The Ken Oden Collection of African & African American Photography and Ephemera

To say that Americans have a fascination (some might even say compulsion) with collecting is an understatement. The ever-popular PBS Antiques Road Show gives a glimpse into this world where seemingly mundane or unimportant collectibles can often be worth hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. Most are aware of the mainstream fields of collecting such as baseball cards, pocket knives and automobiles, as well as the exclusive world of Impressionist paintings, Tiffany and Faberge. Yet few are aware of the great diversity of often obscure collecting fields in which millions of dollars exchange hands each year by passionate collectors trying to fill a gap in their seemingly unusual collection. Most would probably be surprised to learn that there is one such unusual field of collecting comprised of very active and informed collectors that diligently seek out, purchase and work to preserve a piece of history that others may wish to sweep under the rug. A history that comes in the form of images that on one end of the spectrum could be considered grotesque, inhumane, surreal or even horrific while on the other end of the spectrum could be described as heroic, groundbreaking and amazing. This field of collecting is, amongst its members, known affectionately as “Black Memorabilia”.

The African American experience and the African experience worldwide is one that is very often emotionally charged but without question historically important. And surprisingly enough, an overwhelming majority of that active and informed group of collectors of Black Memorabilia are African Americans themselves, and indeed some very prominent who seek out such tangible pieces of history in the form of memorabilia, postcards, ephemera and the like that reflect a not so long ago time but which to younger generations may seem like ancient history.

It is not very often that a large and important collection of material that relates to the African experience in America and throughout the world comes to market. Such collections prove to be a treasure trove for the advanced collectors generating heretofore unknown specimens. Enthusiasts in the field of Black Memorabilia flock to such sales so as to harvest unique, undiscovered and one-of-a-kind material that can often only be found within the ranks of such a large private assemblage. Jackson’s International Auctioneers and Appraisers of Fine Art and Antiques will play host to just such a collection on August 24th and 25th at their Cedar Falls, Iowa gallery. 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 over 40,000 individual pieces and is sure to be one of those auctions that will be talked about for years to come.

Sparked by an acquisition of nine postcards in an antique store nearly two decades ago, Ken Oden, a retired banker and McKeesport, Pennsylvania native, went on to amass a truly unique collection of printed material which reflects the black experience in America, and indeed throughout the world, offering a distinct glimpse into a past whose history is filled with stereotypes, prejudices and euphemisms portrayed through moving real photo images and colorful and creative artwork which, were it not for its often repulsive nature, would in many cases be considered charming. Working with major dealers and auction houses coast to coast as well as in Europe, Mr. Oden’s final product was a 458 album collection of over 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 with a focus on the period of 1850-1950.

To be certain, the field of black memorabilia collecting 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. Indeed some scholars suggest that it is only through the study of such mainstream material that one can begin to understand the subtle and pervasive propaganda that produced generations of deeply seated prejudices.

While then NAACP does not condone the collecting of black memorabilia, in the past representatives have gone on record as saying they “do admit and recognize that these items can be used as an educational tool for children and adults who have never seen them. It reminds young people that things have not always been like this for black people in America” (Benjamin L. Hooks, Jr., executive director of the NAACP in the New York Times, December 1988). 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 both 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, over 3,000 in all. As collectors in this field are aware 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 Main Street type scenes including people at work and play and as is the case in this collection, often posed in such a way to perpetuate white stereotypes of African Americans such as Mammy’s and Uncle Remus-like characters . 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 images 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. One such card depicts a group of people (white) standing beneath a black man who has been lynched and is hanging in a tree above them (circa 1915). It is inscribed, “I send you this beautiful photograph. This is one who died by the “Unwritten Law” yesterday”. When viewing such a card one can hardly imagine that it would be acceptable to mail and even more unimaginable that one could use the word beautiful to describe the scene of a man who was most likely lynched simply for being black and nothing more.

