$145.00
Housed in an ornate, brass frame complete with backside pin to allow attachment to one's clothing, the mourning pin measures 1 3/16th inch in diameter.
The image is quite clean and crisp with a very tiny imperfection noted on the image just above the woman's head at the frame edge.
$195.00
The puppet, itself, is 14 inches tall and is colorfully dressed in blue and white checked pants, red shoes, orange and whit polka dot shirt, straw hat and red patterned neck scarf.
The puppet's face is composition and bears evidence of some age-related crackling as noted in photos. He has a tiny piece if composition missing on the left side of his neck partially covered by his neck scarf, so it is very difficult to notice. He bears a manufacturer stamp on the bottom of his right foot, but it is partial and unreadable. His hands which hold colorful pink straw maracas are a heavy molded plastic.
The puppet is free of stains, dirt and odor. He retains his original black strings and wooden airplane controller!
$75.00
Constructed of hand-cut, ¼ inch wide, black painted wood, this darling little black girl has hand-painted eyes and smiling lips, and is dressed in a hand and machine stitched, cloth-stuffed, one piece, black, tan and green dress! She has a hole in each ear, a metal hanging loop atop her head and one metal hook on each shoe for hanging keys or potholders!
She is in fine condition given her 70+ years of age and has great “patina”. Some minor paint loss, a few teeny holes in her outfit, but very visually appealing Black Americana Folk Art, none the less!
$78.00
This wonderful Depression Era piece features a whimsical 10 inch long cutout figure of a little wooden black mammy with hand-painted “surprised” mouth and eyes! She is dressed in a machine-stitched cotton costume with great yellow ric-rac accenting —a wonderful kerchief on her head, and a cute little apron.
Her feet feature two brass-finish hooks, presumably to either hang keys or pot holders from. Overall condition is fine with minor paint wear to her face as seen in photos--typical of a 70 year-old-piece.
One of my favorite hand-made pieces with true folk art appeal!
$125.00
This seldom found copy was originally published in 1932 by Rand McNally & Company of New York.
This copy has superficial scratches to the front and back covers, as well as surface soiling, and wear on book cover edges.(see photos). The front cover has a slight tear at the crease that does not effect strength or integrity of the cover board. A couple of pages have minor staining. The binding is super-tight and all pages remain present.
Topsy's adventures are divided into three chapters in length, approximately 59 numbered pages. Book is filled with a variety of black-ink and black and red illustrations as represented in photos. The story of Topsy was likely inspired by the Little Black Sambo stories which originated at the turn of the 20th century. PLEASE NOTE: in the photos, the printing seems light and faded- not so! It is merely the function of over-lighting or light reflection.
A wonderful and truly RARE book not to be missed!
Please see the other Topsy Turvy book available for separate purchase, a 1938 copy of Topsy Turvy's PigTails.
$175.00
Entitled A New Story of Little Black Sambo, this tale picks up the story with Little Sambo's mother, Black Mumbo, exclaiming that Sambo, after almost losing his best Sunday clothes to the tigers, would- from now on- only be allowed to wear his every day clothes. Now very unhappily dressed in only a grass skirt, a pouting and naughty Sambo decides to run off into the jungle once again without permission, and climbs a tree to gather coconuts. A tiger soon arrives threatening to eat Little Black Sambo, trapping him up in the tree for the entire day! Eventually, Tusker the Elephant arrives, successfully chasing off the tiger and saving Sambo. Sambo then returns home, where an angry Black Mumbo spanks him with a hairbrush for running off, despite the gift of coconuts Sambo hoped would appease his mother. The conclusion of the tale then moves forward one month later when the family goes to visit Little Black Sambo’s cousins, the Bimboes, who admire his fine Sunday best clothing that he was finally allowed to wear again!
Although no author is attributed, it is thought by some that the tale was co-authored by the book's two illustrators, Clara Bell Thurston, who rendered all of the lovely colored drawings and Earnest Vetsch, who rendered the "black and white" illustrations (which, actually, are done in navy blue ink) as well as the fancy hand-lettering of the text which further embellishes the book.
