Bradford takes orders for illuminated ornaments
The Bradford Exchange, a company best known for its collector plates, is taking orders for a set of three ornaments inspired by the first Christmas episode of "The Simpsons." Further sets could follow every other month, the company says.

The company has also begun taking online subscription orders for its new Simpsons Illuminated Christmas Ornaments. The price is $29.97 plus shipping for the first set of three, plus a $6.99 one-time charge for a storage case. A new set is shipped about every two months. Visit our associate's link to CollectiblesToday.com for ordering details.

In a letter to customers dated Dec. 14, Bradford apologized that its first set of Simpsons holiday oranments have been delayed and probably won't arrive for another "3-6 weeks," which puts delivery sometime in January. The company blames the September terrorist attacks for delaying shipments to its distribution centers, "which in turn means we have been delayed in getting products to you."

Fat, but not jolly Homer and Bart Christmas ornament, part of a set from Bradford Exchange. See enlarged photo. An ornament subscription is available at CollectiblesToday.com (ADV.)

A coupon insert in many Sunday newspapers across the United States on Oct. 14 featured a half-page advertisement for The Simpsons Illuminated Christmas Ornament Collection. See scan of advertisement.

According to the advertising copy, the first set offers "classic moments" from the 1989 episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." One ornament entitled "Cat-astrophe" shows Snowball II peering out from the inside of the tree as Homer and Bart are decorating it. The second, "Santa's Little Helper," depicts Bart, Lisa and the family dog next to the tree. The third and -- in our opinion -- the best is "Ho Ho Homer," which shows an angry Homer dressed as Santa while Bart sits on his lap tugging down his beard.

Each ornament is about 3-3/8 inches high and features a golden hanging cord, as well as a "certificate of authenticity."

"Meticulously hand-crafted and hand-painted to capture the quirky personalities of each character, these heirloom-quality sculptural ornaments actually light up! To illuminate, simply insert a mini-bulb from your Christmas light strand," the advertisement says.

The figures are available only as a set for $29.97 plus $4.99 shipping and handling for the first three. Instead of using the newspaper advertisement, Simpsons collector Rich Carlson tells us he placed his order by calling Bradford's toll-free number, 1-877-268-6638.

"You need the item #49279 and the code from the coupon -- H27101 -- to complete the order. You don't need the ad to place the order. They were easy to work with," Rich says. He also learned that the ornaments are scheduled to begin shipping by late November, with further three-ornament sets planned about every other month for a total of eight sets.

The advertisement states these are limited editions with 120 "casting days." Because of that, The Exchange says, buyers should order promptly in case demand exceeds supply. Bradford doesn't say how many Simpsons ornaments it plans to make, but it does seem it could produce a whole lot in four months of "casting."

New Simpsons boxed Valentines R EZ 2 Luv
We recently spotted new Simpsons Valentine's Day boxed cards at Kmart department stores in the U.S. They are priced at 99 cents for a box of 32.

Distributed by Paper Magic Group, the box includes 32 "fold and seal" cards with heart-shaped stickers to seal them. There are eight designs with numerous characters, including Bart ("I didn't do it"), Ralph Wiggum ("I picked this one myself!), Nelson ("Smell ya later, Valentine") and Milhouse ("It's Valentine's Day everywhere but my heart").

Arte Cielo produces set of 9 Simpsons ornaments
A new set of nine Simpsons Christmas ornaments from Arte Cielo arrived this fall in U.S. stores. They include Chief Wiggum, Barney the drunk and Moe the bartender, three Springfield characters never before depicted in a Simpsons ornament.

The design on the front of the box shows Bart with angel wings saying, "Trust me, I'd never lie to you." A blue circle next him says, "All cards guaranteed to be free of all lame, mushy Valentine stuff." On the bottom of the box it adds, "Non-lame guarantee void in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Springfield." Here's a photo of the box with the contents.

Angel Bart Angel Bart Simpson ornament, one of nine in a set from Arte Cielo.

Each plastic figure stands about 3 inches and has a loop on top for hanging. They come packaged in a display box with a clear-plastic front.

