#13: The Fates for Summer 2025

Arriving for Summer 2025 there is a new Bindlegrim Halloween 12-side collapsible  German-style lantern (#13 - The Fates) seen most recently on @Bindlegrim (IG). This one will have an edition of seven - and unusually combines both lighting with a fortune game.

The lantern continues the Bindlegrim limited-edition series of industrial-method panels made of sturdy 2-ply museum board that reveals laser-print vellum panes - made in mind of no-heat LED lights or small battery candles.As for the fortunes there are six pre-told visions that slip into the bottom panes. These fortunes were penned by Bindlegrim under divine inspiration from The Fates - so he takes no responsibility for their snarky witchery!

Bindlegrim 2025 vintage-style Halloween - The Fates (top).

Bindlegrim 2025 vintage-style Halloween - The Fates (bottom).

By the way, about the imagery... while two of the faces were directly inspired by Gibson Art Co. (and givewn some artistic embellishments by Bindlegrim) Halloween collectors will notice six different expressions. Bindlegrim expanded upon her apparent acting repertoire to include the basic human expressions which some theorize to include anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. (The original Gibson witch seems to have felt happiness and disgust).

Lantern detail: witch expressions of disgust and fear.

Lantern detail: witch expressions of happiness and surprise.

Lantern detail: witch expressions of sadness and anger.

Bindlegrim lantern 2025 - #13 The Fates w/fortunes.

Bindlegrim is producing these right now - clearing up a few snags along the way - but expects these arriving soon for sale on the Bindlegrim etsy shop, likely along with some older Bindlegrim from the past which may be in stock still. Some of the older designs are seen on this blog and @bindlegrim on Instagram.

Working on label design for The Fates by Bindlegrim.

By the way, have you been keeping up with Bindlegrim these past couple of year? Bindlegrim recently created for THR some industrial style vintage products (below) based on 1940's faux stained glass window products. The new items are true to the general feel of vintage pieces, but cannot be mistaken as such (as with other Bindlegrim productions) due to a deliberate difference in size, imagery, color, and production.  Much like the lantern (above) the windows are made of 2-ply museum board but with in this case use colored tissue paper. For more images see THR's website or THR's online book shop (or even via Instagram @halloweenretrospecs), but note Bindledgrim is not selling these - they are free with a copy of THR's newest edition of research from its archive library publications on Etsy. 

Dual-side faux stained glass paper window (2 shown) for THR.

THR, V4 featuring an homage window by Bindlegrim

The Halloween Retrospect Vol 1,2,3,4 & Halloween Artifacxts.

Well, to close this blog entry, Bindlegrim notes this vintage-style artist has had the pleasure of being involved with Volume 1 and Volume 4 digests above, but is happy to return once again creating vintage-style decorations that bring olde Halloween to modern times. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Bumble Bindlegrim (@bindlegrim)

Halloween Stained Glass Window

 

Bindlegrim is very excited to be back exploring the warm glow of autumn light... with a special Halloween Window created as a one-time insert included only as a freebie with each copy of the new vintage Halloween collectibles guide The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4. To start then, let's just begin this blog entry with various arty views of the windows, at times together with the book set as described via THR's etsy bookstore or recent blog entry "Vol 4 Halloween Retrospect."

Dual-side faux stained glass paper window (2 shown) for THR.

Not to scale: window shown (right) with book trio inset (left).

Faux stained glass windows assembled by hand are limited.

Detail of matte color tissue paper that creates a warm glow.

Following is a description for these windows --- importantly noting once again that they are not-for-sale on their own, but only included as a free insert with copies of the March 2025 vintage Halloween collectibles guidebook series The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4. (Etsy link here).

To begin, Bindlegrim designs are inspired by research pursued by THR that proves the originals to be vintage 1940's products created by Milton Bradley. Those originals hail from a time that included well-known art contributors (such as Louise D. Tessin) when the company is regularly involved in education (not only entertainment) and regularly publishing a magazine for educators called American Childhood. (Internet Archive link here). And while the new items are true to the general feel of vintage pieces, the modern Halloween Window cannot be mistaken as such, because Bindlegrim's version is deliberately different in size, imagery, color, and production method (and collages the four characters into one space). 

