A Very Rare Mechanical Bank Goes to an RSL Auction

Saturday, March 8, 2025

-9° C / 15.8° F

Cold, Damp and Cloud

A Very Rare Mechanical Bank

Goes to an RSL Auction

Please click on this sentence to visit the Auction on LiveAuctioneers

I've been very fortunate to have all of the nice people allow me to write about their toys and their auction companies. I've also watched as these companies have

developed and grown as time moved on.

The RSL Auction Company is made up of 3 partners. 

They are Mr. Ray Haradin, Mr. Steven Weiss,  and Mr. Leon Weiss.

The RSL Auction Company derived its' name from the given names of

Ray, Steven, and Leon. Add to that an excellent photographer 

and senior auctioneer -Mr. Julian Abernethy, and Bre Day who 

with Julian, run and facilitate the Cyber Toy Auctions Sales. 

Finally, with one more more hard-working lady by the name of Angela Weiss,

you have a great. auction company. Angela, is the Gallery manager, website designer, Antique Show, Auction Coordinator, and computer expert.

I selected this bank because of its' rarity.  The opening bid will start at 
$40,000.00 US Dollars, and the estimated final bids  will be in

the range of  $ 80,000 - $ 120,000 US Dollars

It's nice to see this fine antique being shown at an auction, 

knowing that  someone will take possession of this rare

bank. Once again, the bank will have a new owner

who will appreciate how it has moved on with time. 

Good luck to all the bidders.

Thanks for dropping by to my blog.

My name is (Mr.) Stacey Bindman,

and I can always be reached at

toysearcher@gmail.com

Have a great part of the day or night, 

wherever you may be.

Two Exceptional Toys are

Sold at Bertoia Auctions

(May 7-8-2020) 

Please click here to visit this exceptional toy auctioneer

Mikado Mechanical Bank

(Kyser and Rex Co.)
Circa 1886

blue table version, an extraordinary design with remarkable action, coin deposited involves placing it under right hat, turning rear crank and watching, the coin reappears under left hat, intriguing and rare. Minor enhancement to face, otherwise paint appears to be original throughout with a clear-coat varnish applied to brighten and preserve paint, (Excellent Condition)

Freedman's Mechanical Bank

Manufacturer: Jerome B. Secor (Bridgeport, Connecticut,USA)

Circa 1880

Manufactured by Jerome B. Secor, Bridgeport, CT, circa 1880, less than ten known examples still exist in what has come to be considered one of the best known historically important banks ever made. The front panel reads, "Freedman's Bank," which gains its inspiration from the Freedman's Bank for newly freed slaves as established by U.S. Congress. When coin is deposited and clockwork is activated, the seated black man is able to thumb his nose, as if to give a jeering look to all depositors, quite a remarkable concept that must be seen to be appreciated!

Both of these toy mechanical banks are extremely rare, hence the high prices 

that were purchased at auction.   The Mikado Mechanical Bank was purchased for a final price of $ 46,600.00 USD, while the Freeman's Mechanical Bank went for $ 36,000.00 USD. It's great to see that during these trying times of the pandemic, people still are trying to continue with caution, but with their normal routines.

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day or night.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

The RSL Auction Company's Upcoming 2018 Auction

Monday, April 30, 2018
Cloud with Rain
11 C  51.8 F

The RSL Action Company's

Upcoming 2018 Auction

(Tom & Lori Sage Collection)

Please click here to visit this exceptional American Auctioneer

Yesterday, I was searching out new potential material for posts, 

when I came across the current RSL Auction Company's website.

I had written recently (January 2018) about this great company and had returned 

to see what's up. Sure enough, the website had been updated. Perhaps I 

hadn't been attentive enough before, but the new component

was in being able to download old and new catalogue auctions.

This is great, because I can search through their catalogues

on my computer without using up too much download data on my Internet supplier.

Also, I could see many toys on one page.

Below are the latest 3 auctions scheduled for June 2018

Today's post is about the Tom and Lori Sage auction.

Below is a screen-capture from the very large auction website liveAuctioneers.

liveAuctioneers is a company that manages the presentation and bidding for auctioneers. 

It's one of the largest types of these company's in the world! You register yourself on this website and bid for merchandise.  The actual merchandise delivery is handled by the auction company (e.g. RSL Auction Company) which then ships the winning merchandise to your home or office.

The owners of the RSL Auction Company have known Tom and Lori Sage for a long time, and have become friends with them. As such, the Sages had selected RSL to be their auctioneer.

Below is a screen-capture of the liveAuctioneers website.

Below is a well-written introduction about the collectors, Tom and Lori Sage.

 When you visit the RSL Auction Company, you'll find a web page that

allows you to download the 3 auctions coming up in the beginning of June 2018.

