Lawn Jockey Question

[yoopermom]

My DSM is *very* hard to buy for, but loves antiques and has a beautifully landscaped 30 acre farm with horses, pond, etc. She mentioned casually that she's always wanted a lawn jockey to put down by the pond. Here are my questions for the ever knowledgable DIS

1. She is not prejudiced in *any* way. But are these considered to be a racial insult? Does it matter that she wants a vintage one?

2. If you think it *is* ok to own one, can someone explain why they are SO expensive? On ebay they are 800-1000 for vintage cast iron ones. I finally found one on craigslist that is concrete, but from at least 40 years ago, and beautifully weathered, so it really does look nice, and it's only $250 obo. (I did find new ones that are a white jockey, but they look, well, new, and I don't think I can spend $200 on one and then distress it myself...)

Please, no flames, I'm not buying it for me, and won't buy it for her if it's going to cause issues....

TIA!
Terri

 

[Janepod]

Tough call. Technically only the ones with the exaggerated facial features (like big lips) are the offensive ones, but a lot of people are offended by lawn jockeys period. Because of that, I would never display one - why risk hurting someone's feelings? Did you ever see that All in the Family episode where Archie got one? Even he had the good sense not to display it.

Stepmothers are awfully difficult to shop for, aren't they?

 

[yoopermom]

I don't know if I should post a link, but it's listed on the upper peninsula michigan craigslist. My DB (who is going in on it with me) suggested we buy it and paint the face white, but I'm not sure how we could weather it to match the rest. It would not be visible to anyone except those who visit her home, if that makes any difference.

She collects a lot of antiques, and we often discuss the historical aspects of some of her pieces. She has cookie jars, and one could be considered offensive, but she dearly loves it, it was a gift from her deceased father, and she feels like it's just "one of many".

Does your geographic location make a difference in this?

So, I'm torn....

Terri

 

[asta]

I think they are racially insensitive. Even a white one would still remind others of their racist past. I wouldn't display one.

 

[trip]

To me they fall in the same category as the Confederate flag. A part of our history we shouldn't forget but not for normal display.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

My DSM is *very* hard to buy for, but loves antiques and has a beautifully landscaped 30 acre farm with horses, pond, etc. She mentioned casually that she's always wanted a lawn jockey to put down by the pond. Here are my questions for the ever knowledgable DIS

1. She is not prejudiced in *any* way. But are these considered to be a racial insult? Does it matter that she wants a vintage one?

2. If you think it *is* ok to own one, can someone explain why they are SO expensive? On ebay they are 800-1000 for vintage cast iron ones. I finally found one on craigslist that is concrete, but from at least 40 years ago, and beautifully weathered, so it really does look nice, and it's only $250 obo. (I did find new ones that are a white jockey, but they look, well, new, and I don't think I can spend $200 on one and then distress it myself...)

Please, no flames, I'm not buying it for me, and won't buy it for her if it's going to cause issues....

TIA!
Terri

I think I'd stick to presents that she politely thanks you for and either regifts or sends to her fave charity if I couldn't think of anything else she'd really like over getting something that other people construe as offensive.

If she buys it for herself at some point, you can do the polite murmer, but personally I wouldn't want MY name attached to it in any way.

As Janepod noted, this is one of those gray areas of offense, but I dislike them entirely myself.

Vintage doesn't make it any less offensive in this case. I don't think it would be offensive in a museum or in a collection showing the evolution of prejudice, but out on someone's yard by their pond? At any rate, they were supposed to hold a horse's reins, if I understand the function correctly, so how about a different cast iron figure made for the same purpose? I've seen posts with a horse's head or tree limb from the same eras that wouldn't be offensive.

 

[rhonda_2003]

I am from a very rural southern town and they are not that uncommon around here. I've never heard anyone complain about one, which doesn't mean that people aren't offended, just haven't heard about it. I worked at a very prestigious restaurant as a hostess that had these old cast iron log holders in the fireplace that were little slave boys and they were super valuable. We had people wanting to buy those all the time. I never had anyone complain about those either. If it would make her happy and only be visible to people invited to her home, then I would probably get it for her. I think it really depends on where you are.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I am from a very rural southern town and they are not that uncommon around here. I've never heard anyone complain about one, which doesn't mean that people aren't offended, just haven't heard about it. I worked at a very prestigious restaurant as a hostess that had these old cast iron log holders in the fireplace that were little slave boys and they were super valuable. We had people wanting to buy those all the time. I never had anyone complain about those either. If it would make her happy and only be visible to people invited to her home, then I would probably get it for her. I think it really depends on where you are.

Me? I wouldn't complain. I just wouldn't be back; I'd feel uncomfortable and take it as a sign that some people aren't welcome at that restaurant.

 

[Minnie_me]

Get her a gnome.

 

[yoopermom]

Get her a gnome.

That's so cute, I wish she was into that, but that would be my DMIL.

She had an African American coworker (who came to her home for a party) ooh and ah over the cookie jar (actually asked to have first dibs to buy it, if she ever wanted to sell it), so I think that's why she is being "colorblind" about this whole lawn jockey thing.

