Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Fall Is Here and the Witches Are Flying in

Vintage hand painted Gibson postcard, on eBay, starting bid, $100.

Auctions, like fashion week, get you thinking ahead. After all, by the time you see the catalog, reach the auction date, win, arrange shipping and receive your item, five weeks just might have transpired! Given all this, it's little wonder that we're already seeing holiday auctions featuring items for Halloween, Thanksgiving, even Christmas.
Vintage 1930s embossed paper witch, E. Luhrs, on eBay, Buy It Now price of $24.99.



Today, we'll stick with the black and orange. I went to Michael's recently and was put off by the rows and rows of very cheap, very unattractive Halloween decorations. A little kitsch is essential during the holidays, but why waste money on bad decorations that you won't want to pull out of storage--if they even make it that long? Better, I think, to edit your existing collection before it takes over your attic, then be selective about what you add to it.


Regular readers of TAA know that I don't usually write about eBay. I often find the site much too unwieldy: too much trash and too little treasure, and, increasingly, it's not an auction at all but a marketplace with virtual stores and fixed prices. But I set aside my gripes for the holidays. That's because, amid the junk, there are usually a few well-priced gems that can really spruce up your decor. The key to finding them is to be a little patient and learn a few key search terms.

Vintage design (read: brand new) Beistle H.E. Luhrs decorations, Buy It Now for $8.25 a set on eBay.
 Finding Halloween Items on eBay

1. Go "Vintage" -The best search term, the one you can plug straight into the box, is
"vintage halloween."  You can stay with these results or refine further by selecting "Collectibles," from the lefthand list. 

Vintage postcard, on eBay, Buy It Now price of $49.99

2. Pick your niche - The more specific your search, the easier eBay can be. For Halloween, once you're in the right area, you might browse a while, then pick one or two types of decorations for further research. One popular item is vintage postcards. There are hundreds available at any given time, ranging from the rare and pricy to the utterly affordable. Buy some sweet frames and rotate your collection. Noisemakers are popular too.
Darling Halloween postcard, starting bid, $.99 on eBay.
3. Learn the names - There are certain Halloween brands you might like but not even know it. One collected manufacturer is Beistle H.E. Luhrs, a Pennsylvania based company that has been making Halloween decorations since 1900. Luhrs is still in business today (see the set of eight cutouts, above). The company's most coveted pieces are from the first quarter of this century, and some can be quite pricy, though condition really affects value. Another coveted paper maker is Dennison, while T. Cohn, Kirchof, Chein and Bugle Toy are known for noisemakers.

Vintage 1930s Beistle Halloween game, up for bidding on eBay until Sept 21st.
1940s Halloween noisemaker. Buy It Now: $39.95. eBay

 Halloween at Auction
Nostalgia drives collecting and people are incredibly nostalgic about holiday decorations. To the novice, holiday auctions will surprise you: "some is going to pay $800 for that?" you'll think--I guarantee it. But scarcity drives demand, of course, and some of these bits of Americana are rare and mint. Below, a sampling of pricy Halloween items up for bidding at Dan Morphy's on September 17th, which also features Thanksgiving, Christmas, even Easter. You'd better starting clearing the trash out of the attic right away to make room for more treasure!

Rare advertising clock. At Dan Morphy in Pa on Sept 17th, estimate $600-900.

Lot of Three Early and Rare Jack O'Lanterns, at Dan Morphy on Sept 17th, estimate $200-400.

Who doesn't need a pirate pumpkin tiara? At Dan Morphy's September 17th, estimate $400-600.

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