Opamerica's Mechanical Banks

Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Clear Skies & Sunny
14 Celsius / 57 Fahrenheit

opamerica's Mechanical Banks

Please click here to visit this fine ebay seller

I've written many articles about opamerica's fine toys, but never on their mechanical banks.

You'd think I would have by now, since their full name is opamerica toy and bank museum. 

They always have a collection of fine toys for sale, and the main reason I chose them is for their painstaking amount of work top photograph their merchandise, and to give thorough and researched written descriptions.

If you research these banks, most authors or sellers give the title that is usually on the toy.

You can also use the title when you do a search for a particular mechanical bank. A mechanical bank has a set of springs and gears that allow the characters of the bank to take a coin and then through an action or several actions drop the coin into the "vault" area of the bank. Most mechanical banks came with keys that may have been lost. I'm not sure if a good locksmith could make a key for you or not. You also have to remember that most of these banks are true antiques, having survived more than 100 years of existence!

I've added the copyright scans from the Al Davidson (author) & Long's Americana (publisher).

This exceptional and exhaustively-researched book was published in 1987, and is an excellent book for referring to Mechanical Banks. The banks are sorted by the name of the bank, and each bank usually has the date of manufacture, as well as a small paragraph as to how the toy works. Many of the banks also have their original copyrights that were most likely obtained from the US Patent Office.

Antique J&E Stevens Magician Mechanical Cast Iron Bank

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This wonderful bank portrays a formally dressed stage magician on a stage with a table before him. When you press the lever, the magician will lower his tophat over the coin on the table. He will nod his head and magically, the coin will vanish. The Magician Bank was patented in January 22 1901. It says "Magician Bank" on the front. The magician is, as I’ve said, formally dressed with a boiled white shirt front and black bowtie. His eyes, eyebrows, goatee and sweeping mustache are black. It will work with any coin up to and including a quarter.

Measurements: 7" long, 8" high, 4" wide.

Antique SPEAKING DOG Cast Iron Mechanical Toy Bank 1885

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This auction is for an original cast iron Speaking Dog Bank. This was made by the Shepard Hardware Co. in Buffalo, New York and designed by Peter Adams and Charles Shepard. The bank is in it's original condition with no restoration. To operate the bank, depress the lever on the base near the dog, which causes the girl's right arm to move back, dropping the coin placed on the tray into the seat opening beside her. At the same time, the dog opens its mouth as if barking and wags its tail. The bank works fine, but I do not have a key to open it up. There is some obvious paint loss, but otherwise, a nice bank. It is 7 1/2" tall x 7" wide and is marked with a patent date of July 14, 1885 on the bottom.

Antique c. 1880s J&E Stevens Darktown Battery Cast Iron Mechanical Coin Bank

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I am offering an antique J. & E. Stevens mechanical bank called "Darktown Battery". Circa 1880s. O'Brians Collecting Toys 11th Edition claims this bank is from 1888. The bottom of the bank has a patent date of 1875. When you put the coin in the hand of the pitcher, press the lever, the coin is thrown into the catcher's mit. Mechanism works well. This is in very good condition - as seen in the pictures. No breaks or cracks. Good original paint. The arms of the batter may be replacements, as they are in a somewhat different color than to body. All else looks really nice! Measures 7 1/4" inches tall and the base measures 10" x 2 3/4".

1879 JE Stevens 'Spise a Mule Cast Iron Mechanical Bank

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I am pleased to offer this Antique 1879 J.E. Stevens "Always Did 'Spise A Mule" Cast Iron Mechanical Bank!  This original bank is quite hilarious!  Powered by an exceptional spring mechanism, the mule quickly spins and kicks the man sitting on the bench which in turn drops the coin into the bank!  The top of the bank reads in raised lettering "Always Did 'Spise A Mule". This bank has the original bottom plates which is marked with a patent date of 1879, and has an original coin stopper with a 1875 patent date.

Measures approx. 10-1/8" L x 3" W x 6" H

Important Notice
Before closing, there is one important note to mention. There are many modern-era"reproductions"
on the market, so you have to be very careful when buying what is "supposedly" an original bank. you should always buy from a reputable antique dealer or seller, or have the seller go with you to a antiques dealer who for a small price will help to authenticate the bank.

So that's it for today. It's a great late fall (autumn) day,
 and I'm going to go outdoors and walk our dog Buddy.

So as usual,
Have a great part of the day or night,
Wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman
toysearcher@gmail.com

Matching Banks to the Al Davidson Book on Mechanical Banks

Friday, October 28, 2016
Cloudy with Rain
6 Celsius  42 Fahrenheit

Matching Banks to the

Al Davidson Book on 

Mechanical Banks

Please click here to visit this fine American auctioneer

Bertoia Auctions auction for mechanical banks will be held from November 11-13, 2016.

