Beistle Halloween Collectibles - Vintage Halloween Decorations From the Early 20th Century

Beistle is a party goods company that has been manufacturing Halloween novelty décor and supplies since the beginning of the 20th century. Founded in Pennsylvania by Martin Beistle, The Beistle Company is still in business today and are one of the largest manufacturers of Halloween goods in the US. But for collectors, it isn't Beistle's new products that cause the most interest. It's their highly sought after vintage Halloween decorations that have become highly collectible.

Some of the vintage Beistle decorations you should be on the look-out for if you are seeking to start or add to your collection are Halloween die-cuts, lanterns and other paper products for the table. But you should be aware that some of their most popular vintage designs have been reproduced recently so you should be wary of unscrupulous sellers who are claiming the repro items as the original vintage products. All of the reproductions are marked with the year of production and the paper they are made out of is heavier than the paper Beistle used in the 1930s and 40s so if you are shopping in person it will be easy to spot the difference. But if, like most collectors, you are putting together your Halloween collection with online purchases and Ebay auctions, the best advice is to stick to well-known and reputable dealers who have a reputation to maintain and lots of positive feedback on their auctions.

Beistle has used various trademarks over the years and there are several to keep an eye out for when you are determining authenticity. Depending on what kind of product you are looking at, the trademarks will either be stamped, printed, labeled or embossed. The most common trademarks include: "H.E. Luhrs"; "The Beistle Company" printed signature, "Bee-Line" which may or may not include an image of a bee in flight; and the Beistle Diamond Trademark. On their tissue products you may find the "Art Tissue Westminster Bells" trademark.

As you start looking to build your collection, it's also good to keep in mind that the most interesting vintage Halloween collectibles are usually from the early part of the 20th century when Halloween was rapidly growing in popularity as a holiday for grown-ups. It was until sometime in the 50s that the whole trick or treating aspect of Halloween started and since the 50s Halloween has become more commercialized as a holiday for the kids. So if you are looking for Beistle Halloween decorations or memorabilia from other manufacturers that truly capture Halloween's spookier image, stick to goods produced between 1900 and the early 1950s.

You can find great vintage Beistle Halloween items and wonderfully spooky vintage Jack O'Lanterns, as well as lots of other retro and antique holiday items at: http://www.retroholiday.com

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