Catalog: Archives: Collectibles (190)

Measuring approximately 5 inches high, this very RARE, Japan-made, circa 1930’s pair of Black Butler and Mammy Salt and Peppers are in unused, mint condition, with just the lightest of glaze crazing visible. This highly appealing pair is considered rare as the Butler wears a green jacket versus the very common black jacket. Each is marked “Japan” on the base. A very wonderful addition to the special Black Memorabilia collection!

This fourth edition, miniature, hard cover book , "The Story of Little Black Sambo and the Twins" was written and illustrated by Helen Bannerman, an Englishwoman living in India at the turn of the 20th century who wrote this and a series of six other SAMBO stories to amuse her two little daughters. These subsequent stories are much more rarely found as fewer were published, because at that time, none ever reached the popularity of the original “Little Black Sambo”. "The Story of Little Black Sambo and the Twins" is one of these stories!

To the collector of Helen Bannerman books, no collection is considered complete without a copy of each of the “Sambo” books:

Sambo and the Twins

The Story of Little Black Mingo

The Story of Little Black Quasha

The Story of Little Black Quibba

and in French, Histoire du Petit Negre Sambo.

All are quite difficult to find in any condition!

This 1936 copy of “Little Black Sambo and the Twins” published by Frederick A. Stokes of New York, is in quite fine condition with tight binding, tight pages, no rips or tears, minor edge wear to corners! Please view all photos for condition representation.

The story itself is truly quite violent and frightening in both text and in drawings- involving the kidnapping of the adorable twins, Woof and Moof, by very wicked monkeys!!! And this was bedtime reading for children!!!!

A very RARE 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 a wonderful 19th century, antique, papier mache and wooden black mammy doll manufactured during the late 1800s. The doll has no markings to indicate the manufacturer, but it features a papier mache head with a wooden torso, arms, and legs. The face is hand-painted with wonderful detail, and it includes all of its original clothing which consists of a dress, apron, and kerchief. Overall the doll stands a diminutive 5 1/2" tall.

The overall condition of the doll is quite good. It remains in all original condition. The papier mache head is solid with no chips, cracks, or broken areas, and the hand-painted details are strong with little to no loss. The torso is solid and the arms are attached with no breaks. The legs have some damage to the wood. They have split near the top and have some small wood loss, thus, are held securely in place with a string that has been tied to them. The wooden center dowels are still present, however, and they can be repaired if so desired. The clothing is all original and is still in nice condition with no tears or holes, only some light fading and discoloration from age.

Measuring 5 inches long x 4 inches high, this wonderful 1950's George Lefton China BLACK CHEF Nodder Spoon Rest remains in fine vintage condition retaining its green ink manufacturing mark that reads as follows: "C"- in a circle (for copyright) "Geo. S. Lefton" "...13".

This great piece is in very nice condition with the exception of a light spider hairline to the GLAZE ONLY of the top of the chef hat. The spider does not penetrate to the ceramic. He also has two very tiny edge flea bites by his shoes. Other than these very minor obtrusions, this wonderful piece remains free of other fleabites or hairlines as well as free of repaint, paint wear, or repairs.

The chef's head "bobbles" or "nods" on a metal spring adding much whimsy to this piece! His face has wonderful detailing--as does his body, and he has a very pleasant facial expression!! His big wide smile accentuates his pearly whites! This cute chef holds a yellow wooden spoon in his right hand and wears an adorable red bowtie!

**PLEASE NOTE: ANY WHITE SPOTS ON THE CHEF'S FACE ARE THE RESULT OF CAMERA FLASH ONLY-- NOT PAINT IMPERFECTIONS!**

A delightful piece!!

Measuring 5 inches tall, this EXTREMELY RARE, "Little Black Girl" Thermometer was made in 1955, by Multi-Products Corporation, Chicago, as the companion piece to the earlier released Black Boy Thermometer, "Diaper Dan".

Only 500 of these "Little Girl" thermometers WERE EVER MADE as opposed to the 15,000 Diaper Dan thermometers that can still be readily found in today's collector's market.

Made of pressed fiberwood, she is in MINT condition, retaining her original paper-backed glass thermometer that continues to be quite functional.

This sweet-faced, "Little Girl" Thermometer is rarely seen in the antiques market and is a MUST-HAVE for the serious Black Memorabilia collector!

In the mid-1800's, an unknown artist painted the face of a young Black boy in warm, soft colors, and unbeknown to the artist, forever immortalized the young boy's image! Since that time a variety of items were been produced in the image of the "Young Black boy with the Torn Hat" or "Johnny Griffin".

This circa 1920-30's Johnny Griffin item is constructed in solid brass and was designed for use as a pipe rack although it could hold spoons or even neckties.

It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- no replaced parts- and measures 13 inches long x 6 1/2 inches high and 1 1/2 inches deep. It does not retain any marking other than a mold number 1592.

Johnny Griffin Black Americana collectibles should form the cornerstone of any serious Black Memorabilia collection!

To see all of the Johnny Griffin items currently available for sale, simply type “Johnny Griffin” into the search box on our web home page.

Measuring 7 3/4 inches long, this VERY RARE, 1930’s VINTAGE, Cast Iron, Black Man Chef spoon rest retains most of its original gold paint suggesting that it saw minimal actual use! The well-appointed Black Chef sports a very wide grin and holds a bowl of eggs in his right arm and a wooden mixing spoon in his left.

