Catalog: Popular Collectibles: Memorabilia: Black Americana (181)

While the photo depicts a grouping of 3 different, vintage 1930-40's, French Rum labels, only the oval label is available at $14.00, as the other 2 have been sold.

The label is unused and is in excellent condition with wonderful, even coloring (any appearance of fading is due to light reflection only).

Approximate measurements: the oval label measures 4.50 x 3.50 inches.

Would look wonderful framed!!

Please take a moment to view my other grouping of vintage French rum labels!

An unusual piece, this delightful, cloth Mammy Broom Doll from the 1940's measures 12.5 inches high with a total height of 31 inches including the broom.

Mammy's wonderful, smiling face is all hand-stitched while her clothes are machine sewn. Her blouse is striped cotton, as are Mammy's head, arms, skirt, apron, and cap. Her head, arms, and upper torso have been stuffed with cotton batting. The natural bristle broom fills out both Mammy's torso and skirt & the wooden broom handle extends upward through her neck and head.

Mammy is in all original condition with no mends or repairs. The structural integrity of the broom remains quite sound. Mammy's white cotton apron and cap have been professionally cleaned, removing nearly all traces of old stains, dirt, and dust.

A fabulous piece of vintage Black Americana, and a seldom seen form of the Black Mammy Doll!

Offered is an extraordinarily rare, 1842, Warren County, Georgia, Apprehension Order for a SLAVE boy named Henry who is accused of committing a violent assault and battery with intent to kill.

The single page, 16" x 25" document was folded in half by its author, and the charge is written out on one side of the folded page and then completed on the back of the same side of the page (see photos). The folded page was then flipped over, folded into fourths, and the title of the charge was written out: "The State VS Henry Negro Boy Slave".

The text of the charge reads as follows, Paragraph one:
"Georgia Warren County"
"Before me Matthew Sheilds a justice of the peace for said county, personally came Stephen Blount who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that according to the best of his knowledge and belief Henry a negro boy slave the property of the estate of Hardy Pitts late of said county deceased, did commit a violent assault and battery with intent to kill Deponent, with a heavy stick - and Deponent believes said stick was ferreled (an action suggestive of a wild beast)- upon the person of Deponent - on this night of the thirteenth of this Instant in said county of Warren to wit upon the plantation of Thomas Persons, near Warrenton.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th March 1842."
"Matthew Sheilds JP"
"Stephen Blount"

Paragraph two:
"Georgia Warren County"
"By Matthew Sheilds one of the Justices To Sheriff the Constables of Said County and to all other lawful officers for as much as Stephen Blount who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that according to the best of his knowledge and belief Henry a Negro boy Slave the property of the estate of Hardy Pitts late of Said County deceased did commit a violent assault and battery with intent to kill Deponent - with a heavy stick and Deponent believes said stick was ferreled upon the person of Deponent on the night of the thirteenth of this Instant...." (continued next page)

Next Page:
"in Said County of Warren to wit on the plantation of Thomas Persons near Warrenton. These are therefore to Command you that you apprehend the Said Negro Boy Henry and bring him before me or some other Justice of the peace of Said County to Answer the said charge and to be further dealt with according to Law Herein fail not. Given under my hand and Seal this 14th day of March 1842."
"Matthew Sheilds JP" (JP written a second time and encircled in a squiggle to simulate a wax seal)

Condition of this very unique slavery document is quite fine given its 180 years of age. Expected aging of paper with insignificant and minor tears at creases. Also present are three long spillages of ink (as seen in photos) which likely occurred at the time this document was written out with, obviously, no intention of the author to start over again and rewrite!

An extraordinarily rare historical document that defines a specific slave-related incident.

Offered is a highly-collectible, circa 1860's, Staffordshire earthenware, pictorial plate featuring a scene from the enormously popular, 1852 novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" or "Life Among the Lowly", is an anti-slavery novel that was published in two volumes and which had a profound effect on attitudes toward African-Americans and slavery in the U.S. It is said to have "helped lay the groundwork for the American Civil War".

The plate depicts Uncle Tom seated in a horse-drawn wagon while heavy iron shackles are being clamped around each of his ankles. The text on the plate reads: "Uncle Tom packed up for the 'Down South' Market. Haley made fast a heavy pair of shackles to Tom's ankles".

Plates such as this were produced for use by children as subtle educational tools. England was well ahead of the United States in recognizing the moral evils of slavery, abolishing it in 1833.

The plate measures 8 1/2 inches in diameter and the interior is decorated with the black transfer-printed, Uncle Tom vignette. The rim is quite beautifully embossed with highly decorative swirls which encase two different flying birds- one clutching an olive branch in its beak and the other chasing after a butterfly.

The plate is of great interest due to its slavery-related subject matter and its high degree of rim decoration. Condition of the plate is fair to good due to the numerous edge flakes present along the rim and the two tiny ones within the transfer. The plate has a use-related age crack that is clearly visible on the backside of the plate and which is also partially visible on the front side. This crack is quite tight and does not pose any concern to the structural integrity of the plate.

Despite its age-related imperfections, this plate displays absolutely beautifully, and for those collectors who are interested in slavery-related artifacts, this would be a noteworthy and visually-appealing addition to one's collection.

This lovely and historic plate has been priced to reflect its blemishes.

Having conceived of the revolutionary idea of a lithographed, molded-mask doll face in 1901, New Yorker, Albert Bruckner applied for and was awarded the patent for his idea that same year. All Bruckner dolls were then stamped, "PAT'D JULY 8th 1901" on the lower right neck edge.

