Mammy sports hand-stitched facial features, and all original, machine-stitched clothing. Mammy’s hands and arms are made of fabric-coated pipe cleaners allowing for flexibility and movement. Her corn cob body has been neatly encased in muslin. Mammy's costume is complete and quite brightly colored and even features a tiny apron pocket in which a teeny hankie is tucked!

This circa 1920-30's Johnny Griffin item is constructed in solid brass and is known as a document clip used to hold together important papers. It remains functional for such use today or may be simply used as an attractive desk paperweight!

It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- no replaced parts- and measures 4 1/8 inches long x 2 3/8 inches wide. It does not retain any marking other than a mold number 5241.

Johnny Griffin Black Americana collectibles should form the cornerstone of any serious Black Memorabilia collection!

This 1935 copy of “Little Black Sambo and the Tiger Kitten” published by noted children’s book publisher, Platt & Munk of New York, is in overall very nice condition. At one point it suffered some water exposure resulting in some light staining to the book boards as well as to the pages along the center seam. Pages otherwise remain tightly bound with the exception of a partially loosened frontispiece. Some scribbling to the front cover and original owner’s signature present inside the front cover. Please see photos for representation of book condition. Although my photos of the book reflect a great deal of shadowing and darkening due to poor lighting conditions, please be assured that all pages remain brightly colored as well as uniform in their light, original, creamy background color.

Each page of this 62 page long tale contains a delightfully charming, full color illustration. The story itself, while possibly a bit frightening to younger readers, has a happy ending and tells of a good deed done well. It is a much more pleasant story compared to some of the gruesome and terribly gory Sambo series stories authored by Helen Bannerman.

A very, very RARE Little Black Sambo story book due to the fewer number published as compared to the original, Bannerman Little Black Sambo story!! The Frank Ver Beck series of Sambo books are a MUST-HAVE for the serious collector of Little Black Sambo!!!

In utterly excellent condition, this version of Little Black Sambo is seldom found on today’s market given the delicate nature of its thick paper pages. This particular edition was obviously never used and sat for all of its years, untouched in a desk drawer!

The illustrations executed by Ethel Hays are superb with rich coloration! A "giant" size, this book measured 9.75 inches wide x 13 inches long. A must have edition for the collector of Little Black Sambo books, unlikely to be found again in this outstanding condition!

In fabulous condition with 90+ years of all original surface patina, this phenomenal piece is very highly detailed and displays wonderfully! It authentically depicts the highly fashionable Art Nouveau styling which was so wildly popular at the turn of the 20th century. This brass ashtray promotes the English settlement of the CONGO on the African continent, and thus, the words "CONGO" are impressed across the native's chest. The earliest version of this ashtray was crafted in BRONZE did not feature the Congo label across the native's chest. The extremely rare bronze version of this ashtray is also featured for sale on this website.

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

Featuring wonderful, vivid colors, this slide is titled "Two Old Chums" on the paper label attached to the back of the slide. The slide depicts an older black gentleman standing, hat in hand, beside a seated, very despondent-looking, white gentleman- who appears to have been drinking.

The slide has wonderful detailing--In particular, please note the print of a Black Child playing the Banjo which hangs on the wall at the far right side of the room!

This document is an exceptionally rare piece of historical ephemera in that it delineates the sale of a male negro slave in the Northern state of New Jersey during a period in history where it is assumed by most present day Americans that the horrendous practice of slavery had been long since abolished.

While the New Jersey Legislature passed "An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery" in 1804, it was not until 1846 that slavery was permanently abolished in the state of New Jersey. After that date, former slaves were then termed apprentices and were still subject to servitude to their owners. Only the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted in 1865 resulted in final and permanent abolition of slavery in New Jersey.

This sale deed outlines the sale of a Negro slave by one Simeon Van Wincle “in the township of Acquackanock County of Essex (Currently Passaic County)and the state of New Jersey for and in consideration of the Sum of Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars… paid by John Hopper of the township of New Barbados in the County of Bergen and the state of New Jersey…a certain negro slave named Jacob about 40 years of age.”

This deed was only recently de-accessioned from the collection of the present day owner of the John Hopper homestead - an impressive home which was built primarily by Hopper's slave labor force and where the negro slave, Jacob, had once served. The aforementioned current owner of the Hopper homestead discovered this document under the attic floor boards of the Hopper home while playing as a young child in the 1950s and had retained it in her possession until recently offering it for sale.