Trick or Treat

 

QUESTION: Ever since I was a kid going trick-or-treating in my neighborhood, I have loved Halloween. A few years ago, I started buying some vintage Halloween items that I found at garage sales and flea markets. These were a mix of masks, candy containers, and noisemakers. I’d like to grow my collection, but don’t know enough about Halloween collectibles and if they’re worth collecting. Can you help me?

ANSWER: Halloween items are definitely worth collecting, especially those from the 1920s to the 1950s. It’s October, Halloween season and the prime time to purchase these collectibles. 

Supposedly, trick or treating began with the poor begging for food or the poor begging for soul cakes in return for their prayers for the dead in Scotland. American Halloween traditions followed many of those practiced in the United Kingdom, such as going from house to house in costume and singing in return for food. Whoever answered the door could prevent a trick from being played on them by giving those in costume some kind of treat.

The Halloween tradition of trick or treating wasn’t widespread in the United States until the 1930s. Because of sugar rationing during World War II, the practice nearly died out, but bounced back in the 1950s focusing on children.

Halloween collectibles hold a special charm. They reflect the historical evolution of Halloween celebrations, as well as showcase unique craftsmanship and design. These items attract collectors for their nostalgic value, rarity, and the stories they tell about past Halloween traditions.

The peak period of Halloween collectibles centering around trick-or-treating extends from the 1920s to the 1950s and 1960s. They can be broken down into several main categories that include costumes and masks, noisemakers, papiér-mache lanterns, and candy containers. But unlike modern mass-produced items, vintage pieces have historical significance, craftsmanship, and most importantly—rarity. Limited production amplified this effect. 

The legend of the most familiar Hallowe'en symbol--a lighted pumpkin--comes from a tale of an old Irish miser named Jack. Jack made several pacts with the devil. He also tricked the devil. When he died, he could not get into Heaven for his sins and because he had tricked the devil, he could not get into Hell. The Devil gave him a coal and Jack placed it in a hollowed out turnip, which lit his way as he wandered the earth until Judgment Day. These lit up turnips of ancient times were also said to help ward off evil. Pumpkins, native to America, were plentiful and took the place of turnips.

 Jack-o-Lanterns are at the top of the Halloween collectibles market. German-made papiér-mache Jack-o-Lanterns, made before World War II, represent the pinnacle of Halloween collecting. These high quality hand-painted masterpieces, primarily from the 1900s to the 1930s, combine artistry with extreme rarity. Selling for : $100 to $1,500, they don’t come cheap.

Next come Beistle Company’s embossed die-cut decorations which represent some of the most recognizable vintage Halloween imagery. These three-dimensional decorations featured classic motifs like black cats, witches, and grinning pumpkins. Though beginning prices for them start at $20, they can reach into the hundreds for rare pieces. 

Vintage tin Halloween noisemakers from the 1920s to the 1950s feature colorful lithographic designs that captured the era’s artistic style. These functional decorations served as both party favors and collectible art pieces. They normally sell for $25 to over $200 for exceptional examples made by T. Cohn, Kirchhof, and various German toy companies.

Noisemakers were fun and inexpensive toys. They came in all varieties and many different styles featuring the usual Halloween themes and symbols—witches, black cats, ghosts, pumpkins, owls, devils, and more. Popular American makers were Kirchhof, T. Cohn, Bugle Toy, U.S. Metal Toy, and J. Chein and Company, as well as various German toy makers. Noisemakers range from paper to metal. Earlier examples of metal ones featured handles which were wooden at first, replaced later by plastic. 

In the Celtic tradition it was believed that souls emerged on Halloween night as they traveled to the afterlife, so revelers donned costumes to avoid recognition by the dead. Most mid-20th-century costumes consist of witches, ghosts, mummies, devils, angels, cowboys, and princesses among other time honored favorites such as cartoon characters and superheroes. Vintage costumes were often handmade out of crepe paper, so many didn’t survive the night. The Dennison Paper Company's Bogie books and other crepe paper books had lots of ideas and illustrations of costumes that could be made with crepe paper. Finding these vintage crepe costumes, which were often discarded after Halloween, can be a challenge.

Popular costume makers included Collegeville and Ben Cooper. Both packaged costumes in a box with an outfit and a mask.

