$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.
$18.00
An absolutely wonderful addition to one's School or Artist Memorabilia collection!
SOLD
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 graphic remaining in bright color and free of scratches and abrasions. Although the glass front is somewhat cloudy, as one can see in photos, the image is readily visualized. The mirrored back shows significant loss of silvering due to its 110+ years of age. (Please disregard any light or shiny spots in photos which are due to flash reflection off of the glass.)
A delightful piece of early, pocket-toy, Black Memorabilia!
$14.00
The label is unused and is in excellent condition with wonderful, even coloring (any appearance of fading is due to light reflection only).
Approximate measurements: the oval label measures 4.50 x 3.50 inches.
Would look wonderful framed!!
Please take a moment to view my other grouping of vintage French rum labels!
$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 7.5 out of 10! All the wear on this brightly colored hardcover book was absorbed by its cover with wear to book edge points, book cover edges, and splits to the exterior spine. The interior binding is intact and tight as are all pages. No rips, creasing or bends to pages or pen/pencil markings. Illustrations remain very brightly colored and vibrant and are known for their very fine artistry. There is a small spot of brown paint that likely dropped onto the book while it was closed because a tiny remnant of this paint appears on the very edge of each page approximately one inch from the top of the pages (as seen in photos). Interestingly, both the front and back covers are identical in design!
Amazing condition for a nearly 90 year M.A. Donahue Publishers book- a 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 type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.
$225.00
The black-painted, metal frame houses a plastic, cream-colored insert that features an embossed lettering and design technique that advertises the name of the product for sale. The background of this insert sports a streamlined, horizontal, raised "striping" reminiscent of the Art Deco era. When light is allowed to pass through the plastic, translucent insert, the insert appears to be magically illuminated so that the green-colored backside of the sign shines through with brilliance. This effect can be enjoyed by either hanging the sign in front of a window or by fastening tiny LED lights (not included) on the backside of the frame.
The dimensions are approximately 33"L x 5.5"W x 3/4"D, and the overall condition of the sign is very good. The plain metal frame has been repainted in a durable, semi-gloss, black finish. The frame is missing an approximate 5 inch piece at the top half of the left side of the frame; It is not noticeable when the frame is hanging.(see photo) There is also an unobtrusive crimp to the left edge of the frame. (see photo) The painted finish is in very good condition with areas of minor surface imperfection and slight areas of roughness here and there.
The vintage plastic insert is laminated in two tones, with the front noting a rich, aged, cream color, and the back noting a rich green tone. The front of the insert has faint surface imperfections and some areas of uneven discoloring. The lower left portion of the letter "M" has a minor, small, unobtrusive crack. Overall, the insert retains a nice glossed surface patina commensurate with its age.
A note: the first photo best represents what the sign will look like when illuminated from the back with LED or natural window lighting.
$85.00
The set appears to have never been used! All blocks are present and are in wonderful condition! The paper label attached to the sliding, wood cover is intact with very minor, age-appropriate edge wear and scuffing. What a fabulous, graphic image that would certainly command presence when displayed on a shelf! The integrity of the all-wooden box remains strong and sturdy.
Sets such as these could be found in the more affluent home as well as in early elementary level classrooms, as such toys or learning manipulatives, promoted the development of eye-hand coordination and visual-spatial reasoning skills.
$55.00
Black with hand-painted, gold lettering, this interesting advertising display would sit nicely on a shelf! In fine, all-original condition with the expected nicks and superficial surface scratches.
$18.00
An absolutely wonderful addition to one's School or Artist Memorabilia collection!
$325.00
This version, is indeed more aligned with the style of the 19th century stories written by the famous Brothers Grimm of Germany, featuring fairies, a Fairy Queen and tiny elves!
It also, quite unfortunately, utilizes obtuse monikers that, sadly, were in common use during this time period, referring to Sambo as a PICCANINNY and naming his parents, Mr. and Mrs. DARKIE. If not for this usage, this little story would be regarded as very sweet and charming.
The book contains 10 pages, all of which have been photographed here, with illustrations alternating between full color and black line drawings. Color throughout remains brilliant and crisp! Other than some slight rubbing to page edges, very slight foxing here and there, a top corner crease on three pages, and some rusting to the two original staples which still securely bind the pages together, this VERY UNCOMMON book remains in superb condition for its approximate 100 years of age! Measures 7.75 inches high x 5.25 inches wide.
To find our other Little Black Sambo offerings, simply type "Sambo" into the search box on our home page.
$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.)
