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Cowan's
Corner
History Shines Light on Halloween Collectibles
By Wes Cowan
The tradition of Halloween is rooted deep in the ancient Celtic festival of
Samhain dating back almost 2,000 years. In an area that is now Ireland, the
United Kingdom and France, the New Year was celebrated on November 1, a day that
divided summer and the coming of a long, dark winter. Winter was a time of death
for humans and animals alike, so on this one night, October 31, the line between
living and dead became blurred and ghosts would return to earth. The tradition
of "trick-or-treating" is likely traced to All Souls' Day parades when the poor
of England would beg for "soul cakes" in return for praying for dead
relatives.
Undoubtedly, the Jack-O-Lantern, a traditional lantern made from a
pumpkin, is the most recognizable symbol associated with Halloween. This
somewhat ghoulish lighting device has its origins in an old Irish legend of a
trickster named Jack and his bargaining with the devil. Originally, the lantern
was made from a turnip, Jack's favorite food, and to keep Jack away, the Irish
would hollow out a variety of vegetables, including turnips, gourds, potatoes
and beets. The tradition moved into North America during the early 19th century
when a couple of Irish immigrants found that pumpkins were much easier to carve,
so the turnip was replaced with the native pumpkin, and in the process, orange
and black became the official holiday colors.
Jack-O-Lantern collectibles
are many and varied, depending on age, condition and rarity. Noisemakers made in
Germany range from $100 to $500, and glass candy containers made from the 1890s
to the mid-20th century in America, valued from $10 to $500, are two excellent
examples. Most 19th and early 20th century Jack-O-Lanterns were created in
Germany and made of painted papier-mâché. Others were pottery, and a few were
even made of metals, such as tin or cast iron.
Due to their fragile nature,
table decorations are popular decorations that are much sought after, bringing
from $10 to $100. Popular subjects in Halloween decorations have evolved to
cover a gamut of ghoulish imagery. Witches, accompanied by broomsticks,
cauldrons, and pointed hats, have developed into hallmark symbols of the fall
holiday. Other commonly encountered images include black cats, skeletons,
devils, ghosts, crescent moons and gravestones.
Halloween postcards are an
extremely popular category of Halloween collectible, with more than 3,000 known
examples to choose from and for only a few dollars to over $500.
Cast iron
doorstops with a black cat and Halloween themes are valued at $75-$200. A
particularly rare example of a child in ghost costume carrying a Jack-O-Lantern
or a witch flying on a broom in a doorstop would garner a slightly higher
price.
A type of collectible that is often overlooked is folk art carvings
and decorations associated with the Mexican Festival of "The Day of The Dead," a
time when Mexican families remember their dead and the continuity of life. These
playful creations include puppets, skeletons and altars. The colorful masks can
be purchased for as little as $10, with older and finer examples selling in the
hundreds of dollars.
 About the author: Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan's Auctions, Inc. in
Cincinnati, Ohio. An internationally recognized expert in historic Americana, Wes stars in
the PBS television series History Detectives and is a featured appraiser on Antiques
Roadshow. He can be reached via email at info@cowanauctions.com. Article research
by Ted Sunderhaus.
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This hand-painted, German
pottery cigarette holder has a value of
$200-$400.
This group of paper table decorations, including a witch, owl, cat ghost and
jack-o-lanterns, sold for $80.50
in January.
Three 1930s paper Halloween lanterns fetched $120 at a November 2004 auction.
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