Vintage commercial Halloween costumes, especially those from the 1920s through the 1950s, are especially popular. Manufacturers often used unique fabrics and designs that reflected the era’s fashion trends. Collectors seek original costumes in good condition, particularly those with original tags or packaging.

Next to papiiér-mache Jack-o-Lanterns, Halloween masks are among the most sought-after collectibles. People in the mid-20th century often made masks from papiér-mâché or latex. Collectors look for intricate designs, original paint, and unique features that reflect the era’s style. Collectors particularly value masks from well-known costume  manufacturers like Ben Cooper or Collegeville.

Candy containers from past decades, often designed to look like pumpkins, witches, or ghosts, are items that add a touch of whimsy to Halloween collectibles. People used these containers, typically made from tin or cardboard, to hold candy and often decorated them with brightly colored, distinctive designs.

With Halloween collectibles, condition is everything. A papiér-mache Jack-o-Lantern in mint condition can sell for over $1,000, while the same piece with significant damage might only bring $50. Pieces in good to excellent condition should have no cracks, tears, or missing pieces. Colors should be vibrant. If a piece is still in its original packaging, the value can often triple. 

Collectibles that have historical significance or are associated with notable manufacturers or designers can be particularly valuable.

Ensuring the authenticity of antique Halloween collectibles is essential. Verified provenance, original tags, or packaging can help confirm an item’s authenticity and contribute to its value. Be cautious of reproductions or heavily restored items that might not hold the same value as original pieces.

Vintage Halloween collectibles worth money follow predictable market cycles that smart resellers exploit. Understanding these patterns can significantly impact profitability.

Halloween collectible prices typically increase 30 to 50 percent from August through October, the peak selling time, as collectors prepare for seasonal displays. This “October Effect” creates clear buying and selling opportunities: The months to buy are November to February.

Pre-1960s Halloween items command premium prices because so few have survived. These delicate pieces—crafted from paper, cardboard, and early plastics—were meant for temporary seasonal use, not long-term preservation.

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "Halloween Horrors" in the 2025 Fall Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

Downsizing Antiques and Collectibles

 

QUESTION: For the past 53 years of our marriage, my wife and I have inherited, purchased and collected a complete household of Victorian and related historical furniture, heirlooms, decorations, accessories and more. Since we both are in our late 70s, we expect to be selling our Neo-Victorian house in the next three to five years, and that means making the considerable effort to sell, donate and otherwise dispose of all these wonderful furnishings. Could you advise us about the best way(s) of selling or otherwise disposing of our items? 

ANSWER: For older folks, disposing of antiques and collectibles is a common problem today. While the process may seem daunting, it’s not impossible. Buying and gathering items over the years seemed effortless and fun. But the years of enjoying your antiques and collectibles is really what it’s all about.  

As older folks start to de-clutter and downsize, most attempt to give their prized possessions to their children, if they have any. But many of today’s middle-age children aren’t interested. Either they have families and possessions of their own or don’t want any more stuff. Those in their 30s and early 40s are more transient or living in small condos rather than buying large homes. They want to be able to move easily from city to city to find jobs that will advance their careers and don’t want lots of collectibles or large pieces of antique furniture that they’ll have to pay to move.

And single older people also face this same problem. In their case, they don’t have children and must consider other ways to dispose of their possessions.

Either way, both groups may have family members who want specific heirlooms and/or collectibles. So once you take inventory of what you have, you may want to contact members of your greater family to see if they may be interested in any antiques or collectibles you may have to see if they’re interested.

But don’t be offended if no one wants your items. Remember you don’t want to burden your children with items they don’t want. Let your children decide what they want, just as you were able to decide that you wanted to collect.

Once you know what items other family members want, make a list of what’s left and divide the remainder into groups of items that you might offer to friends, donate, throw away, or attempt to sell. For those items you decide to sell, be aware that your heirlooms and collectibles may sell at a much lower price than what you think they’re worth, or not at all.

The antiques market has been hit hard since the 2008 recession. Baby Boomers have inundated antiques stores with their castaways. The generation that’s buying and/or collecting antiques is also the one that’s trying to sell them. 

Most older people only plan how to dispose of their antiques and forget about smaller items. Unless these are collectibles, it’s probably best to donate them to Goodwill or church sales.

