$225.00
Her cute face is composed of pearl button eyes with red fabric mouth. She wears a flowered bandanna and a pale blue apron over her pale blue patterned dress. Her clothes are stain free and are nicely constructed--note fancy sleeve detail!
This mammy bottle doll is one of 3 offered, all coming from the same estate--and all priced separately.
$495.00
A stunning and very visually striking piece, it is labeled on back, "Fredericksburg Art Pottery USA", a pottery once located in Fredericksburg, Ohio, manufacturing between 1939-49. The back has 2 original hanging holes for placement on a wall.
Truly in wonderful, vintage condition with no cracks, chips, repairs or repaint! A fabulous addition to one's Black Americana collection!
Please note that the natural outdoor lighting used to photograph this piece has amplified the white paint flecking --the teeny white spots really show up more in these photos than on the actual piece in an indoor setting--- photo number one gives an accurate depiction of appearance.
$185.00
The little black doll retains its original cloth diaper and swaddling blanket with arm holes. The blanket shows spotted soiling. The baby doll features a nicely hand-painted face with the bisque in excellent condition with the exception of the right foot. The top front of the right foot appears to have been chipped during production as it retains the original paint that is applied over the white bisque during the manufacturing process. The doll is marked on its upper back: "made in Japan".
The 2 piece peanut shell is quite lightweight and appears to be made of layers of heat-pressed paper that was fashioned into a peanut via a mold. The two peanut shells retain the original hinges. A 1 inch long piece of the interior paper liner has separated from the peanut shell, but the separated piece remains (see photo). These delicate peanut shells are in fine condition overall!
Perhaps originally intended as an ornament, the peanut shell still retains a hanging string at its top edge. A rarely found piece of Black Memorabilia!
$95.00
This circa 1940's (perhaps even earlier!) Mammy has a polished cotton half body firmly stuffed with cotton batting which is attached to a fabric-covered, cardboard platform that enables her to sit. Such a doll is often referred to as a platform or toaster doll as her voluminous skirt was designed to cover unsightly kitchen appliances - most commonly the toaster!
Most notable is this Mammy's exquisitely executed, hand-embroidered face, and her elaborate dangling beaded hoop earrings!
Mammy's clothing is machine stitched and is absent of holes, rips or repairs. While all her patterned clothing retains its original and uniform coloring, all of the purple cloth has faded- obviously a less stable dye used there. When one opens the folds of the cloth, one sees the rich, deep purple it once was!
An unusually well-detailed doll for its type!
$145.00
Constructed with care and skill, Mammy's floral dress, white apron and white under-pantaloons were neatly machine stitched. Her facial features--- eye brows, eyes, nose, and lips --- are hand-stitched with embroidery thread. She has yarn-constructed black curls peeking out from under her red and white polka dot head scarf. Her arms, torso and head are stuffed with cotton or cloth scraps with the torso securely tucked over the top of the clothespin and into the pantaloons. Her black-painted clothespin legs are hidden under her long skirt.
A very sweet little doll in wonderful all-original condition-- no repairs, rips, stains or odor. Displays quite nicely!!
$495.00
The image, itself, measures 32" long x 24" wide, while the framed artwork in total measures 41" long x 32.5" wide. The giclee print was framed using museum-quality, acid-free double-mat board and backing materials, within a fine quality solid wood frame and topped with non-glare glass. This artwork was purchased directly from artist, Kelvin W. Henderson, it was signed by him at the time of our purchase, and it cheerily hung in our dining room for ten years!
The artwork is actually brighter in color than my camera was able to capture- closeups appear a bit "darker" than reality. Condition is absolutely perfect! And its presence---well, it will command one's attention hanging on an entire wall-space all by itself! It is, as stated earlier, a Limited Edition giclee lithograph-- Number 18 of a 150 Limited Edition series, with an additional 50 canvas editions. The provenance of this piece with all details is attached on the back side of the artwork as seen in one of our photos. A buoyant and effervescent piece of art!
As this piece exceeds typical shipping criteria in terms of dimensional size and weight, we regret that we cannot offer free shipping. We will provide a $25 shipping credit, but the remaining cost of shipping will rest upon the purchaser.