$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!!
$45.00
$395.00
Little Jasper was created by George Pal, a cartoonist who worked for Paramount Studios and who created the Puppetoons, a popular cartoon series played in movie theaters of the era prior to the screening of the feature film.
Push or pull him along, and he twirls around while the two present wooden flowers spin along with him! (One wooden flower top is, unfortunately, missing--the only imperfection to this fabulous toy!)
Overall condition is rated as excellent, barely-used condition! There is very insignificant edge wear to paint here and there, but the four wheels don't show even the tiniest trace of wear from use, suggesting that this toy quite likely sat either in a display cabinet or was packed away for its entire existence! Even the original, paper manufacturing sticker remains intact and in pristine condition!
"Little Jasper" is very RARELY found, and the opportunity to acquire him should not be overlooked!
$395.00
Completed in silk thread on early, thick, pressed paper canvas, the diminutive, 1 5/8 x 2 3/4 inch piece of needlework remains stitched onto the original, 1 ¾ x 8 inch long, deep red satin banding. Standing on deep red ground, the black boy wears pale green and black striped clothing.
This wonderful, early piece of Black Americana needlework remains in excellent, original condition. At some point in time, a previous owner matted and framed the piece to allow for both ease of display and protection; however, to meet archival requirements, the piece requires a replacement of its current cardboard backing, and spacer bars separating the needlework from the glass should be added. Framed measurements are 4.5 inches wide x 11 inches long.
A phenomenally rare piece for the advanced Black Memorabilia collector!
It is difficult to photograph glass without reflection- please note that any aberrations are reflections only.
$95.00
Contains numerous black and white line drawings which prove to quite adequately visually supplement this interesting text! At the back of text is an 1865 colored map of the world as well as Questions for General Review and Review Exercises for use by teachers!
Hardcover- Medium Folio Size (8 x 10 inches), 118 pages; good condition (please see photos): use wear to cover, minimal foxing, overall tight binding with loosening of last two pages, corner edge wear to covers, pencil inscriptions on frontispiece and back by former students.
A delightful addition to the School Memorabilia collection!
SOLD
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. This grouping would look fabulous framed!
Approximate measurements are as follows:
6 Musicians: 6.6" tall x 3.50" 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 6 figures reveals that only the violinist has received some restoration- a single piece of archival tape reinforcing a crease.
This entire grouping of die cuts is being sold as one single offering at $45.00.
$325.00
Marked "Copyright 1924", in the lower left hand corner, this extremely hard-to-find advertising piece measures 10.5 inches wide x 13.5 inches high. Colorful and visually interesting, the heavy cardboard die cut depicts an engaging Uncle Wabash serenely strumming his banjo on his front porch! Guess the message to the consumer was, "Eat one of Uncle Wabash's cupcakes to experience your own little slice of heaven and serenity!"
Condition of this charming piece of Black Historical ephemera is quite good given its nearly 100+ years of age!! Old water staining to bottom of the die cut does little to detract from the piece. Crease line to one cupcake edge. Appropriate age-related foxing to back.
$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!
Enter "Googly" into the SEARCH box to see our other Googly-Eye collectibles!
$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!!
$475.00
These dolls were conceptualized as advertising pieces and were only obtainable from the Aunt Jemima Mills of St. Joseph, Missouri, in return of 24 cents in stamps along with 4 box tops from select Aunt Jemima products for the full set which also included children, Little Diana and Wade Davis, OR for JUST ONE DOLL, 1 box top and 6 cents in stamps! Dolls were then shipped promptly, postpaid upon receipt!
The original purchaser of these uncut dolls, Mrs O. W. Lewis of Ethel, Missouri, clearly only ordered the Aunt Jemima and Uncle Mose dolls, as these dolls remained within the family, untouched in the original mailing envelope, until their recent discovery by the purchaser's descendants.
It is quite unusual to find uncut versions of these dolls -along with the original mailing envelope which typically is quickly tossed away- as more commonly, the dolls are found by chance as "singletons" here and there-- already cut, sewn, stuffed and played with as opposed to the pristine, uncut versions offered here.
The pair is in quite wonderful condition given their 100+ years of age and are suitable for framing. Each doll is printed on a separate piece of linen, and the color of each doll remains amazingly crisp and brilliant! Aunt Jemima measures 10.5" wide by 35" long, and Uncle Mose measures 10" wide by 35" long. (Please note that any variation in color noted in photos is a result of lighting issues and light reflection only. Background of linen remains its original, crisp, bright white with each doll retaining its "like-new" consistent and brilliant color.)
