This product was produced by the lime manufacturers, Hatmaker and Place, of Canaan, Connecticut, in the late 1800s. This small company was located within a large "lime belt" that stretched from Connecticut to Vermont. Back in the day, lime powder mixed with water was quite commonly used to "white wash" or paint numerous surfaces, and it was also used as a medicinal disinfectant! The manufacture of lime from marble was one of the earliest and most successful mineral industries in Connecticut, with historical records dating the establishment of the first CT lime manufactory to 1722.

Given its age and the fragility of paper, condition of this wonderful box is quite good. The lower portion of the back side of the box evidences light surface wear with some of the printing on the lower portion of the box worn away as a result. The front of the box has a 3.25 inch long tear which resulted in the loss of the lime powder from the box.

This early piece of Black Americana advertising is EXCEEDINGLY RARE and may well be a ONE-OF-A-Kind item! The Hatmaker and Place Company was one of a number of very small manufactories located within the "lime belt" that were ALL bought out and immediately closed down by a wealthy group of investors who then created and incorporated the mammoth monopoly, The New England Lime Company, early in 1902.

This fabulous Depression Era piece features a whimsical 12 inch long cutout figure of a little wooden black girl with a very, very well-detailed hand-painted face---look at her mouth and eyes!

She is dressed in a machine-stitched cotton costume in a pretty flowered fabric that has been heavily soiled with age over her 70 years. Her apron, accented with a delicate lace and a pretty little pocket containing a hanky, is quite soiled and tattered. The apron can be removed if desired, and cleaning/conservation can be accomplished by the new owner.

Her feet feature two brass-finish nails, presumably to either hang keys or pot holders from. Overall condition of her wooden body is very, very fine with amazingly, NO paint wear!

Measuring 4 inches wide x 3 3/4 inches high, the black color-toned set was manufactured by A.D. Handy, Stereopticon & Supplies, Boston.

The four slides tell the story, through drawings and southern black dialogue, of a black boy attempting to steal a watermelon (slide 1). Four other black boys hiding behind a fence and watching, spook him, making the boy think there is a ghost behind him (slide 2)! Dropping the watermelon in fright, he dashes off for safety (slide 3). The shattered watermelon is then left on the ground, already broken into bite-sized pieces for the 4 other boys to enjoy!

Measuring 7.50 inches long x 3.25 inches wide, this Belgian cigarette or cigar, heavy paper/cardboard box features a fabulous litho of a very dapper Black Gentleman smoking one of the "JOHN" cigarettes. Its small size offers many options for display including framing for shelf or wall enjoyment.

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 odor and stain free and are nicely constructed--note fancy sleeve detail!

The graphic of Mammy remains in very fine condition as are the painted list of groceries. Some old splintering of the wood on sides and edges add to the board's all original vintage patina! This memo board was once sold as a Canadian souvenir piece as it still retains its original "St Stephen Canada Maple Leaf" decal.

The white, shiny spots that may appear in the photos are the result of camera flash glare only and are not imperfections to this piece. Wood color is richer than photos could capture.

This pleasant diecut is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-tone decorative frame!

The origin of this sign is unknown, but it once hung on either the interior of a bus or railroad car designating the section of the bus or rail car where African-Americans were required to sit. One side reads “FOR WHITES” and the other side reads “FOR COLORED” thus separating the two races on public conveyance vehicles-- segregating the African-Americans to the back of the vehicle.

This historically significant sign is in all-original condition and has some paint loss and scratching typical of its age and use as noted in photos. The “white” side has a horizontal black mark running above the word "white". A horizontally running gouge is present in the wood on the “colored” side and runs through the word "FOR". It is approximately 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch deep. Please see photos. None of these age-characteristics impact the physical integrity of the sign and are more than appropriate to the age and purpose of the piece.

An utterly phenomenal, extremely RARE, one-of-a-kind, museum-worthy piece of Black American history!

The needlework measures approximately 15 by 14 inches and is in very good condition overall. 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.