Catalog: Popular Collectibles: Memorabilia (192)

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!

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.

This delightful grouping of 3 black Aunt Jemima composition dolls from the 1930s enjoyed an interesting, more recent life as advertising display pieces in an old Vermont Country store!

The 3 dolls were grouped together in a creative display that supported the sale of Aunt Jemima Pancake products! Their costumes are all identical and were hand-stitched and made especially for the planned Aunt Jemima display.

Each of the dolls remain intact inside an encasement of glue and paper wrapping and are attached to home-made, plaster-of-Paris-based, rectangular platforms. The platforms were created in 1958 as is written on the bottom of each base, and the dolls remained in place until the store closed in the early 1980s.

The large doll is 11 inches tall and evidences age-crackling to her composition face and hands; her right hand is actually missing a small piece of composition (see photo). Black hair peeks out from inside her checkered head scarf framing her sweet face!

The doll on the left side is the shortest, measuring 5 3/4 inches high. She is in fine condition and her eyes are placed in an interesting sideward glance.

The doll on the right measures 6 1/4 inches tall. Her composition is in fine condition with the exception to some small loss at the very top of her head (see photo).

Certainly a very visually appealing trio!

The group of 3 may be purchased for $265, or they may be purchased individually--the small dolls are priced at $80 each, and the large doll is priced at $135. Please email us stating which doll you wish to purchase so that we can customize your order form.

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!

In lovely condition with the exception of subtle fading to Mammy's red head kerchief, this delightful 1940's pin cushion doll appears to have been unused! No pinholes can be seen!

Mammy's head and body are actually constructed of a single wooden clothespin that was then inserted into her cotton-batting-padded skirt. Her face is hand-painted, she has a tuft of white cotton batting hair peeking out from her kerchief, and her apron is stamped in black ink "Souvenir of New Orleans".

A very sweet piece to add to one's sewing or doll collection!

Offered is a bucolic and beautifully-colored, medium-folio, copyrighted 1854, Nathaniel Currier, New York, lithograph entitled, "Catching A Trout". The image measures approximately 10" x 14", and depicts a fancily-dressed African-American man "netting" the trout caught by one of the two well-dressed gentleman enjoying a relaxing day of fishing. This Currier + Ives lithograph is infrequently found, and is quite highly collectible.

Condition of the litho is considered very good given the rich coloration that remains. Some minor wear does exist: 2 small tears measuring less than 1/2 inch each on either side border edge-- one in the trees on the right side and the other on the left side in the water. There are several teeny holes in the sky to the right of the bearded gentleman's fishing pole as well as one single hole in the black gentleman's hair. (Please see photos.) Some wear to the border at top as shown in photos.

Despite the noted imperfections, this lithograph displays beautifully, with rich color and crisp lines. It presently resides in an early 1920's frame without glass; it requires appropriate re-framing with acid-free materials to continue to preserve its historic importance.

Measuring 7.75 inches high, this fabulous late 1940's French business card holder celebrates the iconic Josephine Baker!

The statuette is constructed of lucite and is placed on a painted wood base. The piece is very nicely hand-painted and detailed. It depicts Ms. Baker in her famous banana skin skirt, wearing large loop earrings and holding her long, slender, silver cigarette holder. Her anatomical assets are duly accented in aluminum. The base is constructed utilizing the Art Deco design styling of the 1930's--the decade in which Ms. Baker first acquired her fame. The card holder, itself, is also aluminum.

Condition is mint with just the teeniest of surface scratches here and there apparent only when the piece is held to the light. Some slight pitting to the aluminum card holder edges.

Josephine Baker (June 3, 1906 – April 12, 1975) was an American-born French entertainer, most noted for her celebrated Folies Bergère singing career. In her early career, she was a feted dancer and is often credited as a movie star, although she only starred in 3 films in her early career. She was given the nicknames "Black Venus" or "Black Pearl" and "Créole Goddess", while in France she was known in the old theatrical tradition as "La Baker". She became a citizen of France in 1937. She is also credited for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement in North America and for being an inspiration to generations of African-American female entertainers.

Taken from a battered and unsalvageable 1907 story book, this delightful, hand-colored lithograph drawn by L. Hobbins is entitled, "Teaching Hannah Mariah To Skate".

Measuring 9 by 11 inches framed, this litho retains its vibrant colors!

A delightful piece which features the accompanying text on the reverse side.

The frame is a temporary and inexpensive one to allow the potential buyer to view the story on the backside, but the piece should be properly framed to enable its continued conservation once purchased.

