Catalog (165)

Offered is an exceedingly unique and unusual, 1939 copyright, Marine, Illinois, 10 page, all-paper (including front and back covers), advertising "Give-Away" pamphlet which tells the complete story of LITTLE BLACK SAMBO. It features both full color and black ink with red accent illustrations. In such near perfect condition, it must never have been read or played with!

The lower back exterior cover reads: "Remember Jos. Pohl & Sons, Inc. and J. I. Case Sales and Service, Marine, Illinois, Dial Phone 2501" as well as "No.528", "Made in USA". On the bottom of the first page, the publisher and copyright date are printed: "MCMXXXIX (1939) Sam'l Gabriel Sons & Company, New York".

Such an unique and very exceptional piece of early 20th-century, Marine, Illinois, historical ephemera!

The story of Little Black Sambo, of course, was to become a much-beloved children's classic written in the early 1900's by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman, for her two daughters while they lived in India. Sambo, in the original Bannerman tale, was an Indian boy and not an African-American child. He was converted to this race overtime, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators. This age-old tale tells of Little Black Sambo and his frightening tiger encounter, which fortunately, has a happy ending!

Condition is an amazing 9.5 out of 10, for this ALL PAPER PAMPHLET that is now approximately 85 years of age! All pages have been photographed which clearly show condition throughout. The pamphlet is bound together via two rusty staples which remain intact and are firmly holding all pages and the covers together. All of the very colorful illustrations remain quite bright and vibrant. Measures approximately 5.25 inches wide x 7.25 inches tall.

Amazing condition for an 85 year old, paper advertising story pamphlet that clearly was never enjoyed by a young child - and one that may very well be the only copy remaining in existence! For the collector and lover of the tale of Little Black Sambo, this is a must-have!

To see the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.

Published in 1913, by Valentine & Sons, Dundee, London, and Montreal, this extremely rare publication, "Ten Little Nigger Boys", is a highly creative and imaginative variation of the original 1869 minstrel song "Ten Little Niggers", composed by the British songwriter Frank Green.

(Likely inspired by Frank Green's lyrics, Agatha Christie, in 1939, composed her very well-known "Ten Little Niggers" story, with the title for the 1940 US edition changed to "And Then There Were None", the final line of the story. It goes without saying that all versions of this tale are highly derogatory.)

The Valentine publication follows the original pattern of the young boys meeting their demise one by one, with only one boy remaining at the end of the story. What sets this publication apart from all other versions, is that an entirely different and creative story has been composed. In "Ten Little Nigger Boys", the ten "naughty boys", all about the same age, decide to run away together on a sailboat called "The Saucy Sue", which they "borrowed from an old sailor coon for an hour" with no intention of ever returning. On a mission to find a desert island that they would have all to themselves, the boys, one by one, meet their demise by drowning, by being eaten by a whale, by gunpowder explosion, by accidental gunshot, by abduction by an elephant (they found their island), and by the swallowing of a sea monster! The one remaining boy is rescued at the end by "an aeroplane commanded by a brave army captain", and was brought home "where everyone made a hero of him".

Measuring 8 inches wide x 9 inches tall, each page of the book is imaginatively illustrated with black ink drawings highlighted with red. Valentine & Sons Publishers, a lithographic printing firm, was founded in Dundee, Scotland in 1825, by John Valentine. His son, James, an early pioneer of photography, reproduced his work as prints and stereo-views. By 1896, the company began printing postcards, and it grew to become Scotland's leading manufacturer of color-tone picture postcards. For a brief period of years between the late 1890's and early 1900's, the company produced a small selection of children's books to supplement their earnings, utilizing a style they referred to as a "cut-out"; this book, is an example.

Condition: Good-- for its 111 years of age, showing the expected wear of a well-read, antique, children's book! Sturdy, thick cardboard covers with paper pages. Unpaginated. The book spine is held together by two, large, intact, original staples. The center page has separated from the staples, and a small section of this page is missing as seen in photo (for purposes of photography to better illustrate the missing section, a white paper was placed in its place; otherwise, the missing section would be difficult to discern, blending into the preceding page.). All pages are present, and except for the one separated page, all remain sturdily attached to the spine. Small edge tears and some soiling are present on various pages throughout the book. The front and back covers show edge wear and some soiling, and the top tip of the front cover above the "E" in "Little" is missing. Both the front and back covers are missing the small section that would have, on the front cover, illustrated the head of the boy in the green jacket standing on the right side of the boat. The front cover also displays a horizontal crease line which corresponds to the book's spine. This crease naturally occurred over time due to the book's design and manner in which it is opened (The front cover is lifted up and over to open the book. See photos.) The back cover shows evidence of some superficial water staining that did not seep through to its other side.

