This vibrant work, painted in June 2006, depicts a charming 1930's scene of a Southern cotton farm complete with log cabin, old stone wall, dilapidated truck, two big red barns, and two black women picking cotton in the fields. The leaves have turned the brilliant colors of autumn and some have fallen to the ground. The piece is signed in red in the lower left corner "Geraldine Smith June 2006".

(Please disregard any "shiny" or "white" areas in the painting; these are the result of camera flash glare ONLY and are not imperfections in this work. The colors in this painting are actually more vibrant and brilliant in tone than can be depicted in photos.)

Geraldine Smith, who is now in her late 50's, did not begin painting until the late 1980's when she saw the television painter, Bob Ross, and decided she wanted to give painting a try. "I don't know why," Ms. Smith said. "I couldn't draw a straight line. I'd sit up all night trying to paint. Lord help me. Something was driving me to learn to paint." Smith credits The Lord with providing her with the continued inspiration to paint, and states, "When the spirit is leading me, I can paint and paint."

This circa 1920-30's Johnny Griffin item is constructed in solid brass and was designed for use as a pipe rack although it could hold spoons or even neckties.

It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- no replaced parts- and measures 13 inches long x 6 1/2 inches high and 1 1/2 inches deep. It does not retain any marking other than a mold number 1592.

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

Slave grave markers of any form are extraordinarily rare. Typically, slave graves were not marked or noted in any manner. Recent academic and archeologic research has authenticated burial sites containing marked slave graves that remain extant in various areas of the South. These graves remain designated by the placement of rocks, use of pipe, and even slave chain links.

The clay slave grave markers offered here were used in the Milledgeville, Georgia, area; Milledgeville was the capital of Georgia from 1804 through 1867. The symbols present on the markers -- the star (or sun with diamond) and the double cross --harken from the slaves' West African religious and cultural beliefs.

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."

One photo shows these very Slave Grave Markers on exhibit in February 2003, at Millsaps College, Mississippi, when the Petty's were still hopeful that their dream of a permanent Middle Passage Museum would be realized.

Perched upon carrots, a cute pair of Black African Natives happily guard their trove of salt and pepper. The pair are unmarked although known to be Japan-made.

Some appropriate, age-related crazing is evident here and there on this colorfully painted, absolutely darling pair which display beautifully!

Please take a moment to view the companion salt and pepper shakers also available for purchase and priced separately--2 little black boys perched on corn cobs (photo offered here for your convenience).

Her clothing is machine stitched and her black sateen fabric body is tightly stuffed with cotton batting. Unusually, both her arms and legs are jointed at her body, so Mammy can easily be seated on a shelf or wave her arm "goodbye!".

The tin no longer contains the polish sold to protect and restore parquet wood, linoleum, and marble floors and surfaces.

Condition is quite fine for a 70+ year old tin with the expected superficial scratches and wear, most particularly along the edges of the tin. Some superficial rusting is also noted here and there, but the tin is quite sturdy, heavy, and structurally sound.

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!

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

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

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

From 1901-1924, Bruckner produced this original, 12" Topsy Turvy doll for Horsman's Babyland Rag Doll line that features Caucasian, "Betty", on one end and African American, "Topsy", on the other. The inspiration for this doll is based on the character of Topsy in Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic 1852 novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin".

The Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll was advertised in a 1907 Babyland Rag Doll catalog as follows:

"TOPSY-TURVY---What is this?
Looks like just a pretty miss.
But turn her over and you'll find,
She is quite another kind.
First she's White and then she's Black,
Turn her over and turn her back.
Topsy that side--Betty this--
Yet complete, each little Miss."

The detail on this hard to find classic doll is lovely. Both heads indeed have the pressed, molded mask faces with lithographed features. Topsy's face is in mint condition! Betty's face is very fine with superficial rubs to the flesh-toned coating of her mask; her lithographed facial features, however, remain beautiful. (Such rubs are not unexpected as these particular doll masks are, unfortunately, prone to rubbing.)

Grinning Topsy has red bows tied to her black mohair braided pigtails which are tucked into her red headscarf. Her red blouse, which matches her head scarf, is trimmed with cream banding around the sleeve and neck edges. The cream scarf she wears around her shoulders tucks into her very full, red/cream checked, gingham skirt. Flip her over, and....

Betty's more subtle Anglo face and her hair are lithographed. She wears the same red/cream checked gingham fabric of which both her dress and ruffled bonnet are constructed. Over her very full gingham dress, Betty also wears a sheer, ruffled pinafore.

Perched upon corn cobs, a cute pair of Black African Natives happily guard their trove of salt and pepper. The pepper shaker is stamped “JAPAN” on its base.

Some appropriate, age-related crazing is evident here and there on this colorfully painted, absolutely darling pair which display beautifully!