Mild foxing is noted only on Aunt Jemima and not on Uncle Mose, likely due to the manner of storage. The Uncle Mose doll fabric was folded and stored inside of the Aunt Jemima fabric, and then they were placed inside of the envelope, with only Aunt Jemima coming into contact, for decades, with the high-acidic content of the envelope which caused the foxing. Fold lines are evident as well; however, these fold lines are the result of original factory packaging and storage in the envelope for over 100 years. Other than the foxing as described, the pair remain in truly fine condition!
A rare opportunity for the advanced collector to acquire an uncut, complete pair of C1917, Aunt Jemima and Uncle Mose Advertising Rag Dolls, suitable for framing!
This offering will only be sold as a pair; offers for an individual piece will not be entertained.
$65.00
Constructed with hardwood and featuring brass hardware, this delightful piece retains its original box labeled "Made In Korea", with design copyrighted by B. Shackman & Co, 85 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York.
The wood-turned legs, wood-carved detailing and overall meticulous attention to design detail is just superb! The desk features a total of 3 drawers which open and close smoothly and easily and which are finished with brass handles or knobs. Desk swinging doors open easily, have brass knobs, and reveal six desk cubby holes and a small drawer hidden inside, just as one would have found in an original 19thC school master's desk!
Condition is all-original and superb without injury! The desk even retains its original foil sticker on the underside. The original cardboard box features a well-designed cover that offers all essential details to the prospective buyer. The front label is in perfect condition, but the cover's four corner joints have all separated, albeit due to handling over the years. All parts are present, however.
This piece is a deaccession from my personal school teacher collection, with regrets, due to lack of display space. A unique addition to one's vintage school collection!
$75.00
Taken right out of her sewing room where it had hung for decades on the wall, the black and gold sign, which is painted on a heavy particle-type board, has a very lovely, warm, aged patina. It was very difficult to photograph as the black background paint readily picked up the slightest light source. The very first photograph most accurately depicts the color and appearance of this piece. Any white glare in any of the photographs should be completely disregarded, as both the color and tone of the sign are quite uniform.
Measuring 24" wide x 6" long, the sign has three eyelet-type holes in each of three corners (one corner is missing) to facilitate hanging. It comes with a heavy, ancient piece of wire that was used to hang the sign in the seller's home.
As noted in the close-up photos, the sign has its share of surface rubs, scratches, paint edge wear and three of the four corner edges missing-- all appropriate examples of wear for a well-used sign that is nearly 100 years old! Close examination of the sign suggests that the background was painted completely black first and then the gold edge-work and lettering were stenciled on top of the black background.
Just LOVE the look of this sign!
$75.00
The Pacific Rural Press, first established in 1871 in San Francisco, California, was formed to educate and otherwise serve the needs of California's agricultural community, primarily addressing fruit and vegetable growers. In addition to being a highly-respected, scientific informational source, the Pacific Rural Press publication also offered the opportunity for manufacturers of related farming products to advertise their wares.
This visually appealing sign, produced by the Pacific Rural Press Service Bureau, would have been posted by the farm owner as a warning to potential intruders. The sign states: "$50 REWARD FOR ARREST AND 30 DAY IMPRISONMENT OF ANYONE STEALING FROM THESE PREMISES".
Sporting a deep, green-colored background which enhances the bold white lettering, the sign measures 10" long x 7" high. (The lovely deep green color is even darker than the photos depict. It was difficult to capture the depth of color due to light reflection.) It is in good condition commensurate with its age and use. The surface has modest, faint superficial scratches, as well as some minor paint loss noted more on the edge and on the embossed letters. There are various slight, tiny dings and scant superficial rust marks. Two mounting holes are present on the top left and right edges to facilitate hanging.
A very interesting and conversation-provoking sign!
$575.00
This late 1930's toy is the later version of the two Mammy walker toys produced by this company. It is marked on back just under the white apron tie, "Lindstrom Corporation Made in USA". The marking is very faint, and thus, difficult to read without scrutiny. The contrast in this photo has been enhanced so that the manufacturer labeling is easier to visualize online.
Mammy shuffles along quite vigorously via her original wind-up mechanism while she holds her broom and quickly "sweeps" back and forth.
Over 70 years old, Mammy is still quite sturdy as she was well made, but she does show some minor scratching and paint loss from play over the years as the photos indicate. Her coloring remains brilliant!
The box remains in very good condition with minimal wear to seams considering its age. Coloring is strong. One flap at the top of the box is detached but present.
