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  • topic: "Craftsmanship"
Your search found 106 result(s).
Print
  • Pair of stars and stripes slippers attributed to Elizabeth Keckley

    Attributed to
    Keckley, Elizabeth Hobbs, American, 1818 - 1907
    Owned by
    Welles, Gideon, American, 1802 - 1878
    Date
    ca. 1865
    Medium
    fiber , leather and thread
    Dimensions
    L x W: 10 1/4 × 3 in. (26 × 7.6 cm)
    Description
    A pair of men's boudoir slippers in a stars and stripes design attributed to Elizabeth Keckley. The slippers were likely commissioned by Mrs. Gideon Welles to be presented to her husband, Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under President Lincoln. The slippers are crocheted in stripes of red and white from the toe to the heel. Across the top of the vamp is a blue band embroidered with scattered white stars. The throat of the slippers is edged in a twisted blue and red cord. The slippers have a flat, leather sole and a squarish toe.
    Place made
    United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Clothing-Historical
    Type
    slippers
    Topic
    Business
    Clothing and dress
    Craftsmanship
    Free communities of color
    Politics
    Slavery
    U.S. History, Civil War, 1861-1865
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2018.35.2.1ab
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd524340fb0-0fd6-43e0-8608-eca7c9b11a26
  • The Wind in a Sieve: African art: concept and context

    Written by
    Parrott, Fred J.
    Published by
    William C. Brown Publishing Company, American, founded 1944
    Owned by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Signed by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Date
    1969
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 9 × 6 × 1/2 in. (22.9 × 15.2 × 1.3 cm)
    Title
    Book from the library of artist Loïs Mailou Jones
    Description
    Paperback copy with seventy-six (76) pages of text. The yellow and white cover has a triangle design. In the upper right there is black printed text which reads [THE WIND / IN / A SIEVE]. The center of the cover has a black outline of Africa with two objects, an Urhobo kneeling figure and a musical instrument, inside the border. Below this on the right in black text is [Fred J. Parrott]. The spine has the title, author’s last name, and publisher [wcb] in black printed text. The back cover is blank with a white background and yellow triangle corners by the spine. The reverse front cover has a black and white bookplate with three images of Lois Mailou Jones which reads [Lois Jones / Pierre-Noel / EX LIBRIS]. The book has handwritten inscriptions.
    Place depicted
    Africa
    Classification
    Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
    Type
    paperbacks
    Topic
    Africa
    Art
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Folklife
    Literature
    Poetry
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2016.26.5.27
    Restrictions & Rights
    © 1969 Fred J. Parrott. Permission required for use.
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5ee62780b-f54f-4d6c-8b09-3fdb76a8fe17
  • African Design

    Written by
    Trowell, Kathleen Margaret, British, 1904 - 1984
    Published by
    Greenwood Press, Inc., American, 1967 - 2008
    Owned by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Date
    1970
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 11 3/8 × 9 × 7/8 in. (28.9 × 22.9 × 2.2 cm)
    Title
    Book from the library of artist Loïs Mailou Jones
    Description
    Hardcover copy of “African Design” with two book jackets. There is a clear plastic book jacket cover over the patterned book jacket. The front cover of the patterned book jacket has a color image of a decorated ’Tandu’ skin vessel and Batik dyed cloth, featured before the title page inside the book. There is a black border on the right side and bottom edge. In white printed text on the bottom border is [AFRICAN DESIGN] and in orange below this is [Margaret Trowell]. This text is printed again in the same colors on the black spine. At the bottom of the book jacket spine printed in black on a yellow background is [Praeger]. The back cover is white and has two short write-ups about other books, “Classical African Sculpture” and “Nigerian Images”. The front jacket flap describes the book and includes reviews from the “Library Journal” while the back flap has a short paragraph about the author. The hardcover binding is black and the front and back covers are blank. [Margaret Trowell] and [Praeger] are printed in gold-colored text on the lower spine along with a globe logo. [AFRICAN DESIGN] is printed in gold-colored text on a maroon background on the upper spine. The half title page has a black and white bookplate with three images of Lois Mailou Jones which reads [Lois Jones / Pierre-Noel / EX LIBRIS]. The book has a handwritten inscription. A pamphlet about Bourges Color Corporation art materials and a torn piece of paper from the Howard University Department of Art were found in this book and are available in the catalog file.
    Classification
    Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
    Type
    hardcover books
    Topic
    Africa
    Art
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Folklife
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2016.26.5.33
    Restrictions & Rights
    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a4aaca36-6cab-431a-9078-85d0ef5e921e
  • Man Made