Among the places spotted selling the ornaments are Ames, Walgreens and Media Land stores, including Media Play and Suncoast. Ames and Walgreens are selling the ornaments for about $5 each, while Media Land stores is asking $8.

The nine ornaments we found are:

• An Angel Bart showing him with wings while riding a cloud.
• A Santa Bart dress in a red suit and ringing a bell.
• Homer and Marge dancing romantically.
• Homer, arms apart, screaming.
• A sleepy Marge holding a sleepy baby Maggie.
• Barney holding a mug of beer.
• Moe standing with arms folded.
• Chief Wiggum holding a cup of coffee and a donut.
• Ralph Wiggum eating from a pot of paste.

Wanna be like Lisa? A Lisa mask peers out from the original display box for this Halloween costume, which includes a waist-length garment.

The first dollar amount listed with each item is an approximate value in mint condition without packaging. The second figure is the value of the item in mint condition with near-mint original packaging, if such packaging exists. Our Site Explained page offers more details on how we determine values.

Please note that items in the Value Guide are NOT for sale from this Web site. If you're interested in buying Simpsons merchandise, visit our Q&A page for possible sources.

Halloween
Longtime costume-maker Ben Cooper created most of the Simpsons costumes and rubber masks we've scared up.

• Costume, Bart reading book, 1989. Ben Cooper. Fabric costume, with plastic Bart mask and an orange-blue polyester-nylon full-body garment. Design on garment shows Bart resting on a pillow, sipping a straw and reading a book. Various sizes. It comes in a generic box from Ben Cooper with a stamped description on side indicating type of costume and size. Boxed. $10-$20.
• Costume, Bart on skateboard, 1989. Ben Cooper. Fabric costume, with plastic Bart mask and orange-and-blue polyester-nylon full-body garment. Design on garment shows Bart on skateboard. Boxed. $10-$20.
• Costume, Bart holding bag, 1989. Ben Cooper. Fabric costume, with plastic Bart mask and light blue polyester-nylon full-body garment. Design on garment shows a masked Bart holding a bag and looking mischievous as he says, "Trick or treat, man!" Boxed. $10-$20.
• Costume, Bart with slingshot, 1990. Norben Products. Full-length vinyl costume with cardboard mask. Design on white, upper part of costume shows Bart aiming slingshot and saying, "You don't scare me, dude!" The bottom half is yellow. The costume can be held together with a string in the back. It originally sold with a flat cardboard mask of Bart. Canadian. Carded. $15-$25.
• Costume, Bartman, 2000. Disguise Inc. Soft, two-piece outfit with traditional blue shorts and orange shirt attached to a cape. Each costume comes with a hard-plastic "vacuform" mask. Available in at least three sizes: pre-teen, standard child's and toddler's. Bagged. $15-$20.
• Costume, Lisa alone, 1989. Ben Cooper. Fabric costume, with plastic Lisa mask and orange polyester-nylon waist-length garment. Design on garment shows Lisa standing and saying, "Oh, brother!" Boxed. $10-$20.
• Mask, vinyl, Bart, 1989. Ben Cooper. Yellow mask that fits around the head. The display tag reads, "For ages 8 to adult." Bagged. $30-$40.
• Mask, vinyl, Bart, 1999. Disguise. Yellow adult-size mask that fits around the head. The display tag reads: "Slight variations are a part of the process and help to make each of our masks a one-of-a-kind collectible." Tagged. $20-$25.
• Mask, plastic, Bart, 1989. Ben Cooper. Yellow mask covers front of the face where it's held in place by rubber band. Mask identical to ones sold with boxed costumes. No packaging. $5.
• Mask, vinyl, Homer. Copyright date and manufacturer unknown. Adult-size yellow mask that fits around the head. No packaging. $60. See photo.
• Mask, vinyl, Homer, 1999. Disguise. Yellow adult-size mask that fits around the head. The display tag reads, "Mmmm, masky." This sleepy-looking mask includes multiple eye holes and ear vents. Tagged. $25-$30.
• Mask, plastic, Homer, 1989. Ben Cooper. Yellow mask covers front of the face where it's held in plastic by rubber band. No packaging. $7.
• Mask, plastic, Lisa, 1989. Ben Cooper. Yellow mask covers front of the face, where it's held in place by rubber band. Mask identical to ones sold with boxed costumes. No packaging. $5.
• Mask, vinyl, Marge. Copyright date and manufacturer unknown. Adult-size yellow mask that fits around the head. No packaging. $60. See photo.
• Mask, plastic, Marge, 1989. Ben Cooper. Yellow and blue mask covers front of the face where it's held in place by rubber band. No packaging. $7.
• Poncho, Bart, "Boo, man!," 1991, Norben. A plastic poncho for a child to wear while trick or treating. The white-colored design shows a masked Bart holding two trick or treat bags and saying, "Boo, man!" Display tag shows Bart and Lisa in costume. Bagged. Canadian. $5 to $15.

