Catalog: Archives (250)

Measuring nearly 8 inches tall, this fabulous Mammy walker toy is constructed of lithographed tin and was made by the Lindstrom Tool & Toy Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Mammy is so marked on her backside!

This 1920-30's toy is the earlier version of the two Mammy walker toys produced by this company, and as one of the early tin African-American-themed toys, it is considered an important addition to any vintage toy collection representing this genre.

Mammy shuffles along quite nicely via her original wind-up mechanism. Over 80 years old, Mammy is still quite sturdy as she was very well made, but she does show some expected scratching from use over the years, and she also has some very typical, superficial surface rusting- most notably at one side seam.

Measuring 13 inches long x 6 inches wide, this untouched, all-original, double-sided heavy metal sign is an extraordinarily RARE piece of Black American history-- an artifact of the "Jim Crow" era when segregation of the African American race was unfortunately, most commonplace.

This sign was once bolted onto the inside of a railroad car, designating the line behind which African Americans must remain-- in the back of the car.

The sign is painted on both sides as follows: the back of the sign is painted with white lettering on a black background and reads, "THIS PART OF THE CAR FOR COLORED RACE". The front of the sign is painted with black lettering on a white background and reads, "THIS PART OF THE CAR FOR WHITE PEOPLE".

The sign is in all-original condition and has some paint loss and superficial rust as noted in photos that does not impact the integrity of the sign and is appropriate to the age and purpose of the piece. Wear to the "white side" of the sign has resulted in the removal of portions of the words "THIS PART".

An utterly phenomenal, extremely RARE, one-of-a-kind, museum-worthy piece of Black American history that may very well be the only one of its kind extant today!

Offered is a fabulous, one-of-a-kind group of 15, hand-carved and hand-painted, circa 1920-1930's, wooden miniatures of Black Folk as they would have appeared during the Harlem Renaissance!

Hand-executed by Robert A. Myers of 73 E. Hazeltine Avenue, Kenmore, New York, the figures vary in height from 2.25 to 2.75 inches. The colors are absolutely brilliant and the detailing exquisite with the tiniest of details painted with superb precision, control and great artistry.

"HAND MADE, R. A. Myers, 72 E. Hazeltine Ave., Kenmore, NY" is clearly stamped on the soles of approximately 5 of the figures--yet there is no question that all were executed by the same hand, and it is likely that all figures at one time bore this stamp.

Little is known of Robert A. Myers other than the fact that the street address stamped on the soles of the figures' feet was a private residence, and Robert A. Myers was indeed listed as residing at this address in a 1930 Kenmore (a suburb of Buffalo) telephone directory.

The fabulous figures have been safely stored over these many years in a felt-lined, hardwood, hinged box which undoubtedly has contributed to their most excellent condition!

Truly a RARITY! These wonderful folk art figures would make an outstanding addition to the museum quality Black Memorabilia collection! Not to be missed--these are one-of-a-kind!

Genuine Czech GLASS Mardi Gras necklaces or “beads” were produced exclusively in 1920’s and 1930’s Czechoslovakia, for use during the Pre-Lenten or Carnival celebrations of New Orleans, Louisiana. With the pre-World War II, German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1939, Czech production of the glass necklaces was halted and was never again resumed.

70 years later, these gorgeous Czech Glass Mardi Gras beads are not only highly collectible but are becoming more increasingly scarce with each passing year. Use of color, shape, and form vary from one necklace to the next, with no two necklaces exactly alike.

Measuring 16 ¾” in length, this necklace is constructed of a series of small, faceted yellow glass beads that accent 9 red disc-shaped beads alternately placed between the yellow beads. (Please note that the red beads appear orange in the photos but that is simply a trick of the lighting- they are indeed red!!!) Striking color contrast! Attached is the ORIGINAL PAPER TAG reading “Made in Czechoslovakia”.

All Czech Mardi Gras necklaces were originally strung using a thin, cotton thread that has naturally aged and weakened over the past 70+ years, and thus, are easily prone to breakage. Because of the fragility of the original cotton threading, this necklace has been professionally restrung using a stainless steel, "C" hook closure, and jeweler's, nylon-coated, stainless steel wire to ensure stability and safety when worn.

Measuring 9 inches high, this delightful example of Folk Art styling, is one of a series of Black cloth character dolls made in Alabama in the 1930’s by unknown craftsmen/women. It has been speculated that their creation was encouraged through FDR’s Depression era program, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), in existence from 1936-1940.

This doll depicts the black fisherman. He holds a bait pail and bunch of sticks tied together with string that has been flung under his right shoulder. In his left hand, he carries a wooden fishing pole from which a silver-colored, metal fish dangles (the fish appears to be newer than the doll and is likely a replacement). This is an older gentleman who wears a straw hat with gray hair and who has embroidered facial features –most characteristic of these dolls. Also characteristic of this type of doll is a small square of asphalt shingle glued to the feet to serve as a stand. This gent has lost his shingle stand but the remnants are still visible glued to the bottom of his left leather shoe. Clothing is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the patches on his knees and the red hanker chief tied around his neck. His body is black cotton stuffed with cotton batting.

