Catalog (451)

Measuring 3” in diameter, the patent date indicates that this vintage, NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS pin back was manufactured in 1957, by Pictorial Productions, Inc.

It features a vintage, EARLY HOLOGRAM IMAGE, a “moving” Court Jester or Clown, who in a gallant sweeping motion, removes his broad-rimmed hat and takes a grand bow. (Tilt pin slightly to make Jester move.)

Colors: bright, buttery yellow background, jester in dark fuchsia, green and white, and lettering and metal pin back frame in red.

Condition: quite nice for its 60 years of age with light, expected wear to red paint at rim edges and back. NOTE: The piece of tape shown in pics is not part of the pin or attached to it, but was used to prop the piece up to display the moving images.

Measuring 33 inches long x 15 inches high, this vintage 1869, black ink, original lithograph was published as an art supplement to Appleton's Journal.

The litho was executed by John Karst with his signature appearing in the lower left hand corner. Highly detailed, the litho reproduces a bustling New Orleans' dock scene featuring numerous slaves at work.

This litho was professionally re-framed using museum-quality, acid-free materials in 2004. The frame is a classic styled, black painted, beaded, hardwood accented with a dark rose, acid-free mat.

A fascinating glimpse into life on the docks of the Mississippi River at New Orleans!

Please note that any white spots or streaking appearing in photos are the result of light reflection and are not damage to the litho.

Manufactured circa 1920's by the Wurts Creation Company, this scarcely-found, Black Chef, kitchen collectible doubles as both a string holder and a grocery list memo board!

Constructed of painted wood that is nailed and glued together, this vintage collectible retains quite a few of its original but yellowed-with-age grocery shopping list pages. The holder/board retains a ball of string and a stub of an older, red pencil. It also has an inkwell cut-out that would have accommodated a bottle of ink; presumably, an inkwell pen once resided beside it versus the current pencil.

The holder/board remains in all original condition with no repaint or repair. The black chef is not painted on but is a decal--all original. The pale blue paint has appropriate, minor, age-related wear as noted in photos.

Has great visual appeal and displays wonderfully!

Offered is a choice, 19th century, physician's, Homeopathic Medicine Case, a nearly complete example containing 147 of the original 150 corked vials!

Each vial measures approximately 1.5 inches in length including the cork. The vials are nestled in the leather case, and each vial sports a small paper label. The fitted case measures 10.5" long x 2" wide x 3.5" high and shows wear commensurate with age and use. Modest wear and loss to the flap closure is noted with general wear and mild loss of material.

A wonderful representation of late 19th century homeopathic medicine!

Measuring 11 inches tall, this wonderfully detailed, circa 1930's, gentleman, African-American doll is phenomenally well detailed!

ENTIRELY hand-stitched, this gent is dressed in fancy striped pants, straw shoes and hat, green belt, and in a navy blue and white polka dot shirt with a tiny breast pocket that holds a teeny pack of CAMEL cigarettes, labeled with a "C"! His outfit is topped off with a red tie that is held in place by a bean tie tack!

His face is hand-stitched with careful attention noted to the creation of his molded, 3-D nose. The weather must be warm as he wearily wipes his hot neck with a red and tan checked handkerchief!

A delightful African-American Southern character doll!

Offered is a wonderful fancy John Wyeth apothecary bottle sporting a fancy shield shaped foil label. Decorative stock bottles such as this beauty were meant to be refilled and were the pride of the pharmacy staff. Decorative and reflective medicine bottles also served as a form of advertising since they stood out from their competitors.

This 8.5 inch amber example has ground glass construction and dates to the 1920 - 1930 era.

The empty bottle condition is excellent with no damage. The ground glass stopper cannot be removed and appears perfect. The label shows light wear and staining commensurate with age and use. Although the photos of the label appears silver, it is more of a GOLD toned foil.

Hard to find with labels in this very nice condition.

Offered is an Antique Spalding hickory wood shaft Mashie Niblick Ladies 6 iron golf club.