He is in very fine condition with a smattering of teeny superficial dings to the front side paint surface as well as some very superficial rusting here and there. The backside of the spoon rest is perfect and looks as though it came right out of the factory just yesterday!

The following is imprinted on the backside: “Compliments The Toledo Stove And Range Co”, documenting the spoon rest’s original function- continuous promotional advertising presented as a free giveaway to buyers purchasing the company’s products!

Offered separately is the equally rare companion piece- The Black Mammy Spoon Rest from Toledo Stove and Range! A fortuitous opportunity to acquire a very rare Black Memorabilia pair!

Measuring 3 /12 inches high x 5 ¼ inches wide x 3 inches deep, this early 1950’s USA-made, plastic, RED Aunt Jemima Recipe Box has seen little, if any, use.

Manufactured by FOSTA Products, this highly sought after piece of Black Memorabilia is in near mint condition with some light superficial scratching that is only visible when the box is held under bright lighting and angled to catch the light just right! A small paint rub to the tip of Aunt Jemima’s nose and some 1950’s dirt tucked into tiny crevices are the only other imperfections! The gold painted word, “RECIPES” , written on the lid is mint! Truly in very, very fine condition----- most fortuitous as these recipe boxes were usually well used!

A delightful and essential, vintage piece of early 50’s Black Americana for the serious collector!

Written by the author of "The Story of Little Black Sambo", Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman's publication of "The Story of Little Black Mingo" followed shortly thereafter, this time, featuring a brave and ingenuous female heroine. Little Mingo, with the help of a friendly mongoose, manages to outsmart both her guardian, an evil old woman who cares nothing for her, and a voracious alligator plotting to devour her! The story ends with Mingo and the mongoose living happily ever after in a nice little house by the riverside.

Helen Bannerman was inspired to write these stories for her two young daughters while the family lived in India; Mingo and Sambo were Indian children and not African-American. They were converted over time to this race, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators.

A mini book measuring 4" x 5.75", this cloth-bound hardcover was published by Frederick A. Stokes Company, New York, with 64 pages of vividly colored illustrations, and no copyright date. Research indicates this version was published circa 1902.

Condition is a 9 out of 10! This 120+ year old book has seen little use with just a teeny bit of wear to book edge points and age-related staining with some minor paper loss to the original, overlay-ed paper cover. Some soiling to interior pages here and there, but otherwise, intact and tight with no tears, creases, pen/pencil markings! Amazing condition for a book of this age!

A simply wonderful story, truly a fairy tale of sorts, that is seldom found in this lovely, original, early edition! To see the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.

Measuring approximately 7.5 inches high, this highly sought after Black Vargas wax figure which is mounted on its original wooden platform, is one of a series of fascinating "street character wax dolls" conceived of and crafted by Mrs. Conception Vargas Alfonso, daughter of the world-renowned, turn-of-the-century-New Orleans, Spanish sculptor, Francisco Vargas.

From approximately 1915 through the 1930's, Mrs. Vargas-Alphonso, influenced by the artistry of her father who also sculpted in wax, crafted a variety of wax dolls inspired by the black folk she saw on New Orleans's street corners while growing up. Sold exclusively at the time through Harriet's, of 318 Rue Royale in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the completely hand-made, one-of-a-kind dolls are seldom found on today's market due to their inherently fragile nature, making them highly sought after in the Black Memorabilia Collectible arena.

This particular figure is known as the Cotton Seller.

Vargas wax figures are distinctly characterized by their interesting but highly exaggerated facial features. The Cotton Seller wears a straw-colored hat, a blue patterned bandanna around his neck, dark pants, and a red and yellow checked shirt- all constructed of actual cloth fabric that was coated with a fine layer of clear wax to stiffen them. He carries a large sack of freshly picked cotton on his back via a rope cord wrapped around his neck while balancing yet another sack of cotton at his feet. His wax body is internally supported by a wire frame through which the figure is securely attached to the wooden base. The bottom of the base is stamped "Genuine VARGAS New Orleans, LA".

This wonderful figure is in mint condition for his 75+ years of age with no apparent or visible imperfections. Amazingly, all fingers and both thumbs remain perfectly intact! (The fingers are so very, very thin and fragile that they are quite easily broken.)

The Cotton Seller is most delightful- a snapshot into 1920's New Orleans cultural history!

Please see the other Vargas figure that is currently available and priced separately--type "Vargas" in the search box to quickly locate them. A photo of the other Vargas figure currently available for purchase has been included, for the buyer's viewing convenience, in this listing.

Please note- any white or light spots noted in photos are a result of sun light glare and are not reflective or discoloration or fading.

The numbered piece of paper pinned to the bag of cotton seen in some of the photos was an inventory marker used by the original owner. It has since been removed from the figure.

Offered is an incredibly RARE game, circa 1900-1920s, Spear Works, Germany, dexterity game very obtusely entitled "THE WHITE EYED COON".

The game features a VERY brightly colored lithograph target in near mint, virtually unused condition, depicting "THE WHITE EYED COON" dressed as a clown with a nose mimicking that of a RHINOCEROS HORN! The rhinoceros horn nose serves as one of the game hooks.

The target is affixed to the box base interior and additionally retains its two original metal hooks placed on either side of the gent's large, polka dot, bow tie.