Where to sell antiques depends on how many and what type of antiques you own. Some people have dozens of items while others only have a piece or two. You can either opt to sell antiques online or find a way to get rid of them locally. Either way, your decision on where to sell will affect into how much money you can get for them.

First, determine what your antiques or collectibles are worth (Learn more: “What’s It Worth?” and “You, Too, Can Determine If What You Own Has Value”) Next, decide whether you want to sell them wholesale or retail. 

The first place people think of selling antiques is to local antiques dealers. If you walk into an antique shop with an item for sale, the dealer will likely offer to purchase it for half of what it’s worth (wholesale), that is if he or she is interested. If they’re not interested in purchasing your item, they may even recommend another dealer who might be. 

An alternative to selling directly to an antiques dealer is to consign your antiques to a consignment shop (retail). This type of shop differs from a regular antiques shop because all the items inside are for sale on consignment. You agree on a price and the shop owner puts it in their store for sale. You get paid when the item sells, minus the owner’s commission which usually runs around 20 percent or more.

The Internet has changed the way people buy and sell antiques and collectibles. It has made it easier to discover how much an item is worth, which makes selling antiques much simpler. Because the Internet allows access to more buyers, theoretically you could get more money for your antiques. However, you’ll also have to consider shipping costs which could be considerable for larger items. Plus, it will take a while to learn how to sell your items online. 

Selling antiques on eBay is probably the easiest way to get started selling online. You’ll be able to put your collections in front of thousands of people without having to have an antiques business. Another possibility is to sell your items on Etsy.

If you have something particular to sell, it might be worthwhile reaching out to some antiques dealers on the Internet who sell that particular type of antique or collectible. Check out their Web sites and shop policies to see if they purchase items from the public. And as with local dealers, you’ll probably only get half of what your items are worth, but you’ll save time and listing fees in favor of an immediate sale.

Social media sites like Facebook offer selling options as well. Facebook Marketplace is a good place to sell individual items, including antiques, but don’t expect to get top dollar.

If you have a lot of lower-end collectibles you want to sell, consider renting a space at a local flea market. But remember, most buyers here will be looking for a bargain and is often part of the sales process.

You can get rid of older items that don’t have too much value by holding a garage or yard sale (Learn more: “So You Want to Hold a Yard Sale”). Use keywords like “antiques,” “vintage” and “collectibles” in your online listings for the sale to attract the right buyers.

If you need to clear out an entire house, seek out a reputable estate sale company. Different companies may offer different packages depending on the estimated value of the house contents.

If you have valuable items or collections you want to sell, consider listing them with a local or national auction house. Well-advertised auctions are a great way to sell a specialty item. If you’re worried your antiques won’t sell for market value, you can always put a reserve price on them. Remember, you’ll have to pay the auction house a commission on the sale.

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about railroad antiques in "All Aboard!" in the 2021 Summer Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

And the Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney with Care

 

QUESTION: When I was a kid, I used to get so excited hanging a stocking with my name on it on our stair railing on Christmas Eve. We didn’t have a fireplace, so no mantel. When I became an adult, I used to see handmade Christmas stockings at church bizares and at yard sales and began to buy the ones I liked the most. Now I have quite a collection. During the holidays, I hang some of them on the railing of the stairway and other locations in my house. But how did this custom get started? Andare Christmas stockings good collectibles?

ANSWER: Before getting into the history of the Christmas stocking tradition, it’s important to put the collecting of these stockings in perspective. While people actively followed this tradition throughout the 19th century, children back then used their own stockings for the most part. At the height of the Victorian Era, specially made Christmas stockings began to appear, often made in crazy quilt designs using scraps of cloth leftover from making clothes.

But ordinary children’s stockings couldn’t hold much in the way of treats—perhaps some fruit and candies. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that larger commercially made Christmas stockings began to appear in stores. However, those with a craftier bent still made their own stockings from felt or velvet, decorated with appliques. 

Though historical origins of the Christmas stocking exist, many historians believe its beginnings date back to a legend involving St. Nicholas. As he was passing through a village, he heard about a nobleman whose wife had recently died of an illness, leaving him and his three beautiful daughters in despair. Devastated by his wife's death, he squandered all his wealth and property, forcing him and his daughters to move into a lowly peasant’s cottage. His daughters, each ready to marry, couldn’t do so because he had no money to give them dowries.

