Step into the enchanted world of tunnel books

Have you heard of tunnel books? I saw my first tunnel books at The Milwaukee Art Museum recently. Each tunnel book was made from a series of paper layers, tied at their sides.

Then, a light was cast down from above to illuminate the whole scene. There is a lot going on here in these intricately cut layers. There are all sorts of critters and skulls. One skull is even growing like a plant. It's like an enchanted forest, luring this girl in. But you get the idea that it has lured other people in and kept them there.

That photo above is actually the wallpaper on my computer now. You can see a bit of the light above the paper here and the thread/twine holding the papers together:

A second tunnel book showed a more vertical scene.

You can really see the way this is held together in this photo.

You can also see the quality of the paper, which is nice and thick. It would have to be. Imagine how difficult it would be to cut out these details and not mess up with thin paper. I'm sure this was a challenge too, but the high quality paper had to help. If you're interested in the specific paper, I read that the artist used high-quality Japanese Kozo paper on this one.

And as an added bit of trivia, Kozo paper is made from the bark of the Mulberry bush. I just watched a video about the making of Kozo paper, from Mulberry bush to the final product. Wow. What a lot of work. I'd really feel the pressure to cut this paper just right after seeing how much effort goes into making it.

Kozo Paper making:

Back to the tunnel books. Here's the view from above. I read that these can also be lit from below.

The artist is Andrea Dezsö. If you'd like to see more of the artist's tunnel books, here's a link: Andrea Dezsö's Tunnel Books

Tunnel books were pretty popular during Victorian times. According to what I read in the exhibit, this artist likes to work with fairytale themes that are similar to those in the old time tunnel books. What kind of fairytale do you think is being shown here? I'm reminded of Snow White a little because of the forest creatures.

And the skulls make me think of the poison apple:

The first tunnel book I showed you was titled "Enchanted Forest: Girl with Bee" and the second was "Bird and Girl Resting". So if she was going for a theme related to a fairytale we know, I can't guess it from the titles. You might also be interested to know that the first tunnel book wasn't made from Kozo paper, but a paper called Shojoshi. I looked that up too and was surprised to see that it's traditionally used for calligraphy and watercolor painting.

In looking at videos about tunnel books on YouTube, I ran across an awesome tutorial:

It just so happens that I have a wood box/wide frame on hand that I cut for another project years ago! Just yesterday, I was staring at it, hoping that some idea would come to mind for how I could reuse it. No idea came to mind at that time, but who would think that one day later an idea has presented itself? What timing!

So, what do you guys think? Does this look like a fun project? Just think of what you could design around a Halloween theme!

Epitaph

Some items, like German diecuts and tin toys, repeatedly cycle through the market, perhaps indicating that if it's in a book or often listed on ebay that its not really a rare item at all --- or maybe those items just get attention simply because they've been loudly identified? While this noise continues with a known set of collectibles, occasionally some items are a genuine surprise. The item shown in this post, and not even in that good of condition, stunned quite a few people, even old-school enthusiasts. Why are we still lacking in information about some items, even the not so rare?

Here's a digital rendering of how this diecut might have appeared as whole, noting that the bottom right corner (paw and tombstone area) is obvious artistic license based on the Gibson style. Digital version (above) and photo (below) as shared on facebook Vintage Halloween. 

Digital re-creation based on image below.

Image as seen on facebook Vintage Halloween.

Witch's Chest

Mid-century (date unknown) vintage Halloween merchandise box with dual purpose as trick-or-treat carry case. According to ingredient information could contain either bubble gum or suckers in the original package. Produced by Thomas-Wiener Co. of Memphis, Tennessee. Below are two views - one side offering plastic-covered peek-a-boo glimpses of contents.

Halloween in Germany:1955

The title of this entry is something of a deliberate misnomer. It follows on the heels of two previous entries Diecut Bubble? and Seven Spooks in Narrenfibel 1968 / 1970 concerning the presence of vintage products that appeared on either side of the Atlantic. Each previous entry was intended to dispel a centric notion that... "because we celebrate Halloween here in North America, there couldn't possibly be any of that imagery (as vintage decor) found or sold elsewhere in the world." Surprise!

