Collecting Vintage African-Americana / Black Memorabilia
JOSEPHINE BAKER – above photograph from “La Creole” (1934)
Walter Film.com offers a range of vintage African-American Collectibles or Black Memorabilia that celebrate the achievements of actors, artists, musicians, athletes, politicians, and other members of the black community.
Vintage African Americana (vintage original star photographs, posters, lobby cards, film scripts, newspaper articles, rare books and advertising or marketing collectibles) identified with all types of black celebrities is highly valued, as exampled by Walter Film’s own offerings that includes the following:
PINKY – a group of 14 8 x 10″ photographs from the 1949, Twentieth Century Fox Film starring Jeanne Crain with an Oscar nominated performance by Ethel Waters, directed by Elia Kazan;
SOUL MUSIC — PORTRAITS of VOCAL ARTISTS – a collection of 32 8 x 10” photos, (ca 1965-1975) that includes: The Blue Notes, Booker T. & The M.G.’S., The Chamber Brothers, Commodores, The Del-Fonics, The Dells, Al Green, Michael Jackson (Ca 1972) and The Jackson Five.
PAUL ROBESON and POLITICS – three AP newswire photos, 8 x10” (1947-56).
LENA HORNE as THE BRONZE VENUS – vintage original 11 x 14″ 1943 lobby card from the 1938 film, “The Duke Is Tops”.
JAMES EARL JONES as OTHELLO – caricature art 17 x 20” by Sam Norkin (1917-2011) in the New York Shakespeare Festival 1964 off-Broadway production.
NICHOLAS BROTHERS – PHOTO COLLECTION – A collection of images of the unique dancing team who electrified audiences with their audacious dance moves and astonishing leaps on stage and in movies.
DOROTHY DANDRIDGE – uncommon 1954 publicity photo of Dandridge’s career as a night club performer.
Who Collects Vintage Black Memorabilia
or African-American Collectibles?
Many people don’t want “Mammy” items in their home because of the negativity they represent. The same thing goes for advertising memorabilia or any other type of collectible shedding a less-than-favorable light on black history.
Others have a completely opposite reaction. They want to own all types of Black Americana because those items reflect their cultural heritage. A collection reflecting both difficulties and triumphs embrace important aspects of lineage and interest in our nation’s history. It’s reported that Oprah Winfrey is among the celebrity collectors interested in black memorabilia, so other collectors are in good company.
Choosing items produced by black artists, or featuring musical or literary talents, actors, and sports figures in a positive light, can serve to balance a collection while entertaining and educating the owner. There are many items you can choose to collect that offer inspiration and help to banish negativity. From “The Spruce Crafts”