    Published by
    The Studio Museum in Harlem, American, founded 1968
    Edited by
    Patel, Samir S.
    Designed by
    Studio Lin, American, founded 2009
    Printed by
    Cosmos Communications, American, founded 1933
    Illustrated by
    Readymade Projects, American, founded 1997
    Subject of
    Burks, Stephen, American, born 1969
    Musarurwa, Willard, Zimbabwean
    Date
    2011
    Medium
    ink on paper, plastic, book cloth
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 9 3/8 × 7 3/8 × 1/4 in. (23.8 × 18.7 × 0.6 cm)
    Description
    Exhibition catalog for Steven Burks' first solo New York museum show, Stephen Burks | Man Made, at the Studio Museum in Harlem.
    The catalog has a clear plastic cover over the front and back. There is a brown vinyl book cloth over the spine. The front plastic cover has white printed text which reads [Stephen Burks] at the top with larger text for [Man / Made] in the center. [STUDIO / MUSEUM / HARLEM] is printed diagonally in the lower right corner. There is a paper cover visible beneath the plastic with a variety of images and text. There are images of Stephen Burks and Willard Musarurwa and wire furniture pieces from the TaTu design collaboration. The top center has an image of a bearded, unidentified man. Black text on the left reads [N / E / A]. The bottom has neon pink printed text identifying the TaTu Furniture and Accessories Collection. The catalog is signed in the lower right by Stephen Burks.
    The back cover has a paper back under the clear plastic cover. Some of the text on the front cover is on the back, as though the plastic was resting on top of another copy of the catalog and the text partially transferred. The paper cover has printed text in neon pink. [ESSAY] is printed in the center using a series of dots. There is a graphic of an artistic furniture piece titled “Material Composition 3 (Crown)” in the lower right. In the lower left corner is [Transformations / through Design: / Engaging / the Hand-Made / Keith Recker].
    The catalog includes a biography of Stephen Burks. The book has five (5) sections: Collage, Sketch, Text, Image, Essay, each with different paper stock and a variety of colors. The section heading is printed in the center of each page using a series of dots. Each section has sixteen (16) pages. The text and essays in the book were written by Naomi Beckwith, Studio Museum associate curator; Thelma Golden, Studio Museum director and chief curator; Lowery Stokes Sims, Museum of Arts and Design curator; and Keith Recker, founder and editor of HAND/EYE Magazine.
    Place depicted
    Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, Africa
    Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
    Place printed
    United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    catalogs
    Topic
    Africa
    African diaspora
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Graphic design
    Museums
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Michelle Joan Wilkinson
    Object number
    2018.11
    Restrictions & Rights
    © 2011 The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. Permission required for use.
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5599a3dce-c8e7-4a7c-92b2-f0df931c9e6c
  • Art of Far Lands

    Written by
    Forman, Werner, Czech, 1921 - 2010
    Forman, Bedrich, Czech, 1919 - 1985
    Published by
    Hamlyn Publishing Group, British, founded 1949
    Edited by
    Hájek, Lubor, Czech, 1921 - 2000
    Produced by
    Artia, Czech, 1950s - 1989
    Designed by
    Artia, Czech, 1950s - 1989
    Translated by
    Watney, Helen
    Cungh, W.
    Owned by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Date
    1958
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 13 1/16 × 9 15/16 × 7/8 in. (33.2 × 25.2 × 2.2 cm)
    Title
    Book from the library of artist Loïs Mailou Jones
    Description
    Hardcover copy of "Art of Far Lands" with 323 pages of text. The publication has a red and white fabric binding with a dragon design inside of a floral border. This pattern and border covers both the front and back covers and the spine. There is no book jacket. The endpapers inside the covers have a different dragon pattern from the exterior binding. This endpaper pattern is primarily red with multi-color details. The reverse of the front cover has a black and white bookplate with three images of Lois Mailou Jones that reads [LOIS JONES / PIERRE-NOEL / EX LIBRIS]. There is some wear on the spine. There is a handwritten inscription inside the book.
    Classification
    Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
    Type
    hardcover books
    Topic
    Art
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Photography
    Travel
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2016.26.5.14
    Restrictions & Rights
    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5aff898e6-e7f5-4732-89a8-236f5b3e2fdd
  • A Manual of Design