With 36 unnumbered pages which alternate between the superbly rendered color and navy blue line illustrations, this unique little book is in near mint condition. The original paper dust jacket is present and in wonderful condition, and at some point, it was protectively covered with a contemporary, clear, dust jacket protector that can be removed if so desired. No fading of color, no rips, creases or missing pages. Binding is tight with all three original staples present. Cover edges are subtly worn, and a one-time owner, Neva Merchant, signed her name on both front and back interior covers.
This very rarely-found, miniature-size edition of the continuation of the original Little Black Sambo story is a must have 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.
$125.00
The female is clothed in a green felt dress and head piece that are decorated with tiny blue and white beads. She wears double strand white beaded bracelets and anklets and also wears a double stranded white beaded necklace with a large red bead center. Underneath her dress in back a tiny head peeks out- a little plastic baby that she is carrying!
The male is clothed in a brown and red polka dotted skirt with 2 fur pouches, and a fur headdress. He is swathed in longer strings of beads that encircle his waist and also run diagonally across his chest. He, too, wears a double stranded beaded anklet and necklace. Larger Red beads hang from the sides of his dress as well as from the 2nd fur pouch that hangs behind him.
The arms and legs are movable at hip and shoulder joints of each doll. The Male has the following in raised lettering on his back: P. M. and J. H. B. The remainder of the marking is obscured by beading and clothing. No other markings are visible.
A visually striking pair!
$395.00
Measuring 10.75 inches wide x 8.25 inches long, the book has seen extremely gentle use as evidenced by the minimal wear of the little boys' heads which, while providing visual interest, are primarily present to allow easy turning of each page. Given this purpose, it is quite remarkable that all heads remain present after 80+ years, with prominent creasing only appearing at the neckline and lessor crease lines present elsewhere on the heads. Four of the heads have suffered minimal tearing at the neckline, and were, at some point, restored and secured with what appears to be an archival quality tape. Front and back covers are constructed of heavy cardboard, the pages of heavier stock paper. Both the front and back boards evidence minor corner and edge wear along with minor soiling from handling. The front cover has a tiny 1/4 inch long tear at the binding, about 1 1/2 inches down from the top of the book. The back cover at the exterior upper corner is missing a small section of the top layer of cardboard. Interior pages are intact and crisp. Please view photos.
The book retains its brilliant, bright, crayon-box-like colors. The book has ten pages with alternating color and black and white illustrations as noted in photos. Sufficient space to post photos of all pages does not exist, but those present are representative of overall condition. Pages evidence some extremely minor age-discoloration and/or foxing, but all pages are free of rips and creases. The binding is tight and the book retains its original, red, binding spiral.
Originally published in 1868 under the Title of “The Ten Little Indians,” this poem was used during minstrel shows, which oftentimes were traveling acts, performed by white actors in blackface following the Civil War. The following year, the poem was adapted to this overtly horrid, racist rendition, replacing the word Indians with “Nigger” in both minstrel shows, printed sheet music, and children’s nursery rhyme books. This version married the stereotypes of violence and ignorance within the African-American population with the intent of "villain-izing" freed black males while simultaneously allowing violent acts to befall the black characters portrayed in the rhyme.
This 1942 version having changed the derogatory term nigger to that of colored (equally derogatory), also depicts a somewhat tempered portrayal of the violence befalling the characters as compared to earlier versions of the rhyme.
The poem:
Ten little colored boys sitting in a line; one slid off the roof, then there were nine.
Nine little colored boys fished with worms for bait; one fell in the river, then there were eight.
Eight little colored boys flying up to heaven; one tried to parachute, then there were seven.
Seven little colored boys doing circus tricks; one teased an elephant, then there were six.
Six little colored boys found honey in a hive; one tried to pet a bee, then there were five.
Five little colored boys heard a lion roar; One didn't run in time, then there were four.
Four little colored boys started out to ski; One hit a snowman, then there were three.
Three little colored boys cooked some chicken stew; One ate the pot-ful, then there were two.
