Tips and Tricks for Collecting Vintage Halloween Masks

Vintage Halloween masks are highly collectible and hard to find. If you are lucky enough to score some, you need to make sure they are front and center in your holiday decor. Not only are they sometimes elusive, they can also be a bit tricky to display creatively. No problem, we’ve got tips and tricks on everything from where to find them, how to display them and what to do with them the rest of the year.

The obvious places to look for Halloween masks are antique shops and flea markets, but the right time of year can be key. Antique dealers tend to rotate their stock, so if they have vintage costumes for sale, they may not add them to their booth until the fall. If you are lucky enough to find one in the off-season, you might be able to negotiate a better price. Online auctions are also a great alternative, and in recent years, Instagram has become a hot spot for vintage mask resellers. Search for obvious terms like “vintage Halloween masks,” but also use the brand names Ben Cooper and Collegeville for even more results.

Finding vintage Halloween masks can be tricky for several reasons. For starters, in the past, companies did not make as much stuff for Halloween as they did for more commercial holidays like Christmas. Secondly, masks were basically fragile children’s toys. Many of them did not survive Halloween, let alone 60-some-odd years in an attic. Those two factors make vintage masks hard to find and expensive, especially ones with their original boxes.

Vintage masks are made of a rigid plastic that is molded to shape a child’s face. That being said, they can be tricky to display against a flat surface like a wall. A bushy wreath is the perfect alternative. Most times, you can just nestle the masks into the branches, and they will stay put. If not, don't be afraid to poke a branch through an eye or mouth hole to hold the mask in place.

For the same reasons that a wreath is a great mask display option, so is a Halloween tree. Again, the fluffy branches make it easy to showcase a mask collection. Placing a mask between two branches is often all that's needed for support. You can always use the branch-through-an-eye-hole trick for a more secure placement. Plus, the masks make great "ornaments" for your tree.

If you like the look of a banner display, don’t poke holes in these expensive masks. Instead, use decorative clothespins to attach them to something like a felt Halloween banner. Also, why should masks have all the fun? Consider expanding your Halloween costume collection to include other fun items that can also be displayed on a bunting, like Halloween makeup, glasses and mustaches.

Hanging masks can be tricky. Often, the elastic that originally held the masks on a child’s head is missing or has badly degraded. Clear, elastic jewelry cord is the perfect option. String the cord through the eye holes and knot it in the back. Your masks are now ready to hang. If you have a starburst mirror, these work great as a mask display using the plastic cording trick.

The good news is, masks do not need to be stored in a climate-controlled environment. They have survived this long in someone’s attic or basement, they will be fine in yours, too. Store the masks in a hard-sided container like a clear storage bin, because the masks are fragile and easily crushed. Boxed masks will stack up nicely, and several loose masks in one bin without wrapping of any kind works fine.

Make a statement with a fireplace mantel full of masks. Using a large canvas as the substrate for this project, attach masks in their original boxes using double-sided removable tape. However, when you are finished with the project, be careful removing the tape. There's nothing worse than accidentally stacking your boxes of masks only to realize there was tape on the back of one that has now made a tear in the front side of another.

For many collectors, the most coveted masks are the ones that come with their original boxes. The packaging is often every bit as fun and festive as what’s inside. The mask boxes almost always have a cellophane-covered spot in the front for the mask to peek through. With the right shelves, masks in boxes make the perfect spooky shelfie.

Once you have amassed a large collection of vintage Halloween masks, you may start to notice that certain themes such as clowns and devils pop up again and again. It is likely they were the most popular and least expensive options at the time. Licensed characters can increase mask prices, but generic options are always more readily available in different styles. Take advantage of this and think about creating a Halloween tree or vignette in the theme of one of the masks you have several of. Nothing is more horrifying than a creepy carnival full of clowns!

For an avid collector, the boxes are like the cherry on top. The boxes typically not only have fabulous vintage Halloween designs, they also list the brand names. Collegeville and Ben Cooper are the two most common brands. Even empty mask boxes are worth picking up if you do nothing else than lay them on their sides in a bookcase. Remember, you can also add your own mask from the collection to an empty box for a different display option.

Remember, these masks are antiques and should be treated accordingly. The bright colors and designs will attract small children, so consider a display option out of reach from tiny hands. Not only are they fragile, they can also be quite expensive, especially ones that are still in their original box or are licensed characters — both things to consider before you let children play with your Halloween masks.

What to do with those actual costumes that came with the mask? Many times, masks still in the box also come with the full costume. These can be a bit trickier to display since they are larger and often not as engaging as the masks. What the trick-or-treater wore on their body was second place to the mask design. However, if you are lucky enough to own a mannequin or a dress form, they make for a great costume display.

Chances are these vintage Halloween masks will be dirty when you find them. After all, they were handled by grubby candy-covered hands at one point in time. To revitalize those day-glow colors, clean masks gently. Set boxes aside and use mild dish soap and water to clean. Test on an inconspicuous spot first. Harsher cleaners may dull the finish or take off the paint. After an initial clean, an annual dusting works fine.

Another great use for empty mask boxes is as a photo frame. The cellophane-covered hole front and center is perfect for a picture peeking out. Use an actual vintage mask box or scan and print one to use as matting in a picture frame.