This brightly lithographed game retains 5 original, colored, pressed-cardboard throwing rings. The game directions, which are attached to the inside of the original cardboard cover, do not specify the number of rings originally included in the game.

Measuring 8 3/4 inches tall x 6 1/4 inches wide x 1 inch deep, the game cover as well as the target piece display absolutely wonderfully!

As evident in the photos, the box and box cover show expected wear given their 90-100+ years of age. The box cover shows evidence of exposure to dampness and or water, some small areas of missing paper and edge wear. The box base EXTERIOR shows edge wear, some creasing and some very small areas of missing paper. As stated earlier, the target, itself, looks as though it was never played with. Just fabulous!

The game does not retain a copyright year, but the Spear Works of Germany operated prolifically from the 1890s through the 1930's, and during this time period, it was recognized as the most well known, international manufacturer of games and children's activity kits.

The box cover is labeled "Spear's Games", "Manufactured at The Spear Works in Germany. Designed in England".

An EXTRAORDINARILY RARE find!!!

Offered are two absolutely wonderful, cast iron, still, penny banks manufactured by the AC Williams Company of Ravenna, Ohio, manufactured in the first quarter of the 20th century.

The banks may be purchased as a pair for $425.00, or they may be separately purchased as follows: Mammy with Spoon $295.00 and Black Man Darkey Sharecropper $225.

The Mammy with a Spoon measures 5 7/8 inches high and was produced between 1905 and 1930. She retains much of her original paint and exudes a warm, rich patina commensurate with a well-loved antique of approximately 100 years of age. She wears a blue dress, black shoes, a silver apron and a red kerchief that still retains some of its white polka dots. Mammy holds a gold-colored spoon in her right hand while placing her left hand firmly on her hip. Mammy means business!

The Black Man Darkey Sharecropper measures 5 1/2 inches high and was manufactured from 1901 to 1930. He retains most of his original paint showing less paint wear than Mammy and also exudes a very warm, rich patina. He wears black pants with red suspenders and a gold hat and gold shirt with red collar. He wears black shoes; however, his left black shoe is worn through at the toes, resulting in all five toes peeking out! He stands casually with his hands in his pocket. His back screw, while an old one, is a replacement.

Mammy and the Darkey Sharecropper were clearly manufactured as companion pieces given their similar size and stance. Both stand freely and would make wonderful additions to the well-curated, antique, Black Americana collection.

Measuring 14" X 23", this vintage, Ca 1930's, "Little Black Sambo" metal game board bears the circular emblem mark of the Wyandotte Toy Company at bottom right, "Wyandotte Toys, Made in USA", attesting to its authenticity as a non-reproduction piece.

Colors are extraordinarily vivid, a fabulous display piece -retains original cardboard backing and original stand, but, alas, no game darts! The darts are extraordinarily rare and are seldom found!

Present are minor surface blemishes, surface scratches, some surface rust specks, as well as minor edge crimps that one would expect of a 90+ year old toy -all of which fail to detract from the fabulously bold visual imagery of this piece! (The most prominent scratch is on Sambo's target.)

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

Measuring 6 1/4 inches high x 3 3/4 inches wide, this circa 1950's, Japan made, Polka Dot, Mammy String Holder is in very fine condition! Mammy has expected crazing to surface with two very tight hairlines that start at the backside of the piece and feather slightly toward Mammy’s two shoulders about ½ inch. At the lower base of the back is another tight hairline that remains on the back side of the piece only, not extending toward the front of the piece. It rests beside a tiny, darkened, superficial flake which also is not visible when Mammy is placed on a shelf or hung on the wall.

The String Holder is stamped "JAPAN" and “Theo Hinode” on the inside of the base (The Hinode Company is the Japanese Ceramic Company.). Mammy has a hole in the center of her chest area, just above her folded hands, to accommodate the string which would be pulled from the ball of string placed inside her body from the back of the piece. This wonderful piece even comes complete with vintage hanging string---Mammy has two holes at the back of her head to accommodate this! The entire piece is glazed with the exception of Mammy's red kerchief which is cold-painted (meaning that the paint was applied after firing). As such, this area of paint would be the most vulnerable to wear, and Mammy does have some “bald areas” where the paint has come off her kerchief. Please take a moment to view all photos to ascertain condition and appeal of this fabulous and functional, vintage string holder!

A lovely and colorful piece that can be displayed on a shelf or hanging from the wall!

Measuring 25.5 inches wide x 22 inches high in its original oak frame (the artwork itself measures 19.5 inches x 16.5 inches), this extremely rare, museum-quality example of American Folk Art with Deep South Black Americana theme, features the unusual combination of stenciled (?) cotton, crewel stitch-work, and oil and watercolor painting to achieve its phenomenal look!

Cheerily entitled, “Down Where The Cotton Blossoms Grow”, the scene encapsulates a moment in time in the life of poor, southern, Black folk living as part of a tenant farming family in a wooden cabin at the edge of a expansive cotton field. A young, barefoot black boy and his graying mama are caught in a happy moment smiling and dancing next to a freshly-picked burlap bag of cotton.

This artwork has been completed on a tightly woven piece of tan cotton, with the outline of the basic design either pre-stenciled or hand-painted with black India ink. (Without removing the piece from its frame and examining it under the stronger power of a microscope, this is difficult to determine.)