St. Nicholas knew that the father would be too proud to accept money from him, so he came up with a plan to help him secretly. One night after the daughters had washed out their clothing, they hung their stockings over the fireplace to dry. That night St. Nicholas stopped by the cottage after the family had gone to bed. He peeked in the window and saw the daughters' stockings hanging by the fire. St. Nicholas reached into his pouch and felt three small sacks of gold. He threw one of them through the window, providing a dowry for the eldest girl, then provided dowries for the other two daughters in the same manner on subsequent evenings. 

On the third evening, the father caught Nicholas throwing the third sack of gold, and thanked him for his generosity. In some versions of this story, Nicholas throws the sacks of gold down the chimney, and they fall into each of the daughter's stockings, hanging to dry by the fire. This is a bit implausible since the stockings would have been hanging above the fire and not anywhere near the chimney opening in the fireplace.

Another interpretation of the stocking custom says that it began in Germany where children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw, or sugar cubes, near the chimney for the flying horse of a legendary figure named Odin, who would reward the children for their kindness by replacing his horse Sleipnir's food with gifts or candy. 

After the adoption of Christianity in medieval times, Europeans began honoring St. Nicholas on December 6. In the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, folk traditions developed around the idea of St. Nicholas bringing treats to children on St. Nicholas's Eve. Parents told their children to leave their shoes by the fire on that evening so that the Nicholas could climb down the chimney and fill them up with fruit, nuts, and cookies. Some parents substituted stockings for shoes.

Eventually, people moved the tradition of giving gifts to children from St. Nicholas Day to Christmas. In Germany children began to hang stockings at end of their beds on Christmas Eve so that Christkindel or the Christ Child could fill them with treats as he voyaged from house to house. As Germans emigrated to America in the 19th century, they brought the stocking custom with them.

Part of the fun of collecting old and vintage Christmas stockings is in displaying them during the holidays. While most commercial stockings aren’t worth very much, collecting them is akin to collecting old Christmas balls. So as you hang your stocking on the fireplace mantel or the stairway, think of St. Nicholas. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about "Celebrating an Olde Fashioned Holiday" in the 2020 Holiday Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

The Way to a Mother’s Pocketbook was Through Her Children

QUESTION: I discovered my first child’s advertising booklets quite by accident. I was actually looking through a box of assorted vintage paper goods at a local flea market when I noticed a tiny booklet. It was an illustrated nursery rhymes distributed by Clark’s O.N.T. Thread. I’ve seen other advertisements from the late 19th century but never thought anything about it. Why did advertisers use children in their ads? And why did they distribute children’s books to promote their products? I’d like to start collecting these little books, but I don’t know where to begin.

ANSWER: While there’s a dedicated group of children’s advertising booklet collectors, many people have never heard of them. However, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, children’s advertising booklets were a common item in many households. Everything from coloring books to junior cookbooks caught the eyes of advertisers.

As early as the 1850s, manufacturers realized the way to a mother's purse strings was through her children. What mother could resist the purchase of Clark's O.N.T. thread when doing so would include an educational booklet of rhymes for her little one? Besides, O.N.T. Black fast thread was "guaranteed never to show white on the seams after being worn or washed” –clearly a win-win situation.

But Clark's O.N.T. thread wasn’t the only company to take advantage of a mother's love for her children. The heyday of consumer advertising in the United States was in the last quarter of the 19th century. This was a time when steam presses and chromolithography made visually appealing promotional material relatively inexpensive, and when manufactured goods proliferated.

The great Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876, with its myriad of domestic exhibits, inspired thousands of different advertising handouts. Advertisers began to use the image of a comfortable middle-class life as an inducement to purchase their products. Well-fed babies and well-dressed children at play were themselves symbols of material accomplishment. Plus, they portrayed the picture of wholesomeness.

At the same time. advertisers became aware that the woman in the household made most of the buying decisions, especially of household goods. The logical conclusion was that promotions which doubled as toys for children might also attract sales.

Many of these little promotional booklets have survived. So what affects their value? Condition, subject matter, general appeal, author, and illustrator are all important when determining the value of a children’s advertising booklet or an ad with children in it. Though companies hired prominent illustrators to create these booklets, many of them aren’t given credit. Among the more famous ones are W.W. Denslow who illustrated The Wizard of Oz, Johnny Gruelle who did Raggedy Ann, and Maxfield Parrish, who became known for his high fashion Art Deco paintings. So booklets that feature these artists are likely to command a premium.