All but three pages of this book have been photographed, as I am limited to twelve photos per listing. The first six pages of the story are represented, followed by the final three of the story.

As the production of children's books was only a supplemental sideline for Valentine publishing, very few of these books were originally produced, and fewer still remain today. This is the first copy that I have ever seen in my decades of specializing in Black Memorabilia, and I have found no others available for sale on the internet. This antique children's book is truly a very rare offering, and its age-related flaws do not detract from its significant collectible value.

Offered is a lovely and serene oil painting of an older black gentleman fishing by the riverside. The painting is done in a flowing, Impressionist style, with a masterful use of quick, loose brushstrokes and much natural light, which contributes to this peaceful scene. The artist then focuses on careful attention to detail in her execution of the lone fisherman.

The primary colors utilized are a tonal range of yellows, blues and greens suggesting a spring or early summer day. The gentleman is taking a quick look at his bait bucket as his fishing pole line rests on the river bottom.

The canvas measures 16 wide x 20 inches long, and is signed, "Marge Gartlan", an unknown artist. The back of the canvas shows some foxing, but none is present on the front, so the painting, itself, is not effected. In the lower left corner (see photo) a very faint and superficial line, beginning above the artist signature and extending toward the gentleman's right calf, is noted- perhaps a rub occurring during storage? It does not detract from the painting.

The painting will require re-framing as it is currently housed in a hastily and poorly painted frame- as it was found- but which, certainly, desires more.

Nonetheless, this oil, as it presently stands, radiates peace and tranquility in nature, and will grace any art or Black Americana collection!

Offered is a series of 18, circa 1920s, colorfully lithographed trade cards published by the Liebig Extract of Meat Company of London. Each "picture card" as they were called then, features very colorful and highly detailed images on the front side with extensive educational information on the back side, written in French, on the various African tribes living in the Belgian Congo during this time period. The cards, of course, were a strategic marketing concept designed to provide the customer with a tangible reminder of all of the delicious soup extracts and bouillons it produced.

The cards measure approximately 2.75 inches x 4.25 inches and are in very good condition with no observable flaws or damage- quite remarkable given their 100+ years of age. Liebig cards were lavishly produced in Germany from 1875 to 1930 using chromolithographic printing techniques incorporating 12 different colors- an extravagance! The cards were enclosed as "give-aways" with purchase of Liebig products, and the Liebig Company was the first to give away serialized images with its products.

The Liebig Extract of Meat Company was established in London in 1865 by Belgian entrepreneur, George Christian Giebert, when he became interested in commercializing the Belgian chemist, Baron Justus von Leibig's, formula for beef extract. The venture was a resounding success, producing various meat extracts, soups and bouillons into the early 1970s.

Offered are two, VERY RARELY FOUND, 1880's, Black Americana die cuts printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London.

This offering features two lovely die cuts- one, a well-to-do Victorian era husband and wife out for a stroll, and the second, a colorfully dressed musical trio playing banjo, concertina (small accordion) and tambourine. The musical trio remains connected- adding to its value- and uncut, number 7568.

The products for which these die cuts were meant to endorse is unknown. The litho features a very glossy finish, and the die cuts feature an embossed, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. Either would look fabulous framed- individually or as a grouping! Think gift!

Approximate measurements are as follows:
The Older Couple: 6" tall x 4.25" wide
The Musical Trio: 5" tall x 4.50" wide.

Priced each at $45.

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged die cuts. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, tiny surface imperfections may be evident here and there.

The photo of the verso of the older couple reveal no restorations or repairs. The Trio of Musicians remain very loosely adhered to a piece of black construction paper so the verso cannot be viewed. (I leave removal to the buyer.) Inspection of the front side suggests no repair or restoration to this piece.

Offered is a beautiful variety grouping of VERY RARELY FOUND, 1880's, Black Americana die cuts printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London.