    Written by
    Smith, Janet Katherine, born 1901
    Published by
    Chapman-Reinhold, Inc., American, founded 1966
    Owned by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Signed by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Date
    1952
    Medium
    ink, masking tape, paper
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 10 7/8 × 8 7/8 × 3/4 in. (27.6 × 22.5 × 1.9 cm)
    Title
    Book from the library of artist Loïs Mailou Jones
    Description
    Hardcover copy of “A Manual of Design”. There is a brown paper bag book jacket held together with masking tape. Handwritten on this cover in black marker is [Design / by / Janet Smith] at the center top and [Dr Lois J. Pierre Noel] at the bottom left. The spine and back cover are blank. The hardcover binding is green and the book cannot be easily removed from the book jacket. The title page has a black and white bookplate with three images of Lois Mailou Jones which reads [Lois Jones / Pierre-Noel / EX LIBRIS]. The book has handwritten inscriptions.
    Classification
    Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
    Type
    hardcover books
    Topic
    Art
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Education
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2016.26.5.31
    Restrictions & Rights
    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5c28643de-881c-47bd-9159-7477fa55aea8
  • China in Black and White: An Album of Woodcuts by Contemporary Chinese Artists

    Written by
    Buck, Pearl Sydenstricker, American, 1892 - 1973
    Published by
    The John Day Company, American, 1926 - 1974
    Owned by
    Jones, Loïs Mailou, American, 1905 - 1998
    Date
    1945
    Medium
    ink on paper
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 10 1/2 × 7 3/8 × 1/2 in. (26.7 × 18.8 × 1.3 cm)
    Title
    Book from the library of artist Loïs Mailou Jones
    Description
    Hardcover book by Pearl S. Buck with ninety-five (95) pages of text. The cover is dark tan with red text [China / in Black / and White] in the upper left. The title is on the upper spine and [AN / Asia Press / Book / John Day] is at the bottom spine in red. The back cover is blank. The interior front cover has a black and white bookplate with an image of Notre Dame and a woman painting which reads [EX LIBRIS / Lois Mailou Jones / DKW]. There is a handwritten inscription inside the book.
    Classification
    Documents and Published Materials-Published Works
    Type
    woodcuts
    hardcover books
    Topic
    Art
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2016.26.5.5
    Restrictions & Rights
    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5ed90c0cf-8470-4f2e-aa58-710d94718541
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Pew from the Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church

    Commissioned by
    Unidentified
    Used by
    Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, American, founded 1844
    Date
    1891
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    wood
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 47 × 51 × 29 in., 90 lb. (119.4 × 129.5 × 73.7 cm, 40.8 kg)
    Description
    A dark-stained oak church pew with decoratively carved top crowns and sculptured ends. A brass plaque on the end identifies it as number 58.
    Place used
    Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Religious and Sacred Objects
    Type
    pews
    Topic
    Craftsmanship
    Religious groups
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois
    Object number
    2006.1
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd57c7423ac-d735-4503-b131-7f727a778951
  • Buddha (Fire & Water)

    Created by
    Scott, Joyce J., American, born 1948
    Manufactured by
    Berengo Glass Studio, Italian, founded 1989
    Date
    2013
    On View
    Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 052
    Exhibition
    Visual Art and the American Experience
    Medium
    Venetian glass and glass beads with wire and thread
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 19 3/4 × 15 × 11 1/2 in. (50.2 × 38.1 × 29.2 cm)
    Description
    A Venetian blown glass artwork in the form of a seated Buddha. The Buddha's hands are in the "earth witness" hand position, his right hand on right knee with fingers pointing to the ground, and his left hand raised with the palm flat. The Buddha is a translucent blue. A female figure is seated on the Buddha’s left palm, her barefoot legs extending down either side of the Buddha’s hand, her right arm pointing down towards the earth and her left hand raised with the palm flat. The female figure is blown glass in a deep brown color. The figure is wrapped with peyote-stitched beads in vivid colors of red, orange and yellow, placed around the woman’s figure in a way to suggest flickering flames. In the center of the Buddha’s torso, on the interior of the glass, is a beaded hand with fingers uncurling from the center to point slightly upward. Inside of the Buddha’s head, red and blue glass beads are fused to the interior surface of the Buddha’s face and arranged into an abstracted facial expression. The entire artwork is one, connected piece.
    Place made
    Murano, Venice, Venezia, Italy, Europe
    Classification
    Visual Arts
    Type
    sculpture
    Topic
    Art
    Craftsmanship
    Religion
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2015.236
    Restrictions & Rights
    © Joyce J. Scott. Permission required for use.
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd55084dabe-390b-4f18-802d-78a58a240176
  • Freedom Quilt

