Shoe shine machine depicting a caricatured shoe shine boy

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A yellow and gray, metal shoe shine machine with a frame at the top of the front panel holding a cartoon image of a caricatured boy. The frame has embossed text at the top that reads [BRUSH- UP] and at the bottom the read [SHINE]. The cartoon image depicts a caricature of a shoe shine boy with a bald head, a wide white mouth, white nose, white eyes and ears. He is wearing a plaid jacket, black pants and white shoes. Next to the boy is a speech bubble that reads [BRUSH / UP / SHINE] with the text [5¢] below. Next to the frame is a red coin slow with the text [BRUSH / UP / 5¢] written in white above the slot. At the base of the front panel is an opening to insert a foot.

Explore Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture ↗