$245.00
Both dolls are in near perfect condition with the exception of a tiny teardrop mark under brother's left eye and a tiny hole next to sister's left side of face on her hairline. Detailing is very sweet with nicely embroidered facial features and color-coordinated, machine-stitched clothing. Hair is authentic looking made of fuzzy wool yarn-- brother's hair is curly and nubby--- sister's is done in a head full of bow-tied pigtails! Bodies are machine-stitched, brown cotton that are each stuffed with cotton batting.
A pair of cuties!!!
$195.00
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!
$245.00
A trademark label affixed to the bottom of a sour mash whiskey barrel, "ICMCo" stands for the Ithaca (New York) Cigar Manufacturing Co. for whom the label was made.
Interestingly, this cigar label was based on a racial parody book featuring a fictitious fraternal organization of African-Americans, titled 'Brother Gardner's Lime-Kiln Club' by "M. Quad". Quad, in actuality, was noted newspaper columnist and satirist, Charles Bertrand Lewis, of the Detroit Free Press.
Framed in an 8.75" x 10.75" silver-toned wood frame, this Lime Kiln Club lithographed label is extraordinarily scarce and highly sought after. It is listed as one of the top 100 blue chip cigar labels by "InStone 100" (a cigar label rating organization). The lower right hand corner notes the US Patent Office Registry date of May 22nd 1883. This 19th century piece would benefit from professional framing using archival, acid-free materials to enhance its life for many more years to come.
Condition: The color remains as brilliant as the day this 140 year old label was produced! Four unobtrusive and minor tears are noted: two in the lower left corner area, one at the center top near the moderator's gavel, and one between the K and I in Kiln. A crease is noted in the white margin above the label title, and a water mark is present in the lower right side of the white margin. However, none of these blemishes detract from this highly intricate lithograph! Take a few moments to carefully study all of the activity and detailing in this colorful piece!
$395.00
This circa 1920-30's Johnny Griffin tie rack is constructed in solid brass. It remains functional for such use today; however, only two of the five original tie hooks remain.
It is in all original condition with fabulous patina- not a reproduction- no replaced parts- and measures 13 inches long.
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.
$975.00
The single page, 16" x 25" document was folded in half by its author, and the charge is written out on one side of the folded page and then completed on the back of the same side of the page (see photos). The folded page was then flipped over, folded into fourths, and the title of the charge was written out: "The State VS Henry Negro Boy Slave".
The text of the charge reads as follows, Paragraph one:
"Georgia Warren County"
"Before me Matthew Sheilds a justice of the peace for said county, personally came Stephen Blount who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that according to the best of his knowledge and belief Henry a negro boy slave the property of the estate of Hardy Pitts late of said county deceased, did commit a violent assault and battery with intent to kill Deponent, with a heavy stick - and Deponent believes said stick was ferreled (an action suggestive of a wild beast)- upon the person of Deponent - on this night of the thirteenth of this Instant in said county of Warren to wit upon the plantation of Thomas Persons, near Warrenton.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th March 1842."
"Matthew Sheilds JP"
"Stephen Blount"
Paragraph two:
"Georgia Warren County"
"By Matthew Sheilds one of the Justices To Sheriff the Constables of Said County and to all other lawful officers for as much as Stephen Blount who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that according to the best of his knowledge and belief Henry a Negro boy Slave the property of the estate of Hardy Pitts late of Said County deceased did commit a violent assault and battery with intent to kill Deponent - with a heavy stick and Deponent believes said stick was ferreled upon the person of Deponent on the night of the thirteenth of this Instant...." (continued next page)
Next Page:
"in Said County of Warren to wit on the plantation of Thomas Persons near Warrenton. These are therefore to Command you that you apprehend the Said Negro Boy Henry and bring him before me or some other Justice of the peace of Said County to Answer the said charge and to be further dealt with according to Law Herein fail not. Given under my hand and Seal this 14th day of March 1842."
"Matthew Sheilds JP" (JP written a second time and encircled in a squiggle to simulate a wax seal)
Condition of this very unique slavery document is quite fine given its 180 years of age. Expected aging of paper with insignificant and minor tears at creases. Also present are three long spillages of ink (as seen in photos) which likely occurred at the time this document was written out with, obviously, no intention of the author to start over again and rewrite!
An extraordinarily rare historical document that defines a specific slave-related incident.