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 the Negro League) who represent the many 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 including many Buffalo Soldier images. All of which makes one wonder just what motivated these noble souls to risk their lives in the service of a country that, more often than not, neglected them in their own hour of need and in many cases treated them worse than the tyrants they were sent to fight. Truer heroes one can not imagine.

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 country, America. The collection contains over 350 pieces including over 150 real photo cards, autographed letters, programs, and cigarette cards all featuring Baker.

Over 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 such as the Coon Chicken Inn, which has quite an interesting history. Founded in 1925 by Maxon Lester Graham and his wife, Adelaide Burt, the chain of restaurants that specialized in fried chicken became well known for their infamous head logo (a grinning, grotesque head of a bald black man with a porter’s cap and winking eye…the door was through the middle of his mouth). As one can expect, African Americans opposed this display of racial hostility and in 1930 the NAACP protested the opening of the Seattle branch of the restaurant. Threatening Graham with a lawsuit for libel and defamation of race, Graham agreed to change his advertising style by removing the word ‘Coon’ from the delivery car and repainting the ‘Coon head’ entrance to the restaurant blue.

Perhaps some of the most offensive yet most highly sought after cards come under the heading of “mean-spirited”. With over 900 examples, these types of postcards and advertising were meant to be humorous or comical to their white audience. They are easily recognizable through their sadly common stereotypical portrayal of blacks. One example of these “mean-spirited” cards is an anthromorphic illustration titled the “Evolution of a Coon”, which shows four depictions of a watermelon as it evolves into the head of a black man.

The Oden collection also stretches across oceans capturing a variety of aspects of everyday life in Africa. European photographs of Africa from the first part of the 20th century were varied in purpose and could be considered ambivalent in attitude. Perhaps conceived as ethnological curiosities, political propaganda or tourist advertising, in some cases the racial undertones and voyeurism are still apparent. Many of these images were indeed staged or set up by the photographers to market to their European audience. Subsequently, like those in this collection, many of the images were reproduced in the form of postcards and found an international audience.

At the same time, some of the images being captured were nothing short of beautiful, such as those captured through the lens of Casimir Zagourski (1883-1944), a Ukrainian born photographer, who after a military career in the Russian Air Force and the Polish Army left Eastern Europe and moved to Africa in 1924. He made a series of memorable portraits published in an album entitled “Vanishing Africa”. Much like the photography of American Edward Curtis whose work saved for posterity the noble images of the various Native American cultures, Zagourski produced some of the most magnetic and empathetic images of the colonial period. Through the over 450 cards, one can experience different aspects of everyday life, such as housing styles and traditional gravesites. Most moving however, are the multitude of individual portraits which repeatedly show a profound, dignified and beautiful people who display their particular culture’s attributes of beauty in the form of body scarring, head shaping and ornate hair sculpting. Through Zagourski’s eye one views the last vestiges of an Africa before the Western world changed most of their culture, houses, customs, and how they lived and died.

There is hardly a postcard or ephemera category in the Oden collection that is not represented including photography which features a large and rare original tintype photograph of the great African America Social reformer Frederick Douglass, as well as tintypes and carte de vista’s of a multitude of anonymous free African Americans resplendently dressed. Post reconstruction photo images are also represented in the form of cabinet card photos, stereoviews, sepia tone and gelatin prints depicting African American life circa 1870-1950. Also included are vintage holiday postcards such as black Santas and black-themed Halloween, Valentines and Easter cards as well as golliwogs, black kewpies, and Krampus. Other materials included are real photo KKK cards, minstrel cards, together with sheet music, die cuts, fans, ink blotters, Victorian trade cards, and much more.

Jackson’s will be offering an extended preview two weeks in advance of the sale, affording interested parties the opportunity to view the cards up close and in person. The preview will start on August 9th and continue up until the sale, August 24th and 25th. If you can’t be there in person, a beautiful 158-page full color, illustrated auction catalog can be delivered to you for $35 USD. Or the entire collection will be available for viewing on line one week before the auction at http://www.jacksonsauction.com/. Or if you have any additional questions, contact Jackson’s at 1-800-665-6743.