This 36 inch club has its original smooth mildly worn leather grip and hickory wood shaft. The shaft is solid, undamaged with an early finish that has unobtrusive wear and a warm, aged patina. The club face shows honorable wear commensurate with an antique club.

The iron head face exhibits a scored line manufacture which exists in today's clubs.

The back of the club sports various stamp marks including the "HAMMER BRAND", 2 shamrocks, the #6, an imprinted "W" which may indicate a "WOMAN'S" club and "SPALDING - GOLD MEDAL" inside an oval ring. The shaft has an imprint with "AC SPAULDING - GOLD MEDAL" written on it. The club dates to the 1915 - 1925 era.

Measuring just 2 inches high, blown-in-mold, 19th century, clear glass bleeding or cupping glass is in excellent condition.

Extensively used in the 19th century and earlier, the cupping glass is a glass vessel from which the air has been exhausted by heat or suction creating a vacuum, and then applied to the skin to draw blood to the surface for therapeutic or curative purposes.

Measuring 5 1/2 x 7 1/2, this framed piece of early Black Memorabilia features the hardboard cover only (not the complete book) of "The DARKIES' Painting Book"! Cover depicts 2 jauntily stepping Black children. Color is quite vivid in this very visually-striking piece! Protected in a gold-tone, decorative frame. (Please disregard unavoidable reflections in the glass)

Delightful item!

Offered is an early 1900 Eli Lilly OPIUM Dovers Powder Pharmacy Drugstore Narcotic Bottle that once held 100 tablets. This empty medicine bottle sports a label on the back noting that it originated from the City Pharmacy, Jackson, California.

This diminutive example measures 3.5 inches high with the cork. The bottle is fine and the labels are mildly stained. A small lower left portion missing on the front label adds to the character.

Dovers Powder used for gout and colds was a preparation of opium and ipecacuanha.

Offered are two utterly fabulous, one-of-a-kind, DOUBLE-SIDED, hand-painted signs that hung at Joe's "Colored Only" fish shack near Albany, Georgia, on the Flint River. These signs were created by the black folks who owned the shack which closed in the late 1950s, early 1960s. The folks had an area to eat in --serving pig ears and fish-- and also caught and cleaned fish.

These signs have a very colorful, folk-art appeal and certainly are utterly unique! They very much fit into the American, Southern "Outsider Art" collecting genre, a genre which highlights the work of self-taught, rural area artists who create fabulous and highly expressive art using the media and materials that they have at hand and which reflects the world that they know and live in.

The signs are quite heavy as each is made from a solid wood board. The signs are nearly identical in size and measure approximately 25 1/2 inches wide x 14 5/8 high x 3/4ths of an inch thick. One of the signs has very, very slight warping, but the warpage is not readily evident as seen by pictures. Each sign has 2 holes from which to hang them, and the old rusted hanging wire which is seen in the photos has been replaced by new hanging wire.

Measuring 3 /12 inches high x 5 ¼ inches wide x 3 inches deep, this early 1950’s, USA-made, plastic, RED Aunt Jemima Recipe Box has seen some use but remains quite visually striking and in very good condition!

Manufactured by FOSTA Products, this highly sought after piece of Black Memorabilia is in lovely, all-original condition with very light, superficial surface wear as seen in photos; this wear is reflective of less-than-typical use. A bonus--the original recipe cards remain inside! Fabulous color and condition contribute to the wonderful visual appeal of this delightful and essential, vintage piece of early 50’s Black Americana!

Please see the YELLOW Aunt Jemima Fosta Recipe Box available as separate purchase.

Black Memorabilia sewing items are becoming very difficult to find! Offered is a wonderful, 1930’s, cloth Mammy Pin Cushion!

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!

An unusual piece, this delightful, cloth Mammy Broom Doll from the 1940's measures 12.5 inches high with a total height of 31 inches including the broom.

Mammy's wonderful, smiling face is hand-stitched and her clothes are machine sewn. Her blouse is seersucker, and her head, arms, skirt, apron, and cap are cotton. Her head, arms, and upper torso are stuffed with cotton batting. The natural bristle broom fills out both Mammy's torso and skirt & the wooden broom handle extends upward through her neck and head.