A very special doll that takes a snapshot of history in capturing the life of the poor southern black of the Depression era.

A wonderful and extremely RARE hard cover book with original paper dust cover by Kate Gambold Dyer, copyrighted 1942 by Platt and Munk Publishers and measuring 8 x 9.25 inches.

Fabulous black and red line illustrations as represented by photos adorn this 38 page book! The book features the Christmas-time adventures of eight year old Turquoise "Turky" Trott, one of six of Mammy Trott's children. Featured in the book is a Black Santa!

Interior pages are in fine condition--they are tightly bound together; front and back covers are also tight. The hard bound covers appear to be in mint condition, having remained protected by the original dust cover which has remarkably minimal wear to its edges and retains its brilliant coloration. A penciled in number has been written on the interior front of the book. Stamped on the edge of the interior of the paper dust cover is the original 1942 selling price of 85 cents!

A charming addition to one's Black Americana collection, and a black-themed children's book that is very rarely found in today's collectible market!!

This is an authentic signed baseball from former Negro League baseball player Luther "Luke" Atkinson. The ball was signed at an autograph show in March 2006. Luther "Luke" Atkinson was #20, a stand-out performer for the Wilson, North Carolina All Stars, the Carolina Tigers, and the Satchel Paige All-Stars, who played baseball in the Negro Leagues from 1955 to 1960, starting his career right out of high school. As of spring 2018, Mr. Atkinson, who lives in Maryland, remains an active volunteer in the newly opened, Hubert V. Simmons Museum of Negro Leagues Baseball, Inc., at the new Owings Mills Metro Centre Complex.

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.

An exquisite pair!!!

These mint condition, 1940s, PEARL CHINA Black Chef and Mammy salt and pepper shakers are simply outstanding!

Measuring a super-size 7.50 inches high, this exceptionally large salt and pepper pair are meant for stove-top and not table-top use, thus their robust dimensions!

The pair are in mint condition and likely were never used. They retain their original corks and are accented in 24KT GOLD-- on the black chef's lips, ladle, the kerchief in his back pocket, and his name, "SALTY" and on Mammy's name, "Peppy".

Rarely found in this condition, the pair displays simply beautifully!!!!

This interesting, circa 1930's, dentist's kit was used to match size and shape of teeth to be replaced! The handsome black Bakelite case is in nice condition, containing many original sample teeth and sporting 9 drawers with oval metal labels. All drawers open smoothly except for the top one. Small unobtrusive right edge chips on 3 shelves fail to detract from this interesting dental collectible.

Measures 6.5"H x 7"W x 5"D and bears the label, "The Dentists’ Supply Co. of N.Y. – Bioform".

A striking dental display!

Measuring 7 inches wide by 11 inches long by .25 inches thick, this wonderful wooden 1940's Mammy grocery memo board retains fourteen of its original multi-colored wooden pegs which, today, are very often found to be missing.

The graphic of Mammy remains in very fine condition as are the painted list of groceries. Some old splintering of the wood on sides and edges add to the board's all original vintage patina! This memo board was once sold as a Canadian souvenir piece as it still retains its original "St Stephen Canada Maple Leaf" decal.

The white, shiny spots that may appear in the photos are the result of camera flash glare only and are not imperfections to this piece. Wood color is richer than photos could capture.

These pieces are heavily reproduced in today's market; however, it is quite uncommon to find a genuinely vintage, Mammy Memo Board with so many original pegs in such fine, vintage condition!!!

Circa 1940's vintage, this authentic, metal sign is an important historical artifact documenting America's Jim Crow era of African-American segregation.

In bright red and white paint, the sign advertises the "Booker T Colored Motel" of Humboldt, Tennessee. The motel name is clearly a reference to the honorable Booker T. Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) who was freed from slavery as a child at the end of the Civil war as a result of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution which officially abolished slavery. Booker T. Washington, an important educator and author, became a dominant figure in the African-American community advocating education as the pathway to a better life for African-Americans as well as the use of peaceful pathways to gain rights for the African-American community.

Measuring 24 inches wide x 15.5 inches high, the sign is in fine condition with minor and typical signs of age: some subtle crimping to the metal as well as some evidence of superficial rusting as noted in photos.

This important artifact displays easily and is quite visually appealing! A wonderful opportunity to acquire a piece of history!

Measuring 20 inches in length by 4 inches high, this rare, Jim Crow-era, segregationist sign once hung in the one and only movie theatre of Doerun, Georgia, a small south Georgia town. Folks would view movies on a white sheet that was tacked to one wall. The white folk sat in folding chairs on the first floor while the African-Americans were directed to seating via this sign in the upstairs balcony.

This 1940s sign is white-washed on both sides with lettering and art work completed in red paint. Made of metal with 2 holes on either end for hanging. It has seen its share of vandalism with numerous deliberately inflicted scratches to the paint as seen in photos.

Once part of the Middle Passage Museum inventory, the sign has been de-accessioned. 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.

