$395.00
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 of English parents, 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.
Measuring 21.5 inches long, this delightful and appealing cloth Golli is unmarked and is thought, by his original and quite elderly owner, to have been made in the mid 1940's! (She speculates that he could even be a bit older than that, but she remembers not acquiring him until after the end of WWII.)
His nose and mouth are hand-stitched and he has round, cloth covered button eyes- the pupils were hand-colored using black ink! His nicely coiffed, black hair appears to have been styled from soft, "stuffed animal-type" fur! Rather interesting and ingenious! He has a machine-stitched, cotton batting stuffed, black sock cloth body. His colorful wardrobe is also machine stitched- green wool mourning coat, gold vest, and red and white polka-dotted cotton pants and matching bow tie!
He is in wonderful condition with the exception of some tiny moth holes to the back of his mourning coat (see photos) as well as another tiny moth hole to the back of his right arm and back right pants leg. The polka dot clothing shows the slightest hint of fading. His dark black fur hair also shows some age-related color change to brown at the roots. Hmm...then again...perhaps he's simply overdue for another hair coloring appointment at the Salon!
A very sweet addition to one's Black Memorabilia or Golliwogg collection!
$395.00
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!
$475.00
The toy is in very fine, working condition. When wound, the black dancers bob up and down, moving their hinged legs about and swinging their arms. The dancer's heads, bodies, and arms are constructed of flat tin, while their legs and feet are three dimensional. Other than a few light scratches here and there, the surface lithography and paint is in fabulous condition.
The toy measures 8” tall and 5 ½” wide. Marked with “MADE IN U.S.A.” on the back of the dancer's jackets as well as "MADE IN USA" and "PAT 2072308" (Patent Year 1937) on the bottom of the toy base.
$95.00
Both dolls retain their 3 original pigtails, all tied off with tiny pieces of string. Their hand-painted lips and eyes remain in excellent condition as is the dark brown paint which covers the bisque bodies which were originally white when manufactured (the white bisque coloring is visible at the joints).
Both dolls have jointed arms and legs which allow them to assume different positions. The string holding the larger doll's legs in place has stretched over these many years resulting in looser leg joints. (This can be repaired if so desired by the new owner.)
The larger doll is dressed in a hand-made outfit consisting of an ivory, yarn-knitted petticoat under a yellow crocheted dress while the smaller doll remains au naturalle! A darling, teeny tiny pair that display quite nicely!
$275.00
This particular piece is in very fine condition, with cold-paint flaking on the spout and lid edge decoration noted as this piece's only readily-visualized flaws. (Cold paint refers to paint applied AFTER a piece has been painted, glazed, and fired in a kiln. Because this after-paint is not glazed and fired, it is easily subjected to flaking and disintegration.)
The teapot remains in fabulous, all-original condition with its twisted-wire, original, bail handle intact and in fine condition. The tea pot measures 5.5 inches wide from the edge of its spout and across the body to the opposite side. With its handle upright, the pot measures 7.75 inches tall. The teapot with lid, absent the handle, measures 5.25 inches tall. It is 5.75 inches wide.
As noted previously, the teapot spout presents flaking of its green paint, with two tiny flea bites present on the tip of the spout detected only via touch versus the eye. The pot has no chips, cracks, repairs or repaint. There are very teeny surface rubs on the left cheek, but these are paint flaws which occurred prior to glaze application and firing. There are also two teeny "dots"-- one on the forehead and one just to the inside corner of the right eye that are also flaws created either right before or during firing.
This fabulously RARE piece displays just wonderfully and would be a prized asset in the collection of any advanced collector! And its diminutive size makes it easy for one to display in one's collection!
$95.00
The first is the large folio book, a 1931, First Edition, Copyright by Howard E. Altemus, David McKay Publishers, Philadelphia, Told and Pictured by Helen Bannerman. The book features many simply brilliantly-colored, full-color drawings that are truly the highlight of this book. They are just marvelous!
