The Crimson Ghost Mask Room (my collection)

[Crimson Ghost]

Amazing collection!! And wonderful display, too.

Now I must ask a question... You have one mask in there that I have been looking for, and have not seen, in over 25 years.

I'm talking about the brown zombie with the bright green web of slime over his left eye.
You can just barely see him in a few of these photos. The best look at him, is in your seventh photo down, on the shelf directly to the left of the Tor Johnson and Fly Head masks.

I first saw that green slime zombie in a costume shop when I was a teenager in the 1980's. And it was love at first sight. I wanted to own it so badly! But a high-end mask like that, in those days, was usually priced at $70.00 minimum, which seemed insanely expensive to me back then! I was only a kid, and my only income was my lawn-mowing allowance!
I would stop and stare at that mask for a while, every time I visited that store. I seem to remember it sitting on display, unsold for a few years. ...And then suddenly it was just gone. That was the last time I laid eyes on it.

That face has haunted my imagination ever since. Over the years I have put green slime on many of the zombies I draw in my comic books and horror illustrations, just because of that mask.

It was an unexpected thrill to see it lurking, just off to the side, in your photos today. This also gives me hope that it might still be possible to track down a copy for myself.

I've got a fun little collection of Halloween masks but I am not deeply involved enough in the collector market, to know: Just how popular, or obscure, is that mask anyway? Is it easy to find these days?
I never knew the exact name of the mask or the company that manufactured it. Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated!

Bryan, the mask you are referring to is a Be Something Studios "Corpse". The mask came out in the late 70's. I've only seen a few copies surface in the past couple of years or so. It is possible to locate one but it will take time. I have a pretty extensive BSS collection and I know a lot of guys that collect them. I will see if one is available somewhere, they should be in the $50-$80 range. Mine was a NOS copy so I paid a little more then that I think. I love BSS masks! they were a big part of my childhood! growing up in the a South Chicago suburbs those masks were everywhere for Halloween.

[Crimson Ghost]

Here is the OLD catalog shot from 76/77, it's slightly different then the later production masks.

[Crimson Ghost]

My version that came out a few years later

[Crimson Ghost]

Here is a quick look at the start of my room. My new house had a oddball shaped 24' x 12' room in the basement the previous owners built and it was perfect for what I had in mind for the masks. I paneled the whole room in faux red brick paneling from Lowes, then I painted the paneling to look like a castle or dungeon. I used to do a lot of haunted house painting and prop building, so I always wanted to incorporate that into my home some day. After the paneling was completed (which took forever!) my friend and I built custom shelves across the walls, the widest ones are 12' long. I then painted them to look like concrete. I then blacked out the ceiling and added a new type of vinyl flooring and LED track lights.

[BryanBaugh]

My version that came out a few years later

Thanks for the helpful info on the Corpse! Yes - the version shown in this smaller photo is the one I remember, and the one I prefer. If the original came out in the 70's then this must have been an updated 1980's version.

I am not surprised it was a Be Something Studios mask! I should have guessed.
I grew up in Ohio, not far from Chicago, so BSS masks were very common when I was a kid, too. Being so young at the time, I did not realize they were all made by the same company. All I knew back then, was that there were several amazing, expensive Halloween masks that I could stare at for hours... but never afford! I had to save up my allowance for weeks just to buy the cheaper Topstone knock-off versions! Haha.
It's only been in recent years that I've explored old Halloween masks on the internet, and learned that so many of the cool masks I admired in my youth were all made by BeSomethingStudios. But I have not seen this particular mask pop up anywhere.

I guess one of the nice things about being a grownup is, now we can finally afford this stuff!! Haha.
Speaking of which... I have a Corpse to go searching for...

Thanks again!
Your collection is incredible.

[The Batman]

Thank you kindly for showing your awesome collection.

Love the Lugosi mask - they even got his mouth correct.

FIRST time I saw a Spock mask.

A great display f some rare catches, indeed.

[mjaycox]

Oh my god, it's like watching the world's largest resin diorama being kitbashed. I can smell the fumes from here, lol. Thanks for the fascinating in progress shots. I would love to see more.

Matt

[Kidagain]

Rudy, did you ever finish the tiki bar and reef tank in the space?

                                                                     Jeff

[Most Horrible]

Crimson Ghost the room looks great! We have such talented folk here! Loved what you did to the faux brick!

-mh

[Bogey]

Unbelievable.

[Gory Glenn]

Once again, so good to see you here Rudy / Crimson Ghost and you already know how much I love your mask museum. I think you'll find the UMA boards rather lively for a bunch of guys (and gals) that like dead stuff.  I have a question for you regarding the Don Post re-issue Mummy masks, in particular the Mummy B. When I first started collecting masks I picked up a Mummy B that was nice but apparently was the victim of the dreaded "Mask Rust" which I was unaware of at the time. He was a mustard brown color and even though he was depicted like that on the box....



....I was informed by the mask collecting communities elder statesmen that the original color of the Mummy B was a bright crayon yellow as depicted in this photo of them in production at Don Post Studios.



Now that I've been doing this for a while I've never, ever seen one that was that color, ever. I recently picked up another copy. Here's a pic.



I'd say the majority of them that I've seen look like this but never any lighter, only darker. I'm assuming that either all the yellow copies turned this color with age or the color in that Don Post photo is off. Do you have any input on this? I'd love your take on it. Thanks!, and again welcome to the UMA!!

[Crimson Ghost]

All of the reissue masks were notorious for having the rust on them. I've never seen a mummy that vibrant and yellow looking ever. My guess is, that particular paint scheme faded or turned. I can ask some people I know that worked in the studio on them. In most cases, colors may look one way in a photograph (like that yellow look) but actually looked a lot different in person. Certain colors never seem to photograph right when I shoot masks. I almost bet that they weren't super yellow in person. I can't remember how they looked back then to be honest.

[Crimson Ghost]

This is a mask I've been after for some. I was able to get my hands on a very rare blank from the original 70's Don Post Deluxe Cousin Eerie mold. The mask is as rare as hens teeth. I had a great picture of the 1972 DP catalog Eerie, so I sent my blank to Rob Tharp in California to replicate that old look. Rob was the guy painting them back when the photo was taken! Not only did he do a excellent job painting it, but he actually had the old original hair material that was used on the Eerie mask by the studio. That was the icing on the cake! I then had Dante Renta foam fill the piece and he is finally home now sitting next to Uncle Creepy.

[Rezman]

That's amazing! I've been collecting since 2002, and it has always been said that the Deluxe Eerie mold was destroyed long ago, this from veteran Post employees and others close to the company. 

If that was a casting made many, many years ago, it looks great!  Whatever the story, it's a great piece.

[raycastile]

Wow, I wouldn't have guessed that the room itself was such a DIY project. I figured it was a pre-existing room that you just dressed up a bit. Very nice work. It makes sense that you were once in the haunt business. I can see it reflected in the room.