This offering features two lovely die cuts- one, a well-to-do Victorian era husband and wife sitting down to dinner, and the second, a colorfully dressed bride and groom at the altar about to take their wedding vows. The third offering is a glossy finish mini-size litho featuring three siblings arriving at school with book bags on their backs, and one sporting an umbrella in case it later rains. Three children peer out the school window awaiting their arrival.

The products for which these die cuts and litho were meant to endorse is unknown. The litho features a very glossy finish, and the die cuts feature an embossed, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. All would look fabulous either framed individually or as a grouping! Think gift!

Approximate measurements are as follows:
The dining couple & the Wedding: 4" tall x 5.75" wide
School children: 6" tall x 4.50" wide

Priced each at $45.

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged die cuts. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, tiny surface imperfections may be evident here and there.

The photo of the verso of all three pieces reveal that only the wedding die cut has a small restoration made to one of the altar candlesticks using archival quality tape. There have been no repairs or restorations made to either the school litho or the Dinner die cut.

Offered are a fabulous variety grouping of VERY RARELY FOUND, 1880's, Black Americana die cuts printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London.

The assortment features die cuts of musicians, jugglers, a boxer, actors, a bagpipe player, comically portrayed African natives, and die cut heads of adults as well as die cut heads of children. All but the four African die cuts remain connected as a grouping, just as they were when originally produced and shipped from the factory- a very rare find which increases each grouping's value.

The products for which these die cuts were meant to endorse is unknown. The die cuts feature an embossed, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. All would look fabulous either framed individually or as a grouping!

Approximate measurements are as follows:
The 2 standing, connected figures: 3.25" tall x 4.50" wide
Connected Adult Heads: 2.25" tall x 3.75" wide
Connected children Heads: .75" tall x 4.50" wide
4 African loose figures: 2" tall x 1" wide

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged die cuts. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, tiny surface imperfections may be evident here and there. The photo of the verso of all reveals that no repairs or restorations were made to any of the die cuts in this offering.

This entire grouping of die cuts is being sold as one single offering at $55.00.

Offered are two, VERY RARE, 1880's, Black Americana advertisements printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London. The two advertisements both feature African Americans- one showcasing a family of five out for a stroll in the park, and the other featuring a group of nine folks of varying ages playing musical instruments and dancing in celebration.

The products which these advertisements were meant to endorse is unknown. The advertisements feature a high-shine, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. Both would look fabulous framed!

The advertisement featuring the strolling family measures approximately 7.25 inches wide x 10.25 inches long. The advertisement featuring the nine celebrators measures approximately 10.25 inches wide x 7.25 inches long.

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged advertisements. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, both do have tiny surface imperfections, bend lines and light edge wear. The advertisement featuring the celebrators has significant edge wear and some paper loss along the horizontal top and bottom of the piece; however, with proper matting and framing, these imperfections can be easily and completely hidden.

The advertisements are PRICED EACH as follows: $35 for the family of five out for a stroll and $25 for the advertisement featuring the 9 celebrating and dancing folk.

Offered are two, VERY RARE, 1880's, romantically-themed advertisements printed in Germany and sold by the Bim Brothers, London. The two advertisements both feature well-dressed African American gentlemen attempting to woo and capture the exclusive attentions of pretty young African-American ladies, one via a banjo serenade and the other via an offer of lovely flowers.

The products which these advertisements were meant to endorse is unknown. The advertisements feature a high-shine, glossy finish which compliments the beautiful detailing and intense coloring of each piece. Both would look fabulous framed!

The advertisement featuring the banjo playing gent (with that snarling black dog in the lower right corner) measures approximately 7.25 inches wide x 10.25 inches long. The advertisement featuring the shy woman being presented with pretty flowers measures approximately 7.25 inches wide x 9 inches long.

Please note that any white specks that seem prominent in the closeup photos are the result of light bouncing off the surfaces of the aged advertisements. These pieces are approximately 140 years old, and while in very good condition given their age, both do have tiny surface imperfections, lines and light edge wear. The advertisements are priced at $35 each or two for $60.

Offered is an utterly fabulous, one-of-a-kind, 1880s, piece of original artwork by Edward West Merrill (1841-1910) of Concord, New Hampshire.

Merrill, known for creating extraordinary art collages of cut paper, cut birch bark, ink, and watercolor mounted on black construction weight paper, fashioned this particular piece depicting the fictional African-American Blackville Debating Society, by encompassing all of these preferred artistic mediums.

