Saturday, October 1st, 2011 in Die Cuts

If you’re a fan of vintage die cuts, you’ll probably go gaga over these guys: reissues of old Beistle die cuts.

I found these by accident and ordered them back in 2008. They’re being sold on a couple of sites but I can’t find anyone cheaper than Partycheap.com.

The first set is a reproduction of the Beistle embossed Halloween plaques. These 8 pieces were originally released in 1941 and the original stock number is No. 1109. They’re stunning.

Included is:

• A witch riding her broom across a crescent moon
• An owl perched on a branch in front of a full moon
• The famous cat with top hat and monocle
• An old witch in front of her rickety haunted house
• The profile of a witch with sharp teeth and a wart on her nose in front of a full moon
• A farmer looking pumpkin jack o lantern
• A silhouetted black cat hissing at an evil-grinned jack o lantern atop a post while a jolly quarter moon looks on in the background
• A jack o lantern smoking a corn cob pipe and wearing a derby

Simply put, these are absolute classic Halloween designs. These new are not embossed, of course, but they are double sided and about the same size, if not exactly the same size, as the original plaques.

The second set of Beistle cut outs come in a 4 pack.

This set includes:

• A black cat yowling
• A witch and moon looking in opposite directions
• A toothy jack o lantern with round eyes
• A little black cat sitting on a smiling crescent moon.

I don’t know the year or original number of these Beistle die cuts.

Enjoy them and let me know if you have any information on the second set of decorations, I couldn’t hit on anything about the original series.

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Tags: black cat, die cuts, haunted house, jack o lantern, owl, retro, vintage, witch

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 in Humor, Video

I just found these little gems on YouTube with a surprisingly low view count, and I can’t believe it. Don’t all of us Halloween-ies love everything that also happens to be any sort of vintage?

I think we’re slacking here, kiddos.

According to the original description these are from 1985 and were filmed in Lawrence, KS. What you’re about to see is 2 videos spanning one “safety film” geared at covering all the Halloween bases… like don’t cut off your fingers carving a pumpkin, don’t run out into traffic in a pre-sugar saturated spastic fit and don’t eat funny looking candy.

It’s narrated by a grinning jack o’lantern but it still comes off as a bit of a bummer. That being said, totally worth watching, if for no other reason than snap shots of kick-ass old boxed costumes a plenty!

Halloween Safety Video Part 1

Of course, the reason you get all dressed up at Halloween is so you can have fun going trick or treating.

Halloween Safety Video Part 2

Of course… I gotta agree with the whole don’t eff up someones display/pumpkins. Punk kids.

Thanks to the original uploader vancefink!

3 Ghoulish Gasps

Tags: retro, safety videos

Sunday, September 4th, 2011 in Blow Molded Figurines

Seriously… how could I have missed this?

I would give anything for a copy of this catalog, by the way, and I have to give it up to the uploader. It’s awesome when someone shares something like this, especially given that Bayshore didn’t mold any manufacturer information into some of these characters.

5 Ghoulish Gasps

Tags: Bayshore, blow mold, retro, vintage

Saturday, August 14th, 2010 in Blow Molded Figurines, Garbage Finds

What: Blow mold jack o lantern on a black cat, 14 inches tall. Has 2 triangular eyes with raised circles in the center, a pronounced triangular nose and a smile with 2 buck teeth. Sat upon a rather freaked out looking cat.

Why: I always thought this blow mold pumpkin was the most unique looking (out of the dozens of other blow mold Halloween characters out there), I sort of found it down right ugly when I was a kid thanks to the buck teeth, and that’s why I think I like it so much now. It’s kind of cute because it’s so awkward looking.

Bayshore Industries blow mold Halloween Pumpkin

I wondered about this blow mold pumpkin because unlike a few others I have he has no production stampings and no trademarks of any kind. I do know now it came with the light, which I suppose makes sense. It turns out there are a few floating around out there with the original stickers (yes, stickers) still in place that give a little bit of manufacturing information.

Read on:

The ONLY production markings on the entire thing.

Diamond shaped (sort of) yellow sticker with black border. Reads “BAYSHORE HALLOWEEN LIGHT-UP DECORATION WITH BULB/BAYSHORE INDUSTRIES, INC., NY, NY, 10010, a subsidiary of Miner Industries, Inc. Made in USA”

Bayshore Industries opened in 1946 by Alvin L. Gursha in Elkton, Md. They ran into financial problems and were absorbed by Miner Industries, located in New York.

Fulfilling the acquisition, 1961 saw production moved to Amsterdam, New York, Bldg. 65 on Willow St., which formerly housed a plastic production company (Larc Products Co.) that folded in 1956.

According to Eugene Swee, president and chairman of the board of Miner Industries, Alvin L. Gursha was to be president of Miner’s Bayshore Division.

Bayshore produced such novelties as Halloween masks, hobby horses, balloons, bowling sets and more.

The bits of information I did find about the business deal are from the Amsterdam Evening Recorder, July 24, 1962.

