Catalog (502)

This diminutive, C1920-30s, Black Valentine Cupid diecut is protected in a 4 x 6 inch, decorative wood frame, surrounded by a gold foil mat featuring white foil roses. Additional tiny diecuts of pink roses are placed at each corner.

This adorable, smiling cupid diecut is in very good condition. Two teeny fold lines are present that are very difficult to see unless using magnification (see closeup photo) - one in the left arm and another in the left wing. Otherwise, perfect!

A very unusual, vintage find!

Offered is the fabulously RARE NIGGER HAIR Tobacco Tin produced from the late 1870's through the first half of the 1940's.

This particular tin does not retain its original, US Internal Revenue paper tax stamp, so there is no way to precisely date it. As such, we will place its age as at the first half of the 1940's- the final production years of this style tin.

The image of an African woman with the racist title of “Nigger Hair” imposed over her shoulders was used by The American Tobacco Company of Wisconsin to promote its product; the lithographed tin was manufactured by the B. Leidersdorf Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Interestingly, it must be noted that after World War II, the product name "Nigger Hair" was changed to "Bigger Hair", although the exact same image of an African Woman continued to be used. The company simply added the words “Fiji Islander” to the left of her face in a very, very weak attempt to broaden the product’s appeal by moving further away from the earlier, severely derogatory moniker. At that time, the material out of which the tobacco container was constructed was changed from tin to heavy cardboard.

Measuring 7 inches high x 5 ¾ inches wide, the condition of the tin is a wonderful 8 out of 10--- sporting a beautiful lithograph on both sides with extremely minor, superficial scratches and rubs, along with tiny areas of paint loss. These areas of minor paint loss exist on the back side where the metal bale handle made contact with the tin and slightly scraped it, and on the front side, where several teeny areas of paint loss are present that are very difficult to see unless bright light is deliberately shown upon the tin surface as has been done in both closeup photos. When viewed in natural lighting, the tiny areas of paint loss on the front side are not readily visible unless one deliberately looks for them (see first photo).

The rim of the tin has two, tight 1/8" long splits- very difficult to see and photograph and which are not visible with the tin cover in place. The lid, base, bale handle junction points, and interior of the tin show minor evidence of light, superficial rust. Otherwise, the tin is solid. The original mustard-orange color of the tin remains consistent over the entire tin as does the clear, brilliant black lithography.

Any imperfections are quite reasonable and expected given the age of this piece-- approximately 80 years of age!! Please note that any "white" areas in photos are flash or lighting reflections and are not imperfections to the tin.

Truly an extraordinarily RARE piece of Black Memorabilia seldom found in this wonderful condition complete with bail handle and lid (Soft tissue paper has been wrapped around the bail handle to prevent any further scratching to the tin exterior.)

Offered is a very hard-to-find, unused, Asthma Lung Cough Cure Plasters Drugstore Tin from North Chelmsford, Mass. A deep, purple-toned paper label covers the 3 inch tall, cleverly-named "PHI-TEM tin.

The condition of this early 1930s nostrum is very good with minimal tarnish to the metal and very light fading to the label.

This medicine tin is unopened and ready for your collection!

Measuring 11.75 inches high x 8 inches wide, this striking 1950's, ceramic, Black African in a Sea Shell, hanging wall planter is marked on back "House of Venice California".

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!

Measuring 21 inches in length, this very handsomely attired, gentleman golliwog doll hails from the early 1950's and remains in near pristine condition. Displayed under glass all of these years, his clothing retains good color and is free of soiling with the exception of his white cotton vest which has one small spot on either side that are both nicely concealed when his jacket is set properly in place. (Clothing is removable if the new owner wishes to launder.)

The golly's clothing is machine stitched; his red mouth and white eyeballs are constructed of felt. His body is tightly stuffed with cotton batting allowing him to be displayed either in a sitting position or standing with the support of a doll stand.

A brief history of the Golliwog doll: The Golliwog is based on a Black minstrel doll that the Victorian era illustrator, 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 an ugly 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.

A very sweet piece!

Entitled "A Chip O' The Old Block", the theme of this 1906 copyrighted lithograph features a derogatory stereotype not recognized as such when it was published 115 years ago. A very young African American toddler, bare-bottomed and still just crawling, is attempting to catch a fleeing hen - the caption implying, just as would his parent. The great irony here is that the artwork is quite skillfully and beautifully executed.

Measuring 8.5" wide x 6.6" long, the original frame is unusually embellished in the lower left hand corner with a very detailed, three-dimensional image of a wicker baby carriage fashioned from an unidentifiable medium. The carriage is missing part of the handle, part of one carriage wheel, and a teeny bit has also been lost on the upper part of that same wheel, but these missing pieces do little to take away from this embellishment's unique character. This is a unique and interesting piece, indeed!