Ornaments
The first Simpsons ornaments in the U.S. were sets of individually bagged 3-inch-high PVC figures riding candy canes. We discovered them in clear bags without any manufacturer or copyright date, yet the nice quality of them makes it likely they are licensed items. Since then, we've seen several sets of figures, including ones from Carlton Cards and Arte Cielo.

For listings of other Christmas-season items, see Household, Cards and Pin, stick, hang.

Carlton Cards Heirloom Collection
For more details on this and other Simpsons ornaments in this series, which began in 1998, go to our Carlton Cards ornaments page.

• Bart 1998. Called "Christmas Cowabunga!," this 3-1/2-inch hard-plastic figure of a grinning Bart wears a Santa cap and carries presents on his skateboard. Boxed. $7-$15.
• Homer, 1999. Called "D'oh! It's Christmas," this 4-inch hard-plastic figure of Home features a belly protruding from under his Santa shirt, his left hand ringing a bell, while his right grasps a can of Duff beer. Boxed. $10-16.
• Homer and Bart, 2000. Called "Look Out Below," the 3-inch-high hard-plastic figures depict Homer and Bart on a ski-lift, playfully tossing snowballs at objects below. Boxed. $10-$17.
• Homer and Marge, 2001. Called "The Simpsons Holiday Smooche," the 4-inch-high hard-plastic figures depict Homer and Marge in a dance-like pose under hanging mistletoe. Boxed. $10-$17.

• Angel Bart. Wearing wings while riding a cloud. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Santa Bart. Dressed in a red suit and ringing a bell. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Homer and Marge. The couple dance romantically. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Homer. Stands arms apart, screaming. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Marge and Maggie. Mom holds baby daughter, both with sleepy eyes. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Barney. Springfield's resident drunk holds a mug of beer. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Moe. The bartender stands with arms folded. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Chief Wiggum. Armed with a cup of coffee and a donut. Boxed. $2-$5.
• Ralph Wiggum. Munching on paste while holding a jar of it. Boxed. $2-$5.

• Two Barts on two candy canes. Bagged together. One holding on, one with his shirt snagged. $2-$6.
• Lisa on one candy cane. Bagged alone. $1-$5.
• Homer and Marge on two candy canes. Bagged together. $4-$10.
• Maggie and Bart on two candy canes. Bagged together. $4-$10.

Valentine's Day
For listings of more Valentine's items, see Cards.