One can see the beautiful grain of the white birch bark Merrill used to execute each figure and form, which he then detailed using black ink and added depth and color by applying varying natural tones of watercolor. Merrill added additional elements of detail to the black mounting paper using a lighter toned ink, such as the entrance/exit door to the left of the moderator. The resulting work of art is simply exquisite!

Merrill's subject matter ranged from various genre pieces to racist scenes inspired by Solomon Eytinge, Jr.'s, (1833-1905) "Blackville" series that Eytinge created for Harper's Weekly in the 1870s. Merrill's artwork offered here was inspired by Solomom Eytinge's "Blackville" lithograph printed in the January 4, 1879, edition of Harper's Weekly. (A photo of Eytinge's litho is presented for client reference and comparison to E.W. Merrill's work and is not available for sale.) When comparing the two pieces, one will note that Merrill changed his artwork from that of Eytinge's by eliminating one of the "scorner's" in the right corner, many of the club members featured at the bottom Eytinge's litho as well as the signage above the debate moderator and by adding the 25 lb "Best Soap" box under the moderator's table leg.

At the base of this work reads the following: The Blackwell Debating Society- "Wedder Lord Dorwin Involved Hisself or Somebody Else." -The Scorner in the Corner Will Reply Drawn By E.W. Merrill Concord NH .

Measurements including the handsome, original oak frame are 26" wide x 18.5" in length. The original hanging eyelets have been removed for ease in shipping and are present under the tape as seen in the photo of the verso of the artwork.

This charming grouping of THREE vintage, wooden, Black Railroad Porter and Mammy clothes brushes were all made in the 1930's by the Rhody Brush Company of Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

The two larger brushes have natural bristles, while the small red Mammy has solid red "plastic" brushes. They range in height from the Mammy at 6.5 inches and the Railroad Porter at 8 inches tall, to the smaller Mammy at 4.5 inches tall.

The two larger brushes are priced at $85 each. The small red 4.5" Mammy, is priced at $60.

All three brushes are in very good condition with evidence of having been very lightly used as described below:

Red Railroad Porter(A): small, superficial "dings" to paint here and there, with three teeny specks between the eyes. The majority of paint wear is seen around the bottom of the pedestal that the porter is standing on. The brush bristles are a mix of faint red and natural coloring.

Small Red Mammy(C): paint in excellent condition with only one superficial ding to the paint on her left side. An unusual feature: the black bow painted atop her hat!

Large Green Mammy(B): --paint in very good condition with tiny dings here and there and subtle paint wear to her hat on the right side. Slight bend to bristles, likely due to storage conditions at some point in time. Has a bit of faded green string around her neck which once may have been tied into a bow.

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 can be distinguished from the light reflections.

Enter "BRUSH" into the SEARCH BOX to find other Black Americana brushes for sale.

Offered is a beautiful, C1930s, hand-woven basket plate or tray from the Hausa People of Nigeria, Africa, measuring approximately 13 inches in diameter.

Baskets such as these are made by the women in the Hausa tradition utilizing vegetable fiber, grasses and straw, all of which are typically harvested in the summer. The top of the basket is very smooth, while the base is rougher and unfinished in appearance.

These baskets are often given as wedding gifts and are traditionally used to store grain.

In addition to the natural color of straw, these baskets generally include the colors brown, red, and green, as does this one, which features two individuals joined together (celebrating marriage) as well as colorful triangular figures, one atop the other, representing the joining of two homes or families.

Condition is very good with just four single stitches missing along the basket rim (see photos).

Measuring 9 inches high, these delightful examples of Folk Art styling represent three of a series of Black cloth character dolls made in Alabama in the 1930’s by unknown craftsmen/women employed under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR) Depression era program, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), in existence from 1935-1943.

The Work Projects Administration was designed to provide jobs across the country during the Great Depression when hundreds of thousands were out of work. While most WPA jobs were in construction and infrastructure, the most well-known project arm of the WPA, known as Federal Project Number One, employed musicians, artists, writers, actors and directors in arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. The five projects assigned to this consortium were: the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP), the Historical Records Survey (HRS), the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), the Federal Music Project (FMP), and the Federal Art Project (FAP).

The creation of these fabulous dolls fell under the WPA Federal Art Project, with the goal of representing and preserving the various aspects of the culture, work and lives of the Southern black community of this time period. All of the WPA black folk dolls produced for this project were placed on asphalt shingle stands, they all feature elderly folk, they all share black leather shoes, a cotton-batting stuffed body, and identical hand-stitched facial features, with subtle and unique variations in expression around the eyes due to the clever positioning of the eyebrows!