Two little colored boys playing with a gun; Thought it wasn't loaded, then there was one.
One little colored boy thought it would be fun to settle down and marry, then there was none.
He had a family of colored boys and then, before very long, there were ten of them again.
SOLD
Entitled A New Story of Little Black Sambo, this tale picks up the story with Little Sambo's mother, Black Mumbo, exclaiming that Sambo, after almost losing his best Sunday clothes to the tigers, would- from now on- only be allowed to wear his every day clothes. Now very unhappily dressed in only a grass skirt, a pouting and naughty Sambo decides to run off into the jungle once again without permission, and climbs a tree to gather coconuts. A tiger soon arrives threatening to eat Little Black Sambo, trapping him up in the tree for the entire day! Eventually, Tusker the Elephant arrives, successfully chasing off the tiger and saving Sambo. Sambo then returns home, where an angry Black Mumbo spanks him with a hairbrush for running off, despite the gift of coconuts Sambo hoped would appease his mother. The conclusion of the tale then moves forward one month later when the family goes to visit Little Black Sambo’s cousins, the Bimboes, who admire his fine Sunday best clothing that he was finally allowed to wear again!
Although no author is attributed, it is thought by some that the tale was co-authored by the book's two illustrators, Clara Bell Thurston, who rendered all of the lovely colored drawings and Earnest Vetsch, who rendered the "black and white" illustrations (which, actually, are done in navy blue ink) as well as the fancy hand-lettering of the text which further embellishes the book.
With 36 unnumbered pages which alternate between the superbly rendered color and navy blue line illustrations, this unique little book is in quite good condition. No fading of color, no rips, creases or missing pages. Binding is tight with all three original staples present. Cover edges are subtly worn, and age-related, light soiling is present. Tusker the elephant has been lightly colored with colored pencil in some places as is Sambo's grass hut, and evidence of penciled-in page numbers, long since erased, is noted. (Any blurring in photos is due to camera technique and does not reflect book condition.)
This rarely-found, miniature-size (possibly a rare salesman's sample) edition of the continuation of the original Little Black Sambo story is a must have 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.
$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!
$65.00
This sweet little pop-eyed character was recently acquired from the artist's daughter who stated that her mother made the puppet for her in the late 1950's.
With hands and head constructed of papier mache and a machine-stitched cotton body, this 10.50 inch long puppet sat for years in a doll cabinet seeing minimal childhood play. The body is very lightly soiled from dust with some seam separation at each shoulder (see photo). The hands and head have acquired a bit of a crackled look due to age; however, there are no flakes or missing pieces.
He has a darling "look" and would make a whimsical addition to one's folk art, puppet or doll collection. This hand-made piece is a truly one-of-a-kind creation!
$150.00
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!
$475.00
Measuring just 7 inches wide x 9 inches high, this unsigned piece is very skillfully executed accomplishing a three-dimensional sense of depth through the expert use of light and dark, while capturing the intriguing expression on this young boy's face. Just what is he thinking?
Was this enchanting charcoal portrait completed as a study in preparation for a final, more complex piece, or was it, indeed, the final execution of a subject caught in passing?
Condition is quite fine. Note the faint trace of the artist's title for this work done in a lighter charcoal hiding behind the darker, final printing of the title. Framed in an old black wooden frame, this intriguing charcoal portrait would benefit from professional framing using archival, acid-free materials to enhance its life for many years to come.
$45.00
Measuring 9 by 11 inches framed, this litho retains its vibrant colors! A delightful piece which features the accompanying poem on the reverse side.
The frame is a temporary and inexpensive one to allow the potential buyer to view the poem on the backside, but the piece should be properly framed to enable its continued conservation once purchased.
A note: It IS possible to frame this 110+ year old piece using glass on both sides to allow perpetual view of the poem.
Please ignore any white streaks or marks seen in photos; these are the result of light reflection off of the glass.
