Set of figurines in the form of "Mammy," “Uncle Mose,” and two "pickaninnies": Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A set of four (4) painted, cast iron figurines in the form of “Mammy,” “Uncle Mose,” and a seated female "pickaninny," and a dancing, male "pickaninny."

A cast iron figurine in the form of “Mammy.” The figurine is depicted standing on a green base with her hands are clasped together at her waist and held slightly to the proper right. She has a bright red mouth and large eyes. She is wearing a white shirt, light yellow skirt, and black shoes. A red kerchief covers her head. A white sticker is adhered to the bottom the figurine. The black handwriting on the stickers reads [200 00 / SET of 4 / JOHN FIC].

A cast iron figurine in the form of “Uncle Mose.” The figurine is depicted seated on a metal block, painted light yellow, strumming a banjo. He is partially bald with a ring of gray hair around the back of his head, a gray beard, gray eyebrows, and a large, bright red mouth. He is wearing an off-white shirt, black vest, gray pants and black shoes. The banjo has been painted off-white. A white sticker is adhered to the bottom the figurine. The black handwriting on the stickers reads [200 00 / SET of 4 / HUBLEY / FIC].

A cast iron figurine in the form of a female "pickaninny." The girl is depicted seated on a gray rock with her hands in her lap. She is wearing a white dress with a red bow at the neck. Her hair is in four (4) pigtails on top of her head. The figurine's eyes are painted as if she is looking to the proper right, and she has a red mouth. A white sticker is adhered to the bottom the figurine. The black handwriting on the stickers reads [200 00 / SET of 4 / FIC].

A cast iron figurine in the form of a male "pickaninny." The boy is depicted in a dance pose with his elbows up, hands at his waist and his proper left knee bent and slightly raised to the side. He is standing on a green metal base. He is wearing a white shirt and light yellow pants. He has black painted hair and a bright red mouth. A white sticker is adhered to the bottom the figurine. The black handwriting on the stickers reads [200 00 / SET of 4 / FIC].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1909-1940
• Manufactured by: Hubley Manufacturing Company, American, 1894 - 1980
• Type: figurines
• Medium: paint on metal, paper (fiber product)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2007.7.286.1): 3 1/4 × 1 3/4 × 1 1/4 in. (8.3 × 4.4 × 3.2 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2007.7.286.2): 2 1/2 × 2 1/2 × 1 3/4 in. (6.4 × 6.4 × 4.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2007.7.286.3): 2 1/8 × 1 1/8 × 1 in. (5.4 × 2.9 × 2.5 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2007.7.286.4): 2 3/8 × 717 × 1 in. (6 × 1821.2 × 2.5 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Caricature and cartoons
• Topic: Stereotypes
• Object number: 2007.7.286.1-.4
• 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
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.