CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Every decade or so a collection comes to market that ends up being the talk of the trade for years to come. Enthusiasts in the field flock to such sales so as to harvest unique and undiscovered material that can often only be found in such private collections. It is with much excitement then that Jackson’s International Auctioneers and Appraisers of Fine Art and Antiques announces the sale of such a collection on Aug. 24 and 25. Considered by many to be one of the most important of its type, the Ken Oden Collection of African American and African Postcards and Ephemera consists of more than 40,000 individual pieces and is sure to be talked about for years to come.
LiveAuctioneers will provide Internet live bidding.
Sparked by an acquisition of nine postcards in an antique store nearly two decades ago, Ken Oden of McKeesport, Pa., went on to amass a truly unique collection of printed material that reflects the black experience in America and throughout the world, offering a distinctive glimpse into a past whose history is filled with stereotypes, prejudices and euphemisms portrayed through moving real photo images and colorful and creative artwork.
Working with major dealers and auction houses coast to coast as well as in Europe, Oden’s final product was a 458-album collection of more than 42,000 pieces representing over 5,500 publishers and 125 different categories, providing a visual archive of images reflecting the often forgotten African and African American experiences in the United States, Africa and Europe.
To be certain, the field of black memorabilia collecting – the category in which this collection falls – is charged with a variety of emotions and sentiments. Many find the images and language used to be both offensive and vile. Some wonder that if by constantly “digging up the past” that perhaps blacks are again subjecting themselves to further humiliation and prejudice. Yet others argue that history is history and such items must be saved and interpreted so as to preserve for future generations the reality of a not so distant past rife with often-repugnant imagery and hyperbole.
In delving into this collection, where almost no stone in black history – both American and worldwide – was left unturned, one can experience a veritable walk through the shadowy past of imagery and expressions which are profound and moving and just as frequently disturbing.
One of the most attractive facets of this collection is the quality and quantity of the real photo postcards, more than 3,000 in all. As most collectors know, one of the unique aspects of real photo postcards is the fact that more than a few examples are truly one-of-a-kind, because of the basic method used to produce such cards. Toward the last quarter of the 19th century, itinerant photographers crisscrossed the country producing real photo images printed on photographic paper with postcard backings. It was common for such photographers to stop by any given small town and print real photo postcards of various well-known local scenes such as churches, schools, Main Street as well as people at work and play. Scenes were sometimes only printed in very small quantities making these photos a truly unique and accurate glimpse of everyday life from America’s past. Perhaps more than any other postcard category, real photo values are primarily subject driven.
Far from Main Street however, are some of the more dark and disturbing images from this collection including examples of real photo postcards depicting lynchings, chain gangs and whipping post scenes. On the other end of the spectrum, are examples of real photo postcards depicting Southern scenes of African American children at play and work as well as African American athletes and athletic teams, including Negro League baseball players and teams from 1920s and earlier who represent the unsung heroes who laid the foundation for those who would go on to break various racial barriers in the ensuing decades. Patriotic images are also represented in the collection often depicting proud African Americans dressed in the uniform of one of the armed forces.
One of the most remarkable groupings of material in the collection to be offered will be that relating to the amazing life of Josephine Baker, a black woman who was the biggest European celebrity of her time, but ridiculed and refused service in her native America. The collection contains more than 350 pieces including over 150 real photo cards, autographed letters, programs and cigarette cards all featuring Baker.
More than 3,500 pieces of advertising material from the real photo to color lithograph printed pieces will be sold including hundreds of early Victorian trade cards, die-cut advertising, as well as various marketing pieces incorporating black imagery.
Perhaps some of the most politically incorrect yet most highly sought after cards come under the heading of “mean-spirited.” With more than 900 examples, these types of postcards and advertising were meant to be humorous or comical to their mainly white audience. They are easily recognizable through their sadly common stereotypical portrayal of blacks. One example of these mean-spirited cards is an anthropomorphic illustration titled the “Evolution of a Coon,” which shows four depictions of a watermelon as it evolves into the head of a black man.
Through images by European photographers, the Oden collection captures a variety of aspects of everyday life across Africa in the early 20th century. Some of the images were nothing short of beautiful, such as those captured through the lens of Casimir Zagourski (1883-1944), a Polish born photographer who after a military career in the Russian and Polish military left Eastern Europe and moved to Africa in 1924. He made a series of memorable portraits published in an album entitled Vanishing Africa.
There are more than 6,000 African cards and images in all, including those by Zagourski and French photographer Edmond Fortier (1862-1928) and including real photos and printed images with hundreds of nudes and seminudes, a large variety of scarification and body piercing images along with village scenes, dance rituals, native warriors and the like.
While all of the above should pique the interest of both novice and advanced collectors, one should be aware that it is simply the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. There is hardly a postcard or ephemera category that is not represented including tintype photographs, cabinet photos, stereo views, holidays (including Christmas and black Santa, New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day), golliwogs, kewpies, Krampus, KKK, minstrels, greeting cards, sheet music, die-cuts, fans, ink blotters, Victorian trade cards, book matches, playing cards, first day issue envelopes, minstrels, NAACP stamps, magazine ads, fold-out postcards and postal stamps.
A preview will begin Aug. 9 and continue until the sale. A printed catalog with full-color photography is available by mail for $35.
For details, please visit the Web site www.jacksonsauction.com or call Jackson’s at 1-800-665-6743.
Click here to view the fully illustrated catalog for this sale, complete with prices realized.
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
