Innehållsförteckning för October 2025 från Kovels Antique Trader

Halloween traces its beginnings to the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win) over 2,000 years ago, a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be thin, and people wore costumes to disguise themselves in order to ward off roaming spirits. As a symbol of unity, purification, and protection against spirits, families extinguished their hearth fires and relit them from a communal bonfire. Celts also left food and treats outside their homes both for their ancestors and to appease troublesome spirits—an early predecessor to modern trick-or-treating. Over time, people began dressing as spirits to collect these offerings themselves. Scrying Scrying is an ancient form of divination that involves gazing into a reflective or translucent surface—such as a mirror, crystal ball, water, fire, or even smoke—to…

People’s fascination with the odd and mysterious found a thriving home in the carnival and circus sideshows of the 19th and 20th centuries. One hugely successful and strategic way to entice paying customers to step inside the sideshow tents and be amazed and shocked at the strange wonders within was through colorful hand-painted banners with usually garish artwork that advertised those sideshows. Considered a vanishing art form today, these banners are highly collectible and eagerly sought after. Freedom Auction Company invited collectors to step right up and see the 40-plus original hand-painted sideshow banners from the mid-century were offered during its Sideshow, Oddities, Wild West, Carnival, Allied Arts, Barnum auction on June 21. The best-selling sideshow piece was a Barnum & Bailey—Greatest Show on Earth two-sheet poster from 1900 that…

Vampires, werewolves, and other monsters are no sweat for me. But an antique doll with tiny teeth (teeth?!) and icy blue eyes that puncture your soul? Nightmare fuel. I’ve heard too many eerie stories involving old dolls and now they creep me out. I don’t believe in the boogeyman, but a haunted doll? Yes. I avoided them for decades, until a book I edited in 2011, Creepy-Ass Dolls, forced me into their unnerving world. Designed in a yearbook format, the book features portraits of dolls with made-up names and their creepy life quotes and activities. I had to search through hundreds of antique and vintage dolls and pick the ones that looked most likely to succumb to their dark impulses. I chose mostly porcelain dolls from the 19th century because…

By the time October settles over the Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow doesn’t have to announce itself. The name alone does the heavy lifting. Folks come expecting to be spooked and entertained. What they don’t expect is how much of that comes in the daylight, long before the lanterns flicker and the cemetery gates creak open. Start in Tarrytown. It’s the next village over, close enough that locals speak of the two interchangeably. The morning belongs here, where the antique shops line Broadway and the pace still favors walkers. The sidewalk carries you past bakeries, bookstores, and storefronts that haven’t changed their trim in a few decades. Some shops open early, some not at all on weekdays. It’s best to come with a loose agenda. Let the shop windows guide you.…

While much of the country is pulling on cozy sweaters and admiring the first signs of fall foliage, here in Texas, we’re still baking like a Halloween pumpkin cheesecake. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, Texans can expect “hot and hotter” from August through October. Yee haw. In my neck of the woods, the only signs that fall has arrived are the return of pumpkin-spiced everything to the Starbucks menu, the sudden transformation of the seasonal aisle at Walmart into a haunted plastic playground, and the annual reappearance of Spirit Halloween, which swoops in like a witch on a broom and takes over the biggest vacant building in town. Still, Halloween has always managed to cast its spell, regardless of the weather. When I was a kid, the buildup to the…

When it comes to old-school horror icons, few stand above the Universal Monsters. These legendary creatures, including Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Mummy, the Phantom of the Opera, and the Wolf Man, have captivated (and frightened) audiences for over a century. Appearing in comic books, movies, novels, and even theme park attractions, Universal Monsters have carved a lasting legacy in pop culture, and the memorabilia featuring them can be found in collections worldwide. On July 30 and 31, Hake’s Auctions offered many collectibles from the Universal Monsters franchise, along with other horror memorabilia, including Americana, comics, entertainment, pop culture, and sports items. The top horror-themed lot was a 1966 Topps Frankenstein 44-sticker set with wrapper, featuring many Universal monsters and artwork by legendary illustrator and card artist Norman Saunders, that sold…

Most horror movie buffs can’t see a chainsaw without thinking of Leatherface wielding one in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, watch a hockey game without thinking of Jason Vorhees’ iconic hockey mask from the Friday the 13th movies, or find a stack of old VHS tapes without wondering if one is cursed like in The Ring. That’s how ingrained horror movie props can become in pop culture and our minds. Many have become iconic and instantly recognizable symbols of terror, like the evil Chucky doll from Child’s Play and Freddy Krueger’s claw-like glove from Nightmare on Elm Street. Whether it’s a costume, weapon, or small set piece, collecting horror props is a dynamic and growing hobby. It is popular with fans who want to own a piece to relive the visceral…

South of Mexico City, on a small floating garden known as a chinampa, is a terrifying scene visitors will remember in their nightmares. Thousands of dolls hang on trees as the only occupants of what is known as the La Isla de las Muñecas. Decaying in the hot sun, these once adorable objects have now become mutants with bubbly skin, dismembered limbs, and dirt smeared all over their small, baby-like bodies. Although these are ghastly sights to say the least, tourists from all over the world flock to the small island to get a look at these scary dolls. Why would people want to see such a fearsome sight when, for centuries, dolls have been one of humanity’s favorite toys? Dolls are more than just playthings; they are mirrors that…

To list your antiques-related event (show, auction, convention, etc.) for free in Kovels Antique Trader, and on our website, antiquetrader.com, email event information (date, location, contact information, times) at least six weeks in advance to: ATNews@aimmedia.com. Listings will be included on a space-available basis. Kovels Antique Trader assumes no responsibility for any show not listed in our print editions, but it will be listed in our online calendar. CALIFORNIA Every first Sunday of the month, Alameda. Alameda Point Antiques Faire, 3900 Maine St., Alameda, CA. The Alameda Point Antiques Faire is the largest antiques show in Northern California, boasting 800 dealer booths. All items are 20 years old or older. For more info, visit alamedapointantiquesfaire.com. Every second Sunday of the month, Pasadena. World’s largest flea market at the Rose Bowl,…