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

Measuring 1 7/8 inches in diameter x 1/4 of an inch high, this seldom-found, circa 1920’s, dexterity game depicts a surprised or startled African baby. Likely German-made, the puzzle has no markings. It contains the 3 tiny metal balls, that with the proper manual dexterity, are to be placed in the baby’s mouth and two eyes. Two of the balls are currently fixed in place, likely due to the metal backing being very subtly pushed in.

Constructed of tin with tin back and a cardboard lithographed image and a glass cover, the puzzle is in all-original condition with some tiny crimps to the edges as noted in photos. (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 Black Memorabilia!

This charming grouping of vintage, wooden, Black Porter and Mammy clothes brushes were all made in the 1930's by the Rhody Brush Company of Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

All seven of these colorful brushes have natural bristles, and range in height from 7.5 inches and 8 inches tall to the smaller, 4.5 inches tall, green and red-dressed little Mammy brushes.

The three black railroad porter brushes, the large red Mammy brush with cloth bow and the small red Mammy brush are all in near excellent condition with evidence of having been very lightly used as described:

Blue Porter with Cream colored pants: teeny, superficial "dings" to paint here and there with one teeny mark between the eyes.
Black and Cream Porter: teeny, superficial "dings" to paint here and there with one teeny mark near the mouth; paint wear to edges of cap.
Yellow Porter: paint wear primarily to right side of face and top of cap.
Large Red Mammy with Cloth Bow: paint in excellent condition with a couple tiny rubs here and there. Natural bristles have faint trace of original red painted dots to natural bristle skirt.
Small Red Mammy: paint in excellent condition; faint trace of original red dots on natural bristle skirt.

The following two brushes are also in very nice, barely used condition with minor imperfection as described below:

Large Red Mammy with hand-painted bow: brush has seen a little more use than the others(see photos)- very minor paint wear from use to Mammy's back. Black paint drip to collar area. Natural bristles dyed red.
Small Green Mammy: green cap and blouse, small, 4.5" tall --in very good condition with exception to paint striation on face that occurred during manufacture (close-up photo makes this appear more prominent than what is seen with the eye).

Please note that many of the white spots seen in the photos are light reflections and are NOT areas of missing paint. If one looks closely, the teeny areas of missing paint can be distinguished from the light reflections.

The taller brushes are all priced at $85 each. The smaller, 4.5", green and red-dressed mammy brushes are priced at $60 each.

Please take the time to peruse our second grouping a Mammy and Porter brushes, listed separately.

Measuring just 5 inches high, this darling piece of Black Memorabilia is as functional as it is cute! Featuring a painted bisque black boy eating the stereotypical watermelon, he sits on a small pin cushion in the shade of a tree constructed of a genuine cotton boll!

The bisque was likely made in Japan and then shipped to the USA for assembly as a Southern States souvenir piece. In wonderful condition with just the tiniest bit of wear to the paint here and there--appears to have never been used as a pincushion.

Measuring approximately 23 inches high X 18 inches wide, this heavy cardboard restaurant menu from the 1940’s has never been used! This menu board was designed by the manufacturer to be a consumable, throw-away --- for jotting down the ever-changing, daily menu “Specials”!

Featuring a delightful, cartoon-like caricature of a black man, this board is in very good condition with minor edge wear, slight age-discoloration and a crease to the rim at the left end of the hat.

An interesting, seldom-found piece of Black Memorabilia!

Please disregard reflections in photos that are due to the presence of protective plastic wrap.

Seldom found on today's collectible market, this all-original, Mayo’s Cut Plug Tobacco Roly Poly Mammy Tin dates to circa 1912.

In 1912, in a stroke of advertising genius, Mayo's Tobacco Company packaged their cut plug tobacco in round tins with a lithographed character. Each held 1 pound of tobacco. It was opened by removing the head!

These "Roly-Polys" were a unique shape that distinguished them from the rectangular and lunch box-shaped tins that surrounded them on store shelves. There were a number of different characters that were available, and smokers were encouraged to collect the entire set. The six original tins were the Satisfied Customer, the Storekeeper, the Singing Waiter, the Dutchman, Scotland Yard....and Mammy!

Mayo called this packaging a "Brownie" tin...apparently the company suggested that the tins be used as brownie containers after the tobacco was used, and designed them accordingly. They were never a plentiful tin, and today, are becoming increasingly more and more difficult to find.

The Mayo tobacco tins were distinguished by little packages of Mayo Cut Plug tobacco shown somewhere on the character. Notice that the Mammy tin has a tiny tobacco tin tucked into her front pocket.

