Halloween Artifacts, Volume 1: Lighting (art book)
Contents:
Foreword by Charles Beck (pg. 4) offers an intro to the experience of meaningful vintage Halloween collecting and offers a look at Beck’s publications focused on antique and vintage photography featuring Halloween traditions. Contains 1 photograph from Charles Beck’s “Halloween Haunts- Early to Mid 20th Century Photos.”
Harvesting an Ember Glimmers of the Past in Lanterns, Shades, & Luminescent Inks (pg. 5) is the author’s introduction that builds for a reader a sense of what it is like finding the treasures of old Halloween, and beginning to comprehend their historical presence in a vintage marketplace. Contains 2 photographs from the author.
Introduction Revisiting a Foreword from Research Series THR, Vol. 1 (pg. 6) returns to the original publication by THR from 2023 to give a practical background of the author’s journey into research that includes the following segments: Positions for Context, Statement of Intent, Regarding Source, THR’s Archive Library. Contains 4 photographs from THR archive library.
Halloween Artifacts: Lighting THRs Archive Collection Synchronized with Library Data (pg. 10) is a massive 100-page survey of lanterns, shades, and objects with luminescent inks that include a large photo, a sample from a vintage source, and a timeline of vintage vendors (where available) for the collection of objects. 100 pages with photographs of vintage Halloween collectibles.
Sources & Additional Reading A Quick List of Selected Publications (pg. 113) reviews a list of sources used throughout the book, and includes a list of additional THR research.
July 15, 2025: Content Updates
Halloween Artifacts, V1: Lighting first printing.
- Moratorium (use of term) – note the author selected this term to indicate original producer ceased availability and/or production of an item. Often this appears with a question mark indicating data is unavailable, and is separate from noted appearance of marketplace stock.
- Page 30-37 (clarification) – the library contains ads by companies such as George Borgfeldt & Company or Pulp Reproduction Company representing pulp product availability such as Jack O’Lanterns, but THR has yet to fully examine makers, vendors, etc., within the supply chain.
- Page 56 (typo) – the goblin shade appears on page 55, not page 54.
- Page 84-85 (clarification) – given the confusing description, THR is thus far only aware of two different sets in different sizes for Christmas, with only one size for Halloween or Easter. Meanwhile, the manufacturing and market history has been described in great detail via research into Milton Bradley published in The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4.
Thank you for buying The Halloween Retrospect on Etsy so each book gets a quality check, and THR can include inserts (when applicable) like posters, puzzle, etc., as well as ship in a sturdy box.