The artist then used watercolors to paint in the broad areas of color prior to using embroidery cotton and silk thread to stitch the title, and to outline the trees, the landscape, the wooden cabin, the two black figures and their clothing, etc. The final touch was to paint in the cotton blossoms and aspects of the folk’s facial features with a white oil paint. The result is a larger scale, utterly charming Folk Art Black Americana scene!

The condition of the piece, which is framed under glass, is excellent with no staining, tears, or other damage to the cotton fabric. The original solid oak frame shows some scuffing and subtle traces of paint. The original wood backing remains as well as several original square head nails.

This piece is truly a unique example of traditional, late 19th century, American Folk Art! Coupled with its Black Americana theme, this artistic rendering is a rare and precious offering!

Offered is a VERY difficult to find, Mammy or Aunt Jemima ceramic Clothes Sprinkler Bottle measuring 7" tall. My references indicate that she was made in Japan in the 1950's. She is in absolutely PERFECT CONDITION (no chips, cracks, breaks or repaint) and is complete with her original rubber and metal sprinkler stopper! Clearly, she was never actually filled with water and used to sprinkle water on wrinkled clothing prior to ironing!

Mammy or Aunt Jemima is wearing a white dress and head scarf with red trim. Her dark brown skin is flawless (any white spots or marks seen in photos are the result of light reflection and do not represent flaws of any kind.)

While she is unmarked, there is a very small black "X" on the bottom of the backside of her dress.

An incredibly hard to find piece! These very functional pieces were, more often than not, actually used in the home on ironing day, and thus were subject to damage or breakage and ended up in pieces at the local landfill! This wonderful Black American collectible was acquired from the original owner where it rested safely on a display shelf all these many years!

This March 10, 1915 patented Black Man Jigger Toy was produced by The National Toy Company of Boston, Massachusetts and was designed to be placed on one's phonograph. When a record was played, the Black Jigger would dance and jiggle!

In fabulous and complete, all-original condition with no repaint, replaced pieces or repairs, this rare piece is impressed on the underside of its wooden and metal dancing platform with patent date and manufacturer (see photos). The dancing man is constructed of painted wood with teeny metal nails holding his arms and legs in place; knees are jointed. Measures 7 inches tall x 7 inches in length.

An extremely rare piece of Black Americana!

Measuring 6 3/4 inches tall x 3 3/4 inches wide and deep, offered is this rarely found, all-original and vintage, French, BANANIA brand, Chocolate Banana breakfast food tin.

The now empty tin features the Banania brand trademark graphic of a smiling Blackamoor.

Condition is all-original with some wear to tin from use as seen in photos. Light superficial rusting present here and there that does not affect tin integrity and is mostly noted on interior surfaces.

This tin is widely reproduced today, with the original tin very, very difficult to find. A fabulous opportunity to add an authentic vintage BANANIA collectible to one's Black Memorabilia collection!

***Please view the smaller, vintage, BANANIA tin currently available as well as an exceedingly rare, vintage, Banania dexterity puzzle***.

A representative sampling of pages from this hard-to-find, 1935, hard cover, 1st edition, miniature folio, Little Black Sambo book published by Platt & Munk Brothers, Inc., of New York, has been photographed for one’s viewing pleasure!

In utterly excellent condition with the only flaws noted being subtle wear to the paper dust jacket and a past owner's name and address, this version of the Little Black Sambo story is highly collectible as any item produced by its publisher, Platt & Munk, is aggressively sought-after due to the company’s reputation for use of extraordinarily vivid graphics.

This mini book is sixty-two pages long with 29 vividly colored illustrations designed and executed by the author, Frank Ver Beck.

A must have edition for the collector of Little Black Sambo books!

Measuring 1 3/4 inches in diameter x 3/8 of an inch high, this seldom-found, circa 1920’s, colorful, visually-appealing, dexterity game depicts a fancily dressed and bejeweled black woman! This German-made puzzle was customized to advertise "STAR SOAP" for the Schultz & Co. of Zanesville, Ohio. The puzzle contains the 5 tiny white balls, that with the proper manual dexterity, are to be placed in the lady’s mouth to serve as her teeth!

Constructed of tin with a tin embossed and lithographed image and a glass cover, this game features a mirror on back. The puzzle is in all-original condition with the embossed graphic remaining free of scratches and abrasions. (Please disregard any light or shiny spots in photos which are due to flash reflection off of the glass.)

An interesting image and a delightful piece of early Advertising or Toy Black Memorabilia!

Circa 1920’s, this all original piece of Black Memorabilia advertising, Carter’s INKY RACER, comes complete with its very colorful and “graphically appealing” cardboard box along with the two original, rubber-stoppered, glass, ink-removing-solution bottles, and amazingly, the extremely rare, directions-for-use paper pamphlet!

Both the exterior and interior of the cardboard box features the well-known “running black boy logo” making this item an eye-appealing display piece!

Condition is near excellent with some age-related and expected subtle wear to corners of the box(see photos). The box remains quite structurally sound, and its condition suggests that this piece received little handling over the years. Closed, the box measures 3 1/4 x 2 3/4 x 1 1/4 inches. Bottle #1 retains 1/3 of its ink erasing solution while bottle #2's remaining contents have dried to a white powder. Quite unusual to find contents of this product intact after so many years! The paper instructional pamphlet is in mint condition absent the fold marks which allow the pamphlet to be made small enough to slip inside this diminutive box.