I could find little else about Bayshore. From what I’m led to believe, Miner Industries, whose offices were located at 200 Fifth Avenue, Room 234. NY, NY 10010, filed chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1978.

This makes it pretty difficult to contact the company for any sort of history or patent sketch like I was hoping for, but it was interesting digging up the history nonetheless.

Judging by the fact that Bayshore had become Miner’s subsidiary by 1961/1962, that must mean this jack o lantern/cat blow mold is POST 1962, and since I believe Miner went under completely nearly 2 decades later, pre 1978.

Bayshore blow mold and some friends hanging around.

I’ve found many of these on eBay so they are by no means rare at this point in time. I had one as a child and actually found the one I have now in the garbage, looking very sad. Ones I have found on eBay with the old price tags in place said they cost a little over a dollar, retail, when new.

The jack o lantern/black cat blow mold can easily be found on eBay for about $10 before shipping. Or if you have a very keen eye on garbage night.

Interesting website FULL of stuff about not just Bayshore blow molded figures, but all the big names, Union, Empire, General Foam and more.  Check it out if you’ve got a couple of hours to spare: http://www.blow-molded.com/Bayshore_Industries___Archive.html

1 Ghouslish Gasp

Tags: bayshore indutries, blow mold, jack o lantern, miner industries, pumpkin, retro, vintage

Friday, August 13th, 2010 in Blow Molded Figurines

During the Halloween 1989 season, the Mars candy company sold (I believe) 2 plastic characters full of fun size chocolate bars. In 1990 there were 3 sold.*

*I am completely guessing here. In my travels, I’ve only found the goblin stamped 1990.  The 1989 ghost and pumpkin are different from each other.

I had all three, and I remember hanging them up every year, because they were good sized and had nifty faces. I got them from Twin Valu grocery store in Euclid, Ohio, long before I actually lived in Euclid.  They came filled with candy bars.

Like I said, there were 3 different containers.  The Snickers ghost, who was a white ghost with a typical ghosty expression.  You know, he looks like he’s moaning and being otherwise scary.

Then comes the Milky Way pumpkin (Jack o Lantern), who in contrast is quite happy looking.  And he was filled with Milky Way, so he automatically wins.

Anyway, the third was a green guy who I assumed was some sort of goblin, as what else is green really?  He had 3 Musketeers bars.

To make a very long story incredibly short, I moved and had to leave them all behind with a lot of other things.  So in my eBay stalkings, I’m very slowing starting to get things back, and last year (2009) Guy and I were able to track down the 1989 Snickers ghost and the 1989 Milky way pumpkin.  This year I was able to get the 1990 versions of the Snickers ghost and my 3 Musketeers goblin!

I’m not posting this so much as a happily ever after type thing, but because I googled last year extensively and this year as well, and I actually found even LESS about these premiums this year, so I wanted to put it all together in one spot, along with all the information I know (Mars Inc., 1989, lids are removable and have a thin rope in place so they may be hung or used as trick or treat pails, I would assume) and some pictures.  These were really neat little Halloween critters and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one out there who remembers them.

Here’s a shot of my two guys:

My Snickers ghost, being quite ghostly.

My Milky Way pumpkin. Very jolly dude.

And if you have a goblin to sell me at a reasonable price, feel free to drop me a line at jen at euclidboo dot com. I bought mine on eBay on September 12, 2010, 2 for $5.50!

I don't know where this is from, if it's yours, please let me know and I will credit accordingly.

ETA: I contacted Mars about these, hoping to get some information, anything really, but I didn’t get too far:

In response to your email regarding SNICKERS BRAND, MILKY WAY BRAND, and 3 MUSKETEERS BRAND.

Thank you for your email.

Unfortunately, the information you requested is not available.

Have a great day!

Your Friends at Mars Chocolate North America

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Tags: 1989, 3 musketeers, ghost, goblin, jack o lantern, mars, milky way, pumpkin, retro, snickers, vintage

Friday, March 5th, 2010 in Die Cuts

Another set, this one not marked with a date or manufacturer, matte finish and some pieces have tabs which are inserted to make an object look 3D. I’m guessing at these being from the mid to late 1960′s.

2 Ghoulish Gasps

Tags: bats, cats, die cuts, jack o lantern, pumpkin, retro, vintage

Thursday, March 4th, 2010 in Die Cuts

I’ve come across some awesome retro Halloween decorations, most paper, which excites me to no end. They couldn’t have come to someone who would love them more than me, guaranteed.

Here’s the first set, a group of Halloween die cuts that came packed together, made by Hallmark, I’d have to guess late 1960′s. Included are 3 witches, a couple Jack o lanterns and of course ghosts and bats!

Printed on the bottom of the insert content sheet is: 100HHD6-4, Hallmark Cards, Inc. Made in USA.

Enjoy!

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Tags: bats, cats, die cuts, hallmark, halloween, retro, skeleton, vintage, witch