Category Archives: Halloween

Happy Halloween from Collectorgene!

We recently acquired this fabulous 8 x 10 photo at a local flea market.  A talented amateur photographer back in the 1940’s was able to combine a shot of a pretty girl with a shot of a typical five and … Continue reading

Posted in 1940's, Americana, Carol, Halloween, Holiday, Humor, Photography, Weird | Leave a comment

The Amazing Variety of Gumball Machine Monster Jigglers

It’s that time of year where I like to write about monster toys. Well, for me that is any time of year, but it is most important to make this a tradition in October so here it goes! Today I … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, Amy, Art, Halloween, Humor, Monsters, Toys, Weird | 2 Comments

Primal Rage Necrosan: A Terrifying 90s Figure that’s Terrifyingly Expensive!

Sometimes, something gets very valuable very quickly. You might assume that by checking completed listings on eBay and seeing a particular collectible sell for the same price consistently that it must be worth that, but if you haven’t been paying … Continue reading

Posted in 1990's, Action Figures, Ben, Halloween, Monsters, Toys, Weird | 4 Comments

Happy Halloween! A Nostalgic Snapshot of a 1960’s Yogi Bear Trick or Treater

  What a great photo!  It combines two things I love – old magazines and Halloween.  Anyone over forty will probably admit to going out on Halloween wearing one of those lame, out-of-the-box costumes at least once during their trick-or-treating … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, Americana, Carol, Comic Characters, Costumes, Ephemera, Halloween, Holiday, Humor, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Spaghetti-O’s Monster in my Pocket Display: One Monster That Won’t Fit In Your Pocket…

When most people start collecting little rubber and plastic figures, part of their reasoning for buying tiny toys often stems from the fact that these collections don’t take up a lot of space. You can fit hundreds of tiny figures … Continue reading

Posted in 1990's, Action Figures, Amy, Comic Characters, Food, Foreign, Halloween, Humor, Kitchen, Monsters, Toys, Weird | Leave a comment

Halloween Cats

It seems fitting that cats are associated with Halloween. We especially think of witches and their black cats. Often thought to be “familiars” to witches or malevolent assistants who could assist in the witch’s magic spells, being a black cat … Continue reading

Posted in 1920's, 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Americana, Ephemera, Halloween, Holiday, Humor, Jim, Monsters, Toys, Weird | Leave a comment

Mr. Clean & Friends – Grown Men in Costume

  It’s October, the month when grown men do crazy things like this.  This vintage photo, most likely from the 1960’s, is from my collection.  It’s hard to say why these men are in costume, but let’s assume it’s a … Continue reading

Posted in 1960's, Advertising, Americana, Carol, Costumes, Halloween, Humor, Photography | Leave a comment

The Le Macabre Skull

It seems like ages since I have written an article for The Collector Gene, so I wanted to come back with one of my favorite pieces from my collection.  I have been waiting to write about this one for a … Continue reading

Posted in 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, Advertising, Amy, English, Foreign, Halloween, Historical, Humor, Monsters, Signs, Weird | 11 Comments

Smile! A Traditional Jack O’Lantern Wishes You a Happy Halloween!

This jack o’lantern may be smiling, but there’s something slightly menacing about it.  Of course, that’s part of his appeal to collectors.  Over seven inches in height, he’s made of a paper pulp product that was shaped by pressing into … Continue reading

Posted in 1930's, 1940's, 1950's, Americana, Carol, Halloween, Holiday, Uncategorized, Weird | Leave a comment

Smile! A Cross-Eyed Pumpkin-Headed Guy Just for You

Once you start collecting vintage Halloween items, you notice how frequently fruit and vegetable-headed figures show up.  Here’s a good example of a small, incidental bisque figurine that was probably produced in the 1930’s and sold for a nickel or … Continue reading

Posted in 1930's, Carol, Halloween, Holiday, Humor, Toys, Weird | Leave a comment