• Boxed cards, 32-count, 1994. Cleo. Box with 32 Valentines with non-mailable envelopes. Includes teacher card and two bonus cards on back of box. Box shows Marge and Homer hugging, while Bart sticks his finger in his mouth as if gagging at the sight. $3-$10.
• Boxed cards, 32 count, 2001. Paper Magic Group. Box with 32 "fold and seal" cards with seals. Box shows Bart with angel wings saying, "Trust me, I'd never lie to you." A blue circle next him says, "All cards guaranteed to be free of all lame, mushy Valentine stuff." On the bottom of the box it adds, "Non-lame guarantee void in the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii and Springfield." $1-$2.
• Boxed cards, 38-count, 1994. Cleo. Box with 38 Valentines with non-mailable envelopes. Includes teacher card and 2 bonus cards on back of box. Box shows Bart as Cupid whacking Homer with his slingshot. $3-$10.
• Boxed cards, 34-count, 1998. Carlton Cards. Box contains 30 student cards, four teacher cards, and 34 non-mailable envelopes. Box features a slightly grinning Bart with hearts around him. (American Greetings produced a nearly identical box sold in Canada.) $2-$7.
• Boxed cards, 34-count, 1997 and 1999. American Greetings. Box contains 32 student cards, two teacher cards, and 34 non-mailable envelopes. Box features a slightly grinning Bart with hearts around him. $2-$7.
• Boxed cards, 32-count, 1995. Gibson Greetings. Box contains 32 Valentines with 35 non-mailable envelopes. Three "bonus cards" are printed on the back of the box. Box design shows a big heart with the Simpsons family members posing, including Bart who has his fingers stretching his mouth to make a face. Boxed. $5-$10.
• Stickers, 1994. Cleo. 4-sheet pack with nine stickers per sheet. Each features a Valentine scene with different Simpsons characters. Sealed. $2-$5.

Birthday parties, etc.
If you're looking for Homer and Marge wedding cake figures -- and we know you are -- we can't help you. We've never seen them, although from the number of letters we receive periodically from people desperate for them, there seems a booming market.

