$65.00
Embellished with beaded edges, a large, 5-petal flower, and a detailed leaf on a heavy cardboard-like material that is lined with a red polished cotton, the little purse closes via a hook and eye closure.
It is in overall fine condition with expected creasing given its 100+ years of age as seen in photos, as well as some loose beadwork and a small amount of missing beadwork to the bottom center.
$38.00
$225.00
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 stain free and are nicely constructed--note fancy sleeve detail!
This mammy bottle doll is one of 3 offered, all coming from the same estate--and all priced separately.
$695.00
This stunning, 125 year old+ example of statuesque Black Americana is in wonderful condition absent two very tiny areas of loss, not unexpected given the age and use of the piece. One area is at the extreme edge of the right tip of the base, and the other, very minor loss to the tips of the right thumb and index finger. Neither of these areas of loss are easily noticed, nor do they distract from the truly incredible rarity of this early piece.
Very well made, the frame easily comes apart into 3 pieces for safe shipping and/or storage.
An extraordinary opportunity to acquire an extremely RARE and highly coveted piece of turn-of-the-19th-into-20th-century Black Americana! One will be very hard-pressed to find another example!
$595.00
The String Holder is stamped "JAPAN" on the back side, and it has a hole in the center of her mouth to accommodate the string! This wonderful piece has expected and typical glaze crazing and even comes complete with vintage string! On the upper right hand side of her forehead, these is a small white spot about 1/4 of an inch long where the face paint was not applied prior to factory glazing (see photo)- a tiny, insignificant manufacturer imperfection that does not detract from this rare piece! The entire piece is glazed with the exception of Mammy's lips which are cold-painted (meaning that the paint was applied after firing). As such, this area of paint would be the most vulnerable to wear, and Mammy does have 2 microscopically-sized specks on her upper lip where the paint has come off. Too tiny to be picked up in a photo!
Please note that photos were taken with a flash, so any white markings on the piece are flash reflections only and not imperfections.
$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!!
$88.00
While her little body was machine stitched together, the remainder of Mammy is all hand-completed! She has a sweet, cheerful, hand-embroidered face that is framed by a tall red, white and blue bonnet! She continues her patriotic look with a red and white checkered top and blue and white flowered pants---how racy---pants instead of a skirt!!!
Mammy clutches a gold colored tomato which, of course, is designed to keep the sewing pins!
In wonderful condition!! Just waiting to be displayed with other sewing or black American collectibles!
$95.00
Beautiful "Copper Lustre" paint accents a central yellow band with copper colored, feather detailing. Interior rim is painted in a pink lustre band.
Condition is quite fine with no damage or repair. Some expected light wear from actual use to painted rim and base and a teeny firing imperfection on the handle that is not readily evident to the eye.
A darling piece to add to one's collection!
$24.00
This 32 page, Pre-Primer called "Everyday Doings" written by Julia Letheld Hahn, was published in 1935 by the Houghton Mifflin Company, and was acquired for use by the York, Pennsylvania, School District in 1936 (see ink stampings to front cover).
In wonderful condition with absolutely no evidence of use, this booklet was one workbook within the Child Development Series of Houghton Mifflin Early Readers.
The interior front cover page lists the table of contents and the interior back cover page lists instructional suggestions "For The Teacher".
A selection of photos are offered to show the colored interior pages, each of which holds a particular title and 4 numbered drawings related to the subject title. These pages were undoubtedly used by the teacher to promote in her young students, thought, creativity, verbal expressive ability, and the development of both vocabulary and sequential thinking ability, to name a few of the necessary reading readiness skills!
A rarely found, early 20th century teaching tool as these workbooks were designed to be used and then discarded!
Please disregard any white spots or lines or areas which appear to be lighter than the rest of the page. All color is even throughout with no fading. These photo imperfections are simply due to sunlight reflections.
$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.
$395.00
This unique, Japanese made, 6" tall Black Sailor or Pirate ceramic nodder by UCAGCO is in mint condition--no cracks, chips, paint wear or repaint!!! Any white spots, etc in photos are purely the function of poor photography!
This interesting fellow wears blue and white striped pants, yellow and green shirt, and yellow jacket. His head nods "yes" and his flowered-painted fan can be made to wave in any direction.
Both head & fan have "Pat T.T." impressed on the weighted stem.
Truly a quite rarely-found piece of Black Americana with a book value exceeding $450.00.
Please see the two additional Black Memorabilia nodders also available by Ardalt Co., Japan - the darling Black Girl Child Nodder and her companion piece, the adorable Black Boy Child Clown Nodder.
$245.00
The child’s head nods up and down in a "yes" motion by pivoting on a tiny metal bar inserted through her neck (see photos).
Condition is mint, and the piece is signed on the bottom of her right foot: “Hand Painted Lenwile China Ardalt Japan 6530 B”.
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 equally-difficult-to-find companion piece also available - the Black Boy Child Clown Nodder. 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.
$195.00
The bowl sits upon a one inch high foot and has glaze crazing typical of an 85+ year old piece of pottery. No chips, cracks, or hairlines. One teeny, tiny fleabite on rim too small to be photographed with any clarity.
An outstanding piece of American Spongeware! Becoming much more difficult to find- particularly in this outstanding condition!
Please type the word "spongeware" into the Search box to find the other pieces of C1900-1920 Ohio Yellowware Spongeware currently being offered for sale. All pieces are prices separately.
$125.00
The bowl has glaze crazing typical of an 85+ year old piece of pottery. An extremely tight hairline on one side of the bowl has been photographed for one’s perusal. It does not affect structural integrity, and the pricing of the bowl reflects this imperfection. No other flaws!
An outstanding piece of American Spongeware! Becoming much more difficult to find- particularly in this condition!
Please type the word "spongeware" into the Search box to find the other pieces of C1900-1920 Ohio Yellowware Spongeware currently being offered for sale. All pieces are prices separately.
$75.00
They were originally assembled using glue, wooden pegs, and square head nails, although many of these were replaced at some point with early round head nails.
Condition is quite good with some age-related separation of wood as seen in photos---nothing that disturbs the structural integrity or visual appeal of this very early pair. Both retain wonderful, all-original patina. Please see photos for a fine representation of all angles and insides and outsides of both boxes. The covers of both boxes fit nicely despite the crooked appearance suggested in my photos!
Measurements are 6 inch diameter by 2.5 height and 5.5 inch diameter by 2 inch height. The smaller box fits nicely into the larger or they may be stacked one atop the other for display!
$65.00
$75.00
One litho appears to be the residence of a “R. Timmons” and the other of a “S. Macon”. The frames are a latter addition, likely circa 1930-40’s acquired by an individual interesting in preserving these colorful and historic pieces of Folk Art. They framing was done at a Greensboro, North Carolina gallery.
Both lithos are darling-- featuring pleasant, pastoral, Folk Artsy, 19th Century scenes! A great pair of mini, decorative and historic accent pieces!
$28.00
The Robackers were a Pennsylvania husband and wife team who became the published, indisputable American experts in Pennsylvania Dutch and Early American decorative art and culture. Over their multiple decades of marriage, they collected an utterly massive number and wide variety of such artifacts before both passing away in the early 1980's.