Sweeping Mammy is a must-have addition to any Black Memorabilia Toy collection!
$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.
$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!
$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.
$75.00
This Mammy nipple doll is more unusual and less seldom found because she holds a tiny, plastic, white baby in her left arm. Typically when found, the Mammy nipple doll has empty arms.
Mammy’s sweet little face has been hand-painted, and she has been nicely dressed in a red and white polka dot dress with linen apron and red flowered head scarf. The little baby wears a linen gown edged with lace and has a molded face.
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!
$30.00
Measuring a slight 4" x 5", the brightly painted blocks are housed in a highly-detailed cardboard box featuring a colorful graphic of a young child playing with them. This toy was also used in the primary grade classrooms to help develop fine motor coordination and dexterity.
Condition is quite fine with the exception noted of 2 missing blocks.
$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.
$18.00
An absolutely wonderful addition to one's School or Artist Memorabilia collection!
Also pictured are two other mint condition, unused, boxed, school crayons that are currently offered for separate sale. The group of three make a charming, visual display!
$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 graphic remaining free of scratches and abrasions. The mirrored back shows evidence of subtle, minor scratching. (Please disregard any light or shiny spots in photos which are due to flash reflection off of the glass.)
A delightful piece of early Black Memorabilia!
$55.00
Constructed of tin with well-executed soldered seams and rolled edges on nearly all areas which are smooth and comfortable to the touch.
In great condition for its 120 years of age with an old tarnished and mellowed patina! A couple of little "use-dings" and hints of light oxidation that add to its character. Some superficial rusting on the base and here and there.
The perfect addition to one's Vintage School Collection! Where will you find another one like it?
$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!
$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!
$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.
SOLD
Pull the original string attached at the base, and Mr. Googly's eyes move into all sorts of silly positions! Three photos are included to demonstrate the variety of eye positions possible.
The paint is in wonderful condition with just the tiniest, pinprick size dots of loss noted here and there, and only well-seen under magnification. A small crease under the nose is present with no impact to the toy's integrity. This toy was also designed to be wearable, and on the backside one of the two original clothing pins remain.
The toy is marked "Made in Germany" on the reverse side. Two photos were taken in an attempt to clarify this marking, although the beginning and the end of the word "Germany" have worn away over time, making the task difficult!
A seldom found vintage toy in functional, all-original condition! Displays nicely!
Enter "Googly" into the SEARCH box to see our other Googly-Eye collectibles!
$78.00
This wonderful Depression Era piece features a whimsical 10 inch long cutout figure of a little wooden black girl with hand-painted smiling mouth and eyes! She is dressed in a hand-stitched cotton costume that has been stuffed with scrap fabric.
Her feet feature two brass-finish hooks, presumably to either hang keys or pot holders from. Her ears each have a punched out hole--whether this is functional or purely decorative remains a mystery. A small brass hoop threaded through a piece of fabric which was then tacked to the back of the girl's head facilitates hanging on a wall. Overall condition is fine with age-related soiling to the dress and minor paint wear typical of a 70 year-old-piece.
One of my favorite hand-made pieces with true folk art appeal!
$145.00
This die cut was manufactured to advertise a specific item, store or location but was never used for that purpose or otherwise personalized. Likely, this vintage advertising piece was discovered and then framed so that it could be enjoyed despite its anonymity.
This pleasant die cut is in excellent condition and comes protected in an attractive, walnut-tone, oval decorative frame! The frame bears some minor veneer loss that does not impact the frame integrity, nor is it immediately noticeable.
A sweet piece!
$245.00
The child’s head nods up and down in a "yes" motion by pivoting on a tiny metal bar inserted through his neck (see photos).
Condition is mint, and the piece is signed on the bottom of his right foot: “Hand Painted Lenwile China Ardalt Japan 6530 A”.
Black nodders are quite difficult to come by and have become an interesting sub-collecting category in the field of Black Americana! Not to be missed!
Please see the companion piece also available - the darling Black Girl Child Nodder by Ardalt, Japan. And an additional offering that is not part of the Ardalt Black Child Nodder series is the RARE 1950s Black Americana Sailor Nodder by UCAGCO,Japan.
$235.00
In lovely condition with age crackling to the backside of the seashell, this stunning piece appears to have never been used for its original purpose as a hanging wall planter. The black paint is in impeccable condition and any white dots that appear in photos are the result of light reflection off of teeny glaze imperfections and are NOT chips, rubs or scratches to the surface. The gold stippling to the seashell is perfect!