I don't want her to offend anyone, but I also want her to have what she wants...

Thanks everyone for your thoughts...

Terri

 

[Disney Doll]

I'd buy it. She's not a member of the KKK (is she?) displaying as a "warning" to anyone. She's a person with a beautifully landscaped yard who also has a love of antiques and that is an antique piece.

I wouldn't think thing of it if I saw somehitng like that in someone's yard....and the last thing I'd think is that it was meant as an intentional racial offense....
Really people have to stop being so sensitive...

 

[Alsobrook]

First, there is nothing racially insensitive about a new or classic lawn jockey, with a singular exception. I'll get to that in a minute. Lawn jockeys can come white or black, and there's nothing wrong with either of them.

There is an old version of lawn jockeys that have exaggerated features....black face, exaggerated eyes, big lips that by today's standards would be insensitive, in my view.

Otherwise, you should be just fine with a white or black lawn jockey. If you don't know the history of them, there's tons of internet resources. Washington crossing the Delaware and all that....

 

[shortbun]

I think they are racially insensitive. Even a white one would still remind others of their racist past. I wouldn't display one.

Totally! OP, do you really not get this? let her buy her own lawn jockey. To those of you claiming this is a oversensitivity issue...you are just wrong, imho, and this claim is racism's biggest defense. Ignorance is no excuse.

 

[Alsobrook]

totally! OP, do you really not get this?

Oh come on.

 

[Disney Doll]

Totally! OP, do you really not get this? let her buy her own lawn jockey. To those of you claiming this is a oversensitivity issue...you are just wrong, imho, and this claim is racism's biggest defense. Ignorance is no excuse.

Actually, no we are not wrong.
You OPINION actually just disagrees with our OPINION.

 

[marmalade]

I don't know if I should post a link, but it's listed on the upper peninsula michigan craigslist. My DB (who is going in on it with me) suggested we buy it and paint the face white, but I'm not sure how we could weather it to match the rest. It would not be visible to anyone except those who visit her home, if that makes any difference.

She collects a lot of antiques, and we often discuss the historical aspects of some of her pieces. She has cookie jars, and one could be considered offensive, but she dearly loves it, it was a gift from her deceased father, and she feels like it's just "one of many".

Does your geographic location make a difference in this?

So, I'm torn....

Terri

I just looked up the ad on craigslist and I think it is a fine gift. I also want to point out that I had to google lawn jockey because the only ones I have ever seen were the ones that looked like this. I had no idea they had a negative past.

 

[HannaBelle]

Okay, I am going to be honest and admit I had to google "lawn jockey" and I have to agree with ShortBun on this one . There is no way in H E double hockey sticks I would buy one, for anyone, for any reason...

IMHO, they are in bad taste.

 

[Luv'sTink]

Not if people know anything about them and did some research.

http://myauctionfinds.com/2010/04/02/lawn-jockey-underground-railroad-and-a-collection/


Then he’d tell them the story of the lantern-holder (a term he preferred over lawn jockey): It was used at safe houses to guide “self-liberators” along the Underground Railroad. In Googling, I found a 1998 interview in which Blockson said, “Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going.” Sometimes, he added, a flag was placed in the hand to denote safety.

http://www.loudounhistory.org/history/underground-railroad-jockey-statues.htm

Most people shudder at the sight of a black lawn jockey.
Though sightings are pretty infrequent today, the yard ornaments that portray blacks in subservient roles have the power to gnaw insatiably at the spirit of blacks and to disgust others who are unaware of the furtive and notable role these "Jockos" played in the first half of the 19th century.

Jocko Graves lawn statue
But escaping slaves understood then that the jockey statue would guide them to the Underground Railroad and to freedom. (In Following the Drinking Gourd, the lyrics surreptitiously suggested slaves follow the "drinking gourd," a nickname for the Big Dipper, which pointed to the North Star and the way to freedom. Among other things, it advised that travel was safest in the spring – "when the sun comes back.")
The jockey, in a similarly secret way, pointed to safe houses along the Underground Railroad.

"These statues were used as markers on the Underground Railroad throughout the South into Canada," said historian/author Charles Blockson, curator of the Afro-American Collection at Temple University in Philadelphia. "Green ribbons were tied to the arms of the statue to indicate safety; red ribbons meant to keep going."
"People who don’t know the history of the jockey have feelings of humiliation and anger when they see the statue," he added. "But this figure which was sometimes used in a clandestine nature, and sometimes without the knowledge of the person who owned the statue, was a positive and supportive image to American-Americans on the road to freedom."

Google is your friend

 

[LBIJim]

Well, there's good bad taste and BAD bad taste. This definitely falls into the latter.

Jim

 

[cornflake]

I wouldn't do it but regardless of what you decide re: buying her one or not I'd say do NOT buy one and paint the face white.

First, I'm guessing she wouldn't want that, second, it'd harm the value, third, I think it's disingenuous.

It's an antique. It is what it is - buy it or don't but don't alter it/harm it to try to make it something it isn't. It'd be like buying someone who collects nazi memorabilia something and changing it to say 'nazo' so it's not offensive. Then it's not what they wanted, it's value is gone and it's odd.