The lithograph measures 5.5" wide x 3.5" long and is signed "Wall" in the grass under the toddler's left foot. The copyright date, 1906, and the publisher, The Ullman Mfg. Co. of New York, appear in the lower right corner. The original backside paper liner is missing.

This hard to find tool-of-the trade pharmacy instrument is marked “S & D CAPSULE FILLER”. It was used by early 20th century druggists to increase their capsule production. Known as the "CHEMI PHARM UNIVERSAL CAPSULE FILLER" and made by the Fenton Chemical and Pharmaceutical Co. Dating to 1905, this RARELY found example contains 2 separate fillers.

Included are two different capsule size steel fillers, one of which is presently attached by a universal pin. There are 3 filling trays, tamper, a spatula and roller.

The condition of this wonderful apothecary tool is as good as it gets, complete with the warm, rich patina one would expect of an antique of this age: minor scratches, marks and unobtrusive dings and tarnish.

The metal parts appear to be nickel plated, and the wood base seems to be walnut. The filler measures approximately 13”L x 4.5”W x 4.5” H.

The interior contains sand that was used to add weight and stabilize the box when in use. Weighs 25 pounds.

A must addition for any pharmacy/apothecary or Merck collection!

Offered are two desirable hand tools from the mid 19th century.

The first tool is a diminutive hammer which was probably used to drive small nails and tacks. The handle measures 8.5 inches long and sports a shapely head made of iron. This hand wrought primitive tool has a nice original patina and shows wear commensurate with age.

The second tool is called a RACE KNIFE which was a tool of the carpenter, cooper, lumberman and shipwright. The hooked blade scored timbers, staves, or logs with identification marks. This hand tool measures 6 inches long and has 2 cutting blades, one of which closes into the handle like a penknife. The metal component is hand-forged and is affixed to the wooden handle. The condition is very good, with a few ancient hairline splits noted to the handle. The metal has the expected minor pitting and wear of an early tool.

This pair of early tools-of-the-trade would make a great addition to your collection or display!

This wonderfully rare, 1920s piece of Black Memorabilia ephemera is in utterly fabulous condition!

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.

A truly scarce find in phenomenal condition!

In the mid-1800's, an unknown artist painted the face of a young Black boy in warm, soft colors, and unbeknown to the artist, forever immortalized the young boy's image! Since that time a variety of items were been produced in the image of the "Young Black boy with the Torn Hat" or "Johnny Griffin".

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.

Offered is a wonderful, circa 1920's, John Wyeth apothecary bottle sporting a fancy, shield-shaped, foil label, Elixir Phenobarbitol.

Decorative stock bottles such as this beauty were meant to be refilled and reused and were the pride of the pharmacy staff. Eye-catching, reflective medicine bottles such as these also served as an advertising mechanism as they often were placed prominently in pharmacy windows to attract passers-by.

This 8.5 inch, amber, wide-mouth example reveals ground glass construction and dates to the 1920's era.

The condition of this empty bottle is excellent with only a tiny edge fleck of the back lip. The ground glass stopper cannot be removed and appears perfect. The front label shows light wear and staining commensurate with age and use. Although the label appears silver in the photos, it is more of a GOLD-toned foil. The back label has modest wear and staining.

Offered are 3 nice hand forged golf clubs sporting hickory shafts. Included are clubs from Nicolls of Scotland, Hillerick and Bradbys Co. from the USA, and G. Schmidt. All 3 clubs date to the 1920s and are in good condition.

The first club is from George Nicolls and is stamped on back as follows: "HAND FORGED IN SCOTLAND" - '2 IRON' - 'CARRYING POWER 150/70Yds - and in a circular stamp 'NICOLLS INDICATOR'". The stamp of a hand palm also embellishes this nice Scotland created club. The INDICATOR model was introduced in 1926 and became very popular. The face is DOT stamped and there is a small ding on the leading edge close to the heel. Measures 36.5 inches from then end of shaft to the heel. There is slight gap between the hosel and shaft connection and ancient crimp marks on the hosel are noted. This may indicate that the shaft, while appearing period, may be an early replacement. The leather grip is in very good condition and overall the club sports a nice patina.

The second club is stamped on back with the following information: "Hillerick and Bradbys Co. Louisville, KY 'GRAND SLAM' and a stamp of a hand hold playing cards with an 'A' on the front. It is stamped with the number '5' on the sole. The 36.5 inch shaft is stamped "Made by Hillerick and Bradbys Co. Louisville, KY". A small gap is noted between the shaft and hosel. The club has a wonderful surface patina throughout and the grip is solid. The face sports a square stamped pattern.

Club number 3 is stamped on the back with the following: "G. Schmidt - NIBLICK - FORGED and the letter 'W'". The 'W' may be the owners mark. This 36.5 inch club sports a nice patina, and a good complete grip. The shaft has a barely noticeable split by the hosel. The large face has 'line' pattern stamping and the leading edge shows two honorable dings. A neat club to display!