From 1901-1924, Bruckner produced this original, 12" Topsy Turvy doll for Horsman's Babyland Rag Doll line that features Caucasian, "Betty", on one end and African American, "Topsy", on the other. The inspiration for this doll is based on the character of Topsy in Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic 1852 novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

The Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll was advertised in a 1907 Babyland Rag Doll catalog as follows:

"TOPSY-TURVY---What is this?
Looks like just a pretty miss.
But turn her over and you'll find,
She is quite another kind.
First she's White and then she's Black,
Turn her over and turn her back.
Topsy that side--Betty this--
Yet complete, each little Miss."

The detail on this hard to find classic doll is lovely. Both heads indeed have the pressed, molded mask faces with lithographed features. Topsy's face is in mint condition! Betty's face is also in excellent condition with no superficial rubs to the flesh-toned coating of her mask; her lithographed facial features remain just beautiful!! (Such rubs are not unexpected as these particular doll masks are, unfortunately, very prone to rubbing. To find one of these 100+ year old dolls without such rubbing is quite rare!)

Grinning Topsy has red bows tied to her black mohair braided pigtails which are tucked into her red headscarf. Her red blouse, which matches her head scarf, is trimmed with cream banding around the sleeve and neck edges. The cream scarf she wears around her shoulders tucks into her very full, red/cream checked, gingham skirt. Topsy’s cream banding is lightly soiled and there is also some subtle fading to her red head scarf, most notably in the back. Flip her over, and....

Betty's more subtle Anglo face and her hair are lithographed. She wears the same red/cream checked gingham fabric of which both her dress and ruffled bonnet are constructed. Over her very full gingham dress, Betty should also wear a sheer, ruffled, white pinafore, however, it has been lost over time. Betty’s cream banding around each sleeve is also lightly soiled as are her hands.

Both dolls have the typical "mitten" hands of the stuffed rag dolls of this era. There are no other difficulties to report other than some tiny, stray (original) glue spots here and there. No rips, tears, or odors, and she has been stored in a smoke-free home. The 1901 Patent Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll typically carries a $650+ dollar price tag, but deductions to price have been levied to account for the minor imperfections that are noted in this doll.

The photos show it all- these two girls are a charming pair! A very difficult to find doll in such wonderful condition!

Also offered for sale is a COMPLETE 1901 Patent Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll with absolutely no soiling or fading. To view, simply type Bruckner into the SEARCH box on our homepage.

Offered are two utterly fabulous, one-of-a-kind, DOUBLE-SIDED, hand-painted signs that hung at Joe's "Colored Only" fish shack near Albany, Georgia, on the Flint River during the years that segregation was still enforced in the South. These signs were created by the black folks who owned the fish shack which closed in the early 1960s. Visitors had an area to eat in and were served pig ears and fish-- and the shack owners also caught, cleaned and sold fish.

The signs were purchased directly from the fish shack owners, and were, thirty-something years later, sold out of that purchaser's estate sale. During the purchaser's lifetime, the signs hung, one-over-the-other above the fireplace in the purchaser's den. They have been in my personal collection since 2003.

These signs have a very colorful, folk-art appeal and are certainly utterly unique! They very much fit into the American, Southern "Outsider Art" collecting genre, a genre which highlights the work of self-taught, rural area artists who create fabulous and highly expressive art using the media and materials that they have at hand and which reflects the world that they know and live in.

The signs are quite heavy as each is painted on a solid wood board. The signs are nearly identical in size and measure approximately 25 1/2 inches wide x 14 5/8 high x 3/4ths of an inch thick. One of the signs has very, very slight warping, but the warping is not readily evident as seen in pictures. Each sign has 2 holes from which to hang them, and the old rusted hanging wire which is seen in the photos has been replaced with new wire.

Measuring 5 3/4 x 7 3/4, this lovely, early, Pre-WWI, English or Continental origin, Black subject advertising die cut features two sweet, smiling, pretty young girls under a tattered umbrella.

This pleasant die cut is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-tone decorative frame! Likely originally produced to advertise a specific, product, store or location, but then was never utilized for that purpose.

A sweet piece, perhaps, one-of-a-kind!

Measuring 3 1/4 inches long, this circa 1920s, miniature, Black Mammy doll is unique in construction- its head and body have been fashioned from an old rubber baby nursing nipple!

Mammy’s sweet little face has been carefully hand-painted, and she has been nicely dressed in a red dress with blue oval designs, a linen apron and red and black head scarf.

Condition of this wonderful miniature Mammy is very good! With the exception of her nipple face which has contorted a bit due to the ravages of time, she is in delightful condition!

Measuring 23 3/4 inches long x 15 ¼ inches wide when completely opened, this very charming, circa 1940s, machine-stitched, linen towel bears a very delightful, colorful stencil of the well-known Black Memorabilia character, Little Brown Koko eating a watermelon!

The story book, Little Brown Koko, was first published in 1940 by author, Blance Seale Hunt, whose character became so popular that a series of Little Brown Koko story book adventures followed in quick succession!

In excellent, spotless condition, the towel may be folded and framed if desired! A great companion piece for those who collect Little Brown Koko books!

Black Memorabilia sewing items are becoming very difficult to find! Offered is a wonderful, 1930’s, cloth Mammy Pin Cushion!

While her little body was machine stitched together, the remainder of Mammy is all hand-completed! She has a sweet, cheerful, hand-embroidered face that is framed by a tall red, white and blue bonnet! She continues her patriotic look with a red and white checkered top and blue and white flowered pants---how racy---pants instead of a skirt!!!