The Wonderful Lunch Boxes, illustrated by 20th century children's book illustrator Shirley Kite is a good example. Printed in 1925 and 1927, the book came inside boxes of a variety of Post cereals, including Bran Flakes, Instant Postum and Postum Cereal, Grape-Nuts, Toasties, and a cereal that obviously didn't go over too well----Bran Chocolate.

There was also a wide variety of advertising booklets available. Coloring books, nursery rhymes, and alphabet booklets were particularly successful as advertising promotional material. In most cases, advertisers created ingenious tie-ins with their products, using verse, parody and caricature. Occasionally, advertisers included watercolor “chips” in coloring books, and sometimes interleaved the pages with glassine to protect the images from smearing once children colored them.

However, not all advertising booklets were aimed at children. In 1910, Ivory Soap issued “Elizabeth Harding, Bride,” an advertising booklet with instructions on how to clean everything from blankets and brassware to hardwood floors and rubber plants all using Ivory Snow. It seems new bride Elizabeth feared her housekeeping abilities would be unacceptable to her new husband until Ivory Snow saved the day.

Jell-O was America's first packaged dessert, and owner Orator Woodward had a tough time convincing the public that combining water with white powder would produce tasty fruit-flavored gelatin. In 1902, Woodward hired door-to-door salesmen to hand-deliver Jell-O recipe booklets. The strategy was a key part of Jell-O's marketing for decades. And as with previous booklets, prominent artists illustrated many of them. One of the most famous is Rose O'Neill, best known for the Kewpie doll. A 1915 mint condition example of Jell-O and the Kewpies now sells for over $100.

Collectors can still find great examples of charming booklets for under $100, and many are still priced for less than $50.

Along with the promotional booklets, advertisers also used children in illustrations for some not-so-common products. One of the most bizarre was “The Dutch Boy’s Lead Party,” a paint book for children. Considering that housepaint used to contain lead, it seems a bit noxious to promote it with children. Then again, maybe that’s supposed to be pronounced “leed.”

To read more articles on antiques, please visit the Antiques Articles section of my Web site.  And to stay up to the minute on antiques and collectibles, please join the over 30,000 readers by following my free online magazine, #TheAntiquesAlmanac. Learn more about the Retro style in the Fall 2020 Edition, online now. And to read daily posts about unique objects from the past and their histories, like the #Antiques and More Collection on Facebook.

Biscuit Tins Never Get Stale

QUESTION: I’ve inherited my mother’s collection of English biscuit tins. She had been collecting them since she made a trip to England at the end of the 1960s. Her collection includes over four dozen tins, some are fancier than others. I love these old tins and want to continue collecting them. When my mother began collecting, she had to buy them during several trips to England. But today, I figure I can purchase them online. Can you tell me more about their history? Also, do you think I can add to her collection?

ANSWER: Biscuit tins are a fascinating part of British cultural history. They’re even tied to the monarchy. And while today manufacturers don’t make them as fancy as some of the ones from the early part of the 20th century, they’re still very popular with collectors. The peak of biscuit tin production ran from the late 1890s to the 1930s. Though originally meant to hold biscuits—the British term for “cookies”—they eventually became collectible works of art in themselves.

The history of the biscuit tin began with the passing of the Licensed Grocer’s Act of 1861 which allowed groceries to be individually packaged and sold. This coincided with the removal of the duty on paper for printed labels, so printing directly on to tinplate became common.

The bakery of Huntley & Palmers pioneered the use of metal tins. In 1832, Joseph Huntley’s son, who founded Huntley, Boorne & Stevens in an ironmongers opposite the bakery, began handcrafting large square seven- to ten-pound tins with glass inset tops for retailers. Grocery store clerks would measure out the amount of biscuits from these tins and place them in a paper bag for the customer. However, they didn’t stay fresh for very long once the customer returned home.

So Joseph Huntley began creating smaller tins without the glass insets so that customers could purchase their biscuits in a container to keep them fresh which they could take home. The tins were of such excellent quality that people began to reuse them to hold other things. The tins needed decoration but the only way to do that at the time was to paint them by hand.

