All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #634916 (stock #BA651)
Measuring 9 inches long, this extremely RARE, 1930's, Black Wooden Pull Toy doubles as a wonderfully unique advertising piece!

This fabulous toy is labeled on each side of the orange wagon as follows: "HAPPY HAM FARM PRODUCTS, Newton & Thompson MFG CO, Brandon, Vermont".

The wagon is being "driven" by a hand-painted black figure who moves forward and back again as the wagon is pulled along on its wooden wheels...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #1224370 (stock #BA884)
This fabulous 1930's American Beach cast iron sign reading "AMERICAN BEACH FLA Negro Ocean Playground" is in very fine condition with remnants of original paint and vintage patina. This is NOT a reproduction! This sign was originally sold to be used as a license plate topper by African American folks frequenting this beach. It measures 11 inches in length x 4.50 inches high at its tallest point...
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Toys : Pre 1940 item #188262 (stock #R013)
This adorable wooden pull-toy circa 1930's features two painted wood elephants playing ball over a fence. Their trucks lift up & down when a lever underneath moves - unfortunately just pulling the toy does not make them move anymore. Normal wear from age & use, the striped celluloid ball between them is cracked has a hole on one side. Still quite a charmer! Measures approx. 15" long x 5" wide x 8" tall.
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #404260 (stock #BA511)
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...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #364612 (stock #BA439)
Measuring 3 1/4 inches high, this Japan-made, quite nicely detailed and hand-painted, pot metal figure depicts the traditional RED CAP Railroad Porter with his arms quite full of luggage along with a set of golf clubs slung over his shoulder!

In excellent condition with virtually no evidence of paint loss, this sweet little figure-- as an added bonus to its delightful appeal—features a detachable suitcase, as one of the porter’s hands is actually a tiny hook!

Once commonly found, the ...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #519624 (stock #BA579)
Measuring 14.50 inches high and standing on a 5.50 inch square base, this fabulous, vintage 1930's, chalkware statue of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong holding his fabled cornet is quite heavy, weighing nearly 5 lbs!

Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) was the greatest Jazz musician of all time, defining what it was, what it meant to play Jazz...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #1452879 (stock #B305)
Published in 1939 by the Whitman Publishing Company of Racine, Wisconsin, this very rarely-found, large folio, fine heavy stock, softcover book measuring 12.5 x 9.75 inches, offers a very unique continuation of the original Little Black Sambo story!

Entitled A New Story of Little Black Sambo, this tale picks up the story of the original Little Black Sambo tale with Little Sambo's mother, Black Mumbo, exclaiming that Sambo, after almost losing his best Sunday clothes to the tigers, would- f...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Nostalgia : Pre 1940 item #1181959 (stock #6855)
A Chisolm Model C1 flip down toaster from the 1930s. This scarce and unusual chrome plated and wood two sided flip down electric toaster is by W.C. Chisholm Mfg. Co. of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This toaster has wooden handles and painted wooden sides on the base; it also has heavy springs keeping the doors shut. The heat wire wrapped mica plates are intact as is the cloth-wrapped original cord. It has a detachable top with a wood handle (possibly for keeping toast warm)...
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Decorations : Pre 1940 item #1423580 (stock #40H19-33)
A vintage folk art targets display board, mounted with metal shooting gallery targets in the form of a whale, horse, rooster and Indian with bow and arrow. 20th century. Size: 51 in. ht.
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #476203 (stock #CONBRF01)
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...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #611319 (stock #BA646)
This authentic, 1930-40's, framed barber shop or beauty salon advertisement for "Slick Black Hair Color and Straightener" for African Americans was extremely difficult to photograph as it is framed under glass...
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #1044220 (stock #B269)
Published in 1938, by Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston & New York, this seldom-found, children's book tells of the misadventures of little Epaminondas, who despite his Mammy's attempts to instruct him otherwise, has much difficulty successfully navigating the day without getting into some sort of trouble. Poor Epaminondas cannot do anything right!

Measuring 6.75 inches wide x 8 inches long, the book is illustrated in both black silhouette and colored, line drawings. 16 pages long...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #559972 (stock #BA602)
An utterly fabulous, all-original, 1930s, "pure licorice", English Toffee tin with a phenomenal caricature of a black man eating a large piece of yummy toffee! This piece is enhanced with a striking visual graphic making this the centerpiece of one's Black Memorabilia collection!!

Measures 9.75 inches high x 6.25 inches wide x 4.25 inches deep...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #1119536 (stock #BA814)
Measuring 17 inches long x 9.25 inches wide x .75 inches deep, this untouched, all-original, double-sided wooden 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 once hung on 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 in gold lettering on both sides as ...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #1303364 (stock #B290A)
A representative sampling of pages from this hard-to-find, 1935, hard cover, 1st edition, miniature folio, Little Black Sambo book published by Platt & Munk Brothers, Inc., of New York, has been photographed for one’s viewing pleasure!

In utterly excellent condition with the only flaws noted being subtle wear to the paper dust jacket and a past owner's name and address, this version of the Little Black Sambo story is highly collectible as any item produced by its publisher, Platt & Munk, i...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Toys : Pre 1940 item #272100 (stock #R024)
This delightful set of puzzle blocks, circa 1920-30's, has all of its original paper pictures. Purchased in France, the box measures 11-1/4" x 8-1/4". Normal wear from age & use, the strongman picture is torn in the bottom corner & has been taped back together, overall in wonderful condition. The blocks measure approx 1-3/4" square...
All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #365277 (stock #B212)
A representative sampling of pages from this hard-to-find, 1938, hard cover, Little Black Sambo book published by McLoughlin Brothers, Inc., of Springfield, Massachusetts, has been photographed for one’s viewing pleasure!

In utterly excellent condition with the only flaws noted being very subtle wear to spine edges and book cover tips, this version of Little Black Sambo is highly collectible as any item produced by its publisher, McLoughlin Brothers, is aggressively sought due to the compa...

All Items : Archives : Collectibles : Memorabilia : Pre 1940 item #404268 (stock #BA512)
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 washerwoman. She holds an authentic-looking wood and tin washboard in her left arm...