Mammy clutches a gold colored tomato which, of course, is designed to keep the sewing pins!

In wonderful condition!! Just waiting to be displayed with other sewing or black American collectibles!

Entitled "SLUGGER CHAMPIONS", this circa 1945-1949, tin windup BOXING Toy features the unusual pairing of Black and White boxers!

Made in post World War II, US Zone Germany, this tin toy measures 3.5" square, with the boxing figures measuring 2.25" tall. The toy retains its original box which measures 4" square, and features a start/stop lever on one side with the (original) key windup on another. Both the toy and the box are labeled "MADE IN US ZONE GERMANY".

The toy still works! The boxers rock back and forth as they attempt to jab one another. The toy is designed to have the right arm on each boxer punch while the immobile left arm is molded into the body.

Condition is a 9/10 as can be seen in all photos. This toy appears to have seen minimal use as the condition of the paint is impeccable, with just a few teeny rubs to the toy base and the black boxer's legs here and there. The box shows minor wear on all edges as noted in photos. All box parts are present with the box cover flap remaining attached to the box by only about 1 inch in the center, and one box flap is completely detached but intact.

A tip for the new owner: to easily remove the toy from the box, open the BOTTOM flap instead of the top flap and simply slide the toy out of the box onto the palm of your hand.

Measuring 9 inches high, these delightful examples of Folk Art styling represent three of a series of Black cloth character dolls made in Alabama in the 1930’s by unknown craftsmen/women employed under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR) Depression era program, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), in existence from 1935-1943.

The Work Projects Administration was designed to provide jobs across the country during the Great Depression when hundreds of thousands were out of work. While most WPA jobs were in construction and infrastructure, the most well-known project arm of the WPA, known as Federal Project Number One, employed musicians, artists, writers, actors and directors in arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. The five projects assigned to this consortium were: the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP), the Historical Records Survey (HRS), the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), the Federal Music Project (FMP), and the Federal Art Project (FAP).

The creation of these fabulous dolls fell under the WPA Federal Art Project, with the goal of representing and preserving the various aspects of the culture, work and lives of the Southern black community of this time period. All of the WPA black folk dolls produced for this project were placed on asphalt shingle stands, they all feature elderly folk, they all share black leather shoes, a cotton-batting stuffed body, and identical hand-stitched facial features, with subtle and unique variations in expression around the eyes due to the clever positioning of the eyebrows!

The gray-hair and bearded, chicken-toting black country gent on the left is attired in machine-stitched clothing wearing blue cotton britches with red suspenders along with a blue and cream striped cotton shirt and a red kerchief around his neck. His hat is constructed of navy blue-colored felt. This country gent holds a very finely-crafted and detailed brown chicken under his left arm, while his right hand clutches a wooden walking stick. Note the lustrous chicken feathers protruding under his arm when he is viewed from the back. He appears to be a bit disgruntled about something given those raised eyebrows!

The female doll depicts a lady out for a stroll with her black umbrella in hand. This sweet gentlewoman wears a red and white polka dot kerchief on her head covering most of her gray hair and has embroidered facial features. Her head is turned to her right as if to see who had just called out her name. This gentlewoman's clothing, with the exception of her neutral-striped knit-fabric sweater, is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the red hankie poking out of her apron pocket. topping off her outfit are a pair of gold hoop earrings!

The gray-hair, bearded, chicken-toting black country gent doll on the right, is also attired in machine-stitched clothing wearing brown cotton britches with a patch on the left leg, and a bright red hankie protruding from the right pocket. His matching brown suspenders along with a red and cream striped cotton shirt and a red kerchief around his neck complete his outfit, while his brown felt hat tops it all off. This country gent also holds a very finely-crafted and detailed brown fabric chicken with lustrous feathers under his left arm, while his right hand clutches a wooden walking stick. This gent, however, is in much finer spirits than his male companion is, wearing a very pleasant expression on his face!

Three very special dolls, which today, are becoming very, very difficult to find, representing a snapshot of history, capturing the lives of poor southern black folk of the Depression era! All three in perfect condition and priced at $295.00 each.

Measuring just 10 inches in height, this diminutive, vintage 1940's, Mammy Bottle Doll is in near mint condition, with nicely detailed, machine-stitched clothing and a very darling face! Mammy bottle dolls were constructed to be quite functional; they were used as doorstops back in the day. Their sand-filled bottles added enough weight to readily keep that door in place.

Her cute face is composed of pearl button eyes with red fabric mouth. She wears a flowered bandanna and a pale blue apron over her pale blue patterned dress. Her clothes are stain free and are nicely constructed--note fancy sleeve detail!

This mammy bottle doll is one of 3 offered, all coming from the same estate--and all priced separately.

This delightful Black Boy Rag Doll has a face with a story to tell! What an expression!

Measuring 13 inches tall, he is constructed of black, machine-stitched, vintage 1930-1940's, polished cotton which has been stuffed with cotton batting. Facial features have been hand-embroidered, are quite expressive and are exceedingly well done. His hair has been styled in tightly wound little ringlets.

His brown-patterned, machine-stitched shirt and pants are also vintage 1930-40's fabric, accented with two miss-matched buttons holding up cute red suspenders.

A delightful piece of Black Memorabilia Folk Art! This wonderful, 1940's-vintage-look, one-of-a-kind, Artisan Doll was constructed in the 1990's by a Maine Folk Artist who is now deceased.

Please take a moment to view his big sister by typing the words "Maine Doll" into the SEARCH box.