In the early 1860s, all that changed with the invention of direct tin printing. This was a complicated and time-consuming technique. Then along came London printer Benjamin George George (That isn’t a typo.), who invented the lithographic transfer method.

In 1868, Huntley & Palmers commissioned the first lithographically decorated tin using George’s method from the London firm of De La Rue. Buckingham Palace granted the bakery permission to supply biscuits to the Royal Family. In order to create an appropriate design befitting the Royal Family, they hired Victorian designer Owen Jones to create a pattern which they could use on the biscuit tins using George’s new method. The result was a richly decorated oblong tin with the Royal Coat of Arms on the lid, now known to collectors as the “Ben George tin.” 

But George’s direct lithographic process, which involved laying an inked stone directly on to a sheet of tin, made it difficult to line up the colors. The breakthrough in decorative tin plate production was the invention of the offset lithographic process in 1877, which consists of bringing a sheet of rubber into contact with the decorated stone, and then setting-off the impression so obtained upon the metal surface. With this method, printers could use any number of colors, position them correctly, and apply the design to an uneven surface if necessary. Thus the elaborately embossed, colorful designs that became a hallmark of late Victorian biscuit tins became technically possible.

It became possible to make tins in almost any shape imaginable. Biscuit lovers bought baskets, windmills, cars, locomotives, globes, tables, and even mailboxes as much for their decorative qualities as their contents. Between 1868 and the outbreak of World War II, Huntley & Palmers issued around 400 tin designs with a lots of variations.

The most exotic designs appeared in the early years of the 20th century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of those targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal to children.

One of the most unique and most popular of biscuit tin designs resembled a stack of books held together with a belt. This 1901 Huntley & Palmers tin, known as “Literature,” was so realistically done that the covers and spines of the books appear to have been deeply tooled and inked and the page edges convincingly marbled and swirled in a rainbow of colors.

Most popular, however, were the tins shaped like vehicles. It was no coincidence that car, train, airplane, and boat tins bore a striking resemblance to similar toys sold at British department and toy stores since toy companies often crafted them from the same molds they used for their products. An example is Carr & Co's double-decker bus tin, made especially for them by Chad Valley and virtually identical to Chad Valley's toy bus except for the internal clockwork mechanism and different advertising.

But Huntley and Palmers were by no means the only company that made unusual biscuit tins. Some of the other famous biscuit tin sellers were Carr & Company., William Crawford & Sons, MacFarlane, Land & Company., and Peek, Frean, and Company. 

During the Second World War, all production on biscuit tins stopped so that factories and materials could be used for the war effort. When the war ended in 1945, production resumed but the tins weren’t as popular as before the war.

Peek, Frean, and Company, McVitie’s, and Jacob’s all became household names but for collectors Huntley & Palmers stands out. Collectors are particularly attracted to the decorative novelty tins. Condition is of prime importance, perhaps even more so with biscuit tins since they rust easily. Many also become worn or dented, giving the novice collector an opportunity to acquire interesting examples relatively cheaply.

Today, biscuit tins range in price from $10 to $200 online. However, the prices of those in British antiques shops are climbing into the stratosphere. This is due mostly to the antiques tourist trade. The most expensive tin sold at auction for over $20,000.

Deck the Halls Victorian Style

QUESTION: I see a lot of references to the nostalgia of an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas. Just how great were Christmas celebrations back then and what did they do?

ANSWER: While what you read and see on T.V. about how the Victorians celebrated Christmas is often exaggerated, many of the holiday traditions we still practice today began back then.
 
With luck,  there was snow. Twinkling, sparkling, clean, white, heart-warming old-fashioned snow. Nothing reminds us of an old-fashioned Christmas like snow. Just enough to coat the brick sidewalks, to dust the backs of the horses, to lightly stick to the long velvet gowns and the top hats, to put a glow around the Christmas tree lights. For this was the essence of a Victorian  Christmas. During most years, many northern locations had many more than a dusting.

During the Victorian era from 1837 to 1901, people celebrated  Christmas with special family gatherings, feasting, embellishing the home with decorations, and gift giving in increasing abundance. Victorians loved to decorate for the holidays. A giant fir tree, adorned with dried hydrangeas in shades of rose and pale green, lacy fans, white silk roses—a symbol of the Virgin Mary—German glass balls, and delicate handmade paper ornaments, held  together with lace garland, woven with ribbon and strung fresh cranberries, stood in the parlor. Many people believe that the Christmas tree evolved from the Paradise tree, a fir hung with red apples and wafers, representing the host, which represented the Garden of Eden in a medieval miracle play about Adam and Eve performed on December 24.