A must-have for the Black Memorabilia collector--particularly in this fabulous condition!!

This fabulously detailed, circa 1920, hand-made, 18 inch long cloth Golliwog doll has been most finely and meticulously crafted. A brief history of the Golliwog doll: The Golliwog is based on a Black minstrel doll that the Victorian era illustrator, Florence Kate Upton, born in 1873, had played with as a small child in New York. Upton's Golliwog character was first introduced to the world in her 1895 book entitled The Adventures of Two Dutch Dolls. Like the rag doll that inspired it, the Golliwog in her book was an ugly creature with very dark, jet black skin, large white-rimmed eyes, red clown lips, and wild, frizzy hair. Golliwogs are typically male and are generally dressed in a jacket, trousers, bow tie, and stand-up collar in a combination of red, white, blue, black, and occasionally yellow colors.

This Golly is in excellent condition with the exception of an old, small tear above his left eye that truly does little to detract from his overall outstanding appeal. His facial features are hand-stitched of silky embroidery thread, and his very soft curly hair has the luster and feel of a Persian lamb coat! His little hands have the thumbs delineated through careful stitching. On his feet are delicately-crafted, very supple, black leather boots! His body is constructed of a fine quality, soft, black cotton stuffed with cotton batting.

This Golly’s costume sets him apart from the vast majority of early vintage Golliwog dolls that are available on today’s market. His very formal, long-tailed wool mourning coat is a combination of hand and machine stitching and is accented with elegant silk lapels and stamp-designed silver buttons; the back detailing is completed with two cloth-covered buttons that show some minor age wear. Golly’s red and white, cotton striped pants are hand-hemmed and have been hand-stitched to his brown and white cotton checkered vest that features lapel detailing. (Please note: in some photos, a small brass safety pin is shown attached to Golly’s pants. This has since been removed as it was not original to the doll, and it served no function.) To complete his finely tailored outfit, Golly wears a most unique, very stiff (glossy cardboard perhaps?), high-collared, formal white shirt, accented with a wonderful little black silk bow tie and a Victorian era, onyx and gold-plated stickpin that is further emphasized with the central placement of a tiny diamond chip.

An exceptional, painstakingly-crafted Golly for the sophisticated doll collector!

An utterly fabulous piece of 1930’s Black Americana, this mint condition, hand-painted, Black Sambo Alligator ashtray measures approximately 5 inches wide by 4.5 inches high. Curly headed Little Sambo holds his original bamboo fishing pole complete with tiny metal hook!

Sambo sits upon the belly of an alligator whose wide open jaws are ready to take a chomp!!

The piece is stamped “Japan” on the base and has wonderful detail! Even the alligator’s tongue has been painted in! Love that nubby, curly hair!

Please note that any white marks appearing in photos are glare from the flash and are not imperfections!

Offered is a rarely found, copyright 1910, Milton Bradley Company of Springfield, Massachusetts, dexterity game entitled "Ring A Pin".

The game features a wooden target with a brightly colored, paper lithograph depicting nine different male faces, including that of an African-American with exaggerated facial features. The target is in very good condition with some minimal surface soiling and paper loss. It retains its original, orange wooden stands.

Each gentleman sports a metal hook from his mouth upon which one is to attempt to toss a very small ring. NOT an easy task by any stretch!

This brightly lithographed game retains four, original, celluloid-like throwing rings. The game directions, which are printed on the back side of the box cover, do not specify the number of rings that were originally included in the game, so it is not known if four was the original number. The game box cover, featuring the original paper lithograph, no longer retains its sides. The cover lithograph is in good condition given its 103 years of age with small areas of surface loss, some tiny rips and missing paper segments, and some light pencil writing evident.

The game box measures 6 1/2 inches tall x 9 1/2 inches wide x 2 inches deep.

The game cover as well as the target piece displays absolutely wonderfully! A RARELY found, quite visually captivating, Black Memorabilia collectible!

Measuring 15 ¾ x 19 ½ inches, this extraordinarily RARE, circa 1920’s (or earlier!), heavy painted cardboard, BIMBO RINGO Ring Toss game board is all original and complete. Included are 6 rubber toss rings that have the appearance of mason jar washers and which may or may not be original to this game board. At any rate, the previous owner had these rings displayed with the game board at the time of acquisition, and they will be passed along to the next owner.

This item has phenomenal visual appeal! The striking graphic of an African native holding a shield and spear has been completed in red, black, cream and green colors that show no evidence of fading over these many years. The native's facial features are exaggerated which is quite typical of early 20th century depiction of African Americans.

Manufactured by the G.H. Robinson Company of Chicago (the paper manufacturer’s label remains affixed to the back of the game), the game comes with an attached cardboard stand in back that allowed it to remain upright during play. The game board retains its 5 original metal ring hooks at the native’s ears, nose, shield and spear. The object of the game was to successfully toss and hook a ring onto each of the hooks, with different point values awarded to the various hooks. The first person to accumulate 200 points won the game!

As stated earlier, condition is quite fine with no fading of colors. The metal ring hooks have acquired a nice patina. This game was attentively cared for over the years and at one time was reinforced at each of the four corners with cotton stitching. There is some creasing to the upper right hand corner and a ½ inch long tear- as opposed to a missing piece- to the top border directly aligned with and above the right ear. The stand was also sewn and taped at one time, but remains intact.