Offered is a RARE, UNCUT, C1917, pair of the adult members of the Aunt Jemima Rag Doll Family, Aunt Jemima and Uncle Mose. (Uncle Mose is Aunt Jemima's Husband, and he is labeled Uncle Mose on his upper back).

These dolls were conceptualized as advertising pieces and were only obtainable from the Aunt Jemima Mills of St. Joseph, Missouri, in return of 24 cents in stamps along with 4 box tops from select Aunt Jemima products for the full set which also included children, Little Diana and Wade Davis, OR for JUST ONE DOLL, 1 box top and 6 cents in stamps! Dolls were then shipped promptly, postpaid upon receipt!

The original purchaser of these uncut dolls, Mrs O. W. Lewis of Ethel, Missouri, clearly only ordered the Aunt Jemima and Uncle Mose dolls, as these dolls remained within the family, untouched in the original mailing envelope, until their recent discovery by the purchaser's descendants.

It is quite unusual to find uncut versions of these dolls -along with the original mailing envelope which typically is quickly tossed away- as more commonly, the dolls are found by chance as "singletons" here and there-- already cut, sewn, stuffed and played with as opposed to the pristine, uncut versions offered here.

The pair is in quite wonderful condition given their 100+ years of age and are suitable for framing. Each doll is printed on a separate piece of linen, and the color of each doll remains amazingly crisp and brilliant! Aunt Jemima measures 10.5" wide by 35" long, and Uncle Mose measures 10" wide by 35" long. (Please note that any variation in color noted in photos is a result of lighting issues and light reflection only. Background of linen remains its original, crisp, bright white with each doll retaining its "like-new" consistent and brilliant color.)

Mild foxing is noted only on Aunt Jemima and not on Uncle Mose, likely due to the manner of storage. The Uncle Mose doll fabric was folded and stored inside of the Aunt Jemima fabric, and then they were placed inside of the envelope, with only Aunt Jemima coming into contact, for decades, with the high-acidic content of the envelope which caused the foxing. Fold lines are evident as well; however, these fold lines are the result of original factory packaging and storage in the envelope for over 100 years. Other than the foxing as described, the pair remain in truly fine condition!

A rare opportunity for the advanced collector to acquire an uncut, complete pair of C1917, Aunt Jemima and Uncle Mose Advertising Rag Dolls, suitable for framing!

This offering will only be sold as a pair; offers for an individual piece will not be entertained.

This extremely colorful, lighthearted, and energetic, signed, fine quality, Limited Edition, giclee print depicts a lively outdoor dining scene full of gaiety and camaraderie.

The image, itself, measures 32" long x 24" wide, while the framed artwork in total measures 41" long x 32.5" wide. The giclee print was framed using museum-quality, acid-free double-mat board and backing materials, within a fine quality solid wood frame and topped with non-glare glass. This artwork was purchased directly from artist, Kelvin W. Henderson, it was signed by him at the time of our purchase, and it cheerily hung in our dining room for ten years!

The artwork is actually brighter in color than my camera was able to capture- closeups appear a bit "darker" than reality. Condition is absolutely perfect! And its presence---well, it will command one's attention hanging on an entire wall-space all by itself! It is, as stated earlier, a Limited Edition giclee lithograph-- Number 18 of a 150 Limited Edition series, with an additional 50 canvas editions. The provenance of this piece with all details is attached on the back side of the artwork as seen in one of our photos. A buoyant and effervescent piece of art!

As this piece exceeds typical shipping criteria in terms of dimensional size and weight, we regret that we cannot offer free shipping. We will provide a $25 shipping credit, but the remaining cost of shipping will rest upon the purchaser.

Measuring 3.25 inches X 4 inches, this early 1900's, Glass Magic Lantern Slide is in pristine condition!

Featuring wonderful, vivid colors, this slide is titled "Two Old Chums" on the paper label attached to the back of the slide. The slide depicts an older black gentleman standing, hat in hand, beside a seated, very despondent-looking, white gentleman- who appears to have been drinking.

The slide has wonderful detailing--In particular, please note the print of a Black Child playing the Banjo which hangs on the wall at the far right side of the room!

Very hard to find Black Memorabilia in fabulous condition!

Measuring 12 inches in length, this circa 1930’s, Topsy Turvy Doll is in superb condition and is unusually and wonderfully appointed with great attention to detail! Both black and white sides of the doll have been very finely dressed with rose blossoms on their bandannas as well as at their waists- very, very rare for the “Black Topsy” to be so well attired!

”Black Topsy” is dressed in a striking pink, green, orange, and black cotton, geometric-patterned dress- very Art Deco! Her mouth and nostrils are stitched in red thread and she has white pearl button eyes.

The Caucasian doll is dressed in a cotton lavender dress- also with a geometric, Art Deco pattern in black, green and yellow. Her blouse and bandanna are lavender sateen. Her entire face has been finely stitched. She has pink nostrils and mouth, black eyebrows, and her black stitched eyes have pretty lashes that highlight her silvery gray irises! She has the very palest of staining to her face above her nostrils, but it is barely noticeable, and there is some light fading to her sateen bandanna.

Condition and detailing of both sides of this Topsy Turvy is really quite extraordinary, setting her apart from other Topsy’s!! A wonderful addition to one’s doll or Black Memorabilia collection!

An unusual piece, this delightful, cloth Mammy Broom Doll from the 1940's measures 12.5 inches high with a total height of 31 inches including the broom.

Mammy's wonderful, smiling face is hand-stitched and her clothes are machine sewn. Her blouse is seersucker, and her head, arms, skirt, apron, and cap are cotton. Her head, arms, and upper torso are stuffed with cotton batting. The natural bristle broom fills out both Mammy's torso and skirt & the wooden broom handle extends upward through her neck and head.