$695.00
This stunning, 125 year old+ example of statuesque Black Americana is in wonderful condition absent two very tiny areas of loss, not unexpected given the age and use of the piece. One area is at the extreme edge of the right tip of the base, and the other, very minor loss to the tips of the right thumb and index finger. Neither of these areas of loss are easily noticed, nor do they distract from the truly incredible rarity of this early piece.
Very well made, the frame easily comes apart into 3 pieces for safe shipping and/or storage.
An extraordinary opportunity to acquire an extremely RARE and highly coveted piece of turn-of-the-19th-into-20th-century Black Americana! One will be very hard-pressed to find another example!
$225.00
This mammy's cute face is completely hand-stitched and is accented by original celluloid hoop earrings. She wears a flowered bandanna, a cream colored flowered shawl, and an off white apron over her green and black mini-checked dress. She even has a cream colored petticoat underneath all! Her machine-stitched clothes are odor free and are nicely constructed, although her apron does have tiny age holes!
Although her bottle frame is covered by a black stocking, the stocking has risen up revealing her sand-filled milk bottle with red lettering from R.W. Tripp's Dairy, established 1889. The milk bottle lettering is in great shape and even features a graphic of a school boy and girl! Among milk bottle collectors, this particular milk bottle is quite rarely found and quite highly sought after, adding further collectible value to this sweet doll!
This great, early mammy bottle doll is one of 3 currently offered mammy bottle dolls --- rarely found in today's market and all priced separately.
$58.00
The story book, Little Brown Koko, was first published in 1940 by author, Blance Seale Hunt, whose character became so popular that a series of Little Brown Koko story book adventures followed in quick succession!
In excellent, spotless condition, the towel may be folded and framed if desired! A great companion piece for those who collect Little Brown Koko books!
$675.00
This particular estate document is extraordinarily unique and atypical in comparison to other estate documents of this period as it lists 15 SLAVES among the articles of property, and it actually labels these individuals as SLAVES as opposed to the much more common and typical practice of listing "Slaves" as "Negroes". The slaves are listed on the back side of the document with all other inventory listed on the front side.
Each slave is listed by first name with the corresponding current market value written to the left of the name, with the total market value of the 15 slaves named at $8600-- quite a hefty sum when one considers that the remainder of the estate (furniture, livestock, transportation and work vehicles, tools, etc) is valued in total at $980.75. Also listed in the inventory was 13,000 pounds of seed cotton, indicating that Lewis Mattair owned a sizable cotton plantation, clearly farmed by the slaves.
Lewis Mattair is noted in the 1860 Federal Census as a resident of Suwanee County, Florida; the 1860 Federal Census- Slave Schedules references Lewis Mattair owning 28 male and female slaves, ranging in age from 4 to 58. Lewis Mattair is listed in the 1865 Florida Tax records, but his name does not appear in any archived state or federal records after that year. Thus, it is presumed that this document dates from or just prior to 1865, the year that the Civil War ended.
The Middle Passage Museum was the dream of Jim and Mary Anne Petty of Mississippi as well as that of an anonymous Georgian benefactor who had together compiled a collection of slave artifacts numbering over 15,000 pieces and who had hoped to find a permanent site in Mobile, Alabama, for their museum. While they formed a non-profit organization to raise funds for their hoped-for museum, their dream was never realized.
In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."
$45.00
Mammy’s sweet little face has been carefully hand-painted, and she has been nicely dressed in a red dress featuring flowers and watering cans, a linen apron, a linen under-slip(not usually found on nipple dolls) and a red head scarf. Her apron is entirely hand-sewn as is the hem of her dress which is also atypical.
Condition of this wonderful miniature Mammy is very good! With the exception of her nipple face which has dried out a bit due to the ravages of time making her look very much the old-aged mammy, she is in delightful condition!
(It was difficult to get a good photo of the nipple base due to the unusual addition of the linen under-skirt which made it impossible to turn the skirt completely inside out.)
$575.00
The signs were purchased directly from the fish shack owners, and were, thirty-something years later, sold out of that purchaser's estate sale. During the purchaser's lifetime, the signs hung, one-over-the-other above the fireplace in the purchaser's den. They have been in my personal collection since 2003.
