EARLY 20TH CENTURY VINTAGE BLACK AMERICANA HAND PAINTED CAST IRON BANK OF BLACK BOY STRADDLING. Early 20th c racist Black Americana. 3″ Width x 2 ½” Height x 1 ¾ Depth. Outstanding original painted surfaces make this particular politically incorrect Black Americana cast iron bank, an especially good one. It still has its original paint and remains untouched and unmolested. Notwithstanding its controversial imagery, which irreverently and in a clearly racist attitude, features a young Black boy naked, straddling a whole watermelon, in what can only be described as outrageous and clearly racist iconography. But aside from these politically charged considerations, this early 20th century Black Americana cultural artifact, while being in extraordinary overall condition, speaks to the prevailing majority white sentiment in the United States toward Black Americans at the time, often describing them in disparaging and purely racist terms and imagery, as can be seen in this especially incendiary piece. The object itself is cast iron and consists of two halves, held together with a single slotted bolt. Only portions of the cast iron boy are hand-painted in enamel. This clearly is not for every collector but its historical value, at least as a reminder of the challenges that may still lie ahead of us as a people and as a nation, also clearly describes a former time in the United States, where racism flourished and blatantly racist attitudes and imagery were not only merely tolerated but even encouraged. What may have been funny at one time, clearly is not funny now. An extraordinary American cultural artifact and an indistinguishable part and parcel of our troubled history and racially tormented past. Very Good to Excellent overall vintage condition. Please scroll down the page to view enlarged photos below. The item “EARLY 20TH C BLACK AMERICANA PAINTED CAST IRON BANK OF BOY STRADDLING WATERMELON” is in sale since Saturday, September 29, 2018. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Cultures & Ethnicities\Black Americana\Banks”. The seller is “modsanctuary” and is located in Milford, New Hampshire. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Provenance: Ownership History Not Available
• Modified Item: No
• Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
• Molded & hand painted cast iron figure: Cast iron bank
• Vintage: Early 20th century
• American: Circa 1900-1925
• Black Americana: 100% original, vintage condition
• As-found, untouched & unmolested: Early 20th c American racist iconography
• Hand painted: Cast iron banks