Mammy is in all original condition with no mends or repairs. The structural integrity of the broom remains quite sound, and Mammy, herself, is free of holes and tears. Her once-red skirt has now faded to pink. Her white cotton apron and cap have been cleaned removing nearly all traces of old stains, dirt, and dust. Photo number 2 shows her outfit BEFORE cleaning; all other photos reflect her appearance after cleaning.

A fabulous piece of vintage Black Americana, and a seldom seen form of the Black Mammy Doll!

Offered is an authentic signed baseball from former Negro League player CLIFFORD LAYTON. The ball was signed for me at an autograph show and is dated 4-15-05.

Mr. Layton was a skilled pitcher with a strong bat who had a four-year career in the Negro Leagues, playing for the Indianapolis Clowns, the New York Black Yankees and the Raleigh Tigers. One of his teammates was a promising infielder by the name of Hank Aaron, who signed with the Boston Braves in 1952, and eventually became a Hall of Famer. Layton received an invitation in 1951 to try out for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but by then his shoulder was troubling him so he declined, hoping it would heal and another opportunity would present, which unfortunately never came. As of 2016, Mr. Layton, at the age of 87, was enjoying retirement as an associate pastor in a North Carolina ministry.

A brief history of the Negro League:

African-Americans first began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams, eventually finding their way to the established professional baseball teams of white players. However, racism and “Jim Crow” laws would force African-Americans from these teams by 1900, with black players left to form their own teams.

In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew “Rube” Foster, a former player, manager, and owner for the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Mo., Foster and several other Midwestern team owners joined to form the Negro National League. Soon, rival leagues formed in Eastern and Southern states, which brought black baseball to major urban centers and to rural countrysides in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The Leagues maintained a high level of professional skill and inspired economic development in many black communities.

In 1945, when Major League Baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs, Robinson became the first African-American in the modern era to play on a Major League roster. While this historic event was a key moment in baseball and civil rights history, it marked the decline of the Negro Leagues. The best black players began to be recruited for the Major Leagues with their black fans following them, and the last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s.

Offered are two, VERY RARE, 1880's, romantically-themed advertisements printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London. The two advertisements both feature well-dressed African American gentlemen attempting to woo and capture the exclusive attentions of pretty young African-American ladies, one via a banjo serenade and the other via an offer of lovely flowers.

The products which these advertisements were meant to endorse is unknown. The advertisements feature a high-shine, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. Both would look fabulous framed!

The advertisement featuring the banjo playing gent (with that snarling black dog in the lower right corner) measures approximately 7.25 inches wide x 10.25 inches long. The advertisement featuring the shy woman being presented with pretty flowers measures approximately 7.25 inches wide x 9 inches long.

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged advertisements. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, both do have tiny surface imperfections, lines and light edge wear. The advertisements are priced at $35 each or two for $60.

Measuring 13 inches high, this delightful, hand-made, brother and sister pair of Black cloth dolls were made circa 1940's, by "Roxie" of Asheville, North Carolina, as attested to by the dollmaker's tag sewn on the brother's backside.

Both dolls are in near perfect condition with the exception of a tiny teardrop mark under brother's left eye and a tiny hole next to sister's left side of face on her hairline. Detailing is very sweet with nicely embroidered facial features and color-coordinated, machine-stitched clothing. Hair is authentic looking made of fuzzy wool yarn-- brother's hair is curly and nubby--- sister's is done in a head full of bow-tied pigtails! Bodies are machine-stitched, brown cotton that are each stuffed with cotton batting.

A pair of cuties!!!

This very rare, 1894, historically significant work of factually-based fiction by Marietta Holley, recounts the author's perspective of what life in the post-Confederate South was like, detailing the significant adjustment Southerners experienced once the Civil War ended and slavery was wholly abolished.

This nearly-lost historical work was originally published in 1892 exclusively for the subscription market and was entitled, "Samantha on the Race Problem". Two years later when the work was to be sold on the "popular" market, the publishers, Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, deemed it appropriate to re-title the work, "Samantha Among the Colored Folk", including the subtitle, "My ideas on the Race Problem" on the title page only. Interestingly, this re-titled, 1894, popular market edition still retains the title, "Samantha on the Race Problem" at the top of each of its 387 pages! This is truly a fascinating read, particularly for those who have a keen interest in this tumultuous period of American history.

The author, Marietta Holley of New York, born in 1836, was an American humorist who employed satire to comment on American society and politics. Early in her career, she published not as Marietta Holley, but as "Josiah Allen's Wife", sometimes with her own name also added in parentheses beneath his, as is the case in this particular edition. Interestingly, Marietta was never married, and Josiah Allen never existed. She eventually published under her own name enjoying a prolific writing career and becoming a bestselling author by the turn of the 20th century, although, sadly, she was largely forgotten by the time of her death in 1926.

Illustrated by Edward Windsor Kemble, this work contains over eighty of his pen and ink drawings. Each drawing is titled and a listing of all illustrations can be found at the beginning of the book. Kemble, who enjoyed a prolific career as a political cartoonist for a variety of the top US newspapers and periodicals, was well-known for his caricatures of African Americans, and he illustrated for some of the most famous American writers of the day such as Mark Twain (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), Harriet Beecher Stowe (Uncle Tom's Cabin") and Washington Irving (Knickerbocker History of New York).