These signs have a very colorful, folk-art appeal and are certainly utterly unique! They very much fit into the American, Southern "Outsider Art" collecting genre, a genre which highlights the work of self-taught, rural area artists who create fabulous and highly expressive art using the media and materials that they have at hand and which reflects the world that they know and live in.
The signs are quite heavy as each is painted on a solid wood board. The signs are nearly identical in size and measure approximately 25 1/2 inches wide x 14 5/8 high x 3/4ths of an inch thick. One of the signs has very, very slight warping, but the warping is not readily evident as seen in pictures. Each sign has 2 holes from which to hang them, and the old rusted hanging wire which is seen in the photos has been replaced with new wire.
$45.00
Mammy’s sweet little face has been carefully hand-painted, and she has been nicely dressed in a red dress with blue oval designs, a linen apron and red and black head scarf.
Condition of this wonderful miniature Mammy is very good! With the exception of her nipple face which has contorted a bit due to the ravages of time, she is in delightful condition!
$395.00
The primary colors utilized are a tonal range of yellows, blues and greens suggesting a spring or early summer day. The gentleman is taking a quick look at his bait bucket as his fishing pole line rests on the river bottom.
The canvas measures 16 wide x 20 inches long, and is signed, "Marge Gartlan", an unknown artist. The back of the canvas shows some foxing, but none is present on the front, so the painting, itself, is not effected. In the lower left corner (see photo) a very faint and superficial line, beginning above the artist signature and extending toward the gentleman's right calf, is noted- perhaps a rub occurring during storage? It does not detract from the painting.
The painting will require re-framing as it is currently housed in a hastily and poorly painted frame- as it was found- but which, certainly, desires more.
Nonetheless, this oil, as it presently stands, radiates peace and tranquility in nature, and will grace any art or Black Americana collection!
$65.00
Quite multi-purpose in nature, his legs hold spools of thread, and under his red vest, he hides a pincushion (his chest) along with 2 felt strips for needle and pin storage (his arms)! Four decorative plastic rings can be used to hold safety pins! He also sports a ring on the top of his hat to allow one to hang him on the wall.
Condition is quite fine! No rips, stains or tears with just some subtle fading to his green felt bowtie and black face and legs--all age-related. He has two, insignificant moth holes on the BACK of his red vest.
Handy to keep by the sewing machine, but also just a delightful, vintage, Black Memorabilia whimsy to decorate your sewing room!
$325.00
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; ideally from a conservation point of view, it would benefit from a re-framing with acid-free materials to continue to preserve its historic importance.
$495.00
"The Golliwogg at the Sea-Side", published in 1898 by Longmans, Green & Co, London & New York, was illustrated by Florence K. Upton, with story written by her mother, Bertha. This book was the 3rd Golliwogg adventure in a series of thirteen Golliwogg adventures by Upton, with the last published in 1909-- all of which are incredibly difficult to find today.
This hard cover book, measuring 8.75 inches high x 11.5 inches long, is a total of 63 pages in length. The book is lavishly illustrated with 32 full-color illustrations and tells the story of Golly's adventures at the sea shore. Golly and his friends, suffering from boredom, go off to the seashore to try their hand at sunbathing, swimming in the ocean, crab fishing, boating—all with considerable catastrophe—until finally trying a hoped-for-peaceful hayride through the countryside—all for naught!!
The Golliwog, itself, was based on a Black minstrel doll that 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 a less-than-handsome 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.
The book is in very fine but not perfect condition-- not surprising given the book's 113 years of age! Wear to hard-board-cover edges and corners. Binding remains strong and tight with center-taping coming a bit lose on one side, but not effecting integrity. A couple of the pages have 1/2inch tears at base, likely the result of simply turning the pages. Book is complete, with no missing pages.
Truly a fabulous find! Only the 2nd time I have EVER had the pleasure of offering one of these wonderfully-rare, 1st edition, Upton, children's book in my 26 years of dealing in Black Memorabilia!!
$1,275.00
The sign with its flat black background, features a decorative free-hand, skill-fully executed, corner-looped edge design in old white paint advertising: SLEEPING ROOM FOR RENT.
Beneath the words 'FOR RENT', the words "WHITE ONLY" have been covered over with a layer of similar-colored background paint. Both words are still visible beneath this layer of paint with the word "WHITE" being most readily visualized.
