Rarely found in this pristine condition, the body of this 8 inch long puppet is constructed of a soft, cotton, flowered fabric, and her head and hands are constructed of a soft rubber. She still retains her "Hazelle" cloth label. Her face is very sweet in appearance!

Produced in the 1950's, the Hazelle Company was a puppet-making company located in Kansas City, Missouri. The company began making hand puppets and marionettes in 1932, and it continued operations for the next 43 years. The founder, Hazelle Rollins, passed away in 1984, nine years after the company closed its doors.

Completed in silk thread on early, thick, pressed paper canvas, the diminutive, 1 5/8 x 2 3/4 inch piece of needlework remains stitched onto the original, 1 ¾ x 8 inch long, deep red satin banding. Standing on deep red ground, the black boy wears pale green and black striped clothing.

This wonderful, early piece of Black Americana needlework remains in excellent, original condition. At some point in time, a previous owner matted and framed the piece to allow for both ease of display and protection; however, to meet archival requirements, the piece requires a replacement of its current cardboard backing, and spacer bars separating the needlework from the glass should be added. Framed measurements are 4.5 inches wide x 11 inches long.

A phenomenally rare piece for the advanced Black Memorabilia collector!

This particular tin hails from the latter period, and while it still retains remnants of its paper Federal Revenue Tobacco seal, the imprinting is completely worn away so the exact manufacture date remains a mystery.

This image was used by The American Tobacco Company of Wisconsin to sell their product; the lithographed tin was manufactured by the B. Leidersdorf Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Measuring 7 inches high x 5 ¾ inches wide, the condition of the tin is a 7.5 out of 10--- sporting a superb lithograph on both sides with minor and superficial scratches and abrasions along with tiny areas of paint loss on the front side image (please see photos) and on the backside- most notably in the woman's hair. Some very faint evidence of very superficial rust is noted on the cover and on the base of the tin with absolutely no impact to structural integrity. The inside of the tin is clean with some minor tarnish evident.

The original orange color of the tin remains consistent. The tin has three or four small areas where it has been pushed in slightly but these are difficult to see with the eye and even more difficult to capture with a camera lens. All of the imperfections are reasonable and expected given the age of this piece--- 90+ years!! This tin is just a wonderful example of early 1920s Black Americana and looks so much better "in person" than I was able to capture with my camera lens!

By 1926, the American Tobacco Company had changed the name of its product from NIGGER HAIR to BIGGER HAIR tobacco as it was felt that the previous moniker had become much less socially acceptable. At that time, the material out of which the tobacco container was constructed was changed from tin to heavy cardboard.

The String Holder is stamped "JAPAN" and “Theo Hinode” on the inside of the base (The Hinode Company is the Japanese Ceramic Company.). Mammy has a hole in the center of her chest area, just above her folded hands, to accommodate the string which would be pulled from the ball of string placed inside her body from the back of the piece. This wonderful piece even comes complete with vintage hanging string---Mammy has two holes at the back of her head to accommodate this! The entire piece is glazed with the exception of Mammy's red kerchief which is cold-painted (meaning that the paint was applied after firing). As such, this area of paint would be the most vulnerable to wear, and Mammy does have some “bald areas” where the paint has come off her kerchief. Please take a moment to view all photos to ascertain condition and appeal of this fabulous and functional, vintage string holder!

Marked "Japan Pat P28367", this rarely found, vintage toy depicts a Tarzan-like character with his knife drawn against a spear-wielding NATIVE AFRICAN TRIBESMAN.

Measuring 9 by 11 inches framed, this litho retains its vibrant colors!

A delightful piece which features the accompanying text on the reverse side.

The frame is a temporary and inexpensive one to allow the potential buyer to view the story on the backside, but the piece should be properly framed to enable its continued conservation once purchased.

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!

Measuring 5 1/8 inches tall with soap dish attached, Mammy's colors- her deep red dress, mustard yellow shawl, and yellow and red polka dot head scarf- remain vibrant and brilliant with a wonderful old patina! Her face features large, dark eyes and a smiling, red mouth.

The soap dish is designed to be removed, and its anchoring cast iron peg fits into a hole atop Mammy's head. The exterior of the soap dish is cast to resemble a wicker laundry basket and is painted a slightly lighter-toned, mustard yellow.

On the base reads, "DEP. 1244 M.F." signifying the label's French manufacture.