Written in dialect, this nearly 130 year old book bears evidence of its many, many years. The cloth-bound hardcover is very well-worn along all edges with the cloth spine showing the worst of the wear: small tears at top and bottom with some very small areas of missing fabric. The binding is separating from the spine, but all 387 pages still remain bound and attached (some pages just barely - see photos) with the exception of page 109/110 (see photo) which is present, but for some reason, was cut with scissors from the book. A good number of pages have some degree of staining (see photos), there is foxing throughout, and a very teeny tear here and there. An inked ownership inscription exists on the inside front cover.

Having described its significantly aged condition, it must again be emphasized that this 1894, 2nd edition, is EXTREMELY rare, seldom found available for purchase on the retail marketplace.

"Samantha Among Colored Folks - My Ideas On The Race Problem" is a must-read for those interested in the author's perspective of the societal, political, racial and economic struggles which existed in the post-Civil War South.

De-accessioned from the inventory of the ill-fated Middle Passage Museum (see museum history below), this very unusual and atypical, 19th century, estate document is offered for sale, the purpose of which was to itemize and execute a division of property from the estate of the deceased, southern plantation owner. This document was purchased in the 1960s by one of the founders of the Middle Passage Museum from a descendant of this Sumter County, Georgia, plantation owner.

This is single page, partial document written on both front and back sides. It is missing its first page which would have shown the name of the deceased slave owner and the listing of the interior household goods and furnishings, and the last page which would have noted the date and county in which the document was executed as well as witness and judicial signatures. However, the most historically significant page exists and is offered here- a plantation estate document in which the slaves are referenced by name and further described by their family position and marital status!

What makes this document EXTRAORDINARILY RARE, UNUSUAL, and ATYPICAL is that it proceeds to, first, categorize the 40 slaves using the word SLAVES instead of the common verbiage of the time -Negroes-, and secondly, it proceeds to list the male slaves BY NAME, ALONG WITH THE NAMES OF THEIR WIVES AND THEIR CHILDREN, with monetary value listed in the right column of the document!!!! In two instances, the number of years married is also listed! Children are labeled "Girl, "Boy", or "Infant". Total value of these 40 slaves was calculated at $24,200.00!

Given that slaves were viewed as property and not human beings in any way equal to the Caucasian race which enslaved them, it is extraordinarily unusual to find a document which recognizes and lists slaves as "Family Units", further designating family position- husband, wife or child! Typically,there was little, if any, thought given to the pain and anguish such slave families would suffer if their "owner" chose to sell off any one of them at any given time. Such estate documents as this listing ENTIRE SLAVE FAMILIES BY NAME is simply without precedent! It would indeed be a phenomenal discovery to be able to identify the plantation and/or deceased slave owner as such an estate listing speaks to an uncommon, albeit, rare and unique perspective of slave ownership. Such a personalized and humanized account of the slaves owned makes this particular document all the more heart-wrenching, and it certainly begs the very sad question of whether or not these slave families were allowed to remain united and intact once the final estate disposition was conducted.

The document measures approximately 8 1/2 inches wide x 14 1/8 inches long, is double-sided and is in good condition, with fold lines evident along with some age-related foxing at top and bottom fold lines. 1 3/4 tear along the fold line of the top fold at right edge. The ink color is sepia toned (likely as a result of some fading over time) on a pale blue, vertically-ruled, heavy paper. This phenomenal piece of cultural ephemera is ready for appropriate archival preservation/framing.

The listing of slaves is on the back side of the document with the front side listing farm animals, equipment and supplies along with values- "The following property set apart for the use and benefit of the farm".

Middle Passage Museum History: The Middle Passage Museum was the dream of Jim and Mary Anne Petty of Mississippi as well as that of an anonymous Georgian benefactor who had together compiled a collection of slave artifacts numbering over 15,000 pieces and who had hoped to find a permanent site in Mobile, Alabama, for their museum. While they formed a non-profit organization to raise funds for their hoped-for museum, their dream was never realized.

In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."

Measuring 6.5 inches long and approximately 4 inches in both width and depth, this wonderfully RARE, Black Americana, Red Cap, Railroad Porter, pottery string holder is in very fine condition with just a sprinkling of white speckling where the black cold paint has worn away.

A stunning and very visually striking piece, it is labeled on back, "Fredericksburg Art Pottery USA", a pottery once located in Fredericksburg, Ohio, manufacturing between 1939-49. The back has 2 original hanging holes for placement on a wall.

Truly in wonderful, vintage condition with no cracks, chips, repairs or repaint! A fabulous addition to one's Black Americana collection!

Please note that the natural outdoor lighting used to photograph this piece has amplified the white paint flecking --the teeny white spots really show up more in these photos than on the actual piece in an indoor setting--- photo number one gives an accurate depiction of appearance.

Measuring 12.25 inches long x 8 inches in width, this two-sided, 19th century estate document listing all of the worldly goods of LEWIS MATTAIR is de-accessioned from the inventory of the ill-fated Middle Passage Museum (see museum history below). The document is undated but is estimated to be circa 1865-66 based on current research of federal and state archival documents.

This particular estate document is extraordinarily unique and atypical in comparison to other estate documents of this period as it lists 15 SLAVES among the articles of property, and it actually labels these individuals as SLAVES as opposed to the much more common and typical practice of listing "Slaves" as "Negroes". The slaves are listed on the back side of the document with all other inventory listed on the front side.

Each slave is listed by first name with the corresponding current market value written to the left of the name, with the total market value of the 15 slaves named at $8600-- quite a hefty sum when one considers that the remainder of the estate (furniture, livestock, transportation and work vehicles, tools, etc) is valued in total at $980.75. Also listed in the inventory was 13,000 pounds of seed cotton, indicating that Lewis Mattair owned a sizable cotton plantation, clearly farmed by the slaves.