I believe that this "paint-over" can be easily, professionally removed, and I toyed with the idea of having this done, but then felt that I should offer the sign as it is in its current state, as it is reflective of a small yet positive progression in history, in the viewpoint of at least this proprietor in our society in this time period. What prompted this change of viewpoint, which obviously occurred decades before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is forever lost to history. The place of origin of this sign is unknown.
The sign is hand-painted on Masonite, a smooth-faced, compressed wood hardboard that was invented in the 1920s and was in popular use during the Depression-ridden 1930s due to its relatively inexpensive price tag. The sign has nine holes to facilitate hanging: three on each end and three down the center of the sign. The sign retains an original surface patina with age-related crackling to the lettering. In addition to the words "White Only" being painted over, a decorative flourish centered between the words "Sleeping Room" and "For Rent" has also been painted over, reason unknown. Mild surface paint loss, scuff-marks, and edge wear are present, commensurate with a 90+year old sign.
An exquisite example of Segregation Era signage that tells a story of prejudice evolving to an acceptance of equality.
$55.00
The assortment features die cuts of musicians, jugglers, a boxer, actors, a bagpipe player, comically portrayed African natives, and die cut heads of adults as well as die cut heads of children. All but the four African die cuts remain connected as a grouping, just as they were when originally produced and shipped from the factory- a very rare find which increases each grouping's value.
The products for which these die cuts were meant to endorse is unknown. The die cuts feature an embossed, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. All would look fabulous either framed individually or as a grouping!
Approximate measurements are as follows:
The 2 standing, connected figures: 3.25" tall x 4.50" wide
Connected Adult Heads: 2.25" tall x 3.75" wide
Connected children Heads: .75" tall x 4.50" wide
4 African loose figures: 2" tall x 1" wide
Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged die cuts. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, tiny surface imperfections may be evident here and there. The photo of the verso of all reveals that no repairs or restorations were made to any of the die cuts in this offering.
This entire grouping of die cuts is being sold as one single offering at $55.00.
$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.
$175.00
This puzzle features a rendition of Little Black Sambo depicting Sambo trying on his new red jacket---one presumably crafted by his Mama given the sewing pins she clutches between her lips. His Pappy is at the threshold holding in hands, a new blue umbrella as well as new purple slippers to complete Sambo's new outfit! A joyous moment before Sambo then ventures into the jungle dressed in his newly acquired ensemble-- soon to attract the attention of those nasty tigers!
The puzzle is in very fine condition, clearly having seen little play from children. A previous owner chose to enclose it in a frame that complements the teal border of the puzzle which is labeled at the base: "little Black Sambo". Coloring is true and quite lovely.
A note to collectors: vintage Black Memorabilia puzzles from the pre-WWII era are a VERY rare find. Many were given out as "premiums" for utilizing a given product, and did not stand the test of time. Happy collecting!
To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.
$175.00
Mammy bottle dolls were constructed to be quite functional; they were used as doorstops back in the day. Their sand-filled bottles added enough weight to readily keep that door in place.
Her interesting and expressive face is also completely hand-stitched and bears a tiny hole in the center of her chin. A similar teeny hole may also be seen (see photo) on her back. Mammy wears a lacy bonnet detailed with tiny pleats and 2 ribbon flowers. Her pink skirt and blouse, also hand-stitched, is presented in various shades of pink as Mammy's outfit must have been subjected to light over the years and is in places, quite faded. Despite the careful laundering, Mammy's clothing is speckled here and there with teeny dark pinpoint size spots, most particularly in the bust area. Her white apron is pristine and is accented with a small, non-functional pocket. Her lace bonnet is fragile and must be handled with care as it can tear easily.
Although her bottle frame is covered by a black stocking, the stocking has opened slightly under her skirt revealing her sand-filled milk bottle.
This wonderful, early, one century old (!), mammy bottle doll is one of 3 currently offered mammy bottle dolls that have all come from the same estate. These dolls are very seldom found in today's collectible market. All three are are priced separately.
$245.00
The front side graphic showing an African American woman picking cotton with her little girl at her side retains its vivid coloring and is in near mint condition with very minor wear specs here and there visible along the black tray rim. The tray underside shows a bit more wear along the tray rim and around the tray base edge.
