The sheets of yellowing pages emblazoned with “Harper’s Weekly” instantly attracted me. During the Civil War, the newspaper was famous for its illustrations of the war’s battles, its wins, its losses and its politics. Harper’s…
Category: Ephemera/Paper/Documents
Book leads to Sojourner Truth & Booker T. Washington health-spa visits
Posted in Black history, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Health & Medicine
The thin paperback manual was among a group of cookbooks I had picked up at an auction. I bought the lot because it contained a copy of a book I already own called “Parasols Is…
Gun holsters & more tell story of Frank Rizzo
Posted in collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, Photos, Politics, and Records
I heard the man’s voice and recognized it instantly. An auction regular, he was standing right next to me at the auction table, and out of the corner of my eye I could see the…
Roaming an estate sale for signs of Frank Rizzo
Posted in Clothing, collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Politics
Frank Rizzo’s presence had long left the house, which exuded a warmth that I did not expect from the abode of a man with such a notorious reputation. During the 1960s and 1970s, Rizzo ran…
A different take on black boy-with-watermelon stereotype
Posted in Art, Black history, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and history
When I first saw the modern painting of a little black boy with a watermelon, I was torn. I have seen so many derogatory images of black-boy-with-watermelon that I shun them. Going to auctions, it’s…
The ugly images of anti-Semitism & racism
Posted in Black history, Carvings, collectibles, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, history, and slavery
We’d like to think that we will someday somehow get past the hatred of those with the insane image in their heads that if you’re not like them – whatever that means – that you…
Woman in red hat sparks a memory, but what?
Posted in Advertising, Art, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
When I saw the painting of the woman in the red hat, she instantly reminded me of another painting. Her black hair was nicely coiffed, her red hat was fashionable, and she looked so life-like.…
I had looked right past the postcards. Perhaps the pictures of dogs on the covers failed to stop me as they would a dog lover. Browsing the glass case at the auction house, I had…
Broadside shows slavery’s awful practice of splitting families
Posted in Black history, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and slavery
The bold title was very clear in its mission: “Public Sale of Negroes by Richard Clagett.” If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was the title of a book and its author. But this was…
“Wind Song” perfume as lure for women to buy ‘54 Chevy
Posted in Beauty Products, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, Personal items, Vehicles, and Women
The first image I saw was a small bottle of perfume, its top enveloped by a large printed bouquet of ribbons on a card. Beneath it, I read three words that were incongruous with the…