Arrangements of fresh greens and holly, a pagan custom adapted by Christians, decorated Victorian homes. The color green came to symbolize the Christian belief in eternal life through Christ. Legend says that Jesus' crown of thorns was plaited from holly. It's said that, before the crucifixion, the berries of the holly were white, but afterward, they turned crimson, like drops of blood.

Greens hung from chandeliers. Pine roping, wrapped with  pearls and pink moire taffeta bows, draped the grand staircase.  Perhaps a small wooden tree covered with prisms stood on a marble-top  table. Another, covered in intricate origami birds, might have stood on a hall table. The crowning touch was a large welcoming wreath that hung on the vestibule door flanked by alabaster urns filled with gold tinged twisted willow and red poinsettias. But the most important part of the Victorian celebration was the family's creche, which featured carved figures of Mary, Joseph and the Christ Child set in a miniature village, complete with meadows, fences, windmills and ponds. flanked by poinsettias. Many believe St. Francis of Assisi created the first creche using live animals in 1223.

Gift giving played an important role in Victorian celebrations. The lady of the house would smile as she peeled back the tissue covering a heavily embossed sterling silver dresser set or opened a box in which a pair of gold and amethyst earrings nestled. On the more practical side, she might have received a steel chatelaine, a chain which clipped to the waist and held keys, a pencil, and a button hook. For a special evening out, she might have been given  a dress cape of black silk velvet trimmed with jet beads and ostrich feathers.

Children often received books, considered appropriate for their educational or moral value. Or perhaps a doll's china tea service and sewing equipment for the girls, and miniature tools for the boys to help prepare them for adulthood. An extra special gift for the whole family might have been a stereopticon viewer with slides of exotic places.

Men weren't left out. To go walking, a man might receive a gold-tipped cane, or a brass bicycle lamp, reflecting the favorite pastimes of Victorian gentlemen. Or he might receive a fine ivory meerschaum pipe or a bowler hat by Stetson.

All of the above was fine and dandy for wealthy Victorians, but for the majority of people who worked long hours for subsistence wages—not unlike Bob Cratchet in Charles Dickens’ beloved story “A Christmas Carol”—life was a daily drudgery and Christmas, for many, was just another day of the year, albeit one they had off.   

The Age of Innocence - Part 2

QUESTION: My mother collected Hummel figurines for a long time. Now I have her collection. Frankly, I don’t know anything about these little figures of children, other than what little I’ve read or heard. Can you give me some background about my Hummels? I’d like to continue collecting them, but have no idea where to start.

ANSWER: After delving into the life of Sister Maria Innocentia (a.k.a. Berta Hummel), the creator of the original drawings of children made into Hummel figurines (see Part 1 from last week),  it’s only natural to take a look at the other side of the story—their manufacture and distribution.

The Goebel Company., located in the southern part of Germany near the town of Oeslau-Rödental, just outside Coburg,, was the sole producer of Hummel figurines. Franz Detleff Goebel originally built a factory to make writing slates, blackboards, and marbles in 1871 beneath Coburg Castile in Bavaria. In 1878, the Duke of Coburg Castle granted permission for the him to build the first kiln to produce porcelain dinnerware, kitchen items, and beer steins, as well as bisque doll heads. He invited his son, William, to join him in running the company and changed the name to the F. & W. Goebel Company. The firm set out to produce luxury porcelain, including small sculptures in the Meissen Rococo style.

By 1909, Franz and William began seeing an opportunity to export their product. In 1911, F. W. Goebel Co. introduced its first line of figurines and began an international marketing campaign. As the company continued to grow, so did the lines of products the company produced. The international success of Goebel’s figurines caused the Goebel family to introduce the concept that figurines could be associated with emotion and not just be decorative objects. The firm became the first to market their artists as aggressively as they did their products. After several years of porcelain production, Franz's son William expanded the Goebel product line and changed the company name to W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik.