In a 2003 statement, Jim Petty remarked, "The importance of the exhibit of these artifacts is to understand the harshness of what slavery and segregation was all about. The items in the exhibit remind us of the terrible heinousness of slavery. Viewing the collection can be very emotional, but it is a tool through which we can understand, honor and respect a great culture. We want to realize that out of slavery, a great culture emerged, and carried on, and continued to strive for a better life regardless of the adverse conditions that were placed upon them."

*****PRESENTLY ON EBAY # 153320326177*****

Offered is a very scarce pair of circa 1940's, glass, HOSPITAL signs acquired many years ago out of a New Jersey hospital that was undergoing modernization and renovation.

The glass X-RAY LAB + SPINAL CORRECTION signs once hung near the entryways of the X-ray and Physical Therapy departments and are now ready for your collection.

The signs measure 13 inches long x 3 inches high and are made of thick, heavy, plate glass construction. The signs sport gold-toned, applied lettering and are finished off in black paint such as in the style seen in reverse-painted glass objects. There is some paint loss and slight lifting which is commensurate with older painted glass.

Offered is a graphically appealing, 1950s, Kodak Film Advertising Display. This beauty comes in the original box and shows very little wear. There is scant patina from minimal use, minor surface scratches and blemishes, and one bend in the metal as seen in the photo. The display turns easily on its circular base, and the colors are as bright as if it was brand new! Definitely a discerning collector's dream!

Measures 20.75" tall x 7.25" in diameter. The overall height includes the removal top pediment.

A five-sided display seldom found in this condition!

Measuring approximately 6.25 inches high and 7 inches wide, this extraordinarily rare, 1930-40's Japan, Black Butler Cracker Jar is complete with original bamboo and wicker bail handle!

Stamped "MADE IN JAPAN" on base, this piece is in near perfect condition with no repairs or cracks. Flaws are as follows: there are some very small paint flakes to the jar base primarily on the back of the black coat as seen in photos. The lid has one very faint flake to the upper forehead that is very difficult to see. There is one small (1/4 inch) surface chip to the very edge of the butler's lower right collar near the bottom of the lid cover. The previous owner colored this in so it is quite hard to see on casual inspection. The coloring actually blends in with the unglazed black paint that lines the rim edges of both the base and the lid. Lastly, there are superficial craze lines visible inside the jar and on its base that do not affect structural integrity. The white spot on the butler's blue pants under his hands is not a paint flake but is a manufacturer's paint omission as it is glazed-covered.

This piece presents and displays very, very well. It is eye-catching and rather visually stunning!

This piece is very rare in today's collectible market, and when found, it frequently is missing the handle! 2005 Book Value for the Black Butler cracker jar in this condition is $850.00.

A delightful and visually appealing Black Memorabilia kitchen item!

This circa 1940's Mammy and Uncle Mose ceramic Vinegar and Oil Set is marked "JAPAN" on each figure's base.

The pair measures approximately 5.25 inches tall and is in wonderful, all original condition! No chips, cracks or repairs. Mild surface crazing present as is appropriate to the age. Uncle Mose is missing a portion of his original cork neck stopper - a very minor inconvenience!

A less seldom seen pair!

Measuring 5.25 inches high x 6.50 inches wide, this near mint, three piece, Black Mammy and Chef Oil and Vinegar Cruet was produced in 1940s Japan.

The bodies are one single piece with one hand each on Mammy and the Chef that serve as stoppers for the two pouring spouts. The piece is marked with a "V" for Vinegar and an "O" for Oil on each arm. Very sweet faces!

All original with no breaks, cracks, repaint or repairs, the cruet retains the original corks as well! In truly lovely condition with just one scrape to the red paint under the chef's left arm and some missing paint spots on his right arm. (see photos) Otherwise quite perfect, and displaying very, very well!!! An eye-catching piece!!!

An extraordinarily RARE version of the commonly found wooden Mammy Grocery List Board!!! In addition to the grocery reminder list, this piece also incorporates a 5 slot knife/spoon box and a cutting board!!!

I have never seen this piece before, nor have I seen it pictured in any Black Memorabilia Reference books!

Circa 1940's, this hefty and very well-constructed piece is made of solid wood and measures 14 inches high x 9.25 inches wide x 3 inches deep. It weighs nearly 4 lbs!

This wonderful piece of Black Memorabilia may be displayed as a free standing shelf piece or may be hung (original hanging hole present!).

The condition and visual clarity of the Mammy graphic (Mammy scratching her head in her attempt to remember her grocery list!) as well as the grocery list text remains superb and vibrant! This graphic is printed on a solid, 5/8 inch thick, wooden board that slides up and out of the red frame to reveal the 5 slot knife box interior! The box also has a single hole beside the knife slots presumably to hold a wooden spoon! Turn the wooden grocery list board over and one finds a cutting board!!! How very, very clever! The grocery list peg holes are found within the frame of the knife box as opposed to the common placement on the grocery list board; one original wooden peg remains.

The piece is in very fine condition with some superficial wear to the red paint in appropriate locations, some old grime, and a few white paint spatters at the top of the box where the knife slots are located (all of which will be left to the new owner to clean or retain!) No manufacturer's mark.

Truly a fabulous and most RARE piece of Black Americana!