The piece has a hole in the back to facilitate wall-mounting or it may be easily displayed on a shelf.
A very seldom found piece of vintage Black Memorabilia that is truly stunning in appearance!
$95.00
Double-sided, this visually-appealing school collectible displays stunningly whether displayed on the bright yellow "SLOW" side or the nearly-glow-in-the-dark red and white "STOP" side!
The metal sign retains its original wooden handle as well as its share of age and use-related surface scuffs, scratches and even a couple of errant paint spots that absolutely do not detract from its conversation-provoking appeal!
An interesting and unique enhancement to one's Vintage School Collection!
$245.00
This circa 1900-1910 Johnny Griffin item is a double image still bank that features 2 images of Johnny's head placed back-to-back. It was manufactured by the A.C. Williams Company of Ravenna, Ohio, which at the turn of the 20th century and up until World War II, was the largest toy and still bank manufacturer in the world. (At the start of WWII, production declined sharply as iron was needed for military consumption, marking the end of an era.) The bank is constructed of cast iron in two pieces which unscrew to facilitate the emptying of coins. There is a coin slot at the top of Johnny's head for use in depositing the coins. This sweet bank remains functional for banking use today or may be simply used as an attractive desk paperweight!
It is in all original condition with delightful patina- not a reproduction- and measures 3 inches high x 2 1/2 inches wide. It retains traces of the original gold leaf paint and may (or may not!) have a replaced screw.
The Johnny Griffin image- in the arena of 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.
$195.00
A wonderful and rarely found piece of Black Americana!
$45.00
Great condition with some corner wear, but please note that all pages have completely separated from the center seam so are no longer in "booklet" form. No missing pages though!
A difficult item to find in today's market!
$165.00
George Thompson’s missionary service to Africa occurs approximately 7 years after the MENDI natives of the AMISTAD were accompanied by missionaries on their return to Africa. He serves this very same mission, now in the of colony Sierra Leone, a colony which was established to serve as refuge for the liberated Africans taken from slave ships.
356 pages long, this journal provides a fascinating account of all aspects of the Mendi culture seen through the eyes, however biased in his mission to convert the Africans to Christianity, of a genuinely well-meaning gentleman of his time. Condition: complete, tight binding, foxing throughout, spine wear as shown in picture.
Thompson states, “It is hoped that the following narrative may, in the hands of GOD, awaken a desire in many hearts to go to Africa, for the purposes of preaching, teaching, farming, building houses, mills, manufactories, etc., and thus assist in making long despised and neglected AFRICA, what it is capable of becoming, THE GARDEN OF THE WORLD.”
$95.00
These two folk art pieces came straight from the 93 year old great grandma who played with them as a child!
While the heads were constructed from dried apples painted black, the bodies were cut from various pieces of sponge which were then hand-sewn together. Hands were cut from pink--- and not brown or black felt--very interesting---while the teeth were formed from tiny white beads, and the white fuzzy hair fashioned from nothing more than small, cotton batting pieces. Eyes are glued-on googly eyes.
The homemade clothing is nicely constructed via a combination of hand and machine sewing. Mammy's green, teal and rust flowered dress is embellished with a bit of lace at the sleeves, and she also wears a fancy, white eyelet petticoat and a soft pink crocheted shawl. She is barefoot. Pappy's light blue shirt features 3 button detailing, and he wears denim pants and black felt shoes and hat with a red felt vest.
Condition is quite fine with no observable issues! No odors, rips, stains or missing parts. A very sweet pair!
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!
$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
$95.00
Measuring 13 inches wide x 9.50 inches high x 1/8 inch thick and constructed of heavy, multi-layered cardboard, this wonderful piece is in very fine, all-original condition with a warm, rich patina and color. All of the board's original, wooden, letter/number squares are in such a perfect state that they appear never to have been used! To spell a word, one slides the letters along cut out tracks in the board. To perform computation exercises, one simply flips the board over and is presented the opportunity to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and percentages!
Quite visually appealing and easy to display!
Condition: some tiny edge rubs and surface wear due to use here and there on each side of the board- quite reasonable given this teaching tool's age and use by young children. See all photos.
A seldom found vintage, early School House item!
