Above image is a repeat of this blog entry’s banner with Halloween collectibles research tools used by THR, V4 including: copyright, patent, & archive library materials.
A World of Halloween Sources
One reason THR guides published here since 2023 as The Halloween Retrospect differ, than many past guidebooks on the subject of vintage Halloween collectibles, is the archive library’s use of transparent data via research tools. This information is offered as cited from THR’s own on-site collection of vintage print materials with results of such practice found in Halloween Artifacts, Volume 1 (see image link below) – a pictorial art-book that also displays timelines of market visibility.
Recent vintage Halloween collectibles books by The Halloween Retrospect includes a research digest featuring Milton Bradley (first) and an art survey of lanterns (next).
While a count of THR primary sources (as of this blog entry) number 625+ on-hand and digital surrogates (of catalogs, brochures, articles, ads, etc.), there are numerous worthwhile sources available to researchers beyond those. THR itself frequently utilizes them! A recent example is The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 that incorporates local and national archives – leading to the discovery of heretofore unknown copyright and patent data for certain holiday items. Other earlier THR example of such a process are described in such blog entries like “Reference Books, Volume 3” or “Dennison Publications (re: Volume 2).”
Above shows many sources THR, V3 uses for a 2-part article describing development of haunted house imagery in Halloween items across early to mid-century time periods.
Beyond The Search Engine
Per THR’s past experience in both studies of Library and Information Science and Website Development, it is important to acknowledge a number of discoverability and accessibility issues with web data obtained via search engines. While true search engines are helpful and greatly utilized by the general public, such tools at their worst will amplify tunnel vision with off-kilter results. Why? One reason is that many sources (potentially relevant to a search) are not part of that search engine’s narrow view to the world (and imagine such limited reach subsequently crammed onto the initial screen of results). Another problem is that a search engine may be easily directed toward a false answer due simple (and inadvertent) cues pulled from the query. (Worse yet, THR has seen newer websites of Halloween data processed via AI that completely distorts scattered data into surreal histories).
To counter some of the effects of the above, THR always tells readers where data originates concerning vintage Halloween statements – often with an exhaustive list of sources at the end of each research article. THR also pursues similar method in the blog, and again see “Reference Books, Volume 3” or “Dennison Publications” (re: Volume 2). For now, per the most recent release The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 let us focus energy there. To start, here are three external and public sources that offered an important role to the new book: 1) a local archive’s website, 2) a copyright website, and 3) a patent website.
NOTE this entry builds on a previous THR online blog entry To: Halloween, From: Xmas.
1) Local Archives & Libraries
As has been relevant since The Halloween Retrospect,Volume 2 (on sale December 2023) first reached out to Framingham History Center to better understand the untold print history of Dennison publications such as Bogie Book, so too the newest research digest The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 (on sale March 2025) relies on assistance of an archive located in the hometown of Milton Bradley – the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History
While obviously, per the logo, the museum honors Springfield native Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss with a devoted museum, they have a Quadrangle of archives and museums housing an array of art and history content. What brings THR here? While true many institutions (and their shelved resources in particular) are not always found via public search engines, THR finds the existence of the collection using search string “Milton Bradley” Springfield archive having knowledge from vintage ads that Milton Bradley is of interest (see To: Halloween, From: Xmas). From there, while it is true the external search leads to a Milton Bradley Company Collection, it is the museum’s Advanced Search that browses and locates the 1940’s brochure of product Cathedral Windows (see banner image) as Milton Bradley Company Collection – MBC 04-05. So, again, the archive’s own search may only catch their content, not captured by a general web search engine!
Above example of using a local/regional archive to search that institution’s content which may not be readily discoverable or accessible by using a general web search engine.
2) Copyright Records Online
One of the great pleasures of researching for THR is finding information about original creative visionaries. For the newest book The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 , there is an interest (for Part 1 of the feature article) about art educator Louise D. Tessin. Why? Milton Bradley, if you are not aware, held great interest in both entertainment and education. Regarding the latter, the company publishes American Childhood (see the Internet Archive magazine collection). The company, in that magazine and for relative educational materials, features and promotes many of its art educators by name such as Louise D. Tessin. The result? Given that Milton Bradley and Tessin both have a well advertised market presence (in books, for example) — we can search potential copyright data on file in the United States.
THR will try to give some small basic how-to for the site…. but this is honestly a bit complex…
First, since we are performing a search on historical data go to the Search Copyright Records: Copyright Public Records Portal. On this page there are links which connect to a particular database based on time period. For this search THR uses the Virtual Card Catalog (1870-1977) introduction page or jump in here. Next, on the search page use STEP 1 to filter time period (THR selects 1898-1937 and Books only) and use STEP 2 to locate the alphabetic drawer for the name (as in T for Tessin). When hitting the Save and Filter button in STEP 2 the lower screen will present an array of old-school card catalog drawers. First, pick the drawer that contains your data (as in TER-TEX for Tessin), second, checkmark show only the selected drawers, and third, click the Cards tab. You should be able to scroll through cards (like below) until finding the item(s) which may take practice. (Note: don’t rule out name variations, company employers, etc).
Above example of using the United States copyright.gov website search to locate copyright data by searching under various name such as Milton Bradley or Louise D. Tessin.