The front of the tray bears the advertisement, “ The Source of Cottolene- ‘Nature’s Gift From the Sunny South’”, and obviously refers to the cotton plant as the source of Cottolene Lard or shortening which was manufactured by the N.K. Fairbanks Company.
In extraordinarily microscopic-size lettering on the bottom front of the tray at the base of the cotton-picking scene can be read (with a super-magnifying glass), the name of the manufacturer of this metal tip tray: " Passaic Metal Ware Co. Litho. Passaic NJ".
The tray underside depicts a can of Cottolene lard which provides the backdrop for the Fairbanks Company product advertising. It advertising reads, "Way Down South in the Land of Cotton’ If you could see cotton growing in the fields in all its purity, could observe the skill and care used in extracting and refining the oil, you would appreciate while COTTOLENE- the perfect shortening- is so much purer and more healthful than lard could ever be. COTTOLENE is pure and wholesome as the finest olive oil; makes food palatable, digestible, healthful. COTTOLENE shortens your food- lengthens your life.” Wow, quite a testimony!!
A wonderful crossover piece that is becoming very difficult to find and is equally appropriate for one’s Advertising, Black Memorabilia, or Tip Tray collection!
$145.00
Constructed of tin with a cardboard lithographed image and a glass cover, this game has a mirrored back. The puzzle is in all-original condition with the Dandy graphic remaining free of scratches and abrasions, and design typical of turn-of-the-century puzzles. The mirrored back shows evidence of 2 tiny areas of subtle, minor chipping along the perimeter edge, and the glass front has a small, very shallow surface chip at the base of the Dandy's shirt and an even tinier one to the left of the top hat. Unless one applies hard pressure to the surface of this glass, I cannot ever imagine this front glass breaking or shattering. (Please disregard any light or shiny spots in photos which are due to flash reflection off of the glass.)
A detailed image and a delightful piece of very early Black Memorabilia!
$165.00
Fabulous colored and black and white illustrations (see photos) adorn this 26 page book! The book features the adventures of a little Southern boy who lives with his gran'mammy and gran'daddy in a log cabin set down in a cotton field.
Interior pages are in very nice, near mint condition, are clean and bright and are tightly bound together. The only intrusion is a former owner's name, "Weaver", written in blue ink on the interior cover page (see photo). The hard bound cloth covers are in fine condition, with very, very slight wear to cover spine edges and book corners typical of a book of its age. This is a verified first edition as later editions had the cloth board without the color pastedown. Illustrated on every page, alternating color and black and white. This copy includes a worn, tattered, but nearly complete dust cover, which accounts for the pristine condition of the front and back hardcovers.
A very charming addition to one's Black Americana collection, and a black-themed children's book that is very rarely found in today's collectible market!!
$695.00
The needlework measures approximately 15 by 14 inches and is in good condition overall, given its 120+ years of age! The central design is superb with no problems, but the two upper corners show evidence of some unraveling, particularly the upper right, which has a small hole. This little hole could be repaired, or if the piece was framed, it could be visually eliminated; however, it truly does little to detract from the central focal point of the children on the seesaw, when viewed in its entirety. The piece does show subtle evidence of typical, age-related discoloration.
An utterly wonderful and scarce example of 19th century Black Americana themed Needlework!
$125.00
This story is a much-beloved children's classic written in the early 1900's by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman, for her two daughters while they lived in India. Sambo, in the original Bannerman tale, was an Indian boy and not an African-American child. He was converted to this race overtime, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators. This age-old tale tells of Little Black Sambo and his frightening tiger encounter, which fortunately, has a happy ending!
Condition is a 8 out of 10! All wear on this brightly colored hardcover book was absorbed by its cover with minor wear to book edge points, book cover edges, and spine edges. Light scuffing to front and back covers. The interior binding is intact and tight as are all pages. No missing pages, rips, creasing, pen/pencil markings or bends to pages with one exception: the initial front blank page is missing its lower corner, and it also has five circular hole punches running at the bottom of the page. Child mischief, no doubt!
The fourteen colored illustrations remain very bright and vibrant with the McLoughlin Bros. well known for their very fine artistry. Three black ink illustrations. Pages printed with a larger font suitable for young readers. Subtle age discoloration to pages.
Wonderful condition for a nearly 90 year old book that is exceedingly difficult to find in today's market!