Lewis Mattair is noted in the 1860 Federal Census as a resident of Suwanee County, Florida; the 1860 Federal Census- Slave Schedules references Lewis Mattair owning 28 male and female slaves, ranging in age from 4 to 58. Lewis Mattair is listed in the 1865 Florida Tax records, but his name does not appear in any archived state or federal records after that year. Thus, it is presumed that this document dates from or just prior to 1865, the year that the Civil War ended.

The Middle Passage Museum was the dream of Jim and Mary Anne Petty of Mississippi as well as that of an anonymous Georgian benefactor who had together compiled a collection of slave artifacts numbering over 15,000 pieces and who had hoped to find a permanent site in Mobile, Alabama, for their museum. While they formed a non-profit organization to raise funds for their hoped-for museum, their dream was never realized.

In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."

Offered are five different, circa 1890-1901, Jim Crow era, stereoview cards, highlighting African-American history at the turn of the 20th century, some 120+ years ago. They feature: grueling rice field labor in South Carolina, a slave market in St. Augustine, Florida, a group of Florida sugar cane grinders, five English Springer Spaniels at U.S. Field Dog Trails being held at bay by a young black man, and seven very young black children seated on a mule awaiting orders for work in the fields.

The stereoview cards are titled: "Hoeing Rice, South Carolina", "Old Slave Market At St. Augustine, Florida", "Native Cane Grinders in Sunny Florida", "Who said quail?" (young man holding English Springer Spaniels) and "Waitin Fo De End Man" (7 Boys Sitting on a Mule).

The cards are priced at $35.00 each or all five cards for $140.00. All are in fine condition, and all but "Waitin Fo De End Man" and "Who said quail?" have a detailed, historical description on the reverse side.

As each is priced separately as stated, please specify which stereoview card(s) you wish to purchase so that we can customize your order form.

This delightful Black Mammy Rag Doll has a face with a story to tell! What an expression!

Measuring 18 inches tall, Mammy is constructed of black, machine-stitched, vintage 1930-1940's, polished cotton which has been stuffed with cotton batting. Facial features have been hand-embroidered, are quite expressive, and are exceedingly well done. Her hair has been styled in six pigtails adorned with bows.

Mammy's red, machine-stitched dress is also vintage 1930-40's fabric and features the classic Grecian Key design in white.

A delightful piece of Black Memorabilia Folk Art! This wonderful, 1940's-vintage-look, one-of-a-kind, Artisan Doll was constructed in the 1990's by a Maine Folk Art crafts-person who is now deceased.

Please take a moment to view her little brother by typing the words "Maine Doll" into the SEARCH box.

Offered is a wonderful 1934 edition of Topsy Turvy and the Tin Clown by Bernice G. Anderson and illustrated by Esther Friend.

This seldom found copy was originally published in 1932 by Rand McNally & Company of New York.

This copy has superficial scratches to the front and back covers, as well as surface soiling, and wear on book cover edges.(see photos). The front cover has a slight tear at the crease that does not effect strength or integrity of the cover board. A couple of pages have minor staining. The binding is super-tight and all pages remain present.

Topsy's adventures are divided into three chapters in length, approximately 59 numbered pages. Book is filled with a variety of black-ink and black and red illustrations as represented in photos. The story of Topsy was likely inspired by the Little Black Sambo stories which originated at the turn of the 20th century. PLEASE NOTE: in the photos, the printing seems light and faded- not so! It is merely the function of over-lighting or light reflection.

A wonderful and truly RARE book not to be missed!

Please see the other Topsy Turvy book available for separate purchase, a 1938 copy of Topsy Turvy's PigTails.

Measuring a diminutive 2.5 inches tall, this darling pair of Black Memorabilia, ceramic, boy and girl dolls remain in perfect, all-original condition. They remain housed in their original box complete with cardboard divider, and still retain the tiny ribbon bows tied on each of their six pigtails. Both the dolls and their box appear to have been safely tucked away unused and untouched in a drawer all of these years, the condition is that wonderful! The boy is incised "JAPAN" on the back of his white shirt while the girl's "JAPAN" marking appears on the back of her neck. The bottom of the box is stamped in ink, "237 2 PCS JAPAN". Not to be missed---- fabulous new-old stock!

Measuring 15.5 inches long, this delightful, folk-art styled, cloth and stocking-constructed rag doll was made circa 1920's.

Detailing in construction sets this sweet black doll apart! Her creation was very carefully executed through a combination of hand and machine stitching. She was lovingly dressed in machine-stitched clothing made from old red, pink, cream and rose-patterned scraps of cloth, while her body was hand-sewn and constructed of old, black stockings stuffed with cotton batting.

This young girl's nose and mouth are hand-embroidered, while her eyes are represented by small, black buttons. Her hand-applied and stitched hair is made of black wool yarn and has been fashioned into braided pigtails edged with faded red ribbon bows with fluffy bangs topping her forehead. Her hands are carefully hand-stitched to delineate fingers.

This sweetie is in near perfect condition with the exception of some fading to her clothing as well as two age-related, small holes to her stocking-constructed left foot and lower leg. (This wear and fading to the fabrics and stockings used in her construction may well be the very reason they were used, as they may have been discarded from personal use. Please refer to photos to view wear.)

Purchased in Charleston, South Carolina. Simply full of charm with lovely touches! A quite difficult-to-find-in-this condition, 90+-year-old, cloth rag doll!

