High-Five Friday, February 6, 2009

High Fives go to...

1 Thanks, Cheetah Velour, for showing us damn funny books at the thrift shoppe.

2 We made the 100th edition of Make it from Scratch. Want to know what for? Well, go see it -- or must I do everything for you?

3 You really should go Jump with Joey.

4 Got tee shirts you want to sell, but they hold so many memories...? At re-shirt.net you list the shirts to sell -- but the stories live on forever.

5 I was going to post this KKK stunt here, but Deuce of Clubs has spared me all that typing.

WWII Home Front Greeting Card

It's hard sometimes to believe we are at war; we not only don't make the sacrifices former generations have had to make, but we don't note the war in typical everyday ways. Exhibit A), this WWII home front greeting card. (The racism also marks the time period.)

For $265 You Can Have A Black Boy Hold Your Mink Closed

OK, so it's a vintage enameled fur clip; does that make it any better? And why does he have dice? I wouldn't trust any gambler to hold my mink -- that might be why they're called "stoles".

Little Black Sambo Fashions

Yes, you read that right; these are Little Black Sambo fashions.

Vintage 1950's dress, scarf and hat ensemble.

Make A Mammy (& Pappy) Racist Utensil Rack

Go ahead, I double-dog dare you.



As a white girl, I don't think I should even own these instructions and pattern from a vintage set of Coping Saw Carpentry For Boys & Girls cards... As I've said, Black Americana isn't something I feel good about collecting myself.

Whoopie, if you're reading this, I'll gladly send this to you for your collection. Free, of course.

Halloween Parties Of Yesteryear

As I wrote, the JoCoHistory site is an amazing historical database; I knew I'd find some great Halloween images there.

From the Kansas State School for the Deaf, the Class of '53 in costume. I have no idea what the sack costumes are... "Sack race contestants" is a costume?


Don't you just hate it when other kids have the same costume? (Kansas State School for the Deaf, Halloween, 1959)


Well, at least you weren't the kid in the black face jack-o-lantern costume.


At the school's 1956 party, someone took their costume very seriously and spent much of the party scrubbing floors. Yes, I do believe that is a dude.



In 1958, one kid went dressed as Big Ben -- but looks more like a 1950's cartoon alarm clock.


The Johnson County Museum shows us Zorro; a Space Ranger; a girl with an oval white mask over her eyes, white cardigan sweater buttoned partway down over satin dress (lame!); and Droopy Dog.


Before we leave these Halloween parties of yesteryear, let's not forget to thank the Halloween Party Committee, the bakers and hostesses, the decorators and chaperons, for all their hard work!

Mrs. Alexander's Advice To Negro Youth

In 1948, this was a nicer way to say, "Don't be uppity!"



Sadie T. M. Alexander comic page via University of Pennsylvania Archives.

Have A Coolie Christmas

All you thought you had to worry about was your neighbor with the black lawn jockey...

Included in the Pacific Palisades Holiday Tour was this exotic outdoor decoration that blends East and West. Set on an outdoor patio, the antique rickshaw carries a Santa Claus figure and a collection of brightly wrapped Christmas gifts.

The coolie figure was made of papier mache with an Oriental mask face under his collie hat. This holiday display decorates the home of Mr. and Mrs. James Kalasardo of Pacific Palisades.

Found in the 1959, Better Homes & Gardens' Christmas Ideas.

Golliwogg, Guili-Guili, de Vigny

A vintage ad for Vigny Perfumes, Paris, featuring some fanciful & kitschy perfume bottles.


Shown here are the charming, but oft misunderstood, so they say, Golliwogg perfume "of romance" and Guili-Guili, a fragrance sold as "the tropical god of good fortune" but in truth was Guili-Guili was (according to Perfume Intelligence) named after "the real-life Egyptian illusionist from Alexandria".

While Golliwogg is highly collectible, both as a perfume and a character inspiring annual events, it is found with relative ease; Guili-Guili is much more rare.

Due to age, these bottles often have their labels missing, so along with this vintage ad image, and this image from dgaudit to guide you, look for bottles matching this description from Perfume Intelligence:

Presented in flacon designed by Michel de Brunhoff with the head and foot of the bottle carved from mahogany; the head covered the stopper while the foot held the delicate crystal bottle to stand upright

The ad also mentions other fragrances, such as Chick-Chick, and Vigny lipstick. For more on de Vigny perfumes, see this guide at eBay and this post about Michel de Brunhoff.

Additional Golliwogg de Vigny photos via Rago Arts:

Be My Racist Valentine

These old Valentines came from Hearts Atwirl -- Honest Injun! We wouldn't lie and put a 'Chink' in our reputation.

Ahh, racial puns. We've stooped that low.