Die Cuts and Party Goods from the "Golden Age"




	Here we find some of the most delightful of the vintage Halloween collectibles. The term die cut usually refers to any flat paper cut out decoration. In most cases (but not all) the shape will relate to the graphics of the image. The term die cut comes from the process by which they are made. After the image is printed onto a larger sheet of card stock or cardboard, the image is then cut out by what printers refer to as a “die”. It basically resembles a giant two-piece cookie cutter. Many of the early die cuts were also embossed, a term which refers to stamping a raised image into the piece that emphasizes the printed image. The heaviness of the embossing tends to increase the further back in time you go. The two major manufacturers of paper die cuts in the USA during the 1920-1940s, were The Beistle Co. of Shippensburg, PA and Dennison of Framingham, MA. While often their products can be identified by manufacturing marks, it is their unique and disctinctive artwork that really sets them apart. Both companies' graphic styles are easily recognizable. In my opinion, while both are wonderful, Beistle's art was certainly the more sophisticated of the two. Many early Beistle work represents what I believe to be some of the finest examples of art produced for commercial use. Ever. Beistle's unique gestural style captured the whimsical and prankish side of Halloween, instilling the artwork with both a sense of sinister forboding and yet at the same time welcoming the viewer into the scene. Many die cuts from this period are sometimes marked “Copr. H. E. Luhrs”. This has created one of the most common misconceptions that Luhrs was a separate company. H.E. Luhrs was a graphic artist who took a job with Beistle and after marrying into the Beistle family eventually became the company’s CEO. All products marked “Luhrs” were made by Beistle. There is a third company which I feel also bears mention in this category: Gibson. During the 1920s and 1930s, Gibson produced some wonderful Halloween die cuts, games, centerpieces and other party goods. While certainly a smaller venture than Beistle or Dennison, Gibson held its own and had a unique distnctive style to its art that sets it apart from other manufactures. Mark Ledenbach has a sharp eye...he rightly points out in his book, that many Gibson die cuts can be identified by the use of their distinctive slanted exclamation point. Gibson tended to use text on their die cuts very effectively. Last, but certainly not least, this category of Halloween material includes the heavily embossed cardboard die cuts made in Germany for export to the USA. The German die cuts are some of my absolute favorite Halloween collectibles. Their artistry and quality is unmatched. The embossing on these pieces is so heavy that they are nearly sculptured with fantastic detail. The expressions and graphic style are equally wonderful. These were made in cottage industries in Germany between the two World Wars, although their production did resume briefly for a few years in the late 1940s. Please note that none of these items are for sale

BEISTLE

These four-color die cuts are part of a larger suite of twelve that were produced by Beistle from 1932 to the mid 1940s. They are moderately to heavily embossed. If the skeleton band to the right had a name I think it would be “The Skele-Tones”.



					These two die cut party games were made by Beistle. They produced these games from the late twenties into the mid thirties. Each of these are good examples of the fantastic early Beistle artwork. Both of these items once belonged to Dan and Pauline Campanelli, authors of Halloween Collectables: A Price Guide.






				This set of four die cuts was made by Beistle in the early 1950s. The witch riding the cat-drawn chariot is my favorite. The imagery is so dynamic.




			These two die cuts depicting witches on their broomsticks were both made by Beistle in the 1920s/1930s. The one on the right has heavy embossing, while the one on the left is printed flat. More good examples of Beistle artistry at work.

DENNISON

These die cuts were all made by Dennison in the late 1920s to early 1930s.

GIBSON

These die cuts and the two centerpieces in the middle are great examples of Gibson’s high-quality Halloween items from the 20s and 30s. The cat centerpiece (shown flat here) latches together to form a four-sided standup decoration. The three sided centerpiece below it is similarly constructed. The witch in the upper most right is a napkin holder.

This unique skeleton die cut holding a sign is quite striking. Although I cannot confirm it, I am reasonably certain this item was made by Gibson. The colors and the artwork are consistent with Gibson products, and the use of bold, witty text is also a Gibson hallmark. However this piece lacks the slanted exclamation point which muddies the waters. I am guessing this die cut is from the mid to late 1930s.

German Die Cuts

These German die cuts are some of my favorite collectible Halloween items. You can see the exquisite detail of the heavy embossing. It's almost hard to believe that they are formed from cardboard. They generally come in two finishes: glazed or unglazed. There is no difference in value between the two, but personally I prefer the glazed ones. The majority of these die cuts were made from around 1920 to 1938. They are easily recognizable by their distinctive style and design. Fortunately the German die cuts are one area of Halloween collectibles that has, so far, not been plagued by reproductions. Probably because the method of their manufacture would be too difficult to reproduce. Reproductions in and of themselves are not a bad thing. It's when they are used to try to dupe novice collectors into paying vintage prices for new items, that they become a problem.