William believed that there were untapped opportunities in the United States, so in 1911, he sent his 16-year-old son, Max-Louis, to America, where he went to school and developed a passion for art like his father. When he returned to Germany, his father put him in charge of the business and the younger Goebel set about taking the company into the 20th century..

Max-Louis wanted to capture a larger market share, so, in turn, he sent his young son, Franz, to the United States in the early 1920s to study the American ceramic after market. It was a time of prosperity for Americans but a dismal time back home in Germany with political anarchy and runaway inflation. Franz knew that it was essential that his father expand the export markets of the W. Goebel Company in order to remain in business.

When Max-Louis Goebel died in 1929, it was up to Franz, his mother Freida Goebel, and his uncle Dr.Eugene Stocke to carry on the business. Having spent so much time in America, Franz instinctively knew that it was the greatest market in the world. He decided to develop a series of affordable ceramic figurines and selected children as the subject. He believed they would appeal to a broad audience. As the 1930s dawned, Franz  thought that in a world of political turmoil, customers would respond to a product that depicted the gentle innocence of childhood.

In 1933 he started his search for the art and artist whose work could be transformed into three-dimensional figures of children. While in Munich to see how his products were doing during the Christmas season, he stopped at a small religious art shop. On the counter stood a display of art cards by Sister Maria Innocentia. He was immediately drawn to these wonderful sketches of innocent children and enthusiastically took a few cards back with him to Coburg. He discussed the possibility of transforming the artwork of Sister Maria into ceramic figures with his two top modelers, Arthur Moller and Reinhold Unger. They thought it possible, but also thought it would be one of the most challenging and expensive projects ever undertaken by the company. Franz hired artists to “interpret” Sister Maria’s drawings by making them into three dimensional figurines.

He acquired rights to turn her drawings into figurines, producing the first line in 1935. W. Goebel was one of many mid-size porcelain firms competing in the U.S. market and Franz´s knack for novelty marketing caused the figurines to become popular among German immigrants on the East Coast.

Franz contacted Sister Maria at the Convent of Siessen and showed her clay models based on her drawings. She and the Convent of Siessen granted sole rights to the his company to create ceramic figures based on her original artwork. Sister Maria personally approved the sculpting and painting of each porcelain piece. The Convent would receive all royalties derived from the sales. Geobel determined that earthenware, pioneered by the firm in the 1920s, was the best medium for the new collectibles product line.

The first marketing challenge for the newly manufactured Hummel figurines came at the Leipzig Trade Fair held in March 1935. With the enormous risk the company had undertaken in the development and first production of the Hummel figurines, success at Leipzig was very important. Fortunately, the American buyers liked the figures and placed a number of orders. By the end of 1935, the W. Goebel Company had released several more figurines, expanding the line to 46. Sales of the figures on the international market during the 1935 Christmas season were brisk.

After World War II, the United States Government gave W. Goebel Company permission to resume production and export of Hummel figures. Production began slowly as many of the master molds and models had been lost or destroyed during the war. During the re-modeling process, Goebel artists made modifications that resulted in slight changes in the design of the figurines. 

The popularity of Hummel figurines grew as American soldiers stationed in West Germany began sending the figurines home as gifts. Nostalgia associated with the figurines and the U.S. soldiers buying them led to Hummel figurines becoming a popular collector's item. Popularity increased even more when the U.S. Army PX system began selling the Hummels. After Sister Maria’s untimely death at 37 in 1946, Franz Goebel carried on her artistic legacy by developing new Hummel pieces. A vibrant speculator market in Hummel figurines had developed by the 1970s when Hummel figurines skyrocketed in price.

Unfortunately, as with so many popular collectibles, there are lots of copies and fakes. To determine if a figurine is a genuine Hummel piece, you should look for the definitive mark of Sister M. I. Hummel incised on the bottom of every authentic piece. Sister Maria requested that her personal stamp of approval would appear on every piece and under the direction of the members of the convent. All Hummels have a mold number incised on the bottom of each figurine at the time of manufacture. Another definitive identifying mark is the official Goebel trademark on the underside of each figurine.

In January, 2009 Jörg Köster, managing partner of the Höchster Porzellan Fabrik Company, together with private investors took over the manufacture of Hummel figurines. Under the company Manufaktur Rödental, Hummel figurines are now being produced in Franz Detleff Goebel’s original building in Oelslau-Rödental near Coburg.