This Black Memorabilia game is truly quite rare as it is not documented in any of the extant Black Memorabilia source guides! It is quite likely that not many of the Bimbo Ringo Ring Toss games have survived given the inherently fragile nature of a cardboard – as opposed to a metal- toy!

This is a fabulous and eye-appealing toy that should not be missed by the serious collector of Black Memorabilia!!!

In wonderful condition, this hard-bound, 2nd printing of Elvira Garner's "EZEKIAL" retains its original dust jacket.

Printed in 1937, this delightful story of little Ezekial and his Florida family was both written and illustrated by Ms. Garner.

The book is tightly bound with some foxing at the front and back cover interior seams. The colors are much brighter and more vivid than they appear in my photos. No rips, tears, or repairs. Photos provide a representation of condition of interior pages, cover and dust cover. Excellent condition for its 70 years!

A very difficult to find Black Memorabilia children's story book!

Measuring just under 6.5 inches in width, this VERY RARE, 19th century, hand-forged iron, slave collar with unusual incised detailing was recently uncovered in Texas.

Complete with functional locking mechanism and -even more scarcely found- a working key, this seldom found piece remains in excellent, all-original condition and stands as a horrid, tangible testament to the malevolence of slavery.

The collar is constructed of two, hefty, separate, semi-circular pieces of iron that are hinged together via a thick iron pin that has a "head" on either end preventing the two pieces from separating. While the interior of the collar is plain, the exterior, very unusually, has been "decorated" with incised diagonal lines cut between horizontal, incised banding at the top and bottom of each piece (see photos). The collar, thus, opens and closes at only one end.

The collar is locked and unlocked via a hand-forged locking mechanism that, amazingly, retains its original key--- an extraordinarily rare occurrence today as typically the key has been long ago lost. The locking mechanism remains smooth and is readily operable. It is unlocked by fully inserting the key and slowly turning it to the right until the pin holding the lock in place is released. To lock, reinsert the open hinge into the lock and hold in place while turning the key to the left.

An excellent and rare example of an artifact of slavery- a material reminder of the malevolence and cruelty suffered by African-Americans in 17th, 18th, and 19th century America.

Measuring approximately 7.25 inches high, this difficult to find, Black Americana Vargas wax figure is mounted on its original wooden platform and is one of a series of fascinating "street character wax dolls" conceived of and crafted by Mrs. Concepcion Vargas Alfonso, daughter of the world-renowned, turn-of-the-20th century, New Orleans, Spanish sculptor, Francisco Vargas.

From approximately 1910 through the 1930's, Mrs. Concepcion Vargas-Alphonso, influenced by the great artistry of her famous father who also sculpted in wax, crafted a variety of wax dolls inspired by the black folk she saw on New Orleans's street corners selling their wares or practicing their trade - black folk performing everyday activities that would have been daily seen on the streets of the city.

While the majority of Vargas figures were sold exclusively through Harriet's, of 318 Rue Royal in the French Quarter of New Orleans, a small number of Vargas figures were also sold through Kate Latter's Candy Shop in New Orleans. The shop, opening during the Great Depression years, had significant financial difficulties and closed after only five years (1933-1938) in business. This particular Vargas figure was one that was sold there, and it retains a gold foil sticker advertising the shop underneath its wood base.

Vargas figures are completely hand-made, one-of-a-kind dolls that are seldom found on today's market due to their inherently fragile nature, making them highly sought after in the Black Memorabilia / Black Americana Collectible arena.

This figure, known as the Sugar Cane Seller, was recently de-accessioned from the Louisiana State University Rural Life Museum collection, Baton Rouge, LA, having been acquired by the museum from a private collector in January 1979.

The Sugar Cane Seller is one of the more difficult to find of the Vargas figures. In his right hand he holds three stalks of newly cut sugar cane, and in his left hand he holds a silver-colored, light-weight, metal machete.

Vargas wax figures are distinctly characterized by their interesting but highly exaggerated facial features. This gentleman Sugar Cane Seller wears a red and yellow checked kerchief around his neck, a green shirt with yellow polka dots, black and tan striped pants, and black "leather" shoes. His costume is entirely constructed of actual cloth fabric that was coated with a fine layer of clear wax to stiffen them. The Sugar Cane Seller's wax body is internally supported by a wire frame through which the figure is securely attached to the wooden base. Underneath the wood base is found the Kate Latter's Candy Store sticker as well as an inventory sticker from the LSU Rural Life Museum.

This wonderful figure is in fine condition for his 90+ years of age with the following minor restorations likely performed by the professionals at the LSU Rural Life Museum: a restored right hand (that is presently missing a thumb), and restoration to the back of the vendor's hat, noted by the lighter colored wax. The sugar cane stalks appear to have been reattached in place, and his left hand is also missing the thumb. Due to the fragility of the wax fingers, it is not uncommon to find them missing or partially present.

The Sugar Cane Seller's light-weight metal machete was once attached to the left hand. It is my opinion that this metal machete was fashioned by professionals at the museum to replace the original cardboard version. Its weight, however, appears to be too much for the wax hand to hold, and thus, it became unattached while still in the museum's collection. As seen in the photos, the machete can be successfully rested inside the hand provided it is placed so that it is balanced, with equal lengths of the machete in front of and behind the hand.