    Created by
    Telfair, Jessie Bell Williams, American, 1913 - 1986
    Date
    ca. 1975
    On View
    Culture/Fourth Floor, 4 050
    Exhibition
    Cultural Expressions
    Medium
    cotton
    Dimensions
    H x W: 73 × 87 in. (185.4 × 221 cm)
    Caption
    Quilter Jessie Telfair was inspired to make this quilt in the mid-1970’s as an expression and memorialization of her experiences during the Civil Rights Movement. In the 1960s, Telfair was encouraged by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s efforts to register African American voters in Southwest Georgia. Telfair decided to register to vote. When her employers learned of her actions, they fired her from her job as a cafeteria worker at an elementary school in her small community of Parrott, Georgia. The quilt is an affirmation of her personal freedom as well as a statement about the freedoms guaranteed to all American citizens. Telfair later made two more quilts of nearly identical design, one is in the collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New York and the other is at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.
    Description
    A pieced and appliqued cotton quilt designed and quilted by Jessie Telfair. The quilt consists of bold blue block letters on red squares, arranged to spell the word [FREEDOM] along a horizontal axis, repeated in six rows. Smaller white square blocks separate the red squares. The backing is white.
    Place made
    Parrott, Terrell County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Textiles-Quilts
    Type
    quilts
    Topic
    American South
    Art
    Civil rights
    Craftsmanship
    Folklife
    Freedom
    Resistance
    Rural life
    Suffrage
    Textile design
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Virginia Dwan
    Object number
    2017.40
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    Not determined
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54b3f9bd5-b5c9-47fe-8a65-a6b729cf42cd
  • Dan Chair

    Created by
    Puryear, Michael, American
    Date
    2010
    Medium
    enamel paint and graphite on poplar and pecan wood
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 27 1/2 × 31 × 17 in. (69.9 × 78.7 × 43.2 cm)
    Caption
    Artist Statement:
    “The opportunity to work with woods supplied by Historical Woods of America, specifically poplar from Monticello and pecan from Mt. Vernon, provided me with the opportunity to honor and acknowledge the contributions of African American slaves to this country. Like my own ancestry this heritage began before the founding of the United States. African Americans have fought with honor and loyalty in every war of our nation. They have significantly contributed economically, socially, culturally and politically to American culture.
    The Dan Chair is an expression of my pride in being a descendant of slaves. It is an interpretation of a style of chair found among peoples of what was historically known as the Slave Coast of West Africa. One of those peoples is the Dan.
    The chair symbolizes the nobility of American slaves and the ukibori, a [Japanese] technique of producing raised patterns in wood, on the legs represents the scars of bondage.”
    Description
    Low chair by Michael Puryear inspired by a West African design. The chair has a burnished graphite finish over the crafted wood to produce a silver metallic sheen. Small circular bars form the upper half of the chair. The top bar is curved with angled ends. Joins connect this piece to matching bars which meet at the seat base. The base is flat and rectangular and set between thicker framing pieces with rounded edges. There are joins for the four (4) chair legs in these connectors. The legs flare out from the top and have a rim around the base. The front two (2) legs have raised markings in the wood intentionally imitating lash marks.
    Place depicted
    West Africa, Africa
    Classification
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    chairs
    Topic
    Africa
    African diaspora
    Art
    Craftsmanship
    Design
    Identity
    Slavery
    United States History
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2017.18
    Restrictions & Rights
    © Michael Puryear
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd52350a111-6316-4b66-8d41-b0da1d1d7113
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Banjo made in the style of William Esperance Boucher, Jr.