While it's been apparent that European and Asian festival items have snuck into past price guides, it was about two years ago that I began to also question availability dates (not necessarily production dates). This was due to discovering vintage "Halloween" decorations in German-language catalogs printed as recently as the 1970's. (See Seven Spooks in Narrenfibel 1968 / 1970). This catalog displays themes for Germany's Karneval (www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/holidays-and-celebrations/fasching-and-karneval/) with pages containing what North American collectors had considered Hallowe'en product runs circa 1920's-1930's. That's curious math --- an additional timeframe of 25 to 40 years that these appeared somewhere on the market?

1968 / 1970 catalog (Germany)

So here is yet another catalog recently discovered from 1955...! Notice page 16, with the pirate theme. There you will find a devil (marketed as a Neptunian creature with a trident), a skeleton (as a pirate's dead-man bones), a black cat (as a sea creature?), and a lantern (as a pirate-ship light fixture down at the Underwater Bar).... once again, all previously considered to be rare because of limited North American availability. What does this information (in addition to the recent preponderance of German diecuts in the second-hand market --- see Diecut Bubble?) do to change the collectible landscape?

Translation update 11-22-2015. Relying on online translation tools with some logical (?) adjustments, here is a rough approximation for items of note on page 16:

725 Lanterne aus schwarzem karton mit augest (aufgeklappt?). Grotesken figuren, 40 cm groß stück 4.50

725 Lantern of black cardboard, expandable (?), grotesque figures, 15 3/4" tall..... piece 4.50

735 Kater - 40 cm, Pappe geprägt, schwarz bemalt, mit grünen leuchtenden augen (auch paarweise, links und recht schauend lieferbar)  stück 1.50 

735 Tomcat - 15 3/4", embossed cardboard , black painted, with greens shining eyes (available in pairs, left and right-facing)..... piece 1.50

738 Fledermaus-teufel, 40 cm, bemalte, flach geprägt figure stück 1.50

738 Bat-devil, 15 3/4", painted, flat embossed figure..... piece 1:50

750 Totenskelett, 120 cm groß, aus starker pappe geprägt und natürlich bemalt...  stück 7.50

750 Dead skeleton , 120 cm tall, from strong cardboard and painted naturally.... piece 7.50

Diecut Bubble?

While prices on vintage German-made diecuts were optimistic this year, one might wonder if, like tin toys, this will be the next vintage Halloween category to fall on hard times. While much of the purchasing Halloween audience is likely viewing the market for only a few weeks, and thus continuing to see embossed diecuts as occasional novelty --- those watching the entire year saw many designs repeatedly available and sometimes more common than some tin toys. Will the diecut bubble burst as they become more and more visible, and new knowledge is gained about their production numbers and availability?

Following (without direct reference to buyers or sellers) are some interesting examples of what I call the vagaries of vintage prices:

ONE: It was surprising that one lot (from a well-known auction house) sold extremely weak in early September (just weeks before the big holiday). Ten German diecuts together with two product packages sold as a lot for $550 --- roughly $50 each. However if you assume the Dancing Skeleton envelope is firmly worth a suggested guidebook price of $325, then from the remaining sale price the embossed pieces would have cost about $25 each.

Lot  of 13 items (above) sold for $550 plus auction fees.

To complicate matters the savvy buyer/seller began turning these around to a different venue the very day the auction hammer fell. During the weeks leading up to Halloween, the diecuts sold separately for roughly around $100+ each. This introduces 2 questions --- How rare is an item that is churning between venues? And what is the actual value when an item is selling to different audiences who may have different perceptions of the market?

TWO: Like any category, some items will likely remain more elusive than others.... but it seems imperative that long-time collectors begin to provide better evidence of their research regarding production and availability dates of products available to both U.S./Canadian markets as well as across the ocean. It appears now that much of the existing stock was cross-marketed to various holiday celebrations inside and outside the borders of the country of manufacturer, and for more years than previously believed?

For example, the vintage witch design (shown above) sold during 2015 as a pair for $1400. One guidebook references the characters from this set of seven as rare with availability only during the 1920s. 

However, a German-language catalog page (above) shows these (as well as one well-known devil) seemingly available within the country of origin as recent as 1968-1970!?! See this entry: Seven Spooks in Narrenfibel 1968 / 1970. What is the larger story here, and how does this effect true rarity and price?

THREE: In what was perhaps the most shocking bargain of the year, a lot of 50+ vintage Halloween items sold for a mere $520 --- that is likely less than $10 a piece for each item. Here are just some of the contents of that purchase (below). Undeniably a smart buy (and not an auction) from a quick hand.