To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply enter “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.
$275.00
This particular piece is in very fine condition, with cold-paint flaking noted on the spout and on the lid edge decoration 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 original, twisted-wire, 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, and 5.75 inches wide. The teapot with lid, absent the handle, measures 5.25 inches tall.
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!
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$125.00
This story is a much-beloved children's classic written in the early 1900's by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman, for her two daughters while they lived in India. Sambo, in the original Bannerman tale, was an Indian boy and not an African-American child. He was converted to this race overtime, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators. This age-old tale tells of Little Black Sambo and his frightening tiger encounter, which fortunately, has a happy ending!
In very fine condition with the only flaws noted to this hardcover book being extremely minor corner edge wear, what appears to be a blue ink stain on one page (see photos), one small 1/2" long tear on the page "Oh, Please Mr. Tiger, DOn't eat me up", and what looks to be an oil stain beginning at the edge of the inside of the front cover, continuing to about the middle of the book. However, the stain is smaller and smaller with each successive page. The colored illustrations are beautifully vibrant, with both the black line drawings and color illustrations demonstrating the superb artistic talent of the illustrator, Eulalie! Unnumbered pages alternate between color and black line illustrations. No creases. Nice, tight binding.
A must have addition for the collector of Little Black Sambo books!
To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.
$795.00
This is single page, partial document written on both front and back sides. It is missing its first page which would have shown the name of the deceased slave owner and the listing of the interior household goods and furnishings, and the last page which would have noted the date and county in which the document was executed as well as witness and judicial signatures. However, the most historically significant page exists and is offered here- a plantation estate document in which the slaves are referenced by name and further described by their family position and marital status!
What makes this document EXTRAORDINARILY RARE, UNUSUAL, and ATYPICAL is that it proceeds to, first, categorize the 40 slaves using the word SLAVES instead of the common verbiage of the time -Negroes-, and secondly, it proceeds to list the male slaves BY NAME, ALONG WITH THE NAMES OF THEIR WIVES AND THEIR CHILDREN, with monetary value listed in the right column of the document!!!! In two instances, the number of years married is also listed! Children are labeled "Girl, "Boy", or "Infant". Total value of these 40 slaves was calculated at $24,200.00!
Given that slaves were viewed as property and not human beings in any way equal to the Caucasian race which enslaved them, it is extraordinarily unusual to find a document which recognizes and lists slaves as "Family Units", further designating family position- husband, wife or child! Typically,there was little, if any, thought given to the pain and anguish such slave families would suffer if their "owner" chose to sell off any one of them at any given time. Such estate documents as this listing ENTIRE SLAVE FAMILIES BY NAME is simply without precedent! It would indeed be a phenomenal discovery to be able to identify the plantation and/or deceased slave owner as such an estate listing speaks to an uncommon, albeit, rare and unique perspective of slave ownership. Such a personalized and humanized account of the slaves owned makes this particular document all the more heart-wrenching, and it certainly begs the very sad question of whether or not these slave families were allowed to remain united and intact once the final estate disposition was conducted.
The document measures approximately 8 1/2 inches wide x 14 1/8 inches long, is double-sided and is in good condition, with fold lines evident along with some age-related foxing at top and bottom fold lines. 1 3/4 tear along the fold line of the top fold at right edge. The ink color is sepia toned (likely as a result of some fading over time) on a pale blue, vertically-ruled, heavy paper. This phenomenal piece of cultural ephemera is ready for appropriate archival preservation/framing.
The listing of slaves is on the back side of the document with the front side listing farm animals, equipment and supplies along with values- "The following property set apart for the use and benefit of the farm".
Middle Passage Museum History: The Middle Passage Museum was the dream of Jim and Mary Anne Petty of Mississippi as well as that of an anonymous Georgian benefactor who had together compiled a collection of slave artifacts numbering over 15,000 pieces and who had hoped to find a permanent site in Mobile, Alabama, for their museum. While they formed a non-profit organization to raise funds for their hoped-for museum, their dream was never realized.
In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."
$95.00
A tiny bisque black boy holding a watermelon slice is seated on a throne of sea shells. The name of the location that this sea shell souvenir was meant to commemorate is worn and is no longer readable.
Two very minor chips are present as shown in photos which do not detract from the beauty of this piece!