Condition: Binding is tight, all pages are present. The exterior shows soiling, edge wear and binding wear at the top and bottom. This was given as a 1937 Christmas gift from an aunt to her nephew and the book is so-inscribed on the inside cover. There is some soiling on the pages and a few pages have minor edge tears at the top, likely a result of page-turning. 59 pages. Condition is appropriate given the books 88 years of age!
The second book is the smaller folio, a 1940 edition, featuring three stories: Little Black Sambo, The Gingerbread Man, and Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse. The book was first copyrighted in 1927 by Rand McNally & Company. This book also features lovely, full-color drawings that are just enchanting!
Condition: Binding is tight, all pages are present. The exterior shows soiling, edge wear and binding wear at the top and bottom. The penned name, "Meyere" is written on the inside cover. No rips, tape, repairs or soiling to pages. 64 pages. Condition is appropriate given the books 79 years of age!
The third book is a 1932, paperback edition, with a sturdy cover, and a total of eight pages. The books is finely illustrated in alternate black ink pen drawings and full color illustrations.
Condition: Binding is tight; all pages are present. There are no doodles or written inscriptions, rips, tape or creases to pages. The front and back covers show some evidence of light soiling, not at all significant or inconsistent with the book's age.
Three very sweet, early, vintage Sambo story books that are most reasonably priced, particularly given all of the value-less reproductions that most unfortunately flooding the collectible market these days!
$125.00
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.
$75.00
Mammy’s sweet little face has been hand-painted, and she has been nicely dressed in a red and white polka dot dress with linen apron and red flowered head scarf. She holds a tiny, plastic, white baby in her left arm who wears a linen gown edged with lace.
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!
$475.00
Entitled "Science In Story", "Sammy Tubbs, The Boy Doctor and Sponsie, The Troublesome Monkey", this complete set was published in 1885.
The author, Dr. Edward Bliss Foote (1826-1906), a progressive, forward-thinking physician, was not only a steward of public hygiene and birth control, but was additionally an active abolitionist and civil rights advocate. Dr. Foote, in utilizing a story-telling, narrative format, hoped to promote children's education and understanding of anatomy and physiology as it was understood at that time. Each of the five volumes feature numerous, well-detailed, black and white illustrations. The volumes feature different body systems as follows:
Volume 1: The Bones, Cartilages, and Muscles, 230 pages
Volume 2: Circulation and Absorption, 232 pages
Volume 3: Digestive, Nutritive, Respiratory, and Vegetative Nervous Systems, 346 pages
Volume 4: Brain and Nerves: Cerebral Physiology, 256 pages
Volume 5: Elimination and Reproduction: (“A Book for Private Reading"), 252 pages
The stories feature an African-American boy, Sammy Tubbs, who, after being freed from slavery, travels North and finds employment at the home of a physician as a door-boy. Sammy soon begins an amazing educational journey learning about the body systems and organs of the human body as well as how to prevent and fight illness. An amusing pair of monkeys add comical interest to the stories. As Sammy grows up through the course of the five volumes, he aspires to follow the career path of his employer, attend medical school and become a doctor.
This series is quite remarkable for its era in that it features an accomplished, intellectually curious African American protagonist Additionally, it discusses and illustrates the taboo topic of female reproduction, and the socially radical topic of bi-racial romance, when a grown-up Sammy dates and is seen publicly kissing a Caucasian woman!
Condition: This clean, complete, and incredibly rare, 134 year old set is in very good condition, featuring tight bindings in all volumes. In Volumes 1, 2, 3 & 5, there additionally are no page rips, no missing pages, no pencil/pen markings or writings of any sort. All of the above conditions apply to Volume 4 with the exception of: page 62 has a 2 inch rip beginning at the top of the page with no missing paper and remaining perfectly readable, and page 149 features a publishers defect whereas the page size was over cut with the resulting page becoming crimped at the top portion of the page. Page 149 remains perfectly readable.
The set's condition suggests that these volumes were infrequently handled. Subtle, age-appropriate exterior wear is evident in various locations here and there: along book edges, along some bindings. Volume 5 shows slight cover scuffing. All five volumes have a very small area of superficial water staining at the top of the book near the binding, but the staining only extends onto the first four pages at the very, very top edge of those pages next to the binding, so this was not a significant water event. Each volume wears a bookplate on the inside cover; it appears that a previous bookplate in each book was carefully removed and replaced the current on which reads "Private Library, L. J. Bates, 18...., Not to be Loaned." Books measure 4" x 6".