Mammy is in all original condition with no mends or repairs. The structural integrity of the broom remains quite sound, and Mammy, herself, is free of holes and tears. Her once-red skirt has now faded to pink. Her white cotton apron and cap have been cleaned removing nearly all traces of old stains, dirt, and dust. Photo number 2 shows her outfit BEFORE cleaning; all other photos reflect her appearance after cleaning.

A fabulous piece of vintage Black Americana, and a seldom seen form of the Black Mammy Doll!

Offered is an extremely scarce, 1870s, Scotland Maker, Long Nose, Mid Spoon, Wood Golf Club with original finish!

This rare, antique, hand-wrought golf club was recently acquired from the estate of a gentleman who had restored and collected golf clubs for 7 decades! His family, while settling his estate, remarked that he had "paid crazy prices for some of his collection!". This prized, rare club is certain to have been included in that category!

This amazing club sports its original varnish surface and is offered in "as found" condition. The darkening of the finish results a wonderful patina. The club displays an enchanting elegance owing to the gently-sculpted angling of the face. The sole of the club shows signs of mild use with linear scuff marks beginning at the front portion of the inlaid horn. It measures a formidable 42 inches from the heel.

The skills of the craftsman are most apparent when the club is viewed from the top. While unmarked, this club displays the form of the exceptional, highly-skilled, Scottish club makers of the 19th century. The lead has been expertly applied to the back of the club, and the original twine adds to the club's character. The hickory shaft is undamaged and sports a warm, honey-colored surface. The leather grip was expertly replaced many, many years ago and has signs of gentle use.

A phenomenal, rarely-found example of 19th century craftsmanship! A tangible example of exemplary golfing history!

Offered are 5 choice turn of the century aqua Lung Cure Consumption Remedy Cough Killer Pharmacy Bottles.

First there is the scarce 8.5 inch example labeled "BROWN'S YORKAS COMPOUND", Lyme, NH. This choice bottle sports a worn and stained label packed with details to cure pulmonary ailments, conumption, dropsy and general debility. No damage though various interior and one exterior air bubbles noted.

Next is an embossed classic example "DR KILMER'S INDIAN COUGH CURE CONSUMPTION BINGHAMPTON NY USA" on the front. Some light interior staining and various tiny interior bubbles.

There is a handsome 5.5 inch example that is embossed on the front panel "PECTAKOS FOR COUGH AND BRONCHITIS". There is light interior staining and various tiny manufacturing bubbles noted.

Next, a charming 4.25 inch example embossed on the side panels "Dy SETH ARNOLD'S" and "COUGH KILLER". The bottle has slight interior staining a few large bubbles and various tiny bubbles formed during manufacturing.

Finally a cute 5 inch example embossed "HULL OW BRIDGES LUNG TONIC. No damage though a few large air bubbles and various tiny manufacturing bubbles.

A desirable grouping!

Measuring a diminutive 2 inches in diameter and in mint condition, this interesting and unusual celluloid advertising pocket mirror features a person dosing with a magical "Nature's Remedy" tablet! (**Please note that any white spots in the photos are light reflections ONLY and not damage to the mirror.**)

The mirror front has a age-faded salmon colored border surrounding an image of a person's face with protruding tongue, about to swallow a "NR" (Nature's Remedy)tablet. The fading makes it a challenge to read the following which is imprinted around the circumference of the mirror: "Take One Tonight - You'll feel Better In The Morning."

AND....

"Better Than Pills For Liver Ills - Get a 25 Cent Box"

Original mirrored backing is in very fine condition with just a few very minute, superficial scratches.

Manufacturer name stamped on bottom edge: "Parisian Novelty Company, Chicago".

An interesting little advertising piece!

This vintage 1920's Austrian cast iron figure group is an authentic piece that was carefully hand-painted long ago. The darling boy and girl seated on a tree stump measures 2 3/8 inches high. With the exception of the girl's missing right leg, this seldom found piece is in overall fine condition with age-related paint scrapes here and there. A very unusual and interesting figure group that displays exceedingly well! Please see the other African-American cast iron figures available for purchase!