    Attributed to
    Unidentified
    Subject of
    Boucher, William Esperance Jr., American
    Date
    ca. 1850s
    On View
    Concourse 3, C3 053
    Exhibition
    Slavery and Freedom
    Medium
    wood , metal , animal skin or synthetic materials
    Dimensions
    37 1/2 × 12 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (95.3 × 31.8 × 8.9 cm)
    Description
    Banjo made in the style of William Esperance Boucher, Jr. (circa 1850s). The banjo has a circular head, with a tension head pulled tight across the front. There is a slightly tilted bridge on the head, with a tailpiece at the bottom holding the strings bottom in place along the rim. Both the tailpiece and the bridge are made of the same medium brown wood. There are metal brackets surrounding the rim of the banjo. This banjo is an early style of five-string banjos, which has four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. The neck and fingerboard of the banjo is made of the same medium glossy wood as the back of the head. There are four wooden turning keys and pegs on the top, with a 5th string turning peg, also made of wood, about halfway up the neck or fingerboard.
    Place made
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
    Cultural Place
    West Africa, Africa
    Classification
    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Musical Instruments
    Type
    banjos
    Topic
    African diaspora
    Craftsmanship
    Music
    Resistance
    Slavery
    U.S. History, 1815-1861
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Robert Bockee Winans
    Object number
    2014.311
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd57a808b35-d6fd-43a6-b206-1e039a7d44bd
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Bed frame designed by Henry Boyd

    Designed by
    Boyd, Henry, American, 1802 - 1886
    Manufactured by
    Boyd Manufacturing Company, American, ca. 1830 - 1870
    Date
    ca. 1840
    On View
    Community/Third Floor, 3 050
    Exhibition
    Making a Way Out of No Way
    Medium
    wood
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 79 × 57 × 84 in., 140 lb. (200.7 × 144.8 × 213.4 cm, 63.5 kg)
    Description
    A wooden four poster bed frame with head board and foot board. The side rails screw into the frame providing greater strength and limited hiding places for vermin. This type of frame is known as the "Boyd Bedstead."
    Place made
    Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    beds (furniture)
    Topic
    Business
    Craftsmanship
    Emancipation
    Freedom
    Men
    Race discrimination
    Slavery
    Technology
    U.S. History, 1815-1861
    U.S. History, 1865-1921
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2012.113.1a-m
    Restrictions & Rights
    Public Domain
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5c2abd530-c093-4bcf-8859-12045431d908
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Teapot made by Peter Bentzon

    Created by
    Bentzon, Peter, American, ca. 1783 - after 1850
    Date
    ca. 1817-1829
    On View
    Concourse 3, C3 053
    Exhibition
    Slavery and Freedom
    Medium
    silver and wood
    Dimensions
    H x W: 7 x 12 x 5 in. (17.8 x 30.5 x 12.7 cm)
    Description
    The silver teapot has an oval vase-shape on a spreading pedestal foot, with curved spout capped by an incised patera and wooden leaf-capped scroll handle, and hinged domed cover with acorn finial. The scripted monogram "MC" has been engraved on the side and the name "Rebecca Dawson" has been engraved along the bottom rim.
    Place made
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
    Cultural Place
    Virgin Islands of the United States, United States, Caribbean, North and Central America
    Classification
    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    teapots
    Topic
    African diaspora
    Craftsmanship
    Free communities of color
    Ornamentation
    U.S. History, 1815-1861
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2010.14
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd51d2d0213-3bbe-4345-a274-ce64478aa500
  • Papier mâché container in the form of "Mammy's" head

    Created by
    Bouge, Cindee, American
    Date
    2003
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    paint on papier mâché and cloth
    Dimensions
    8 1/4 x 8 x 8 1/2 in. (21 x 20.3 x 21.6 cm)
    Description
    Papier mâché container in the form of "Mammy's" head. The container is spherical, with a round hole cut out at the top, revealing a hollow inside. The face has a prominent nose and large red lips. Yellow flower-print fabric is adhered around the head and tied as a kerchief. The print features blue, red, and yellow flowers with green stems. The bottom of the container is signed, in black [Cindee / Bouge / 2003]
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Collection title
    Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Classification
    Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    containers
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Domestic life
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.111
    Restrictions & Rights
    © Cindee Bouge. Permission required for use.
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59f2197be-e4ec-4d42-86f1-625e207ab938
  • Bobblehead doll in the form of "Mammy"

