Antique German Lead Penny Bank Donkey or Jackass with Hinged Brown Saddle
Description: Antique and rather scarce very nice penny bank. The bank which is made of lead, was most likely made in Germany, and depicts a donkey with its head tilted to the left and having a rectangular brown saddle with an off-white blanket having a red border under it. The saddle is hinged and is secured with to a loop attached to the saddle. The hinged saddle closes with a loop that goes over a short loop attached to the opposite side of the saddle. The bank's coin slot is on top of the saddle. This bank was most likely produced in Germany during the late 1800s and early 1900s. It is very well preserved and shows the details of the hair, eyes, mouth, ears, and hoofs. It shows an off-white-colored blanket with red border under the saddle. This is a very nice piece with great details and colors and is very well preserved with minimum loss of paint. The donkey itself is gray colored and showing the hair on its body with raised details. His eyes are red with dark pupils. The coin slot is on the saddle on the donkey's back. This is a very nice looking penny or coin bank in very good condition. Please see page 85 in Andy and Susan Moor's Book "The Penny Bank Book: Collecting Still Banks" Published by Schiffer Books in 1984; Bank No. 491", for a photo of a similar example. Please carefully review photos as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Late 1800s to early 1900s.
Origin: Germany.
Size: The bank measures ~3 5/8" long, ~1 1/2" at its widest point and is ~3 1/2" at its highest point. The piece weighs about 5 ounces.
Maker: Unknown.
Marks: Unmarked as to the maker.
Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a great and fairly scarce penny bank which would make a nice addition to your collection.
Condition: The bank is in very good condition. It has no breaks and no repairs. It has paint losses throughout. These paint losses are most pronounced on top of the saddle and at various spots on the body if the donkey especially the front of his face, all of which can be seen in the photos. It is our opinion that possibly the blanket and the bottom part of the saddle have been repainted, but we are not certain. It is also possible that the hinge and locking mechanism have been repaired, but we are not certain. See the last two photos and judge for your self. Other than that, this is a nice piece to add to your collection. Please view photos to appreciate beauty of this beautiful bank and for additional condition information.