$425.00
Lettering is original and in very good condition except for some unobtrusive scuffing and loss. Please note that the lettering is bordered with black enhancement. There are 2 holes, one on each side which were originally used for mounting on the building exterior.
Will make a great addition to your collection.
$125.00
Her composition face is in impeccable condition with sharp, well-drawn painted facial features. Her face is further accented by 3 darling curls peaking out from under her brightly colored cloth bandanna!
Her body is machine-stitched cotton fabric stuffed with sawdust. On the back of her right thigh, her place of origin is stamped: "POLAND". Her little flowered skirt is also machine stitched and is the only piece of clothing that may be removed.
Condition is superb with the exception of a hand-stitched repair to the seam line of her left foot where the foot is joined to the leg. Does not detract.
$135.00
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!
$495.00
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.
$695.00
Constructed of cardboard with black printing, this circa 1930-40's sign reads: " Coleman's Hotel Colored. Special Attention to Tourists. Ashland Virginia".
The sign remains in all-original condition inclusive of minor discoloration as noted in photos and small chips to the upper right and lower left corners. Print source is noted: "Herald-Progress Print, Ashland, VA".
This is NOT a reproduction, but rather a fortunate preservation. It is quite amazing that this sign has survived the many years being constructed out of cardboard. It was clearly stored away in such a manner that preserved its original condition.
Travel for African Americans during the Jim Crow period was difficult and complicated, with limited options for eating, sleeping, even procuring gasoline for the car. As a result, black-owned hotels and motels placed signs such as this one prominently in their windows. There were even special travel-guides to help African Americans plan their trips, hopefully, without incident. Victor Green's "Green Guide" provided state by state lists of colored hotels, motels and other travel-related businesses that catered to African-Americans.
Quite possibly the ONLY sign remaining extant from this particular, racially segregated establishment. An historically significant piece!
$125.00
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!
$195.00
This fabulous game features a brightly colored lithograph target depicting the dapper, banjo-playing, "Jolly Darkie" with a gigantic mouth.
The target box remains in very fine condition, appearing to have seen little, if any, use. It has four openings through which one was to toss the four wooden balls that the game originally came with, but which are no longer present. It measures 13 inches tall x 6 3/4 inches wide x 1.5 inches deep.
As evident in the photos, the box cover shows expected wear given its 100+ years of age, with some pencil writing in the mouth and some surface soiling.
As indicated earlier, the extant game pieces do not retain a copyright year or maker name; however, this game is very similar to two other Milton Bradley Jolly Darkie Target games that were manufactured from 1890-1910, suggesting that this game was also manufactured during this era by Springfield, Massachusetts' Milton Bradley Company. The directions to this game are not present, and it is quite possible that the manufacturer and manufacture date both appeared on the direction card-- as has been found to be the case on other Milton Bradley games of this era.
The game cover as well as the JOLLY DARKIE target box display absolutely wonderfully and would be a colorful asset to one's vintage black Americana game collection!
$175.00
This 1920-30s, hinged, wooden game piece box features an original, hand-executed, ink-on-paper drawing of a black figure in a tuxedo that has been pasted to the box cover. The drawing has been preserved with a shellac covering.
The box contains fifty, sequentially numbered 1-50, wooden game pieces painted red and white. The game pieces are in mint condition and appear to have only been lightly used. They remain firmly in place within the box with the support of non-stick, archival tape which may be easily removed without damage to the game pieces, if desired.
The game box measures 5.25 inches wide x 10.50 inches long x 1 inch high.
Truly a one-of-a-kind piece of vintage Black Memorabilia! Displays wonderfully!
$175.00
Marked "Pat Applied For" on its base, this darling match holder features two small black boys playing around a rather large cotton bale (the bale is labeled "COTTON").
Well-executed detail! A lovely piece seldom found in today's collectible market!