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All three tins are in very fine condition with some very small spots of superficial rust and teeny superficial surface scratches here and there as would be expected of any item 70+ years of age. These were stored well over the years and their condition reflects this! The largest tin is in the most pristine. The two black, white and red tins are empty but the green and yellow tin still has a hardened lump of polish inside. The large tin measures 5 6/8 inches high, the small black tin measures 4 1/4 inches high, and the green tin measures 4 inches high.
These tins are not readily found on today’s market in this condition and would provide a handsome and visually striking display either as a group of 3 or as a single piece! A nice addition to the advanced Black Memorabilia collection!
As each tin is priced separately, please email us stating which tin you wish to purchase so that we can customize your order form.
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This sign once hung on the inside of a railroad car, designating the line behind which African Americans must remain-- in the back of the car.
The sign is painted in gold lettering on both sides as follows: the back of the sign is painted, "FOR COLORED PASSENGERS", while the front of the sign is painted, "FOR WHITE PASSENGERS".
The sign is in all-original condition and has some paint fading, fading of the wood stain in given places (please view photos), and imperfections in the wood as noted in photos. These do not impact the integrity of the sign and are appropriate to the age and purpose of the piece. The sign retains all of its original hardware including "keyhole" receptacle for hanging the sign inside of the railroad car.
An utterly phenomenal, extremely RARE, one-of-a-kind, museum-worthy piece of Black American history that may very well be the only one of its kind extant today!
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Old Black Joe Axle Grease was manufactured by the John Hancock Oil Company of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota- the Twin Cities. The can was made by the St. Louis Can Company and is so labeled (see photos). Note the exaggerated facial features of OLD BLACK JOE---an unfortunate, but very typical depiction of African Americans during this time period.
A wonderful and scarce find Black Memorabilia collectible in near excellent condition!
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It has been noted that their creation was encouraged through President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Depression era program, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), in existence from 1935-1943. The WPA was designed to provide jobs across the country during the Great Depression. While most 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 dolls fell under the WPA Federal Art Project, with the goal of representing the various aspects of the culture, work and lives of the Southern black community of this time period.
The doll clad in all black depicts the VERY rarely-found, black country preacher out for an afternoon stroll with his wooden walking stick in one hand and the Holy Bible clutched in the other. The preacher wears a machine-stitched suit thoughtfully detailed with fine, white shirt cuffs poking out from beneath his jacket and the white Reverend's collar at his neck. His left shoe reveals a hole with a sock-covered toe poking through! The preacher's stove-pipe-style hat is placed snugly on his head covering most of his gray hair although his full gray facial beard features prominently. His embroidered facial features, characteristic of these WPA dolls, are further accented with "steel-rimmed" style eye glasses. The 1.5 square inch bible actually has real pages! Also characteristic of this type of doll is a small square of asphalt shingle glued to the feet to serve as a stand. The doll's body is well-stuffed with cotton batting and he stands freely.
The gray-hair and bearded, chicken-toting black country gent doll is also attired in machine-stitched clothing and additionally shares a cotton-bating stuffed body, embroidered facial features, and an asphalt shingle tile stand. He wears cotton britches detailed with double knee patches and suspenders along with a blue and cream striped cotton shirt and a red and white polka dot kerchief around his neck. His hat is constructed of black-colored felt. This country gent holds a finely crafted and detailed brown chicken under his right arm, while his left hand clutches a wooden walking stick.
Two very special dolls that represent a snapshot of history, capturing the lives of poor Southern black folk of the Depression era.
The dolls are priced at $295.00 each.
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This doll depicts the black fisherman. He holds a bait pail and bunch of sticks tied together with string that has been flung under his right shoulder. In his left hand, he carries a wooden fishing pole from which a silver-colored, metal fish dangles (the fish appears to be newer than the doll and is likely a replacement). This is an older gentleman who wears a straw hat with gray hair and who has embroidered facial features –most characteristic of these dolls. Also characteristic of this type of doll is a small square of asphalt shingle glued to the feet to serve as a stand. This gent has lost his shingle stand but the remnants are still visible glued to the bottom of his left leather shoe. Clothing is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the patches on his knees and the red hanker chief tied around his neck. His body is black cotton stuffed with cotton batting.