$45.00
The cards measure approximately 2.75 inches x 4.25 inches and are in very good condition with no observable flaws or damage- quite remarkable given their 100+ years of age. Liebig cards were lavishly produced in Germany from 1875 to 1930 using chromolithographic printing techniques incorporating 12 different colors- an extravagance! The cards were enclosed as "give-aways" with purchase of Liebig products, and the Liebig Company was the first to give away serialized images with its products.
The Liebig Extract of Meat Company was established in London in 1865 by Belgian entrepreneur, George Christian Giebert, when he became interested in commercializing the Belgian chemist, Baron Justus von Leibig's, formula for beef extract. The venture was a resounding success, producing various meat extracts, soups and bouillons into the early 1970s.
$295.00
The litho was executed by John Karst with his signature appearing in the lower left hand corner. Highly detailed, the litho reproduces a bustling New Orleans' dock scene featuring numerous slaves at work.
This litho was professionally re-framed using museum-quality, acid-free materials in 2004. The frame is a classic styled, black painted, beaded, hardwood accented with a dark rose, acid-free mat.
A fascinating glimpse into life on the docks of the Mississippi River at New Orleans!
Please note that any white spots or streaking appearing in photos are the result of light reflection and are not damage to the litho.
$325.00
”Black Topsy” is dressed in a striking pink, green, orange, and black cotton, geometric-patterned dress- very Art Deco! Her mouth and nostrils are stitched in red thread and she has white pearl button eyes.
The Caucasian doll is dressed in a cotton lavender dress- also with a geometric, Art Deco pattern in black, green and yellow. Her blouse and bandanna are lavender sateen. Her entire face has been finely stitched. She has pink nostrils and mouth, black eyebrows, and her black stitched eyes have pretty lashes that highlight her silvery gray irises! She has the very palest of staining to her face above her nostrils, but it is barely noticeable, and there is some light fading to her sateen bandanna.
Condition and detailing of both sides of this Topsy Turvy is really quite extraordinary, setting her apart from other Topsy’s!! A wonderful addition to one’s doll or Black Memorabilia collection!
$295.00
The Work Projects Administration was designed to provide jobs across the country during the Great Depression when hundreds of thousands were out of work. While most WPA 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 fabulous dolls fell under the WPA Federal Art Project, with the goal of representing and preserving the various aspects of the culture, work and lives of the Southern black community of this time period. All of the WPA black folk dolls produced for this project were placed on asphalt shingle stands, they all feature elderly folk, they all share black leather shoes, a cotton-batting stuffed body, and identical hand-stitched facial features with subtle and unique variations in expression around the eyes due to the clever positioning of the eyebrows!
The Country Preacher is fully decked out to conduct worship services, from his black, wide-brimmed top hat down to his leather shoes, the left one, unfortunately, showing a bit of wear with his socked big toe peeking out! His machine-stitched clothing is all in the color black with the exception of his white ministerial collar. The preacher holds his real-wood walking stick securely in his right hand while clutching the Holy Bible under his left arm. Note the colorful red handkerchief that was placed in a back pants pocket, peeking out between the tails of his suit coat. The fully bearded preacher wears silver, wire-rimmed spectacles surrounding his soft and compassionate eyes and offers an open smile showing his front two teeth!
The white haired, bearded male country gentleman doll is attired in machine-sewn cotton, blue-striped britches with a patch at the left knee, black suspenders and a tan striped cotton shirt with a red kerchief tied around his neck. His hat is constructed of cranberry-colored felt. Under his right arm, he holds a nicely crafted fabric chicken that has sustained a tiny bit of fabric loss to its face, while his left arm holds a wooden walking stick. His complete asphalt shingle is missing, but remnants remain firmly attached on the soles of his shoes. He bears a very sweet, surprised expression on his face as evidenced by his slightly upturned eyebrows!
The female doll in this grouping is clad in a red and white checkered, machine-stitched dress topped over with a cream-colored linen apron which evidences, here and there, some very light, age-related discoloration. Her apron pocket displays a red and white polka-dotted hankie- a lovely detail-, while a bright, multi-colored head wrap protectively covers her graying hair from dust and grime while she completes household chores. Her outfit is fully completed with the cream-colored linen chemise and pantaloons underneath her dress, and she wears black leather shoes. Even though she is working at chores, as evidenced by the wicker-straw broom she holds in her right hand, she has not forgotten to wear her brass-toned, double hoop earrings! And she wears a pleasant expression on her hand-stitched face, showing a bit of a smile and her two front teeth.
