Vintage Halloween Collectibles

Written by Victoria Van Vlear

Photography by Sarah Crowley

When it comes to vintage holiday decorations, Christmas is a staple, but have you ever considered adding vintage Halloween collectibles to the mix of your fall decor? Instagrammer Suzanne Allie of @junkityfunkity30 has made her fall home into a display for vintage Halloween collectibles, and is sharing with us about the hunting and collecting process!

Living room with vintage Halloween collectibles displayed on shelves and above the windows — Suzanne hangs kids Trick or Treat bags from streamers over the windows. “Papier-mache pumpkins and various blow molds decorate part of my living room,” she says. “Old Halloween ads are framed around the picture window—one of them being Woolworth’s Five & Dime!”

American Farmhouse Style: What got you started with vintage Halloween collectibles?

Suzanne: My love and passion for Halloween stems from the fact that my birthday is October 30th and my birthday parties as a child had Halloween themes and decorations. My mom is also a huge influencer! My very first Halloween collectible was a postcard I bought about 25 years ago for $40, which I thought was a HUGE amount of money for a piece of paper! I love the vintage imagery—more cute than scary.

Shelving unit with orange pumpkins on it — This is Suzanne’s collection of Gurley candles and copies of vintage party invitations. “Most of the candles were found at a church rummage for a quarter and thrifted at yard sales over the years,” she says. “Gurley candles have become SO popular.”

AFS: What time of year do you find the best pieces? Is it during the fall, or at a different time?

Suzanne: I honestly search the entire year for Halloween. Naturally, the best items can be found during September and October BUT the “deals” are in November and off-season months! My eyes are constantly searching for display pieces and anything black and orange to use in my decorating, too. Nothing vintage Halloween is off-limits!

Flatlay with a variety of orange vintage Halloween collectibles — Suzanne’s beloved collection of a witch tambourine, noisemakers, clickers and party horns. “These were some of my first items I collected and are highly collectible (and very popular) today,” she says.

AFS: What’s your favorite vintage Halloween collectible to find?

Suzanne: Currently, I’m into costume boxes from the ’70s (with or without the costume and mask) and empty candy bar boxes. Both are hard to come by, as they were often tossed after use, but when you find them…LOOK OUT! I’m obsessed with them for their bright colors and graphics—you can’t beat vintage graphics from the ’50s-’70s.

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Corner of a room with shelves and vintage Halloween collectibles — Suzanne uses a Raid bug spray store shelf to display her pumpkin blow molds, paper party napkins and old monster books. “I nabbed that display shelf at a vintage craft fair a couple of years ago and knew exactly how I was going to use it,” she says.

AFS: How much do you usually pay per piece for these pieces?

Suzanne: For a costume box—no more than $10. If there’s a costume inside, maybe $15-20. For an empty candy bar box, it depends on how great the graphics are but no more than $20. In general, I try not to spend more than $25 on any one piece.

Dining room table with old Halloween cards and other items — Suzanne fills her dining room table with various Halloween paper party goods, including napkins, tablecloths, paper plates and paper drinking cups. “It’s so fun to find as they should have been tossed after a party,” she says. “There’s also my paper decoration collection depicting ‘witches.’ Who doesn’t love a good, cackling witch?”

Love Halloween? Check out these farmhouse-friendly DIY Halloween costumes! Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to get your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!