As for construction, the Bindlegrim versions are made of a thick 2-ply museum board frame which has been laser cut by the artist yet hand-assembled in the final steps. Still, the result is a doubled-sided decoration with colored tissue paper inside (very old school) which by result means either side is equally presentable as front or perhaps simultaneously from both sides at once. The tissue paper glows with a brilliant color while the framework remains strong and steady.

But again, this is part of a set (shown below) and Bindledgrim is not selling these - they are free with a copy of THR's newest edition of research from its archive library publications.

THR, V4 is shown here with book, crossword, and decoration.

A little bit about vintage Halloween collectibles guides are in order here, particularly the newest book that releases March 2025 by THR. If you are not familiar with THR publications - basically the archive library publishes research that utilizes many hundreds of primary sources from its collection - to better understand the history of ye olde holiday market. So far there have been four research digests and one art survey book (with more planned in future). The newest of these digests is The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 with book cover shown below (see THR's website or THR's online book shop).   

Cover art for The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4 by THR publications.

While many preview images of the book are available THR's website or THR's online book shop (or even via Instagram @halloweenretrospecs) here are a few to make sure this blog entry is complete...  

Page preview of The Halloween Retrospect, Volume 4.

The Halloween Retrospect, V4 book, puzzle & decor.

THR, V4 featuring an homage window by Bindlegrim

Well, to close this blog entry, Bindlegrim might advise that while this vintage-style artist has had the pleasure of being involved with Volume 1 and Volume 4 digests... THR since it's first release in June 2023 has five books now full of data or images about vintage Halloween collectibles of the past. They are great references for seasoned or new collectors of the hobby.... and here is an up-to-date image of those that the bookstore currently offers:

The Halloween Retrospect Vol 1,2,3,4 & Halloween Artifacxts.

Hope you enjoy and if you do, perhaps Bindlegrim will continue to explore such Halloween lighting projects in future!?!?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Archive Librarian (@halloweenretrospecs)

Bindlegrim's 5th Hallowe'en Anniversay Box Set

The 2016 Bindlegrim Summer Sale is still active into early Autumn with 25% off items on Bindlegoods, and a big thank-you to those cool ghouls following on facebook and/or twitter who participated in the two auctions that closed tonight (shown below).

Bats & Mice (left) with Spooksville Road (right) - auctions complete.

The final 2015 auction offers a pandora's box of past Bindlegrim work. It's a 5th Hallowe'en Anniversary (one-of-a-kind) Box Set with transparency logo, and filled with a selection of items from the past 5+ years (some pre-Bindlegrim) with at least one Artist Proof lantern never previously available.

Update Sept 5, 2016 (tentative content list at bottom of this post):

Tentative content list as of Sept 5, 2016:

Spook Box (2016) Content List Envelope (with card and Boo! transparency print)

The Pumpkin Dream, signed copy (orig. 2011) 

Untitled artist proof #2/3 box lantern, signed - (2011)

The Cornish Litany, carnivorous tree, signed postcard #14/25 (2011)

The Cornish Litany, chamber spooks, signed postcard #14/25 (2011)

The Cornish Litany, keyhole set of 12 postcards (2012)

Spooklights, Pendant Lamp Shade #1 (2014)

Spooklights, Candlestick Lamp Base, #1 (2014)

Spooklights, Candlestick Lamp Base, #2 (2014)

Spooklights Creature Votive (2014)

Beasties, candy basket version (2015)

Beasties, set  of 4 postcards (2015)

Dodeca lantern #10  Bats & Mice , signed limited edition (2015)

Dodeca lantern #11 Spooksville Road, signed limited edition (2015)

Additional Oddities:

Halloween Trunk Show 8, 9, & 10 postcards (2013-15)

Hallowe’en set of 9 greeting cards with 1 place holder, 1 place holder alternate (2004)

Final Farewells - 3rd Annual Studio Purge

Bindlegrim has purged a few remaining Halloween items from the studio - some vintage-style candy containers and Hallowe'en lanterns from the 2013 and 2014 seasons. A recent tradition during these last two summers, this would be the third albeit mini Summer Sale - via jumpkinpunkins on ebay. And here's a small review of the items listed:

The following three listings from this sale, are all the last of their limited-edition series. Auction bidding ends August 9th, 2015. (Note - all sets include the addition of four Hallowe'en postcards released in 2014). 

1. Vintage-Style Halloween CREEPS #4/5 Set 6 Artist Signed Candy-Container Lanterns (click here to visit ebay listing).

This listing is for the last packaged set of six vintage-style candy-container-lanterns from  #4/5 Creeps (Shadow Edition) mechanically diecut, signed and sealed during the production. The candy-container design features classic slot-and-tabs to create an open-top box that holds treats, and doubles in function as a lantern with translucent eyes, nose, and mouths.

Each character is also signed and hand-numbered on inside base - for example: "Creeps (Shadow Edition)" #1 (1-6 for the characters), #4/5 (edition with the artist's Halloween signature), 2013 Bindlegrim.  More photos (the artist's creation process and final production shots) as well as various video is available on flickr: the Creeps album.

2. Vintage-style Halloween lantern Traditional Grim 6/6 last signed limited-edition (click here to visit ebay listing).

#10 Traditional Grim #6/6 (last one) comes from a series of 12-sided lanterns - this one was created especially for sale to attendees at the Halloween Trunk Show #9 (2014).  The imagery was a return to traditional orange and black and is a hybrid of two previous lanterns. (The pumpkin vines from "The Pumpkin Patch" and shrunken-head style pumpkin faces from "The Horrid Decor"). It was briefly displayed during the show (with a postcard stating it's history before being sealed in its package). 

Because I missed getting any studio shots during the craziness of preparing for the show, I wanted to share this awesome photo by Johanna Parker who to my wonderful surprise, included one from this edition in her home decor for the season! (PS - the bat hook is also by Bindlegrim available on the Bindlegoods store). 

Some item details --- when flat the lantern measures about 12" by 12" side to side. The frame is made from 2-ply acid-free museum board. The vellum imagery is laser-printed for durability. Advised best lighting with an LED or low 3 watt white light for best color range (anything hotter is not advised, nor is exposure to the elements). Every process was Made in the USA and hand-assembled by the artist. The main packages is hand-numbered. The lantern inside is signed and numbered "Traditional Grim" #6/6 (edition with the artist's Halloween signature), 2014 Bindlegrim.

3. Vintage-style Halloween lantern Harvest Moon 4/6 last signed limited-edition (click here to visit ebay listing).

#9 Harvest Moon #4/6 was also created especially for sale to attendees at the Halloween Trunk Show #9 (2014).  The imagery was inspired by early century pumpkin faces, and is heavily detailed compared to early 2012 silhouette lanterns when the 12-sided series first began.

In the same madness, I didn't get any studio shots, but collectors were very kind to send in images of their acquired lanterns - and this colorful photo is a definite favorite with the beautiful autumn colors contrasting the lantern panes!

Similar construction information applies to this lantern. Note that this lantern was produced and sealed at the time it was created. The last one for this listing was never displayed.

Thank you again for ogling the goods - and in the next month hoping to have some new standard products available on the Bindlegoods store. Please remember that the artist does take a break from this one-spook operation near the end of October (pre-Halloween) so early ordering is recommended.

Bat Wall-Hook Decor

Just added to the Bindegoods online store, this wall hook offers a chance to display vintage and/or vintage-style lanterns. Bat offers to carry your decor with either its feet or in its mouth... (and itself holds a candle behind the rear spirals).