Guid Luck tae ye this Hallowe'en

October 25, 2023 2:45 PM

The venerable Public Domain Review [PREVIOUSLY] is highlighting Hallowe'en Postcards, 1900-1920. Just don't stare too hard at "Mister Toad Turned Into A Pumpkin"!
posted by not_on_display (11 comments total)

IS THIS YOUR PUSSY
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 2:58 PM on October 25, 2023 [13 favorites]

Despite my age, I am actually 12 years old.
posted by joseph_elmhurst at 2:59 PM on October 25, 2023 [7 favorites]

I wonder about these pumpkin? creatures?
posted by doctornemo at 3:32 PM on October 25, 2023 [1 favorite]

I clicked through the main link first and thought most of these are cool, weird, and/or interesting to the point someone could probably write at least a master's thesis or two on the themes. But only one really seemed like nightmare fuel. That was, of course, the one called out in the post. Bravo, not_on_display.
posted by mollweide at 4:21 PM on October 25, 2023 [2 favorites]

In a strange bit of synchronicity, today's dinosaur comics https://qwantz.com/ is about the invention of the airplane in 1903 and the fact that most of the airplanes built in the next few years were made by amateurs, not professionals.

https://the-public-domain-review.imgix.net/collections/halloween-postcards/halloween-card-56.jpg?w=600&h=1200 suggests a witch has replaced her broom with a very new technology!
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 6:16 PM on October 25, 2023

Also, https://the-public-domain-review.imgix.net/collections/halloween-postcards/halloween-card-40.jpg?w=600&h=1200 has incredible 80s horror trash creepshow energy
posted by I paid money to offer this... insight? at 7:29 PM on October 25, 2023

This is magnificent. I love that I can see some of the inspirations for Beistle Halloween decorations that started showigng up in, I believe, the '30s.

I am especially intrigued by the clearly real people in costume reading "Heaven and How to Get There", and the caption, which asks the question that gnaws at us all late at night:

IS THERE A HEAVEN FOR PUMPKINHEADS?
posted by heteronym at 7:57 PM on October 25, 2023

(Reminder: urls on Metafilter don’t automatically become links. You have to use the “Link” button on the right side of the little strip of formatting buttons below the text box where you are typing your comment.)
posted by eviemath at 8:31 PM on October 25, 2023

It was interesting to me how many of these had to do with scrying in a mirror to see one's supposed future husband, with humorous results.
posted by DrMew at 9:17 PM on October 25, 2023

Keep Halloween Spooky!

(I'm a Grognard who doesn't like all the funny/sexy/ironic costumes the kids today wear... Halloween is about scary shit and always should be)
posted by SoberHighland at 4:30 AM on October 26, 2023 [1 favorite]

This image seems incredibly reminiscent of Pottsfield from episode 2 of Over the Garden Wall. Like... They must have been inspired by this specific postcard, right? It seems way too similar to be a coincidence!

We Hope To Meet You There
posted by ThisIsAThrowaway at 2:47 PM on October 26, 2023 [1 favorite]