In order for you to compare the photos of Al Davidson in the previous post, 

to those of Bertoia Auctions, You will have to open up a new window and look at the Al Davidson book photos next to this post of Bertoia Auctions photos.ext to 

The colours on this Bertoia item are similar to the catalogue. This version is with the "thin" bat.

This Bertoia item is accurate like the Al Davidson photo.

In Al's photo, the reds are brighter, and the barrel appears golden in colour,

rather than yellow.

There is no mention of  the clown having a yellow outfit.

However, the Al Davidson book does mention that in a variation

of the "Trick Dog", Solid Base (Type II), the base can be yellow.

This Bertoia Auctions item is identical to the 

photo in Al Davidson's book.

THe Bertoia Auctions version of this bank has no verse,

'while the Al Davidson book has a verse. This is  the

'"variation" version.

This Bertoia Auctions version comes with 2 colour outfits

 on each of the young boys. In Al Davidson's version, 

the boys are wearing single-coloured outfits.

The Bertoia Auctions version is the same as the Al Davidson Photo.

The only difference is that the Al Davidson photo

had warmer tones overall. An example is the golden-coloured

fence, compared to a yellow fence above.

So overall, the Al Davidson book is quite a useful resource to check up on mechanical banks. 

Although there are only 576 banks in his book, the book has matched up  Al's photos, with those of Bertoia Auctions. 

If you're interested in mechanical banks or are a collector, you might want to buy one of the Al Davidson's books that are  all over the Internet.

Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

HAve a great part of the day or night,

wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com

A Toy Bank Book Review

Thursday, October 27, 2016
Overcast and Rain
7 Celsius 44 Fahrenheit

A Toy Book Review

A History of Antique Mechanical Toy Banks

Penny Lane 

by Al Davidson

Publisher: Long's America

1987

   This is one of the few book reviews that I have done on this blog. As the title implies, the book has to do with the history of antique mechanical toy banks. There are 576 banks in the book.Each bank is identified by the manufacturer,  has an approximate date (circa), and an operation description as to how the bank works. There is also something titled "Variations", which describes different changes  to the use of different  parts, colour, or construction.  There is also something titled "Fragile Points". Fragile Points weaknesses in the actual toy construction. For exam,e, the legs of a toy frog might be mentioned. This would then alert a collector to weaknesses which might appear in this "fragile" our weak area of the toy. Also included is a "Rating" from 1-20, with one being very common and 20 being extremely rare.  The rarer the mechanical bank toy, the higher the price at auction or at an antiques dealer. After the double-digit rating, there is a rating of "rare". This title of "rare" means that very few of these banks exist, thus the term.

   If you do a search for this book, you will find many different results with many different prices. I purchased my book on Abe's Books for about $40.00 US plus $ 23.00 US for shipping. However, for those wanting a copy that is in mint condition, you might expect to pay anywhere from $100.00- $200.00 US plus shipping. I purchased the book in excellent condition but for a torn jacket cover. I'm using the book as a reference for future writing, and don;t need it as a collectible book.

  The pages and banks that I have selected correspond with the next post that I will write, based on the exact same or almost tsimilar banks from an upcoming Bertoia Auctions auction.

In the above bank called "Darktown Battery", there is also a copy of the 

original  diagram copyright for this toy. 

The "Trick Dog Bank", and the "Trick Dog"  are similar in design and look, but have 

variations that are written up. As well, one bank has a higher rarity rating than the other.

The lower left copyright diagram refers to the Punch and Judy Bank.

A page with 3 banks with 3 different ratings.

It's the "Boy Scout Bank" that I found on the Bertoia Auctions 

upcoming auction in November 2016.

The "Leap Fog Bank" is the bank set to be auctioned in November 2016.

As you can see, the book is quite interesting, well written , and  easy to read.

One more thing.

I wasn't able to find or contact either either the publisher (Long's Americana) or the Author  (Al Davidson) for written permission to use the photos and descriptions. THe publisher are the husband and wife who also wrote Dictionary of Toys Sold in America- Volumes I and II. Their names are Mr. Ernest Long and his wife, Mrs. Ida Long.

If anyone reads this post, and has any information where I might contact any of these 3 people, please feel free to write to me, at my e-mail address below my name (where I sign out at the bottom of this page). 

It's toysearcher@gmail.com.

 Thanks for dropping by,

and as always,

Have a great part of gthe day or night,

Wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

toysearcher@gmail.com