    Created by
    Bouge, Cindee, American
    Date
    2000-2007
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    papier mâché , metal and glass
    Dimensions
    10 1/4 x 3 3/4 x 4 7/8 in. (26 x 9.5 x 12.4 cm)
    Description
    A papier mâché bobblehead doll in the form of "Mammy." The doll's head and body are attached by a metal spring. Her nose, cheeks, and lips are red. The figure has glass eyes with brown irises. A white kerchief with black polka dots covers her head. She has bare feet and is wearing a yellow dress with black polka dots. The dress has a black ruffle over the breast and a black shawl is tied around her neck. Her breasts and backside protrude out from the body. The figure is mounted on a round black base. Signed on the back, at the bottom right [Cindee / Bouge].
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Collection title
    Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Classification
    Furnishings, Housewares, and Décor
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    character dolls
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.110
    Restrictions & Rights
    © Cindee Bouge. Permission required for use.
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd583a24580-e866-431d-a951-38c7ceae1b79
  • Wax figurine of a vegetable vendor

    Created by
    Rosado, Lucy Alfonso Alfaro, American, 1894 - 1978
    Date
    1935-1940
    On View
    Concourse 2, C 2053
    Exhibition
    Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation, 1876-1968
    Medium
    glass, metal, wood, cloth, wax and plastic
    Dimensions
    H x W x D (2007.7.447a): 8 3/8 × 4 15/16 × 4 15/16 in. (21.3 × 12.5 × 12.5 cm)
    H x W x D (2007.7.447b): 1 3/8 × 5 3/4 × 5 3/4 in. (3.5 × 14.6 × 14.6 cm)
    H x W x D (2007.7.447c): 7 1/4 × 3 × 3 in. (18.4 × 7.6 × 7.6 cm)
    H x W x D (2007.7.447d): 2 1/4 × 3 × 2 1/4 in. (5.7 × 7.6 × 5.7 cm)
    Description
    A wax figurine of a vegetable vendor with a basket of produce.
    2007.7.447a:
    A clear, glass display dome. The glass is one-sixteenth of an inch (1/16") thick.
    2007.7.447b:
    A black plinth for the figurine and produce basket. The plinth is round and has two (2) round tiers atop three (3) rectangular feet.
    2007.7.447c:
    A figurine of a vegetable vendor standing on a square, dark brown wood block. The man is wearing a yellow hat, yellow patterned fabric shirt, and blue and off-white striped fabric pants. His feet are black. A red and white striped kerchief is tied around his neck. The figure is standing with his proper right arm reaching forward. There is hardened wax on the top surface of the wood block around the figure's feet and in a circle in front of him.
    2007.7.447d:
    A plastic miniature of a basket filled with produce. The basket is yellow plastic, with a woven design around the sides. The basket is filled with produce. Identifiable produce includes a head of cabbage and an eggplant. On each side of the cabbage head are three (3) yellow tubular vegetables and three (3) red tubular vegetables. A yellow gourd-like item sits in front of the cabbage, next to the eggplant. Another loose eggplant is included with the basket.
    Statement
    Objects depicting racist and/or stereotypical imagery or language may be offensive and disturbing, but the NMAAHC aims to include them in the Collection to present and preserve the historical context in which they were created and used. Objects of this type provide an important historical record from which to study and evaluate racism.
    Place made
    New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
    Collection title
    Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Classification
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Racist and Stereotypical Objects
    Type
    figurines
    Topic
    Caricature and cartoons
    Craftsmanship
    Foodways
    Stereotypes
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Collection of James M. Caselli and Jonathan Mark Scharer
    Object number
    2007.7.447a-d
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    Usage conditions apply
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd56ab809c9-fd23-4956-9148-ab9655dcc5fe
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Evening coat from the collection of Lucy Louvenia Cordice

