Illustrated by (simply) Suzanne in fabulous, eye-popping, bright colors, this version of Little Black Sambo shows little wear: minor edge and corner wear to front and back covers as well as to front side of binding area. This light wear is not atypical for a respectfully-used and read book. Binding is nice and tight, with an absence of rips and/or folds to pages. Age-related yellowing of pages throughout. Please note: lighting conditions caused the right-hand-side page in each photo to be be darker and in shadow. This is not the case--a photographic faux-pas!

The book tells the infamous story of ten little African-American boys who are gradually eliminated in number via one circumstance after another--most utterly horrid-- choking to death, chopping himself in half, being crushed by a bear, being swallowed by a red herring, etc, ending with the last boy sadly living all alone, a circumstance he happily remedies by getting married.

This 109 year old book remains in all-original, very good condition with no alterations or repairs. Original binding and stitching remain tight and in tact with exception of a one inch long tear to binding at base (see photo). Illustrated by R. J. (James) Williams, the interior illustrations remain very brightly colored; front and back covers show some soiling and fading of color. A small section of cloth is missing from the lower left corner of the front cover, and on the second page, there is some tearing to the cloth with missing fiber (see photos of both). Light foxing throughout.

Illustrated by Ethel Hays in fabulous, eye-popping, bright colors, this version of Little Black Sambo is seldom found on today’s market given the delicate nature of its thick paper, cloth-like pages. This copy shows almost no wear: upper right corner of front cover lightly scuffed, tiny piece of bottom right corner of front cover missing. Inside inscription on bottom of 2nd page. This volume was quite clearly seldom-handled.

A "giant" size, this book measures 9.75 inches wide x 13 inches long and retains its original cloth-taped binding.

This particular estate document is extraordinarily unique and atypical in comparison to other estate documents of this period as it lists 15 SLAVES among the articles of property, and it actually labels these individuals as SLAVES as opposed to the much more common and typical practice of listing "Slaves" as "Negroes". The slaves are listed on the back side of the document with all other inventory listed on the front side.

Each slave is listed by first name with the corresponding current market value written to the left of the name, with the total market value of the 15 slaves named at $8600-- quite a hefty sum when one considers that the remainder of the estate (furniture, livestock, transportation and work vehicles, tools, etc) is valued in total at $980.75. Also listed in the inventory was 13,000 pounds of seed cotton, indicating that Lewis Mattair owned a sizable cotton plantation, clearly farmed by the slaves.

Lewis Mattair is noted in the 1860 Federal Census as a resident of Suwanee County, Florida; the 1860 Federal Census- Slave Schedules references Lewis Mattair owning 28 male and female slaves, ranging in age from 4 to 58. Lewis Mattair is listed in the 1865 Florida Tax records, but his name does not appear in any archived state or federal records after that year. Thus, it is presumed that this document dates from 1865, the year that the Civil War ended, or at the latest, 1866, as 19th century estate inventories were not always completed within the same year of death.

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.

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.

This sixth printing is supported by maps, illustrations and photographs. Documentation includes pages of footnotes making this text a must-read for those interested in expanding their knowledge of this little-known venue of African-American history.

The stories were written by Elizabeth Gordon and are whimsically illustrated in color by Clara Powers Wilson.

Ready for framing, this unusual piece of history would be a fabulous addition to one's collection of slavery or medical artifacts. It measures approximately 7 inches wide x 1.34 inches high and would look fabulous double-matted in an exquisite frame.

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.

The box is in very good condition for its 100+ years of age with teeny tiny chips to the surface as noted in photos.

The box features an incredibly detailed graphic on its cover depicting an African-American family gathering around the patriarch as he readies to strike a match for the very first time.

Entitled "Their First Box of Drawing Room Matches. Paterfamilias: You chillin keep back deah! You want you heads blowed off'n you shouldus?"

In very nice condition with minor scratches to paint here and there as seen in photos, this wind-up toy works, but can be a little fussy. Given its 100+ years of age, a bit of fussiness in the mechanism is not atypical or unexpected. Marked "TOMBO" Alabama Coon Jigger Trademark Strauss Mfg Co New York USA; US Patent May 24, 1910. The figure, itself, is 8.25 inches high.

All four of these colorful brushes have natural bristles, and range in height from 7.5 inches to 8 inches tall.

The brushes are in near excellent condition with evidence of having been very lightly used as described:

Blue Porter with Cream colored pants: teeny, superficial "dings" to paint here and there with one teeny mark between the eyes.
Blue Porter with Yellow Pants: SORRY SOLD
Black and Cream Porter: teeny, superficial "dings" to paint here and there with one teeny mark near the mouth; paint wear to edges of cap.
Yellow Porter: paint wear primarily to right side of face and top of cap.

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 are able to be distinguished from the light reflections.

Mammy or Aunt Jemima is wearing a white dress and head scarf with red trim. Her dark brown skin is flawless (any white spots or marks seen in photos are the result of light reflection and do not represent flaws of any kind.)

While she is unmarked, there is a very small black "X" on the bottom of the backside of her dress.

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 also in excellent condition with no superficial rubs to the flesh-toned coating of her mask; her lithographed facial features remain just beautiful!! (Such rubs are not unexpected as these particular doll masks are, unfortunately, very prone to rubbing. To find one of these 100+ year old dolls without such rubbing is quite rare!)

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. Topsy’s cream banding is lightly soiled and there is also some subtle fading to her red head scarf, most notably in the back. 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 should also wear a sheer, ruffled, white pinafore, however, it has been lost over time. Betty’s cream banding around each sleeve is also lightly soiled as are her hands.

Both dolls have the typical "mitten" hands of the stuffed rag dolls of this era. There are no other difficulties to report other than some tiny, stray (original) glue spots here and there. No rips, tears, or odors, and she has been stored in a smoke-free home. The 1901 Patent Bruckner Topsy Turvy doll typically carries a $650+ dollar price tag, but deductions to price have been levied to account for the minor imperfections that are noted in this doll.

The photos show it all- these two girls are a charming pair! A very difficult to find doll in such wonderful condition!

Detailing in construction sets this mammy doll apart! Her creation was very carefully executed through a combination of hand and machine stitching. Mammy was lovingly dressed in clothing made from old, red, black, and white-patterned handkerchiefs, while both her body and her interesting pair of black pantaloons were constructed of old, black stockings. Detailing was clearly important to the creator--an additional and elegant surprise is the cream-colored, cotton petticoat edged with lace!

Mammy's face is hand-embroidered, and she wears brass-colored, plain, hoop earrings. Her body is machine-stitched together and is stuffed with cotton batting.

Mammy is in near perfect condition with the exception of minor wear (not holes) to her stocking-constructed left foot as well as the underside of her right, stocking-constructed hand. (This wear to the fabric may well be the very reason the stockings were used to construct Mammy as they may have been discarded from personal use. Please refer to photos to view wear.)

The watermelon measures 3 3/4 inches long, while the doll measures about 3 1/2 inches long. The interior of the watermelon is pink in color, while the exterior is nicely hand-painted to mimic an actual watermelon!

Condition for this delicate piece is quite fine. The two noted imperfections in the tiny doll: a bitty, manufacturer, mold flaw hole in the inside of the left leg hip and an area of the left buttock that was not painted brown. Neither effects structure integrity. The hand-painted papier mache or pressed paperboard watermelon does not close tightly or evenly. Either age and/or original construction are contributing factors.