Three very special dolls, which today, are becoming very, very difficult to find, representing a snapshot of history, capturing the lives of poor southern black folk of the Depression era! The Preacher and Lady with the Broom are priced at $295.00 each, with the Country Gent Holding a Chicken priced at $275.00 to compensate for his incomplete asphalt shingle.
$195.00
A wonderful and rarely found piece of Black Americana!
$625.00
Prominent facial features- eyes and brows, nose, cheekbones, lips and teeth -and tight curly hair rise from the surface of the bowl. The bowl is rather heavy for its diminutive size and has no markings. Measures 4 inches in diameter and 1.5 inches high. Condition is excellent with some tarnishing that may be cleaned if desired; our preference was to offer this 140+ year old piece in as found condition.
A rare, outstanding and highly collectible offering to add to one's advanced Black Americana collection! I have only come upon 2 of these bowls in my 40+ years in the field.
$995.00
(Likely inspired by Frank Green's lyrics, Agatha Christie, in 1939, composed her very well-known "Ten Little Niggers" story, with the title for the 1940 US edition changed to "And Then There Were None", the final line of the story. It goes without saying that all versions of this tale are highly derogatory.)
The Valentine publication follows the original pattern of the young boys meeting their demise one by one, with only one boy remaining at the end of the story. What sets this publication apart from all other versions, is that an entirely different and creative story has been composed. In "Ten Little Nigger Boys", the ten "naughty boys", all about the same age, decide to run away together on a sailboat called "The Saucy Sue", which they "borrowed from an old sailor coon for an hour" with no intention of ever returning. On a mission to find a desert island that they would have all to themselves, the boys, one by one, meet their demise by drowning, by being eaten by a whale, by gunpowder explosion, by accidental gunshot, by abduction by an elephant (they found their island), and by the swallowing of a sea monster! The one remaining boy is rescued at the end by "an aeroplane commanded by a brave army captain", and was brought home "where everyone made a hero of him".
Measuring 8 inches wide x 9 inches tall, each page of the book is imaginatively illustrated with black ink drawings highlighted with red. Valentine & Sons Publishers, a lithographic printing firm, was founded in Dundee, Scotland in 1825, by John Valentine. His son, James, an early pioneer of photography, reproduced his work as prints and stereo-views. By 1896, the company began printing postcards, and it grew to become Scotland's leading manufacturer of color-tone picture postcards. For a brief period of years between the late 1890's and early 1900's, the company produced a small selection of children's books to supplement their earnings, utilizing a style they referred to as a "cut-out"; this book, is an example.
Condition: Good-- for its 111 years of age, showing the expected wear of a well-read, antique, children's book! Sturdy, thick cardboard covers with paper pages. Unpaginated. The book spine is held together by two, large, intact, original staples. The center page has separated from the staples, and a small section of this page is missing as seen in photo (for purposes of photography to better illustrate the missing section, a white paper was placed in its place; otherwise, the missing section would be difficult to discern, blending into the preceding page.). All pages are present, and except for the one separated page, all remain sturdily attached to the spine. Small edge tears and some soiling are present on various pages throughout the book. The front and back covers show edge wear and some soiling, and the top tip of the front cover above the "E" in "Little" is missing. Both the front and back covers are missing the small section that would have, on the front cover, illustrated the head of the boy in the green jacket standing on the right side of the boat. The front cover also displays a horizontal crease line which corresponds to the book's spine. This crease naturally occurred over time due to the book's design and manner in which it is opened (The front cover is lifted up and over to open the book. See photos.) The back cover shows evidence of some superficial water staining that did not seep through to its other side.
All but three pages of this book have been photographed, as I am limited to twelve photos per listing. The first six pages of the story are represented, followed by the final three of the story.