The German diecut (at top of the collage) has lately been re-photographed by the buyer and viewable on a site touting the esteem of high-value vintage Halloween collectibles. For this diecut it was a quick and interesting turn of events, something that actually happens more frequently (within all categories) than an average onlooker might guess. Having seen this diecut before in other collections --- what is the actual story of this item? Considering what was shown in examples one and two, what was its production and availability history?

While I know this entry is likely raising more questions than it is offering answers, I believe these are important to consider --- if for no other reason than to have as mental references when reading the price (often sensational) or language (often hyperbole) attached to any vintage piece, until such time as better records are offered and/or evident. 

Yesterday's Prices at Today's Auctions

As stated in entry one - this blog will not be overly concerned about vintage collectible pricing, however, some recent auction results may be of interest, and just may balance a few perspectives...

Halloween's seasonal nature seems key (especially for the non-obsessed public-at-large) in determining the collectible demand of vintage items. While at times powerful, there is a historical mix of poor auction results that would seem to make the genre a rather bad "investment" --- (if you choose to think of the ghosts of holiday past in those terms). While much is made of some items reaping impressive returns, one would wonder if the genre may ever reach the skyrocketing prices seen by other collectibles --- (simply scan a pamphlet by any of the big auction houses and compare the results of other collectible genres). 

It's a real trick or treat (depending on what side of the transaction you stand) to resell vintage holiday. Seasonal peak interest is only one challenge. Availability (of both poor and quality items) is also changing with the internet lessening rarity (also challenging the belief that past generations simply discarded objects the way we do now). Mis-perception of the market creates bids without adequate personal research; while pensive sellers stall sales under a nebulous concept of reaching "true" or higher market-value. As well, more vintage-style arts and printable knock-offs now vie for attention that dilute our yearning for true vintage and/or offer items perhaps more fitting to modern expectations of artistry and/or materials.

Some recent examples show that a few auction houses had results that would likely make past winners question the value of previously won acquisitions. A couple of auction houses (including one of high profile) recently sold off large lots of Halloween postcards that averaged only a little over $10 per card. While another auction house (offering a mix of old and mis-labeled newer items) had prices for true vintage reach results more akin to some previous decade --- see examples below:

$140 or $13 each --- (approximate lot valuation ~ $400).

$100  or $17 each --- (approximate lot valuation ~ $400).

$100 or $20 each --- (approximate lot valuation ~ $400).

$30 (approximate lot valuation ~ $200).

$90 or $13 each --- (approximate lot valuation ~ $500).

$20 (approximate lot valuation ~ $500).

While above results aren't too shocking if you've been pursuing a "let the market determine value" attitude, you would however be sorely disappointed and even upset if you're judging the price by expected guide rules.  The lesson here perhaps for vintage Halloween collectors and sellers are these --- patience, perspective, season, quantity, quality, and knowledge. 

Hallowe'en Panorama

Hallowe'en crepe paper (and it's ephemera relatives - napkins, paper plates, cups, etc.), is in some ways the forgotten art form of vintage Hallowe'en, and the great variety of these prints mostly absent from many modern books on collectibles. Dennison's Bogie Books offer a resource from their own company catalog, but a full visual retrospective of multiple companies' work could fill an entire collector's book of richly bizarre patterns. It would be a welcome addition if someone out there surveyed these amazing works!

One amazing snippet from this neglected history is listed as a Panoramic Crepe in the 1921 Bogie Book - H108 Hallowe'en Design  (fold 10 ft. long without repetition of design).  It can be seen appearing for a few years in the Bogie Books, and is here (image below) used as a table skirt. Amazing to imagine how these now precious paper designs were sliced up to make other displays. Directly below this "decorating suggestion" is a slow un-rolling photograph of the design left to right.

Bogie Book decorating suggestion - 1921.

For more Halloween crepe paper patterns check out Rise & Fall Of the House of Crepes and for a little something about the challenges of maintaining these fragile works see Halloween Humidification Horrors! If you know of any good visual surveys on paper party-good designs for crepe, napkins, cups, etc., don't hesitate to share the link. 

Ten Little Goblins

Following is a collage of pages scanned from a 1960's public service announcement on Halloween safety. The actual printed piece is a wallet-sized 3"x4" fold-out booklet from the Minnesota Department of Health printed in 1962 by Imagination Inc.  Mod, kitschy, and rather grim, the story is a cross between a certain politically questionable rhyme of the late 1800's with humor reminiscent of Edward Gorey's The Gashlycrumb Tinies.

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.