Devil - Tip-Top Bread Company Halloween Promotional Mask (1948) - Australia

This menacing devil mask was issued in 1948 by the Tip-Top Bread Company of Australia as part of their Halloween promotional campaign. Printed in bold black-and-red lithography, it features pointed horns, sharp fangs, and fiery eyes—capturing the classic “trick-or-treat” imagery of the late 1940s.

Tip-Top, one of Australia’s leading bread producers, cleverly tied its product to seasonal events like Halloween, distributing these masks directly in grocery stores and bakeries. For children in postwar Australia, Halloween was still a relatively new imported tradition, making these giveaways both exotic and exciting. Most masks were worn briefly and discarded, making surviving examples like this highly collectible today.

Historical Significance:

Issued in 1948, directly tied to Tip-Top’s holiday advertising campaigns.

A rare Australian Halloween premium—distinct from American cereal or grocery store masks of the same era.

Features bold, graphic artwork reflecting both Halloween’s spookiness and the playfulness of mid-century design.

Details:

Date: 1948
Maker: Tip-Top Bread Company (Australia)
Promotion: Halloween grocery giveaway
Size: approx. 7 ½" x 9"
Medium: Lithographed paperboard