The gray-hair and bearded, chicken-toting black country gent on the left is attired in machine-stitched clothing wearing blue cotton britches with red suspenders along with a blue and cream striped cotton shirt and a red kerchief around his neck. His hat is constructed of navy blue-colored felt. This country gent holds a very finely-crafted and detailed brown chicken under his left arm, while his right hand clutches a wooden walking stick. Note the lustrous chicken feathers protruding under his arm when he is viewed from the back. He appears to be a bit disgruntled about something given those raised eyebrows!

The female doll depicts a lady out for a stroll with her black umbrella in hand. This sweet gentlewoman wears a red and white polka dot kerchief on her head covering most of her gray hair and has embroidered facial features. Her head is turned to her right as if to see who had just called out her name. This gentlewoman's clothing, with the exception of her neutral-striped knit-fabric sweater, is machine-sewn cotton with careful detailing right down to the red hankie poking out of her apron pocket. topping off her outfit are a pair of gold hoop earrings!

The gray-hair, bearded, chicken-toting black country gent doll on the right, is also attired in machine-stitched clothing wearing brown cotton britches with a patch on the left leg, and a bright red hankie protruding from the right pocket. His matching brown suspenders along with a red and cream striped cotton shirt and a red kerchief around his neck complete his outfit, while his brown felt hat tops it all off. This country gent also holds a very finely-crafted and detailed brown fabric chicken with lustrous feathers under his left arm, while his right hand clutches a wooden walking stick. This gent, however, is in much finer spirits than his male companion is, wearing a very pleasant expression on his face!

Three very special dolls, which today, are becoming very, very difficult to find, representing a snapshot of history, capturing the lives of poor southern black folk of the Depression era! All three in perfect condition and priced at $295.00 each.

Please see our other 1930s Alabama WPA doll, the Country Preacher, available in a separate listing and also pictured here, last photo.

Measuring 9 inches high, this delightful example of Folk Art styling represents one of a series of Black cloth character dolls made in Alabama in the 1930’s by unknown craftsmen/women employed under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (FDR) Depression era program, the Work Projects Administration (WPA), in existence from 1935-1943.

The Work Projects Administration was designed to provide jobs across the country during the Great Depression when hundreds of thousands were out of work. While most WPA jobs were in construction and infrastructure, the most well-known project arm of the WPA, known as Federal Project Number One, employed musicians, artists, writers, actors and directors in arts, drama, media, and literacy projects. The five projects assigned to this consortium were: the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP), the Historical Records Survey (HRS), the Federal Theatre Project (FTP), the Federal Music Project (FMP), and the Federal Art Project (FAP).

The creation of these fabulous dolls fell under the WPA Federal Art Project, with the goal of representing and preserving the various aspects of the culture, work and lives of the Southern black community of this time period. All of the WPA black folk dolls produced for this project were placed on asphalt shingle stands, they all feature elderly folk, they all share black leather shoes, a cotton-batting stuffed body, and identical hand-stitched facial features with subtle and unique variations in expression around the eyes due to the clever positioning of the eyebrows!

The Country Preacher is fully decked out to conduct worship services, from his black, wide-brimmed top hat down to his leather shoes, the left one, unfortunately, showing a bit of wear with his socked big toe peeking out! His machine-stitched clothing is all in the color black with the exception of his white ministerial collar. The preacher holds his real-wood walking stick securely in his right hand while clutching the Holy Bible under his left arm. Note the colorful red handkerchief that was placed in a back pants pocket, peeking out between the tails of his suit coat. The fully bearded preacher wears silver, wire-rimmed spectacles surrounding his soft and compassionate eyes and offers an open smile showing his front two teeth!

A very special doll representing a snapshot of 1930s history- the lives of poor southern black folk of the Depression era.

Please see our other three 1930s Alabama WPA dolls, available in a separate listing and also pictured here, last photo.

Published, designed and printed by Juvenile Productions, LTD, London, England, #1711, circa 1920s, this SELDOM FOUND, soft cover children's book presents a very different, very unique tale inspired by the traditional Little Black Sambo story written by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman in the early 1900s.

This version, is indeed more aligned with the style of the 19th century stories written by the famous Brothers Grimm of Germany, featuring fairies, a Fairy Queen and tiny elves!