    Created by
    Unidentified
    Owned by
    Cordice, Lucy Louvenia, American, 1915 - 1995
    Subject of
    Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
    Date
    1870-1900
    Medium
    silk velvet, silk satin, fur, and metal
    Dimensions
    H x W x D (On Form): 54 × 26 × 19 1/2 in. (137.2 × 66 × 49.5 cm)
    H x W x D (In box): 52 × 22 × 6 in. (132.1 × 55.9 × 15.2 cm)
    Description
    This mid-calf length evening coat is made of a deep teal silk velvet with brown fur cuffs and a black silk satin lining. A decorative black silk cord is sewn to the exterior of the garment to form swirls, floral motifs, feather motifs, and other designs popular in the late Victorian period. The sleeves begin near the wearer's elbow, creating a cape-like silhouette from the proper front. The coat closes along the proper center front with a series of hook-and-eye closures, with the hooks and the eyes alternating along the proper left and proper right sides of the opening. The proper back is shaped to accommodate a large bustle. The band collar also contains applied braid designs, and closes at the proper front neck with two (2) hook-and-eye closures. The interior fabric is quilted in a diagonal pattern, but the quilting does not show through to the exterior of the garment. There is one set-in pocket on the proper left front of the interior. Attached at the center back of the interior are two accordion-like fabric pieces and two long black ribbons, likely used to adjust the fit at the waist line and to secure the coat to the wearer's body.
    Place used
    Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, North and Central America
    Collection title
    Black Fashion Museum Collection
    Classification
    Clothing-Fashion
    Type
    evening coats
    Topic
    Clothing and dress
    Craftsmanship
    Fashion
    Women
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
    Object number
    2007.3.2
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5d23e2382-ef3e-4ff1-847e-f6f5cb5b0ecb
  • CC0 Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved icon

    Cradle made by an enslaved person

    Created by
    Unidentified
    Date
    1795-1830
    On View
    Concourse 3, C3 053
    Exhibition
    Slavery and Freedom
    Medium
    wood, metal
    Dimensions
    H x W x D: 15 1/2 × 40 × 23 in. (39.4 × 101.6 × 58.4 cm)
    Caption
    Cradle, ca. 1830
    A baby slept in this cradle made by an enslaved person who loved her. Enslaved families made their children’s lives more comfortable by fashioning furniture, clothing, quilts, and toys out of available materials.
    Source: Nancy Bercaw, Curator, Slavery and Freedom
    Description
    A wooden cradle made by an enslaved person consisting of 5 wooden boards nailed together to form a five-sided bed with open top on 2 rockers. The long sides are sloped, and the short sides have a rounded top edge.
    Place made
    South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Slavery and Freedom Objects
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    cradles (children's beds)
    Topic
    Children
    Craftsmanship
    Domestic life
    Families
    Slavery
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
    Object number
    2013.46.3
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    CC0
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd576cf2876-5799-47b2-ad21-4344281e752a
  • Coiled sweetgrass basket sewn by Sue Middleton

    Attributed to
    Middleton, Sue, American, born 1934
    Date
    early 1980s
    Medium
    sweetgrass, pine needles, and palmetto
    Dimensions
    7 x 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (17.8 x 16.5 x 16.5 cm)
    Description
    A round sweetgrass basket (a) with lid (b) sewn by Sue Middleton. The basket is made of coils of dried sweetgrass bound with strips of dried palmetto, with pine needles sewn in for color. The base of the basket has a flat bottom, with pine needles creating a darker circle in the middle of the base. Rising up from the base are straight sides with one coil of sweetgrass sewn in around the exterior of the basket in a decorative pattern that rises up straight from the base, runs along the top for several inches, then straight back down to the base, follows along the base for several inches, and then repeats. Behind the decorative coil is a band of darker pine needles. Above the deorative coil, the sides of the basket begin to slope inward, forming a narrower mouth for the lid to fit over. The round lid has a small knob handle in the center and then slopes slightly down, with a small lip extending down to fit over the mouth of the basket. The handle has pine needles woven in and around, with a decorative knot in the very top and five decorative knots dispersed evenly around the base of the handle. There is a band of pine needles around the edge of the basket lid.
    Place made
    Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States, North and Central America
    Classification
    Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design
    Type
    baskets
    Topic
    American South
    Communities
    Craftsmanship
    Domestic life
    Folklife
    Credit Line
    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Richard E. Ahlborn
    Object number
    2007.5.1ab
    Restrictions & Rights
    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Usage
    Not determined
    GUID
    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd55f4229c0-5f93-46fb-86f2-f60715deb5ac

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