• Bags, "Happy Birthday," 1990. Party Creations. 8 party bags, with figures of Bart, Lisa and Maggie. $2-$5.
• Bags, Bart, Lisa and Maggie "Happy Birthday!" 1990. Chesapeake Products Company. 8 bags showing three Simpsons children, with Bart blowing on noise-maker. $2-$5.
• Bags, loot, "Happy Birthday, dude!" 1990. Partytime. Canadian. 12 party bags with figure of Bart. Packaging also says, "Bonne Fete, mon chum!" $2-$5.
• Blowouts, Bart, 1990. Partytime. Set of 6 party blowouts, each with design of Bart saying "Cowabunga!" Sealed. Canadian. $3-$7.
• Blowouts, Lisa chasing Bart, 1990. Chesapeake Products Company. Set of 8 party blowouts, each with design of Lisa chasing Bart holding cake. Sealed. $3-$7.
• Cake decoration, "Happy birthday," 1990. Wilton. 5-1/2 inch paper decoration used to top cakes. With images of Bart, Lisa and Maggie. $1-$4.
• Cake decorating kit, "Happy birthday," 1990. Wilton. Kit includes cake decoration (see above) and detailed instructions on how to use it. Sealed. $3-$7.
• Cake decoration kit, Bart playing air guitar, 1990. Manufacturer unknown. 2-3/4-inch-high PVC figure of Bart playing air guitar, along with tiny plastic pieces that say "Awesome dude" and "Radical." Bagged. $10-$20.
• Cake decoration kit, Bart on skateboard, 1990. Manufacturer unknown. 3-inch-high PVC figure of Bart on skateboard, along with tiny plastic pieces that say "Awesome dude" and "Radical." Bagged. $10-$20.
• Cake decoration kit, Bart on skateboard, 1998. DecoPac. Six-piece set features 2-1/2-inch-high plastic figure of Bart on skateboard, a 4-1/2-inch-long rail fence, three trees, and a packet of candy sprinkles. Finding these items in original, mint condition is extremely difficult because DecoPac only sells wholesale to bakeries. Bagged. $10-$20.
• Cake decoration kit, Homer watching TV, 1999. DecoPac. Three-piece set includes 3-1/4-inch-high plastic figure of Homer sitting in an arm chair with remote control in one hand, a foam "No. 1" hand in the other, and a red baseball cap on his head. There's also a 2-inch-high TV set with "The Simpsons" logo on the screen, and a packet of candy sprinkles. Finding these items in original, mint condition is extremely difficult because DecoPac only sells wholesale to bakeries. Bagged. $10-$20.
• Candle and cake decoration, family, 1990. Wilton. Set of five candles shaped like the Simpsons family members. Back reads: "For safety reasons, these candles are fitted with a short wick and will self-extinguish before burning completely." Carded. $3-$7.
• Candle and cake decoration, Maggie, 1st birthday, 1990. Wilton. 3-inch high candle showing Maggie hugging a No. 1. Carded. $2-$5.
• Cake pan, Bart, "Happy birthday, man!" 1990. Wilton 14-inch metal cake pan molded to look like Bart from waist up. "Pan takes any 2-layer cake mix. Suggested tips, colors and instructions on back of label." No packaging. $8.
• Cups, "Happy birthday," 1990. Partytime. Canadian. Six foam cups showing Homer on one side, Bart on the other. "Happy birthday" is written in English and French. $2-$5.
• Cups, Bart and Lisa, 1989. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Set of eight 9-oz, plastic-lined paper cups. Lisa is chasing Bart, who is fleeing with a piece of cake. She says, "Gimme that cake, Bart!" Sealed. $2-$5.
• Cups, "The Simpsons Party!" 1989. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Set of eight 9-oz, plastic-lined paper cups. The family is dancing in line. Sealed. $2-$5.
• Gift bag, Baby Bart, 1994. Gibson Greetings. 10-inch-high gift bag with tag. Design shows Bart as baby sitting in high chair tossing food with spoon. No packaging. $5.
• Gift wrap, 1-sheet party foods. Rainbow Star. Canada. From the early 1990s, this single sheet of folded wrapping paper is approximately 27.5-by-40 inches. Features Simpsons characters and party foods. Sealed. $3-$6.
• Gift wrap, 1-sheet family. Carlton Cards. Released in 1999, this single sheet of folded wrapping paper is approximately 2.5 feet by 1.1 yards. Yellow tinted design features Simpsons characters uttering sayings in red word balloons. Sealed. $2-$3.
• Gift wrap, rolled. Carlton Cards. Released in 1999, each roll measures 30-by-96 inches and is printed on heavy weight glossy paper. Each roll contains 20 square feet of surface area. Yellow tinted design features Simpsons characters uttering sayings in red word balloons. Sealed. $3-$5.
• Hats, family, 1990. Partytime. 6 cone-shaped paper party hats with elastic chin straps. Design shows Simpson family members in various poses, such as Marge holding cake and Lisa saying, "Phew...!" A mix of English and French sayings. Canadian. Bagged. $3-$5.
• Hats, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, 1990. Chesapeake Products Company. 8 cone-shaped paper party hats showing three Simpsons children, with Bart blowing on a party favor. Bagged. $3-$5.
• Invitations, "Cool party ...," Carlton Cards. Released in 1999, this pack offers 10 party invitations and a guest checklist. Front shows Lisa playing saxophone while Bart dances under a sign that reads: "It's gonna be a cool party ..." The inside of the invitation shows musical notes, and offers room for invitation instructions. Sealed. $2-$4.
• Invitations, "Party!" 1995. Gibson. Pack with 8 party invitations. Front shows head of Bart and hand-written sign: "Party! No dorks allowed." Inside the invitation it reads: "But I'll make an exception in your case," along with room for invitation instructions. Sealed. $2-$5.
• Invitations, "Party down!" Party Creations. Pack with 8 party invitations. Front shows Bart, Lisa and Maggie and "Party down!" Inside has room for invitation instructions. Sealed. $3-$7.
• Invitations, "It's a party!" Party Creations. Pack with 8 invitations. Front shows family dancing and Bart saying, "Be there or be square, man!" Inside has room for invitation instructions. Sealed. $3-$7.
• Napkins, beverage, "Party down, man!" 1989, Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Package of 24. Each features a design with Lisa, Maggie and Bart and the saying, "Party down, man!" Sealed. $3-$5.
• Napkins, beverage, "The Simpsons Party!" 1989, Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Package of 24. Design show family dancing in line. Sealed. $3-$5.
• Napkins, luncheon, "Party down, man!" 1989. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Package of 24. Each features a design with Lisa, Maggie and Bart with the saying "Party down, man!" Sealed. $3-5.
• Napkins, luncheon, "The Simpsons Party!" 1989. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. Package of 24. Each features a design with the five family members dancing with the saying "The Simpsons Party!" Sealed. $3-$5.
• Napkins, luncheon, "Happy birthday," 1990. Partytime. Canadian. Package of 16. Each features a design with Bart, various party foods and the saying, "Happy Birthday/Bonne Fete." Sealed. $5-$8.
• Plates, 7-inch, Bart, "Happy birthday," 1990. Partytime. Set of six 7-inch paper plates depicting Bart. On it reads: "Happy birthday. Bonne fette." Canadian. Sealed. $2-$5.
• Plates, 7-inch, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, "Happy birthday," 1989. Chesapeake Consumer Products Company. Set of eight 7-inch paper plates depicting the three Simpsons children (Bart is blowing on a party favor) and the words "Happy birthday!" and "The Simpsons." Sealed. $2-$5.
• Plates, 7-inch, "The Simpsons Party!" Chesapeake Consumer Products Company. Design shows five family members dancing in line. Sealed. $2-$5.
• Plates, 9-inch, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, 1989, Chesapeake Consumer Products Company. Set of eight 9-inch paper plates depicting three Simpsons children. Maggie is popping out of a box as Bart and Lisa look on stunned. Bart says, "Aye carumba!" Around the edging of the plates are the words "Happy Birthday!" and "The Simpsons." Sealed. $3-$6.
• Plates, 9-inch, "The Simpsons Party!" Party Creations. 8 plates. Design shows five family members dancing in line. Sealed. $3-$6.
• Tablecover, Bart, Lisa and Maggie, 1990. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. 54-by-96-inch plastic tablecloth with a design showing Bart, Lisa and Maggie in various poses, including Lisa chasing Bart, who is fleeing with a piece of cake. Sealed. $2-$7.
• Tablecover, "The Simpsons Party!" 1990. Chesapeake Consumer Products Co. 54-by-96-inch plastic tablecloth with a design showing five family members in various dancing poses. Sealed. $2-$7.
• Tablecover, party foods, 1990. Partytime. 54-by-96-inch plastic tablecloth depicting various Simpsons characters and party foods. Canadian. Sealed. $2-$7.
• Watch favors, 1990. Partytime. Not really a watch, these are tiny games on watch bands. Inside the face are two metal beads that you try to roll into holes. The design shows Bart's smiling face. Carded. $4-$10.
• Yo-yo favors, 1990. Partytime. Set of six 1-inch yo-yos with Bart's face on them. Carded. $2-$7.