As the production of children's books was only a supplemental sideline for Valentine publishing, very few of these books were originally produced, and fewer still remain today. This is the first copy that I have ever seen in my decades of specializing in Black Memorabilia, and I have found no others available for sale on the internet. This antique children's book is truly a very rare offering, and its age-related flaws do not detract from its significant collectible value.
$125.00
Constructed of tin with a cardboard lithographed image and a glass cover, this game is backed with its original mirror. The puzzle is in all-original condition with the lithographed graphic remaining free of scratches and abrasions. The glass is rippled but is not damaged as it remains smooth to the touch. A "defective" piece of glass was likely just simply chosen for use in what was once an inexpensive penny game!. The mirror shows some tiny bits of loss to silvering 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!
$25.00
SOLD
"Picture cards" as they were called then, feature very colorful and highly detailed images on the front side with product advertising generally on the back side. For those with advertising on the backside, the advertising, in most cases, is written in French. These cards, of course, were a strategic marketing concept designed to provide the customer with a tangible reminder of the food stuff or article of clothing that had just been purchased.
All but one of the cards measure approximately 2.75 inches x 4.25 inches, with the remaining card measuring approximately 2.50 inches x 5 inches. All but two are in very good condition with no observable flaws or damage.
The two exceptions:
-the 2.50 inch x 5 inch card- which has been scissor-trimmed, has a fold line down the center, and was pulled from a scrap book obscuring some of the printing on the backside-
-and one Liebig card which is missing one corner edge.
Condition quite remarkable given their 80-100+ years of age.
A nice early collection of trade cards!
$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.
$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.
$165.00
This pleasant die cut is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-tone decorative frame! Likely originally produced to advertise a specific, product, store or location, but then was never utilized for that purpose.
A sweet piece, perhaps, one-of-a-kind!
$795.00
Each of these rag books were published as alphabet and numerical teaching tools for the very young children of the wealthier class who could afford to purchase books to furnish their children's home library as well as to support their early home-tutorial education.
While clearly overtly racist in title (pickaninny) and conceptualization ("A" stands for Alabama Coon, "P" stands for Pickaninnies), the book also promotes age-old stereotypes as well ("W" stands for Watermelon, "U" stands for Uncle Tom, "H" stands for Hen-Roost, "C" stands for Cake Walk, etc) that were, unfortunately, acceptable societal references at the turn of the twentieth century.
This 116 year old book remains in all-original, very good condition with no alterations or repairs. While the front and back covers exhibit significant age-related staining, the interior pages are significantly "cleaner" and the illustrations remain very brightly colored. Interior pages present varying degrees of very light soiling, light foxing, and yellowing of linen, commensurate with age. The exterior binding has teeny spots of wear to the first layer of binding fabric which do not impact binding integrity. Top and bottom edges are subtly frayed.
This book is in truly remarkable condition for its age and in consideration of its all-cloth construction. This title is very RARELY found in today's market and is the first I have ever had the pleasure of offering for sale in my nearly 40 years dealing in this field! This is an absolute cornerstone piece to any serious Black Memorabilia collection!
$125.00
(Also currently available is Fern Bisel Peat's companion Little Black Sambo storybook!)
This puzzle rendition of Little Black Sambo depicts Sambo strutting out into the jungle dressed in his newly acquired outfit complete with shade umbrella- all of which is soon to attract the attention of those nasty tigers! This scene has been taken directly from the 1931 copyright, softcover, large folio, Little Black Sambo book illustrated by Fern Bisel Peat and published by The Harter Publishing Company, Educational Publishers, Cleveland Ohio. It is likely that both the puzzle and the book were released to the public at the same time. They were intended for use in the school setting, grades K-2, as well as in the home. The aforementioned large folio Little Black Sambo Book is also available for purchase on this website (type Sambo into the SEARCH box).
Ready to be framed, the puzzle has retained all of the brilliance of its original colors and also sports the artist signature of Fern Bisel Peat in the upper right hand corner. Slight and subtle edge wear to some puzzle pieces as noted in photo. A wonderful addition to one’s Little Black Sambo collection by this highly sought-after, renowned American children's illustrator!