Offered is this 1932 copyright, LITTLE BLACK SAMBO Book with lovely illustrations signed "EULALIE", A Platt and Munk Company Book publication. Softcover, 10 unnumbered pages. These beautifully illustrated drawings alternate by page between full color and black ink. The Platt and Munk Company was renowned for its exquisite, highly-detailed illustrations of children's books.

This story is a much-beloved children's classic written in the early 1900's by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman, for her two daughters while they lived in India. Sambo, in the original Bannerman tale, was an Indian boy and not an African-American child. He was converted to this race overtime, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators. This age-old tale tells of Little Black Sambo and his frightening tiger encounter, which fortunately, has a happy ending!

Condition is a 7.5 out of 10! This softcover book has seen little use with just a teeny bit of wear to book edge points. The front and back inside covers are separated at the lower of the two binding staples downward; the remainder of the cover binding is intact as are all pages. There is mild, vertical creasing to the book throughout near page edges (see photos), likely from someone folding the book at some point in its lifetime; the front cover at the lower right corner also shows crease lines. None of the crease lines effect structural integrity. No pen/pencil markings.

Amazing condition for a nearly 90 year soft-cover book!

To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.

Offered is this extremely RARE 1920's, cardboard, D.L. Clark Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 120 count, BLACK JACK Caramel "PENNY CANDY" BOX which features a singing Black Dandy strumming a banjo.

Cardboard candy boxes with African-American themes remain EXTREMELY RARE finds in today's market due to their inherent fragile nature!!!

This wonderful piece is in very good condition with the expected aging, and edge and corner wear given its 100+ years of age.

The top left seam of the cover has the most edge wear of all areas of the box, and the bottom right seam of the cover has split (see photos for each), but otherwise, the box remains intact with no missing pieces! A very subtle crease runs along the top of the box cover above the word "CLARK", but it is indeed very obscure and difficult to photograph. Please note that the corner edge taping to all four corners of the box base is original manufacture meant to provide extra stability to that section of the box that held the weight of the candy. The box base is in near-perfect condition!

D. L. Clark Company History:

David L. Clark (1864-1939) was born in Ireland and came to America when he was eight years old. He entered the candy business working for a small manufacturer in New York. After three years as a salesman, he bought a wagon, horses and merchandise, and went into business for himself.

The D. L. Clark Company was founded in 1886 when Clark started manufacturing candy in two back rooms of a small house in Pittsburgh's North Side. He began selling his candy in the streets of Pittsburgh. During his lifetime, his company became a leading candy manufacturer.

By 1920, the D. L. Clark Company was making about 150 different types of candy, including several five-cent bars, specialty items and bulk candy. Clark was also manufacturing chewing gum in a building across the street from his candy factory. In 1921, they incorporated Clark Brothers Chewing Gum Company as a separate business.

By 1931, the candy bar business was so expansive that Clark decided to sell the gum company, and it was renamed the Clark Gum Company.

The D. L. Clark Company remained in the hands of the Clark family until it was sold in 1955 to the Beatrice Food Company who operated the company until 1983 when in turn, it was sold to the Pittsburgh Food and Beverage Company. In 1995, the Pittsburgh Food and Beverage was thrown into bankruptcy. The company was shut down for several months and its assets divested. Restructured as Clark Bar America, the company operated until May of 1999, when it was purchased by New England Confectionery Company (NECCO), the oldest candy manufacturer in the United States.

Offered is a very interesting, scarcely-seen, Black Americana child's toy from the 1930's era.

Measuring 7" long x 4.5" high x 4" wide, this colorful toy features two African-American boxers who are activated by jiggling the paddle which causes the boxer's arms and legs to freely fly about.

The boxers have painted wooden bodies with lithographed tin arms and legs. They are attached to the wooden paddle by a thin metal wire.

The toy is complete and in all-original condition and has not been subjected to any repair or repaint. Wear to the painted faces is evident as noted in the extreme close-up photos provided. No manufacture marking evident.

This seldom-found toy displays very nicely and would be a delightful addition to a Black Americana toy collection.

Offered are three different 78 RPM records featuring JIM CROW era, minstrel music of the 1900-1920's. All three records come with their original paper jackets. They are priced at $30 each.

The records are in used condition with minor scuffing and/or scratching typical of used records of 80+ years of age. These records have not been recently played and are presented as historical artifacts, and as such, they are offered for sale without guarantee of "playing quality".

Offered are:

1) 1912 "I'se Gwine Back to Dixie" by the Haydn Quartet

2) 1923 "Two Black Crows Part 1 and Part 2" A Comedy Sketch by Moran and Mack

3) C1915 "No One Loves You Any Better Than Your Mammy" by Link-Nelson

As each is priced separately, please email us stating which item you wish to purchase so that we can customize your order form.

Utterly fabulous Black Mammy Half Doll or Platform Doll or Toaster Doll!

This circa 1940's (perhaps even earlier!) Mammy has a polished cotton half body firmly stuffed with cotton batting which is attached to a fabric-covered, cardboard platform that enables her to sit. Such a doll is often referred to as a platform or toaster doll as her voluminous skirt was designed to cover unsightly kitchen appliances - most commonly the toaster!

Most notable is this Mammy's exquisitely executed, hand-embroidered face, and her elaborate dangling beaded hoop earrings!

Mammy's clothing is machine stitched and is absent of holes, rips or repairs. While all her patterned clothing retains its original and uniform coloring, all of the purple cloth has faded- obviously a less stable dye used there. When one opens the folds of the cloth, one sees the rich, deep purple it once was!

An unusually well-detailed doll for its type!