Balloons
Just about everything but the Bart Simpson Thanksgiving Day parade balloon.

• 5-pack latex, Homer and Bart, 1990. National Latex Products Co. Five 14-inch balloons, with each showing Homer leaning on Bart's head. A variety of colors. Bagged. $2-$5.
• 12-pack latex, 1990. Partytime. 12 rubber round balloons with posed family members on each. Bagged. $2-$5.
• Airwalkers balloon buddies, Bart, 1990. Anagram International. Bart-shaped inflatable that, when filled with helium, will "float, hover, and ever stand on the ground!" Features a self-sealing valve and is refillable with helium. Bagged. $5-$20.
• Mylar, family, 1990. 18-inch diameter. M&D Balloons. Shows family and the saying, "Get Well or We'll Come" $2-$7.
• Mylar, Bartman, 1990. M&D Balloons. 18-inch diameter. Shows Bartman saying "Watch it, dude." $2-$7.
• Mylar, Bart on skateboard, 1990. M&D Balloons. 18-inch diameter. Shows Bart riding on skateboard and saying, "Go for it, man!" $2-$7.
• Mylar, Marge and Homer, 1990. M&D Balloons. 18-inch diameter. Shows Marge and Homer hugging inside a heart, along with the words, "You know I Love You.'' $2-$7.

Punch balls
Balloons with that something extra.

• Blue, 1990. National Latex Products Co. Features Homer and Bart. Uninflated heavy-duty balloon attached to cord. Sealed. $2-$5.
• Pink, 1990. National Latex Products Co. Features Homer and Bart. Uninflated heavy-duty balloon attached to cord. Sealed. $2-$5.