2) Patent Documents Online
The third public resource for researchers seeking data about vintage Halloween collectibles is the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Why did THR use this website? To begin, again per To: Halloween, From: Xmas, THR sees Milton Bradley mentioned in ads of such windows and is also inspired by a web article from John Hutchinson (University of Maine) titled Milton Bradley -> Game Designer and Education Champion -> Milton’s Games and Patents. The archive librarian attempts a similar patent search which, though starting poorly, does ultimately achieve the goal shown below. Historic data reveals conclusively for The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 that Milton Bradley did patent a faux stained-glass paper window design (subsequently for sale that decade) via inventor Andrew Payberg dated February 13th, 1940 .
How do you perform a successful search? I will do my best to explain, as I attempt to recreate…
First, on the USPTO website visit the Search for Patents page and try the Simple Search feature (noting that an Advanced Search is also available for those who are good at using search operators like AND, NOT, OR etc.). Preferring the latter, THR finds relevant data by using the search string “Milton Bradley” AND window in the Advanced Search field. That’s all it takes for this search to initially, at bottom left of screen, show a list of possibilities. And hopefully scrolling through them allows you to examine the most relevant ones. THR uses the expected timeframe (per advertisements) and using pre-1950’s as a starting poin finds Patent No. US 2190627 A. (Sadly, there appears to be no way to share a direct link – so if you try to repeat this search and experience issues – contact THR).
Above example of using the United States USPTO website search to locate patent data for a paper transparency designed by Andrew Payberg and assigned to Milton Bradley.
Tools Published by THR
As mentioned, every THR article examines available data from primary sources such as those mentioned above, and always with an exhaustive list of those Sources and Illustrations as well as Additional Reading at close of every article – for retracing of THR conclusions by the reader. But the result in THR digests and art surveys is not simply dry reading and lists – but a visualized variety of tables, charts, posters, illustrations, and more!
Above (as of this blog entry April 2025 are five books published by The Halloween Retrospect offering vintage Halloween collectibles guides as research digests or art-book surveys.
It begs the question: why believe only a secondary source or minimal search engine results – when you yourself can partake in such similar discoveries using the tools that have been outlined in this blog entry? THR has had a great time with its own research and always looks forward to the discoveries of others (particularly those accompanied by verifiable sources). To that end, below is a current list of vintage Halloween collectibles guide books from THR that offer a jumping off point for the reader to discover more on their own.
THR, VOLUME 4
Research Digest (on sale May 2025):
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note that official copies include a Bindlegrim window decoration and crossword puzzle.
Introduction shortened (pg. 4)
Bradley’s Creatives – Part 1 A Short History of Holiday Visionary Louise D. Tessin (pg. 6)
Bradley’s Creatives – Part 2 Tessin, Her Contemporaries, and a Colorful Invention (pg. 14)
October’s Cathedral A Secret Cache Of Hallowe’en For Sunday School (pg. 25)
John Wilcox & Hallowe’en Up-to-date, Unique, & Splendid Portrayals of Spirit (pg. 28).
The Witches’ DanceMore Hallowe’en Chaos by Artist Mabel Betsy Hill (pg. 31)
Index The Halloween Retrospect, Vol. 1 – Vol. 4 (pg. 33) from first to fourth digests.
HALLOWEEN ARTIFACTS, V1: LIGHTING
Art Survey (on sale June 2024):
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Charles Beck (pg. 4).
Harvesting an Ember Glimmers of the Past in Lanterns, Shades, & Luminescent Inks (pg. 5).
Introduction Revisiting a Foreword from Research Series THR, Vol. 1 (pg. 6).
Halloween Artifacts: Lighting THRs Archive Collection Synchronized with Library Data (pg. 10).
Sources & Additional Reading A Quick List of Selected Publications (pg. 13).
THR, VOLUME 3
Research Digest (on sale June 2024):
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).
THR, VOLUME 2
Research Digest (on sale December 2023):
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note that official copies include a Dennison poster and Shackman postcards.
Letterbox (pg. 4)
Introduction Statement of Intent, Regarding Source (pg. 5).
Decrypting Dennison Serial Number Guide Featuring Autumn Publication (pg. 10).
Shackman’s 70 / 72 Peculiar Catalogs from the Tens & Thirties (pg. 20).
Skittle or Decor The New Identity Crisis for Vintage Figures (pg. 24).
Trix or Treats at Sears Rosen in Midcentury Midseason Fall Catalogs (pg. 28).
Index The Halloween Retrospect, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (pg. 32).
THR, VOLUME 1
Research Digest (on sale July 2023):
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Note that official copies include bookmark-tallies and a March Brothers poster.
Letterbox (pg. 4).
Introduction Positions for Context, Statement of Intent, Regarding Sources (pg. 5) .
Normal Halloween Holiday Novelties & Early Twentieth Century Youth (pg. 10).
Western Novelty Co. 1928-1990 Carnival, Concession, & Bazaar Supplies – Colorado (pg. 17).
Timeline for Witches A Journey of Two Witches: United States & Germany (pg. 20).
Ornamenten Groteske The Enigmatic History of German Diecuts (pg. 26).
Craw-Bogle Trader a proposal for off-market collecting (p. 32).
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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