Gold Filigree Halloween

Two more by Rust Craft. See also Ain't Grub Grand.  

Also check out this other blog's entry on the Rust Craft Rustler in "Mid Century Card Shop"

Updated 11-25-2015 - Addition from set? Marked on back Rust Craft 5H222.

Witches Black as Pitch

Amazing vintage witch imagery on un-marked tally score cards. Have you identified others from this set and/or the manufacturer?

Forever After...

A HALLOWE'EN WISH

May all the bats and ghosts and frights
Bring jolly fun and laughter
And fill your day with such delights
You'll smile forever after!

Here's an incredible vision - of another pumpkin-headed spirit at the fence (see also Beware! The Gatekeeper). This is a vintage Hallowe'en card posted by Alan Mays on Flickr (originally posted on Ipernity: A Halloween Wish). Would love to know more details on this item which is stated as being a single-sided greeting card from the 1920's-1930's. Will this smiling spook be as friendly once it climbs to the other side of the fence? 

Check out the meticulous details of this illustration. The landscape above the fence reminds me of Seattle where you see 1930s brick tudor style architecture in neighborhoods of extremely tall Douglas Firs silhouetted in the skyline. The fence alone has me stunned, with the glowing highlights at top, the visible knots and nail-heads, and orange light seeping into blue shadows along the bottom edge.

Do you know any more about this image? The manufacturer? Or the artist? It makes me think of works by George Carlson for John Martin's Book, or Hazel Frazee for Child Life Magazine.

Halloween Fence Centerpiece

digital mock-up created from photo of fence/pumpkin pieces

Here's a vintage decoration set that gets generally pooh-poohed by some time-wearied collectors, however those with less discriminating eyes will have an instant fondness for the design and the roughly executed graphics seen on boxes or the instructions (shown below). The label depicts a picket fence posted with a weathered sign in turn illustrating the kit's arrangement featuring one large pumpkin peeking out from black-rimmed eyes. These were Dennison centerpiece kits that included a box of orange crepe-grass, classic cat/fence silhouettes of at least 2 different lengths, pumpkins to prop between fence slats, and a large air-fillable paper pumpkin. (The expanding pumpkin was somewhat like these paper balloons from Japan).

actual product label

Although I attempted to find something more about the long history of the Dennison company, these recent articles of the company's unfortunate demise may be of interest...

Jan. 20, 2013 - Framingham unearths decades of Dennison memories. 

April 7, 2013 - Framingham Departure On The Horizon For 169-Year Old Avery Dennison

November 15, 2014 - VIDEO and SLIDESHOW: Dennison Manufacturing Exhibit at Framingham History Center The public is invited to see the exhibit starting today, Nov. 15.