A very special doll that takes a snapshot of history in capturing the life of the poor southern black of the Depression era.
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When the toy is pulled, the wheels rotate and the horse's head bobs up and down! Just adorable!
This 75 year old toy is in very good condition with very minimal and expected, normal wear from light playing to appropriate areas (see photos).
All original including very aged (!)string, with no breaks and no repairs or replacements to either wooden or metal parts. There is evidence of repaint to the green platform and the red wheels only; however this was done a very, very long time ago as the repainted areas show old wear! The horse's black cloth ears are worn-looking but still intact!
A very charming old toy with fabulous, visual "shelf appeal"! Perfect for either the Early Toy or Black Memorabilia collection!
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This doll depicts the black washerwoman. She holds an authentic-looking wood and tin washboard in her left arm. This gentlewoman wears a red kerchief on her head covering all hair and has embroidered facial features –most characteristic of these dolls. Also characteristic of this type of doll is a small square of asphalt shingle glued to the feet to serve as a stand. This doll still retains her original shingle stand but it has come loose from the left shoe. Clothing, with the exception of her navy-colored knit-fabric sweater, is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the red hankie poking out of her apron pocket. Her body, which is well-stuffed to be anatomically correct, is black cotton fabric stuffed with cotton batting.
A very special doll that takes a snapshot of history in capturing the life of the poor southern black of the Depression era.
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In very fine condition, with faint, superficial scratches expected of a 70+ year old metal toy, this wonderful Tuxedoed Dancing Black Man is in working condition! He is stamped "Made in USA" on his back and was made by Buffalo Toy Works. It is operated via a small metal lever at the base that can be jiggled (thus, the name "Jigger" Toy) up and down and back and forth to make Dancing Sambo wave his arms and jiggle his legs!
Measures approximately 6.5 inches high. Maker unknown. Displays wonderfully!
Please note that any white spots appearing in photos are from the camera flash and are not imperfections!
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Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) was the greatest Jazz musician of all time, defining what it was, what it meant to play Jazz. His incredible technical abilities, the joy and spontaneity felt in his works, and his amazingly quick, inventive, musical mind continues to dominate Jazz to this day.
This wonderful piece is a superb likeness of "Satchmo", and it remains in very fine, all-original condition! No chips, cracks, repairs or repainting! Minor and tiny, age-related flakes to the surface of this chalkware piece exist here and there and are entirely appropriate given the statue's 70+ years of age. No maker's mark--just a small encircled "C" for copyright on the back of the base. Bottom of base is covered in an original, soft, felt-like material to prevent statue from scratching display surfaces.
A fabulous piece of Louis Armstrong Memorabilia!!
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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.
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70 years later, these gorgeous Czech Glass Mardi Gras beads are not only highly collectible but are becoming more increasingly scarce with each passing year. Use of color, shape, and form vary from one necklace to the next, with no two necklaces exactly alike.
Measuring 16 ¾” in length, this necklace is constructed of a series of small, faceted yellow glass beads that accent 9 red disc-shaped beads alternately placed between the yellow beads. (Please note that the red beads appear orange in the photos but that is simply a trick of the lighting- they are indeed red!!!) Striking color contrast! Attached is the ORIGINAL PAPER TAG reading “Made in Czechoslovakia”.
All Czech Mardi Gras necklaces were originally strung using a thin, cotton thread that has naturally aged and weakened over the past 70+ years, and thus, are easily prone to breakage. Because of the fragility of the original cotton threading, this necklace has been professionally restrung using a stainless steel, "C" hook closure, and jeweler's, nylon-coated, stainless steel wire to ensure stability and safety when worn.
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This silly caricature bank features a black man's head mounted on two little feet- no body! He wears a red hat labeled, "Save and Smile Money Box" impressed across the front rim. This two piece mold has a coin slot on the top of the back of the head. The bank would have to be unscrewed to be emptied.