An interesting and older circa 1940-50's, molded plastic, African female doll carrying a tiny African baby doll in a pouch on her back!

Fine detailing hallmarks this 11.25 inch tall doll. She is dressed in a black native costume -- all handsewn with yellow and black beads, and is adorned with a matching double-strand beaded necklace and single-strand beaded bracelet along with gold hoop earrings. Her lips, as well as the baby's, are painted red and both have inset life-like, plastic eyes. Her hands swivel at the wrists; her arms and legs are jointed at shoulder and hip, respectively.

No identifying marks are evident; clothing is securely attached and could not be easily removed for a further look.

Condition is excellent with the exception of damaged toes on the right foot.

Offered is a wonderful piece of circa 1940's, Lebanon, Tennessee, drug store history!

Researching the drug store's history was fascinating as the same family operated it for over 50 years! The SHANNON family founded and ran this all-inclusive, community-centered, soda fountain and drug store from 1912 until 1964. The years spanning from its 1912 opening through the 1950s appeared to be the drug store's heyday as it served as a popular community gathering place catering to local servicemen and their families for decades and through both World Wars. A wonderful article dated January 4, 2019, found in THE WILSON POST describes this drug store's fascinating history and is a must read!

This brightly colored, hand-painted, metal advertising sign measures 20 inches wide x 14 inches long, an ideal size for easy display in one's collection. Its condition suggests that it may never have been used. Upon close inspection, hand-applied, yellow brush strokes are noted, with the black lettering possibly applied as a stencil. Various small areas of paint loss and minor metal imperfections exist, all commensurate with age. A fabulous piece of Lebanon, Tennessee, advertising and local history!

Measuring 1 3/4 inches in diameter x 3/8 of an inch high, this circa 1920’s, dexterity game puzzle depicts a fancily dressed and top-hatted black man! Likely German-made, the puzzle is without markings. Vibrant color and detailing! The puzzle contains 4 tiny white balls, that with the proper manual dexterity, are to be placed in the gent’s mouth, eyes and bow tie!

Constructed of tin with a cardboard lithographed image and a glass cover, this game is backed with its original mirror. The puzzle is in all-original condition with the lithographed graphic remaining free of scratches and abrasions. The glass is rippled but is not damaged as it remains smooth to the touch. A "defective" piece of glass was likely just simply chosen for use in what was once an inexpensive penny game!. The mirror shows some tiny bits of loss to silvering as noted in photos. (Please disregard any light or shiny spots in photos which are due to flash reflection off of the glass.)

An interesting image and a delightful piece of early Black Memorabilia!

A detailed and historical, 19th century, school "Certificate of Distinction" from the "Albemarle Female Institute of Charlottesville, Virginia"!

Text indicates that the certificate was awarded to Emma Shannon on June 12, 1885 (Or 1883--difficult to read as the date is partially concealed under the frame edge). The certificate recognizes that Emma excelled in Latin, Arithmetic, History of France, Rhetoric, and English Literature. Signed by W. P. Dickinson, President of the Faculty.

With the exception of early fold lines, a water stain in the upper left corner, and two small circular age stains on the lower left and within the word "distinction", condition is quite nice!

Measures 16.25 inches X 12.25 inches framed. The piece is framed in wood and is beautifully grain-painted in brown and black tones with delicate, cream-toned, chip-carved stems and leaves at each of the four corners. Original wood backing remains in place.

Once located at the intersection of 10th and Jefferson Streets in downtown Charlottesville, the Albemarle Female Institute was founded in 1853 as a University School for young women by Baptist pastor John A. Broadus. In 1861, one of Charlottesville's most famous 19th century women, Charlotte "Lottie" Moon, earned one of the first Master of Arts degrees ever awarded to a woman by a southern educational institution during this time period. Fluent in Latin, Greek, French, and Italian, Lottie was called to serve as a Baptist missionary in China, devoting 40 years of her life to that mission.

Offered is a wonderful, C1950s, Art Deco-styled, advertising store sign that features in bold capital letters the word, "COLD REMEDIES". This sign, which originally hung in a Grand Rapids, Michigan, establishment, might well have been displayed in a drug store.

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 36"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 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. Overall, the insert retains a rich, 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.

The final photo is a shot of this sign along with three others of the same vintage and manufacture.

Offered is a scarce, early 20thC, brass, apothecary bottle cork borer set. Dating to the 1920s era, this visually-striking, ten piece cork borer will accent any pharmacy collection.

There are nine borers numbered 1 through 9 and one central support rod completing this set. Each borer measures 4 inches long, with the total length, when linked together, measuring 8 inches x 2.5 inches wide. The borer set sports great patina and minimal wear commensurate of an antique of this age.