Fern Bisel Peat, 1893-1971, was born in in Erie, Pennsylvania, and went to public schools in Elyria. She attended Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, graduating with a degree in fine arts. Marrying Frank Peat in 1917 and settling in northern Ohio, Fern soon began painting children’s murals in both public and private venues.
As her work grew in popularity in the 1920's, she was asked to design children's wallpaper for a Cleveland company, designing a set of Mother Goose wall panels that sold widely. She soon was approached by the Saalfield Publishing Company where she went on to illustrate over 60 children's books!
From 1933 to 1955 she was editor and chief illustrator for Children’s Play Mate magazine, published in Cleveland, and nearly all of the covers during that time period feature her illustrations.
As the major breadwinner for the Bisel Peat family, Fern found every way possible to market her work to publishers, advertising firms and toy makers during the lean years of the American Depression and World War II. As a result, her distinctive children's illustrations can not only be found within children's books of the era, but also on holiday decorations, paper fans, playing cards, rag dolls, tin toys…not to mention coloring books, puzzles, paper doll books, and greeting cards!
To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.
$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!
$325.00
This circa 1920-30's Johnny Griffin inkwell is constructed in solid brass and has a hole for both placement of pen and glass insert for ink. This piece is offered without the pen and glass ink insert.
It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- no replaced parts- and measures 6 inches long x 3.25 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches high. It does not retain any marking other than a mold number 4557.
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.
$395.00
Made in post World War II, US Zone Germany, this tin toy measures 3.5" square, with the boxing figures measuring 2.25" tall. The toy retains its original box which measures 4" square, and features a start/stop lever on one side with the (original) key windup on another. Both the toy and the box are labeled "MADE IN US ZONE GERMANY".
The toy still works! The boxers rock back and forth as they attempt to jab one another. The toy is designed to have the right arm on each boxer punch while the immobile left arm is molded into the body.
Condition is a 9/10 as can be seen in all photos. This toy appears to have seen minimal use as the condition of the paint is impeccable, with just a few teeny rubs to the toy base and the black boxer's legs here and there. The box shows minor wear on all edges as noted in photos. All box parts are present with the box cover flap remaining attached to the box by only about 1 inch in the center, and one box flap is completely detached but intact.
A tip for the new owner: to easily remove the toy from the box, open the BOTTOM flap instead of the top flap and simply slide the toy out of the box onto the palm of your hand.
$165.00
Sapolio was a brand of soap noted for its unique and clever advertising, led by Artemas Ward from 1883–1908. Bret Harte, an American short story writer and poet, wrote jingles for the brand, and the sales force also included King Camp Gillette, who went on to create the fabulously successful Gillette safety razor and the razor and blades business model. Time magazine described Sapolio as "probably the world's best-advertised product" of its time period!
This pleasant trio of Sapolio Soap die cuts is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-toned, oak decorative frame!
This very rarely found advertising trio together create quite a visually appealing decorative piece!
$85.00
The two larger brushes have natural bristles, while the small red Mammy has solid red "plastic" brushes. They range in height from the Mammy at 6.5 inches and the Railroad Porter at 8 inches tall, to the smaller Mammy at 4.5 inches tall.
The two larger brushes are priced at $85 each. The small red 4.5" Mammy, is priced at $60.
All three brushes are in very good condition with evidence of having been very lightly used as described below:
Red Railroad Porter(A): small, superficial "dings" to paint here and there, with three teeny specks between the eyes. The majority of paint wear is seen around the bottom of the pedestal that the porter is standing on. The brush bristles are a mix of faint red and natural coloring.
Small Red Mammy(C): paint in excellent condition with only one superficial ding to the paint on her left side. An unusual feature: the black bow painted atop her hat!
Large Green Mammy(B): --paint in very good condition with tiny dings here and there and subtle paint wear to her hat on the right side. Slight bend to bristles, likely due to storage conditions at some point in time. Has a bit of faded green string around her neck which once may have been tied into a bow.
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.
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$18.00
$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!