It also, quite unfortunately, utilizes obtuse monikers that, sadly, were in common use during this time period, referring to Sambo as a PICCANINNY and naming his parents, Mr. and Mrs. DARKIE. If not for this usage, this little story would be regarded as very sweet and charming.

The book contains 10 pages, all of which have been photographed here, with illustrations alternating between full color and black line drawings. Color throughout remains brilliant and crisp! Other than some slight rubbing to page edges, very slight foxing here and there, a top corner crease on three pages, and some rusting to the two original staples which still securely bind the pages together, this VERY UNCOMMON book remains in superb condition for its approximate 100 years of age! Measures 7.75 inches high x 5.25 inches wide.

To find our other Little Black Sambo offerings, simply type "Sambo" into the search box on our home page.

Offered is this wonderful, early 1940s, LITTLE BLACK SAMBO Book with beautiful illustrations by Phyllis Robinson, a M.A. Donohue Company, Chicago, book publication. Hardcover, 18 unnumbered pages. Curiously, the M.A. Donohue Company, did not always date their publications as is the case here. They, additionally, were not prolific publishers of the Little Black Sambo story book, and this edition was used over a period of ten years, with changes made only to the cover. The company's final publication of this story came before the onset of WWII, making this copy a very rare find.

This story is a much-beloved children's classic written in the early 1900's by Englishwoman, Helen Bannerman, for her two daughters while they lived in India. Sambo, in the original Bannerman tale, was an Indian boy and not an African-American child. He was converted to this race overtime, however, by subsequent story tellers and illustrators. This age-old tale tells of Little Black Sambo and his frightening tiger encounter, which fortunately, has a happy ending!

Condition is a 8 out of 10! All the wear on this cloth-bound hardcover book was absorbed by its cover with wear to book edge points and book cover edges. The interior binding is intact and tight as are all pages. No creasing or bends to pages. Illustrations remain very brightly colored and vibrant and are particularly notable for their fine artistry. A couple of very small page edge tears (less than 1/2") are present. A penned inscription is noted: "To Evelyn Field From Dorothy Field Christmas 1943".

Amazing condition for an 80 year M.A. Donohue Publishers book- a book that is exceedingly difficult to find in today's market!

To see all of the Little Black Sambo items currently available for sale, simply type “Sambo” into the search box on our website homepage.

Offered is a circa 1910, original piece of art entitled "Who Said Watermelons". This captivating charcoal on paper portrait of a young African American boy, very much resembles the iconic, fictional figure painted by an unknown artist in the mid 1800's, a figure who has come to be known as 'Johnny Griffin' or the 'Young Black boy with the Torn Hat'.

Measuring just 7 inches wide x 9 inches high, this unsigned piece is very skillfully executed accomplishing a three-dimensional sense of depth through the expert use of light and dark, while capturing the intriguing expression on this young boy's face. Just what is he thinking?

Was this enchanting charcoal portrait completed as a study in preparation for a final, more complex piece, or was it, indeed, the final execution of a subject caught in passing?

Condition is quite fine. Note the faint trace of the artist's title for this work done in a lighter charcoal hiding behind the darker, final printing of the title. Framed in an old black wooden frame, this intriguing charcoal portrait would benefit from professional framing using archival, acid-free materials to enhance its life for many years to come.

Offered are five different, circa 1890-1901, Jim Crow era, stereoview cards, highlighting African-American history at the turn of the 20th century, some 120+ years ago. They feature: grueling rice field labor in South Carolina, a slave market in St. Augustine, Florida, a group of Florida sugar cane grinders, five English Springer Spaniels at U.S. Field Dog Trails being held at bay by a young black man, and seven very young black children seated on a mule awaiting orders for work in the fields.

The stereoview cards are titled: "Hoeing Rice, South Carolina", "Old Slave Market At St. Augustine, Florida", "Native Cane Grinders in Sunny Florida", "Who said quail?" (young man holding English Springer Spaniels) and "Waitin Fo De End Man" (7 Boys Sitting on a Mule).

The cards are priced at $35.00 each or all five cards for $140.00. All are in fine condition, and all but "Waitin Fo De End Man" and "Who said quail?" have a detailed, historical description on the reverse side.

As each is priced separately as stated, please specify which stereoview card(s) you wish to purchase so that we can customize your order form.