Diecuts

Excerpts from our long-established personal vintage Halloween collection representing the high watermark of condition and rarity.

We periodically add photographs as we maintain our archive.

: Orange skull, USA, Gibson Art Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1930s, 5″ h x 4″ w, non-embossed.

: Arched-back black cat, USA, Beistle, (no mark), early 1930s, 18.5″ h x 11.5″ w, lightly embossed. This sizeable easel-backed diecut has scalloped edges and great detailing.

: Full-bodied seated black cat, USA, Beistle, (no mark), early 1930s, 18.75″ h x 11.75″ w, heavily embossed. This sizeable easel-backed diecut has scalloped edges and great detailing.

Jointed smiling Skairo - The Hallowe'en Bug, USA, Beistle, (printed name), 1931, 28.75

Hallowe’en Bug “Skairo”, USA, Beistle, (printed name), 1931, 28.75″ h, non-embossed. Beistle issued this design for one year only. A high-quality example in remarkable condition.

: Cat and witch singing, USA, Dennison Manufacturing Co., Framingham, MA, (printed name), first appeared in their 1928 Price List pamphlet, 15.75” h x 12.25” w, non-embossed. This high-quality die cut has strikingly bold coloration. This was sold with stock number H546. This example is in immaculate condition.

: Green cat, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1930 Price List pamphlet, 12″ h x 13″ w, non-embossed. This was sold with stock number H643.

: Purple owl, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1930 Price List pamphlet, 13.5″ h x 13″ w, non-embossed. This was sold with stock number H640.

: Skull and crossbones, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1929 Price List pamphlet, 9″ h x 9″ w, non-embossed

: Snarling cat face, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1927 Party Magazine, 5.5″ h x 5″ w, non-embossed. This diecut came in three sizes. The mid-size being 11″ h x 10″ w and the largest 17″ h x 15.25″ w.

: Floating specter, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1929 Price List pamphlet, 19” h x 18” w, non-embossed.

: Exceptionally large JOL, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1929 Price List pamphlet, 20.25″ h x 22.75″ w, non-embossed. This diecut is one of the largest Dennison ever produced.

: Cat on a crescent moon, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1929 Price List pamphlet, 12″ h x 10.5″ w, non-embossed.

: Frog diecut, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1928 Price List pamphlet, 13.25″ h x 7.75″ w, non-embossed.

: Black cat and JOL, USA, Dennison, (printed name), first appeared in their 1926 Price List pamphlet, 8″ h x 5.5″ w, non-embossed. This was sold with stock number H445.

: Skull and crossbones, Germany, 1930s, 10.5” h x 9.5” w, heavily embossed.

: Skull and crossbones in hat with feather, Germany, 1930s, 11” h x 9.5” w, heavily embossed.

: Black face JOL, Germany, 1920s, 10” h x 11.75” w, heavily embossed with easel back.

: Devil face, Germany, 1920s-1930s, 10.25″ h x 9.5″ w, heavily embossed.

: Hallowe’en Decorations envelope containing four bats, two cats; two owls, one witch and one JOL (pictured right), Germany, 1920s, 8.5” h x 9.5” l. A stock number, 4103, is printed at lower center. A high-quality immaculate example.

: Complete set of ten heavily embossed diecut Hallowe’en Decorations containing four bats, two cats; two owls, one witch and one JOL, Germany, 1920s. The tan-to-black colorization was deliberate; most likely an experiment. Diecuts are original to their envelope (pictured above). A high-quality immaculate set.

: Black cat face with striped hat, Germany, 1920s, 4.75” h x 5” w, heavily embossed with a glossy ‘wet’ appearance.

Waving skeleton, Germany, 1920s, 19” h x 7.5” w, heavily embossed.

: Mechanical Hallowe’en Silhouettes Jointed Bat and Hoot Owl diecuts, USA, Beistle (diamond mark), 1925 -1931, non-embossed, complete with original yellow cotton string handle. Envelope: 11.5” h x 6.5” w. This set was sold with stock number 2622. This high-quality NOS example is in pristine condition.

: Mechanical Hallowe’en Silhouettes Jointed Bat and Hoot Owl diecuts, USA, Beistle (diamond mark), 1925 -1931, non-embossed, complete with original yellow cotton string handle. This set was sold with stock number 2622. This high-quality NOS example is in pristine condition.

: Mechanical Hallowe’en Silhouettes Jointed Bat and Hoot Owl diecuts, USA, Beistle (diamond mark), 1925 -1931, non-embossed, complete with original yellow cotton string handle. This set was sold with stock number 2622. This high-quality NOS example is in pristine condition.

: Enveloped set of six identically dual-sided light cardboard Wriggling Snakes, USA, Beistle (diamond mark), 1925-1931. Envelope: 11.5” h x 6.5” w. Snakes: 6” diameter x 3 feet in length, non-embossed. This set was sold with stock number 2644. A high-quality example in pristine condition.

: Enveloped set of six identically dual-sided light cardboard Wriggling Snakes, USA, Beistle (diamond mark), 1925-1931. Envelope: 11.5” h x 6.5” w. Snakes: 6” diameter x 3 feet in length, non-embossed. This set was sold with stock number 2644. A high-quality example in pristine condition.

: Complete set of small crescent moons, Germany, 1920s, 5″ diameter, heavily embossed. Production runs were not always standardized. The crescent moons will either be on the left or right sides of the diecut. These variations have no effect on value.

: Complete set of Hallowe’en Figures, Germany, 1920s, 2.75″ h. Each is made from lightly embossed heavy cardboard slotted into a wood base. Ten figures comprise a full set. This collection’s high quality condition reflects the fact it had been stored away for decades, having only recently been liberated; in all probability an unused set. A top-shelf example in remarkable condition.

Walking witch carrying a JOL, USA, Beistle, (no mark), mid-1930s, 23″ h x 15.75″ w, non-embossed. An incredibly hard to find high-quality example.

These eleven diecuts, part of a complete set of twelve, were made by Beistle off and on from 1932 through the early 1950s. Some pieces seem to have been made more than others. It is difficult to assess precisely when any particular example was made, as Beistle was consistent with coloration throughout the entire run. One clue, however, is the embossing. Early pressings have a deeper, more refined embossing than later pressings, which tend to be nearly flat. Also, earlier pressings often have the words “Made in USA” embossed somewhere on the piece. These clues help to bracket a general time a particular piece was pressed, which is important because earlier iterations tend to have a 20-25% greater value, all else being equal. Each die cut measures 9.25 – 9.5” h x 8.25 – 8.5” w. Two of the diecuts, the witch and the cat with rodents, often had a factory flat-edged moon, like these do. It isn’t a flaw, it’s an indicator of an earlier pressing. These high-quality diecuts, each embossed “Made in USA”, are in remarkable condition.

These silver variants of the somewhat common Beistle set of twelve designs are hard to find. This unusual color variation was only made for a season or two early in the run. Being made from a thinner paper stock than the “normal” ones, finding them in solid condition is tough. These first run pressings have a lighter, less refined embossment than the traditional ones. This particular example is marked “Made in USA” twice: imprinted (far-right), embossed (bottom-center). Because these silver variants were manufactured for no more than a few seasons, I suspect this coloration experiment was not a successful one.