Below is the download place for the Sage collection.

Below is the most expensive mechanical bank in the Sage Collection.

It's called The Mikado Bank.

The next mechanical bank is called the Merry-Go-Round. It also is very expensive.

Interestingly, it was selected for the cover of one of my reference books-

A History of Antique Mechanical Toy Banks. It was published byLong's American, 

and the author is Mr. Al Davidson.

The final bank for today's post is titled "Clown, Harlequin, and Columbine".

I only selected the three most-expensive mechanical banks for this post.

As you can see and read, Both liveAuctioneers and the RSL Auction Company

are excellent websites to research mechanical banks and toys. 

Some people write to me and ask if I can identify a toy for them.

If you ask me to identify a toy, please send accompanying photos of the toy.

The photos should include different angles of the toy, and if there is

any writing on the toy that also.

This helps la lot in helping me help you. The photos should be taken from skylight

entering through your window. Sun is too harsh and contrasty. 

Also, a white reflector opposite the toy and the skylight will reflect

light into the shadows of the toy.

The size of the photos should be at least 4" x 6" 

and about 144 dpi (dots per inch), 

or about 4 MB.

So that's it for today.

Thanks for coming by,

And as always,

Have a great part of the day or night,

Wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

he skylight will help to add light into the shadow areas.

A Very Rare and Historic Antique Toy Comes to Market

Sunday, April 30, 2018
Cloudy and raining
7 C   48.6 F

A Very Rare and Historic 

AntiqueToy Comes to Market

www.bertoiaauctions.com

Manufactured by Jerome B. Sercor

Bridgeport Connecticut, U.S.A.

Circa 1880

"Less than known examples still exist in what has come to be considered one of the 

best known historically important banks ever made.The front panel of this exceptional 

museum quality piece reads "Freedman's Bank", which gains its inspiration from

the Freedman's Bank for newly freed slaves as established by the U.S. Congress.

The added detail of the seated black man able to thumb his nose and give a jeering look

at all depositors when the clockwork is activated is so amazing in concept, it must

be seen to be appreciated. The provenance is just amazing. It was discovered in a market in 

Mexico and sold to an antiquities dealer who was diligent enough to distinguished collector, Andrew Emerine's wanted ad, and the rest is history, and here documented with the 

actual letters of this bank's incredible journey.

Provenance: Andrew Emerine to Edwin H. Mosler Jr. to Stanley Sax

to Max Berry Collection.

Minor repair repair to head, and redressed using original cloth material.

(Excellent Condition)

                              Estimated:  $ 100,000.00 - $ 200,000.00 USD

History of the Freedman's Bank

At the end of the American Civil War, the poor economic conditions of the formerly enslaved freedmen was aggravated by the economic devastation of the Southern states. The newly freed African Americans had few economic resources or capital and even less exposure to private enterprise. Many soon turned to sharecropping and forced labor in the South. To help alleviate their socio-economic conditions, the Republican-controlled U. S. Congress established the Freedmen's Bureau, passing an act of incorporation and a charter for the Freedman's Saving and Trust Company, which was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on March 3, 1865. Originally headquartered in New York City, the first branch of the company opened in Baltimore, Maryland. By 1866, the bank had established 19 branches in 12 states, mainly in the South. The national headquarters was moved to Washington, D.C. the following year.^]*

The company had been created specifically as a depository for African-American veterans, as well  as former slaves and their families to build their savings. However, it also enabled numerous community organizations to increase their financial strength and expand their activities. The company attracted a large number of societies, churches, charities, and other private organizations that opened accounts and established trusts with the company. With the assistance of the company, numerous hospitals, schools and institutions, such as the St. Elizabeth Home for Colored Children and the St. Francis Xavier Church's Orphan Aid Society, were established. Noted community leaders and civil rights activists served as the management of several trusts and held other important positions in the bank. A large number of African American soldiers and veterans of the war opened savings accounts in the banks; the management of their funds was organized through an allotment system supervised by the officers of the various army regiments.*

*Courtesy of Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedman%27s_Savings_Bank

 (The above web address will redirect you to Wikipedia for further reading 

on the Freedman's Bank)

Two Fine Cast Iron Mechanical Banks

Monday, April 16, 2018
Overcast with freezing rain 
and snow pellets
-2 C  28.4 F

Two Fine Cast Iron

Mechanical Banks

Please click here to visit Dan Morphy's website

Please click here to visit Dan Morphy's Auction on Liveauctioneers

Auction date:  May 16, 2018

Beginning 09:00 AM EST

The reason that I've added two links above is for a reason. The photographs on liveauctioneers are larger. On the Dan Morphy website, the written details of the toys are much more elaborate.

