Primary sources &
The Halloween Retrospect V3
Do you know where your guidebook gets its data, and will future research be able to use it as a citable source? This question is a continuing concern at THR’s archive library, and it is a distinguishing direction with its own series of vintage collectibles publications – that is, data must come from reliable sources. Therefore, current research uses vintage sources but also modern works clearly up-front about source. In mind of this, following is a blog-nod to some of the sources that made recent research possible for “Halloween Haunts – Part 1: The Witch’s Cottage and Spook House Additions”, and in “Halloween Haunts – Part 2: Engineered Mansions and Hallmark Innovations” of THR, V3.
By the way, if you are seeking a quick shortcut to purchase volumes of THR, an Etsy Bookstore helps this author manage: publication quality, required taxes, and sturdy shipping. It also allows for inclusion of bonus materials like postcards, posters, or (as in THR, V3) a Halloween-themed crossword puzzle. (And note: for faithful fans, look for a haunt-maker themed crossword freebie to arrive by mail around the end of July 2024).
Above gallery includes a few snippets of haunted house imagery found in the THR collection – many as sources for Volume 3 of the guidebook series.
Review of V3 Sources
Across the above image are some of the primary sources (ranging from the 1920’s to today) that provide factual data used in The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 3 (June 2024).
Image Guide (from left to right, somewhat).
1-2) At far left is “The Ghost Trail” flier which assists review of early concepts of haunted houses as Halloween party theme. Below that (also pulled from the THR collection of on-shelf Dennison publications) is 1930’s “Dennison’s Price List Halloween & Thanksgiving Decorations” (with its recurring cover imagery pulled from an earlier Bogie Book). These pieces establish how a large company of mass production conceives of haunted house as both concept for ephemera sales as well as event planning.
3) Next is the 1929 book from T. S. Denison & Co. (not to be confused with Dennsion above) with Here’s for a Good Time by Beatrice Plumb. This is another from a handful of text sources that provide cultural glimpses into haunted house party themes. By the way, you might recognize the writer’s name? She also submits content to Dennison’s Party Magazine of the late 1920’s.
4-5) Continuing with party planning (and haunted house theme) sources, just above Plumb’s book is a Good Housekeeping bulletin by the magazine’s party guru ELAINE with “The Haunted House Halloween Party” featuring art by Mabel Betsy Hill (see snippet in the gallery above). Then, to the right of this, is 1938 Recreation magazine (of the striped blue cover) which includes a similar-minded timepiece titled “Prescriptions for Halloween Hoodlums.”
6) The previous sources naturally lead to a well-researched modern book Trick or Treat : A History of Halloween by Lisa Morton with that author’s retelling of early development in haunted house party-themes, corroborating information from aforementioned sources. By the way, Morton is quite prolific, and the archive librarian recommends a visit to the author’s website to peruse all the various books written on such spirited subjects.
7-8-9-10) Returning to the collage image, stepping top-ward, the image shows continuing work with modern sources. One sees a newsletter from The Moveable Books Society. This particular source has an investigative piece “Hallmark Pop-Up Decorations” (2006) by Montanaro-Staples that reviews her collection of seasonal Hallmark pop-up centerpieces. And it is these Halloween-themed haunted house pieces that become a focus of “Halloween Haunts – Part 2: Engineered Mansions and Hallmark Innovations” of THR, V3. That deep dive into the history of Hallmark leads the author to work not only with Hallmark Archives but to verifying advertisements of the time from newspapers as well as from magazines such as Mc’Calls.
11) Of course readers here likely notice when passing by all the Hallmark advertisements (in the source collage), that the always valuable book by Claire M. Lavin is nearby. This guide (blogged about here) pulls data from her personal visit to Beistle archives to create Timeless Halloween Collectibles 1920-1949:-A Halloween Reference Book from The Beistle Company Archive with Price Guide. This is an affordable publication available from Schiffer Publishing.
12) Lastly (collage image right) is THR’s humble addition of research onto the vintage Halloween markets: The Halloween Retrospect, Vol 3 (cover, poster, & crossword shown). This volume is where such sources above are pulled together to create “Halloween Haunts – Part 1: The Witch’s Cottage and Spook House Additions”, and in “Halloween Haunts – Part 2: Engineered Mansions and Hallmark Innovations” of THR, V3 . More info on the book can be found here.
So, all in all, that was seriously long-winded… but THR”s archive librarian is so thankful for so many primary sources available in our current era!
Haunted Houses & THR V3
The most recent edition, The Halloween Retrospect Volume 3 features a two-part article that in Part 1 studies haunted house ephemera (early-20th-century to mid-century) and in Part 2 features mid-century pieces by Gibson and centerpieces by Hallmark as innovations in paper collectibles. The book also has small articles on the 60’s wave of sound effects vinyl and a list of catalog terminology.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note official copies contain Hallmark centerpieces poster and crossword puzzle.
Letterbox (pg. 4)
Introduction Statement of Intent, Regarding Source (pg. 5).
Halloween Haunts – Part 1 The Witch’s Cottage and Spook House Additions (pg. 8).
Halloween Haunts – Part 2 Engineered Mansions and Hallmark Innovations (pg. 14).
Haunted House Timeline Hallmark Haunted Houses 1950-1980: Poster & Key (pg. 25).
Haunted Vinyl Sixties Wave of Haunted House Recordings (pg. 27).
The Catalog Audience Understanding Readership to Define Content (pg. 29).
Index The Halloween Retrospect, Vol. 1 -Vol. 3 (pg. 31).
The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 3 appears in publications or click below for the Etsy store.
PLEASE NOTE: THR does NOT employ AI-generative technology. Content is created by human biological entities to ensure results engage accurate research with mindful artistry.
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