Mammy's dimensions are 7"x7". She is in good condition, as evidenced by the photos which clearly detail the flaws she has acquired over her 100+ years of existence. The body of the tin has minor paint loss to the litho as seen in photos, minor and subtle surface scratching (see photos), and small areas of denting to the top of mammy's head (see photo) and to her base near the cigarette pack protruding from her pocket (see photo). The body has some light soiling and has the appropriate wear at contact points. The tin has no repaint but does have some light, interior rusting to the interior of the base as well as a couple of tiny size holes which can be seen in the 12th photo (tiny holes show up as white spots in the photo). The base was held up to the bright, outdoor light to illuminate the holes- which actually make them appear more prominent than they actually are!

The base of the tin is labeled "made in factory # 42, in the 2nd District of Virginia".

**The depth of color is better viewed "in person" as opposed to what I was able to capture in a photo.**

A must-have addition to any SERIOUS Black Americana collection! A note on the rarity of this item....this is only the second Mayo Cut Plug tin that I have had the pleasure of offering for sale in my 20+ years specializing in Black Americana! The tin displays beautifully!!

Used by the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company, New York, - the A & P grocery store chain - for advertising purposes, this sizable diecut has been protected in a 12 3/4 x 9 1/2 inch, gold-toned frame.

Vividly colored, this Black Memorabilia themed piece features a smiling black girl seated on a large straw basket while holding 2, smaller-sized, flower-filled straw baskets in each arm. The young girl is nicely attired in a ruffled blue and yellow dress and wears red sandals, white lacy gloves, and a rose-accented, straw bonnet!

The diecut is in excellent condition! An unusual find!

Measuring 8 inches long x 4 1/2 inches wide x 4 inches high, this colorful, 1920's, tin lithographed, wind-up toy featuring a Black Native Riding a Turtle is quite visually appealing!!

In very nice condition with minor scratches to paint here and there as seen in photos, this wind-up toy works, but the mechanism does have the tendency to stick a little. Marked J. Chein.

A must-have for the avid Black Memorabilia Toy 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 1900-1910 Johnny Griffin item is a double image still bank that features 2 images of Johnny's head placed back-to-back. It was manufactured by the A.C. Williams Company of Ravenna, Ohio, which at the turn of the 20th century and up until World War II, was the largest toy and still bank manufacturer in the world. (At the start of WWII, production declined sharply as iron was needed for military consumption, marking the end of an era.) The bank is constructed of cast iron in two pieces which unscrew to facilitate the emptying of coins. There is a coin slot at the top of Johnny's head for use in depositing the coins. This sweet bank remains functional for banking use today or may be simply used as an attractive desk paperweight!

It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- and measures 3 inches high x 2 1/2 inches wide. It retains traces of the original gold leaf paint and may (or may not!) have a replaced screw.

The Johnny Griffin image- in the arena of 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 approximately 4.5 x 6.5 inches, this 1897 copyright souvenir postcard folder is entitled, "Souvenir Folder of Dixieland, Containing Typical Scenes". It was printed by F.L. Howe of Atlanta, Georgia.

The folder was mailed, but remains in fine condition given its age. Some edge wear evident at corners. While some photos may appear a bit blurry, this is a function of photography and not condition. All postcards are crisp and clear!

The Real Photo postcard folder features the lyrics and music of "Dixieland" and 18 full color scenes of the industries common in the South during this period: cotton picking and production, tapping pine trees for turpentine production, watermelon farming, and sugarcaning. Of cultural and historical interest are the numerous scenes of African-American life including less-flattering stereotypical scenes. Some very politically incorrect and derogatory captioning including use of "dialect".

Increasingly more and more difficult to find, this pot metal pencil sharpener was made in pre-WWII Germany in the 1930's.

Measuring 1.5 inches long x 1 inch wide, this sharpener depicts a derogatory caricature of a Black Man. The glaring eyes are painted a stark white with teeny black pupils, while the red painted lips surround the pencil sharpener blade which takes the place of the man's teeth. Curly molded hair and eyebrows are painted black, while the face is painted brown- inside and out.

The pencil sharpener is stamped GERMANY on the back inside.

Condition is very good with approximately 75% (a conservative estimate) of the original paint remaining. There is no repaint! The paint is worn in expected areas, with the majority of paint wear seen on the sides of the face and bottom of the chin where one would grasp the sharpener. Facial feature paint is strong.

Germany apparently made a good steel blade as the sharpener still works!