The weather certainly is not springlike up here in Montreal (Quebec, Canada). It's been raining freezing rain on us, followed by snow pellets. This is spring in Quebec. Fortunately, I haven't yet changed from winter tires to summer tires.

Yesterday, I mentioned that Bertoia Auctions had increased the size of their photos. Today, as I was perusing through liveauctioneers, Dan Morphy had also increased the size of his photos. Not only that, but he (his photographer of course) had placed toys against a white background. That's most certainly helped me out, since I no longer have to use Photoshop to remove other backgrounds.

I just selected 2 fine cast iron mechanical banks for today's post. It's difficult to find different ones from the ones I already have on my blog. However, the two banks today were photographed superbly with lots of nice and detailed photos.

Cast Iron Indian (Native American) Shooting Bear Mechanical Bank

This bank was manufactured by J.& E. Stevens of Cromwell, Connecticut.

Pull the trigger under the Native American, place a coin on the gun.

When the trigger is pulled, the Head of the Native American drops, and the coin 

is shot into the slot of the bear's stomach.

Circa: 1883

Length x Height:  10.5" x 7.75"   26.7 cm x 19.7 cm

William Tell  Mechanical Bank manufactured by J. & E. Stevens

Pull the coin launcher back (on the top surface of the gun) until

it is in the locked position. The figure lowers his head as if aiming, 

A coin is placed on the rifle the shooter's right foot is pressed, 

and the coin is fired into the slot above the head and the apple falls

off the boy's head.

Circa 1896

Length x Height:  10.5" x 6.75"   26.7 cm x 17.2 cm

There are a lot of nice toys included in this auction, so have a look 

at both the websites and see if there is anything that you like.

The J. & E. Stevens Company (Mechanical Banks)

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Sunny with clouds

-7 C  19.4 F

The J. & E. Stevens Company

(Mechanical Banks)

Please click here to visit this Dan Morphy Auction on Liveauctioneers

John and Elisha Stevens  created their company in Cromwell, Connecticut (USA) in 1843. 

Like most cast iron companies of the time, the company cast-iron hardware such as hinges and locks, hammers and some cast iron toys.  The cast iron toys became so successful,that the company

decided to manufacture toys and mechanical banks. Eventually the J. & E. Stevens Company became the largest manufacturer of cast-iron toys in the U.S.A. *

* Courtesy of Connecticuthistory.org/cromwells-iron-made-made-toys-for-boys-and-girls/

J. & E. Stevens Germania Exchange Cast Iron and Lead

Mechanical Bank

Circa 1880's

Place a coin on the goat's tail. Turn the faucet and the goat deposits

the coin in the bank and presents the depositor a glass of beer.

Height x Width:  7 3/4" x 5 3/4"  (198 mm x 145 mm)

J. & E. Stevens Boy Robbing Bird's Nest

Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Raise the tree limb and place a coin in the slot.

Press the lever and as the limb falls, the coin disappears

Width x Height:  6" x 8"  152 mm x 203 mm

J. & E. Stevens Lion Hunter

Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Ptented 1911

Cock the rifle, and place a coin in position.

Press the lever and the hunter shoots the coin at the lion

as the lion rears up and the coin deflects into the bank.

Height x Length:  7 3/4" x 10 1/2"  197 mm x 267 mm

J. & E. Stevens Cat & Mouse

cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Patented 1891

Place a coin in front of the  mouse and press the lever.

The coin falls into the bank as the cat appears to hold the mouse.

Width x Height:  5 1/2" x 8 1/2"   140 mm x 215 mm

J & E. Stevens Novelty 

Mechanical Bank

Open the door and place a coin on the tray of the teller.

Release and close the door to deposit the coin.

J. &  E. Stevens Boy Scout Camp

Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

Circa: 1917

Insert a coin at the top of the tent.

Press the lever, and the Scout raises the flag as the coin drops in the bank.

Height x Length:  153 mm x 242 mm

Many of these banks often do not have the lock or the metal trap

 to open the hole, at the bottom of the base of the bank.

This bank has one.

J. & E. Stevens  Eagle & Eaglets

Cast Iron Mechanical Bank with Original Wood Box

Circa 1883

Place a coin in the mother eagle's beak and press the lever.

The mother eagle leans forward as the eaglets rise from the nest crying for food.

Length x Height:   6 1/2" x 8"  165 mm x 203 mm

This bank has the original wood box that the bank came in.

Many mechanical banks that are found do not have their original boxes.

You might want to visit Dan Morphy on Liveauctioneers, because there are 

a  lot more mechanical banks that were sold in this particular auction.

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great day or evening.

Stacey Bindman

Toysearcher@gmail.com