This all original still bank is in very fine condition with most of its paint remaining intact- no repaint!! A must-have for the serious still bank or Black Memorabilia collector!!
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She 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 back side 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 Chef Spoon Rest from Toledo Stove and Range! A fortuitous opportunity to acquire a very rare Black Memorabilia pair!
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This doll depicts the black stick or kindling gatherer. He holds a bunch of sticks tied together with string that has been flung over his right shoulder. In his left hand, he holds a wooden walking stick. This is an older gentleman who wears a straw hat, gray beard and hair and has embroidered facial features –most characteristic of these dolls. Also characteristic of this type of doll is a small square of asphalt shingle glued to the feet to serve as a stand. This gent has lost his shingle stand but the remnants are still visible glued to the bottom of his leather shoes. Clothing is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the patch on his left knee and the red hanker chief poking out of his right pocket. His body is brown cotton stuffed with cotton batting.
A very special doll that takes a snapshot of history in capturing the life of the poor southern black of the Depression era.
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Author: Heyward, DuBose.
Title: JASBO BROWN AND SELECTED POEMS.
Subject: African-American Experience and Culture of Charleston, South Carolina
Publication: New York: Farrar & Rinehart, (1931)
Edition: First Edition
Description: First edition. Hardcover, gilt-stamped brown cloth. First printing. 96 pages. A tight very good plus copy with a partial, former ownership bookplate with minor writing, some tiny chipping to the spine ends. No dust jacket.
Farrar & Rinehart, Inc. indicated their First Editions by the small oval logo forming the letters F an R immediately above the copyright line on the back of the title page.
The 1924 date is for the copyright date of the poetry, the 1931 is the date of first publication in book form.
Edwin DuBose Heyward (August 31, 1885 – June 16, 1940) was an American author who was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. He is best known for his 1925 novel Porgy. He and his wife Dorothy, a playwright, adapted it as a 1927 play of the same name. The couple worked with composer George Gershwin to adapt the work as the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess. It was later adapted as a 1959 film of the same name. Heyward also wrote poetry and other novels and plays, and this book of selected poems reflected his observations of and experiences with black culture in Charleston during his childhood.
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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!
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Hand-executed by Robert A. Myers of 73 E. Hazeltine Avenue, Kenmore, New York, the figures vary in height from 2.25 to 2.75 inches. The colors are absolutely brilliant and the detailing exquisite with the tiniest of details painted with superb precision, control and great artistry.
"HAND MADE, R. A. Myers, 72 E. Hazeltine Ave., Kenmore, NY" is clearly stamped on the soles of approximately 5 of the figures--yet there is no question that all were executed by the same hand, and it is likely that all figures at one time bore this stamp.
Little is known of Robert A. Myers other than the fact that the street address stamped on the soles of the figures' feet was a private residence, and Robert A. Myers was indeed listed as residing at this address in a 1930 Kenmore (a suburb of Buffalo) telephone directory.
The fabulous figures have been safely stored over these many years in a felt-lined, hardwood, hinged box which undoubtedly has contributed to their most excellent condition!
Truly a RARITY! These wonderful folk art figures would make an outstanding addition to the museum quality Black Memorabilia collection! Not to be missed--these are one-of-a-kind!
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This sign was once bolted onto the inside of a railroad car, designating the line behind which African Americans must remain-- in the back of the car.
The sign is painted on both sides as follows: the back of the sign is painted with white lettering on a black background and reads, "THIS PART OF THE CAR FOR COLORED RACE". The front of the sign is painted with black lettering on a white background and reads, "THIS PART OF THE CAR FOR WHITE PEOPLE".
The sign is in all-original condition and has some paint loss and superficial rust as noted in photos that does not impact the integrity of the sign and is appropriate to the age and purpose of the piece. Wear to the "white side" of the sign has resulted in the removal of portions of the words "THIS PART".
An utterly phenomenal, extremely RARE, one-of-a-kind, museum-worthy piece of Black American history that may very well be the only one of its kind extant today!