$75.00
Mr. Layton was a skilled pitcher with a strong bat who had a four-year career in the Negro Leagues, playing for the Indianapolis Clowns, the New York Black Yankees and the Raleigh Tigers. One of his teammates was a promising infielder by the name of Hank Aaron, who signed with the Boston Braves in 1952, and eventually became a Hall of Famer. Layton received an invitation in 1951 to try out for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but by then his shoulder was troubling him so he declined, hoping it would heal and another opportunity would present, which unfortunately never came. As of 2016, Mr. Layton, at the age of 87, was enjoying retirement as an associate pastor in a North Carolina ministry.
A brief history of the Negro League:
African-Americans first began to play baseball in the late 1800s on military teams, college teams, and company teams, eventually finding their way to the established professional baseball teams of white players. However, racism and “Jim Crow” laws would force African-Americans from these teams by 1900, with black players left to form their own teams.
In 1920, an organized league structure was formed under the guidance of Andrew “Rube” Foster, a former player, manager, and owner for the Chicago American Giants. In a meeting held at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, Mo., Foster and several other Midwestern team owners joined to form the Negro National League. Soon, rival leagues formed in Eastern and Southern states, which brought black baseball to major urban centers and to rural countrysides in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. The Leagues maintained a high level of professional skill and inspired economic development in many black communities.
In 1945, when Major League Baseball’s Brooklyn Dodgers recruited Jackie Robinson from the Kansas City Monarchs, Robinson became the first African-American in the modern era to play on a Major League roster. While this historic event was a key moment in baseball and civil rights history, it marked the decline of the Negro Leagues. The best black players began to be recruited for the Major Leagues with their black fans following them, and the last Negro Leagues teams folded in the early 1960s.
$495.00
This fabulous advertising piece is made of papier mache’, is painted black, and sports cream-colored lettering on both sides of the hat. 19th century advertising pieces such as this are quite simply, extremely rare in today's collectible market, and when found command high values!
Julius Kessler, born in 1855, in Budapest- at that time, part of the Austrian Empire- traveled to America to make his fortune. In 1888, he began by personally selling his American blended whiskey known for its silky smoothness, door-to-door, to all of the saloons in Leadville, Colorado. The image of a smooth and silky Top Hat as the company's trademark advertising symbol added a flair of elegance to the brand! Kessler's whiskey quickly grew in prominence and popularity, and by 1935, was bought by Seagram's, with Kessler appointed as President. Julius Kessler passed away at the age of 80, but his image still adorns the bottle's label today- currently owned and produced by Beam Suntory-, as does his slogan, “smooth as silk”!
The condition of this fab piece is very, very good given its 125++ years of age, with some areas of paint loss and wear (mostly to the top of the hat which is the surface that actually serves as the base for this piece). No structural weakness or damage to the papier mache- a very solid piece that displays beautifully!!
Measures 12”L x 9.5”W x 6”H. A superb, 19th century, eye-catching, visually appealing, antique display advertisement!!
$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!
$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.
$85.00
Given away as a premium for opening a bank account, this still bank advertises the Mechanics Savings Bank of Hartford, Connecticut.
The bank is complete with the famous Liberty Bell crack down its front as well as this slogan etched around its top, "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All The Inhabitants Thereof. LEV XXV 10".
Manufactured by the Bankers S & C System Company, Cleveland, Ohio, this bank bears a patent date of February 18, 1919, as inscribed on its base.
Made of metal and wood. The whereabouts of the original key is unknown but it is likely that any flat metal key of the period and appropriate size would open it.
A fine decorative piece for either the still bank collector or Revolutionary War buff!
$195.00
Measuring 18 inches tall, Mammy is constructed of black, machine-stitched, vintage 1930-1940's, polished cotton which has been stuffed with cotton batting. Facial features have been hand-embroidered, are quite expressive, and are exceedingly well done. Her hair has been styled in six pigtails adorned with bows.
Mammy's red, machine-stitched dress is also vintage 1930-40's fabric and features the classic Grecian Key design in white.
A delightful piece of Black Memorabilia Folk Art! This wonderful, 1940's-vintage-look, one-of-a-kind, Artisan Doll was constructed in the 1990's by a Maine Folk Art crafts-person who is now deceased.
Please take a moment to view her little brother by typing the words "Maine Doll" into the SEARCH box.
$495.00
Remaining in its original frame with original wooden and paper backing, this watercolor retains its framer's identifying sticker which reads, "Staton's Art Shop 5409 Germantown Ave." Perhaps this Germantown address indicates Philadelphia area origin? In the interests of proper conservation, the new owner should re-frame this lovely piece with appropriate acid-free materials.
Please ignore any white streaks seen in photos; these are the result of light reflection off of the glass.
A lovely watercolor- nicely executed!
$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.