A true must-have, rarely-found piece for the ardent collector of New Orleans Black folk character figures!

Please take a moment to view the additional Vargas figures we currently have the pleasure of offering for sale. Type "Vargas" into the search box on our website homepage.

Offered is an extremely rare, C1920s, Federal agency building sign denoting offices for the Bureau For Colored Children. It is quite likely that this 100+ year old sign remains the only one in existence today.

Given that this sign is clearly segregating services for African-American children despite the fact that this was a federal agency, one can only hypothesize that this sign was placed on the exterior of a federal building in a state that endorsed and enforced segregation.

There does exist in the Temple University archives, Philadelphia, a brief notation of a "Bureau for Colored Children", founded in 1927, as a shelter at 321 North 41st Street in Philadelphia, PA, for dependent and neglected African American children. It provided a foster care program as well as operation of a farm and vocational school for boys in Pomeroy, PA. The Bureau disbanded sometime after 1963, when The State Department of Public Welfare withdrew financial support for failure to meet standards for childcare agencies. This sign could have possibly come from that Pennsylvania agency.

A quick history of this agency drawn from the federal publication, "The Story of the Children's Bureau, 1912-2012":
At the turn of the 20th century, conditions for children in America were deplorable; 1 in 10 infants did not survive the first year of life, and very often, many children were forced to leave school to help support their families, oftentimes working under dangerous conditions.
Those who were orphaned were crowded into large institutions where they received little care or attention.
Lillian D. Wald, founder of the Henry Street Settlement in New York City, and her friend, Florence Kelley, are credited with conceiving the idea for a Federal agency to promote child health and welfare in 1903. Impressed with the concept, a friend of Wald’s wired President Theodore Roosevelt, who promptly invited the group to the White House to discuss it further.
After nearly ten years of discussions with multiple groups, committees, and individuals, as well as numerous failures of Congress to pass a federal bill addressing the plight of these children, Congress, in 1912, finally passed the Act creating the Children’s Bureau, charging it “to investigate and report . . . upon all matters pertaining to the welfare of children and child life among all classes of our people.”
President William Howard Taft signed the bill on April 9, 1912, and the agency continues its work today.

Measuring 24" wide x 18" tall, the sign features a beveled-edged, copper base mounted on a wood frame featuring approximately 3/8" high, raised, solid brass letters ranging from 2" to 3.25" tall. The copper backing is securely bolted onto the wood frame from the front with four brass bolts, one positioned at each corner, adding a decorative element to the sign. Each letter is securely screwed into the copper base from the back of the sign as seen in one of the photos. The sign is marked by the manufacturer, "ABELE" on the lower center of the base underneath the letters "L" and "D" in the word, "CHILDREN".

Fabulous patina to both the copper and brass with just a slight edge crimping below the "N" in "CHILDREN" as noted in photo. Condition consistent of a 100+ year old, extremely well-made sign that was mounted on the exterior of a building. Areas of the copper background surface that appear to be lighter in some areas and in some photos are the result of flash only; the color and patina of the copper background surface is even with consistent aging throughout.

Truly an extraordinary piece of African-American cultural history reflective of an era and time- on the Federal Level, no less- of continued ignorant, obtuse and repugnant belief and behavior.

Measuring 3 /12 inches high x 5 ¼ inches wide x 3 inches deep, this early 1950’s, USA-made, plastic, RED Aunt Jemima Recipe Box has seen some use but remains quite visually striking and in very good condition!

Manufactured by FOSTA Products, this highly sought after piece of Black Memorabilia is in lovely, all-original condition with very light, superficial surface wear as seen in photos; this wear is reflective of less-than-typical use. A bonus--the original recipe cards remain inside! Fabulous color and condition contribute to the wonderful visual appeal of this delightful and essential, vintage piece of early 50’s Black Americana!

Measuring 8 inches long by 5.5 inches high, this wonderful vintage 1920s, unmarked, cast iron doorstop features 3 charming black boys perched behind a fence eating luscious watermelon slices!

In all original condition with absolutely no repainting, this delightful piece retains its brilliant coloration. The piece has appropriate wear to paint as noted in photographs and also shows superficial rusting here and there, again, as noted in photos.

A fabulous and seldom-found display piece, most visually charming to the eye!

Published in 1876, by McLoughlin Brothers, New York, this extremely rare publication in the Uncle John's Drolleries series is a variation on the Ten Little Niggers story. (Both tales are highly derogatory and quite politically incorrect!)

Measuring 7 3/8 inches wide x 10 3/8 inches long, the book is illustrated in brilliant color with 8 full page chromolithographs. McLoughlin Brothers Publishers were re-known for fabulously-executed illustrations.

Condition: Good-- for its 134 years of age! Unpaginated. Paper covers. The book was stitched at the spine some time ago and this repaired binding remains tight. Several edge tears are present on the cover and to interior pages along with a heavy crease to the back page that is partially separated. These tears are evident in photographs. All original and complete--no missing pages.

Text: "One little nigger feeling rather blue, whistled out another nig and that made two. Three little niggers wanting one more, hadn't any trouble in getting number 4. Four little nigs not knowing how to drive, hired a colored coachman---that made 5. Five little niggers being calculating men, added one apiece, to make their number 10. Dis colored chile am done, dat sum; Five and five's ten---and now's gwine hum."

