. Take this listing, for example. The seller has an OK assemblage of mediocre 1950s pulp JOLs that were all made in the USA. Their auction verbiage states these "pressed paper" JOLs were probably made in Germany in the 1930s. Wrong on all counts. Given the condition, especially given that one of them surely has a replaced insert, a more reasonable price would be south of $300.

140671687670   OLD CANDY CONTAINER HALLOWEEN BOBBLE HEAD GERMAN
Ends 01/05  As I have written in this blog many times, simply do not purchase compo or papier-mâché items from sellers based in Germany. Through the 1960s, Germany produced Halloween decorations strictly for export. They had no domestic market for them. Since truly vintage Halloween items began their price surge in the very early 1990s (something that has been largely sustained since...) manufacturers in Germany have been dedicated to churning out soulless reproductions and fantasy pieces aimed at the under-informed novice collector. Don't waste your cash on such junk. Like the item being offered by the Germany-based seller, taveris, these things not only have no value, but have none of the style, flair and élan of truly vintage things.

 
     
 

 

Copyright © 2012 Mark B. Ledenbach. All Rights Reserved.