Postcard was gift of Fielding Schofield to New England Historical Society, May 1, 1925
Excerpted from an article by the New England Historical Society
“Many of the objects from the early history of Halloween celebrations in the U.S. relate directly to women and the home. As Halloween evolved into a popular holiday around the turn of the twentieth century, parties were often held at home and an increasing variety of decorations, postcards, and other items became commercially available for the Halloween season.
“Women and children feature prominently in the imagery of early Halloween postcards. The postcard above, in Historic New England’s collection, was created by American artist Ellen H. Clapsaddle. Clapsaddle was a successful commercial artist and designed many Halloween and other holiday postcards in the early twentieth century. The International Art Publishing Company manufactured this postcard around 1912….’’
1926 postcard in Historic New England collection
“Since witchcraft was historically a crime associated with women and the home, it is interesting to consider that long after the threat of witch trials {in Salem, etc.} disappeared from New England, women were still closely connected to a holiday that celebrates witches and magic.’’