Antiques Q&A
Our expert shares insights on seasonal goods, from Halloween party decor to an autographed baseball and an autumnal platter.
Our expert shares facts and figures about antiques.
Question: I remember Halloween decorations like these from parties I attended as a child in the 1960s. They’re marked “Made in U.S.A.”Who made them and do they have much value today?
Answer: Founded in 1900 by Martin Luther Beistle, the Beistle Company of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, is the oldest and largest manufacturer of decorations and party goods in the United States. Beistle began making honeycomb tissue “dancers” in the late 1920s, but your cat dancer was produced from 1948 until 1964. Earlier dancer motifs included devils, witches and skeletons. Later designs, including this one, were made to look less scary to appeal to a broader audience. Beistle produced the scarecrow centerpiece with honeycomb tissue corn shock and pumpkin in several sizes from 1960 to 1970. Price guides for Halloween collectibles value these mid20th-century decorations at $20 to $45 each, but only if they are in undamaged condition.
RESOURCES: Vintage Halloween Collectibles, 2nd Edition, by Mark B. Ledenbach (2007: Krause Publications, out of print); Halloween in America by Stuart Schneider (1995: Schiffer Publishing, 610-593-1777, www.schifferbooks.com). Question: These children’s Halloween costumes are in their original boxes and look like they’ve never been used. The clown costume was made by Collegeville. The fairy princess costume is by Halco. What can you tell me about them?
Answer: Scottish and European immigrants brought the celebration of Halloween to the United States and, along with it, the custom of seeking treats while dressed in costume. The earliest costumes were homemade. Sales of commercially made costumes, first available in the Depression era, took off after World War II. The leading manufacturers of ready-to-wear Halloween costumes were Collegeville, Ben Cooper and Halco (J. Halpern & Company). Collegeville started as a flag manufacturer in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in about 1909 but began making Halloween costumes seasonally in the late 1920s. Halco, in New York City, was an early licenser of character costumes and produced many depicting MGM characters such as Mighty Mouse. Princess and clown costumes are among the more common designs. These are from the 1950s and are valued in the $20 to $40 range.
RESOURCE: Halloween: Costumes and Other Treats by Stuart Schneider and Bruce Zalkin (2001: Schiffer Publishing).
Question:
I found these party game cards in a box of old Halloween decorations. The instructions direct players to perform various silly or comical stunts. The one titled “Stunt Halloween Quiz”is marked“H.E. Luhrs.” Can you tell me who made them and how old they are?
Answer:
Both of these Halloween party games were made by the Beistle Company around 1940. Henry E. Luhrs, the son-in-law of company founder Martin Luther Beistle, succeeded him in the business. The company began using the“H.E. Luhrs”mark around 1939. The“Hoo’s Next Game of Stunts,”which features illustrated tabs designed to be torn from the card, is considered scarce and was valued at $85 in a Halloween collectibles price guide. The“Stunt Halloween Quiz”features a dial that turns to reveal the stunt to be performed along with a fortune. Similar party games have a metal spinner. This game card is valued between $60 and $80.
RESOURCES: Time for Halloween Decorations by Claire M. Lavin (2007: Schiffer Publishing); Vintage Halloween Collectibles, 2nd Edition, by Mark B. Ledenbach (2007: Krause Publications, out of print).
Question:
My husband’s aunt, who entered many contests and sweepstakes in the late 1930s and 1940s, gave him this baseball signed “Sincerrly (sic) Babe Ruth.” Printed on the official National League ball is “Sinclair Babe Ruth Baseball Contest.” Having never been played with, the ball is in excellent condition. How valuable is it?
Answer:
The Sinclair Oil Company sponsored a radio contest on CBS in 1937 in which the grand prizes were two new Nash automobiles. Additional prizes were 500 Babe Ruth-signed baseballs. Although nicely signed in pen, the autograph is not that of the legendary New York Yankees slugger, but that of a “ghost signer” skilled at forging Ruth’s distinctive signature. Among autograph collectors, it is known as a secretarial signature. While baseballs actually signed by Ruth sell at auctions for as much as $20,000, the Sinclair Babe Ruth Contest balls are currently worth between $200 and $400. Add $75 to $100 if the original cardboard box is included.
RESOURCES: KeyMan Collectibles, www.keymancollectibles.com; LiveAuctioneers, www.liveauctioneers.com.
Question:
My son gave me this china tray many years ago because the corn motif matched my home’s country decor. It is marked with a green back stamp: “Noritake/ Handpainted/Made in Japan,”with the letter“M”inside a wreath. Can you determine its age?
Answer:
In 1904, the forerunner of the Noritake Company was established in the village of Noritake, a suburb of Nagoya, Japan. Beginning in 1914, the company produced fine porcelain dinnerware sets and occasional pieces decorated in the delicate manner for which the Japanese are known. By the early 1920s, Noritake introduced assembly-line techniques that allowed for mass production of high-quality, affordable dinnerware. The “M” mark inside the wreath represents Morimura Brothers, a New York City trading company that imported chinaware, curios, paper lanterns and other gift items. This wreath mark was used into the 1940s. Your sandwich tray likely dates to the 1920s or 1930s. Its current value ranges from $75 to $150. Noritake continues to be a leading producer of fine tableware.
RESOURCES: Noritake, www.noritakechina.com; Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide, edited by Sharon and Bob Huxford (1999: Collector Books, out of print). H