A must-have for the serious Black Memorabilia collector!!

Measuring approximately 7 inches high, this highly sought after Black Americana Vargas wax figure is mounted on its original wooden platform and is one of a series of fascinating "street character wax dolls" conceived of and crafted by Mrs. Concepcion Vargas Alfonso, daughter of the world-renowned, turn-of-the-20th century, New Orleans, Spanish sculptor, Francisco Vargas.

From approximately 1910 through the 1930's, Mrs. Concepcion Vargas-Alphonso, influenced by the great artistry of her father who also famously sculpted in wax, crafted a variety of wax dolls inspired by the black folk she saw on New Orleans's street corners selling their wares or practicing their trade - black folk performing everyday activities that would have been daily seen on the streets of the city.

Sold exclusively at the time through Harriet's, of 318 Rue Royal in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the completely hand-made, one-of-a-kind dolls are seldom found on today's market due to their inherently fragile nature, making them highly sought after in the Black Memorabilia / Black Americana Collectible arena.

This figure, known as the Cotton Seller, was recently de-accessioned from the Louisiana State University Rural Life Museum collection, Baton Rouge, LA, having been acquired by the museum from a private collector in January 1979.

This female Cotton Seller is a bit unusual as she has a simple, red-patterned cloth draped over her head, neck, and shoulders to protect from the sun, instead of the more typically-found bandanna worn by the majority of female street vendors. She holds a wax "wicker" basket in her right arm that is brimming with freshly-picked cotton, and at her feet, her left hand balances a large burlap bag containing much, much more cotton.

Vargas wax figures are distinctly characterized by their interesting but highly exaggerated facial features. This gentlewoman Cotton Seller wears a red floral kerchief around her neck, a green patterned shirt, and a delightful yellow skirt patterned all over with clusters of hearts, which nearly conceals her black "leather" shoes. Her costume is entirely constructed of actual cloth fabric that was coated with a fine layer of clear wax to stiffen them. The Cotton Seller's wax body is internally supported by a wire frame through which the figure is securely attached to the wooden base.

This wonderful figure is in absolutely amazing condition for her 90+ years of age with only one imperfection: a missing index finger on her left hand- a common condition occurring due to the extreme delicacy and fragility of the wax.

Please take a moment to view the additional Vargas figures we currently have the pleasure of offering for sale. Type "Vargas" into the search box on our website homepage.

Measuring 14 inches long by 11 inches wide, this delightful watercolor features a charming rendition of a young, straw-hatted black boy straddling a fence while clutching a plump watermelon! Signed "M. Shirreff" in the lower right corner.

Remaining in its original frame, this watercolor retains its vibrant color. A lovely piece of Black Americana executed with some naivete!

Please ignore any white streaks seen in photos; these are the result of light reflection off of the glass.

Measuring 36 inches wide, this two piece, untouched, all-original, single-sided, solid, one-inch-thick-wooden, circa 1920s sign is an extraordinarily RARE piece of Black American history-- an artifact of the "Jim Crow" era when segregation of the African American race was unfortunately, most commonplace.

This sign was once hung on the outside of the railroad station stop at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, designating the section of the railroad depot where African-Americans were required to stand to wait to board the train -- and then onto a specifically designated "COLORED ONLY" railroad car.

This sign is offered to the collecting public for the first time as it was recently recovered from the attic of an early 1900's home in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, that is presently undergoing restoration.

This fabulous sign is painted on both sides- white background with black lettering on the front and pale green on the back- but only the front side carries the hand-lettered "COLORED SECTION" "PINE BLUFF SECTION" lettering. If one looks closely, one can still see the pencil markings made by the painter to center the lettering on the sign.

This one-of-a-kind sign is in all-original condition and has some paint loss, crazing, nail holes, original nails, and superficial splintering to the edges of the sign as noted in photos. None of these age-characteristics impact the integrity of the sign and are more than appropriate to the age and purpose of the piece.

The sign consists of two separate pieces of wood; the first piece reading "COLORED SECTION measures 12 inches long and the second piece which denotes the physical location of this Arkansas railroad depot, reading "PINE BLUFF" with the words "SECTION" having been split off some time ago measures 7.5 inches long. The two sections need not be displayed together as the "COLORED SECTION" sign stands wonderfully on its own; the PINE BLUFF sign documents location but need not be hung if one does not wish to do so. Hooks and eyes have been added to facilitate hanging. They can be easily removed if desired.

An utterly phenomenal, extremely RARE, one-of-a-kind, museum-worthy piece of Black American history that is quite likely the only one of its kind extant today!

Please take a moment to view the other "Jim Crow" Segregationist Era signs I currently have the pleasure of offering.

Measuring 13 x 13 inches, this terrific example of 1920’s American Folk Art, a Black Washerwoman Whirligig, is in superb, untouched, all-original, fully functional condition!

Painted in tones of red, green, black and white and showing expected and appropriate age wear to the paint, this delightful wooden sculpture has been mounted onto a simple, present-day, wooden display platform.

Turn the propellers, and Mammy bends forward and back again as she scrubs her clothes on a yellow and black painted washboard that sits in an authentic looking, tin wash tub!

A very rare piece of early 20th century Americana!