Halloween library Collection
Featuring Haunted House Collectibles
The Halloween Retrospect has been working on the upcoming digest Volume 5 and developing plans for an art survey book Volume 3… all the while continuing to expand the sampler size from primary source vintage Halloween catalog sources – now at bit over 650. Since this has resulted in a long time between entries, THR does apologize. Meanwhile, until news follows, the librarian has taken yet another photo (see previous entry) that samples objects from the archive. This time a small handful of representative haunted houses from the collection are shown on a haunted hill. These range in products by Beistle, Dennison, Disney, Gibson, Hallmark, Milton Bradley, Paper Craft, Pickwick, Whitney- and one perhaps by Steven Mfg. Co. (unconfirmed, located in the lower left of the image).
Center photo is a monster-size lantern (yes, scale here is actual to the others here) by Halloween artist Bindlegrim (see blog or Instagram). This house measures about 31″ tall and 15″ across (fence arrangement variable). The individual room scenes on the main frame are about 7″x7″ to 7″x10″ large. This piece (much like others offered by the creator) is made of sturdy 4-ply museum board here with imagery cut directly into the frame and/or making up various silhouettes. The internal paper is an artisan crinkle-texture crepe in bright orange. All of these materials are received as flat stock to be crafted by the artist in the studio.
Some vintage-style Halloween work above by Bindlegrim – here with special effects. The images below show the house from four different angles (in front of painting backdrop).
Since THR is talking about monster-size pieces it is worth mentioning the first of the Bindlegrim series based on a 1930’s-1940’s frame design for a ballroom lantern by Beistle (see below). You can see the vintage item discussed in Halloween Artifacts, V1 Lighting shown here with a page sample of the book, as well as an original Beistle catalog page from time of offering to the general public.
Above is a ballroom lantern in a vintage-style Halloween production by Bindlegrim. The original vintage item is shown below as seen in Halloween Artifacts, Volume 1: Lighting and a original Beistle catalog.
If you are interested in the book (above) or any THR collectible reference – please check see these Etsy links: Halloween Artifacts, V!: Lighting and Halloween Artifacts, V2 Festoons as well as four article-based digests The Halloween Retrospect Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4 .
HALLOWEEN ARTIFACTS,
VOLUME 1: LIGHTING
Survey Book (Release Date – Sep 2024):
This reference from THR is Halloween Artifacts, Volume 1: Lighting and which spun off the regular digest into in a new direction, giving readers a image-driven art-book-style survey of vintage Halloween objects of light (re: lanterns, shades, or glow-in-the-dark inks). This 8-1/2″x11″ softcover book centers around a 100-page collection of such collectibles, and includes for each: 1) a large full-color feature photo bigger than 7″x6″, together with a 2) notes that include a timeline tally of dates appearing in old novelty merchandise catalogs, and 3) a clip of the item from one of those select vintage sources.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Christ Conte (pg. 4).
Contours, Crowns, & Flourishes: The Magic Mutability of Holiday Tissue Paper Designs (pg. 5).
Introduction Revisiting a Foreword from Research Series THR, Vol. 1 (pg. 6).
Halloween Artifacts: Festoons THRs Archive Collection Synchronized with Library Data (pg. 10).
Sources & Additional Reading: A Quick List of Additional References (pg. 13).
THR’s Bookstore Packages:
Single and Combination listings
THR’s Etsy shop offers one list of all six books – Halloween Artifacts, V!: Lighting with Halloween Artifacts, V2 Festoons as well as The Halloween Retrospect V1, V2, V3, V4.
Given THR”s niche subject matter, it is wonderful to now offer six vintage Halloween collectibles books for sale! THR never guessed it would be publishing this long — long after offering a little 32-page verbose digest (now on it’s second run) about such dry topics as vintage educational materials for Halloween (etc). But, since then, the author has had the pleasure of working with a Dennison archivist to discover the facts behind that company’s publications serial numbers… and the pleasure of working with a Hallmark archivist to explore that company’s wonderful mid-century pop-up centerpieces…. and a great time discovering Milton Bradley is to credit for faux stained-glass decorations… or to offer the recently-released large photo books on lanterns and tissue paper honeycomb that feature wonderful collector contributions!
THR realizes this two+ year explosion of energy has perhaps resulted in an confusing array of subject matter and bonus materials. One hope is that new, various groupings of past works will help alleviate any confusion… such as all six books above, or just the digests below, as like one with just the digests.
THR’s Etsy shop offers a combination listing that includes all four research digests The Halloween Retrospect Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, Volume 4.
THR’s Etsy shop offers a combination listing that includes just the two recent art-survey books Halloween Artifacts, V!: Lighting (about lanterns, shades, and glow-in-dark diecuts) together with Halloween Artifacts, V2 Festoons (about garlands, centerpieces, and costume pieces).
Of course, if you prefer a certain book on a certain subject – THR’s Etsy bookstore keeps those active too. Following are galleries and short descriptions of each book’s content page to page:
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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