Vintage Painted Cast Iron Mechanical Penny Bank Colorful Elephant with Howdah
Description: A nice vintage cast iron mechanical penny bank in the form of an elephant standing on all four with howdah on hid back. The elephant is colored in grayish blue color with a blue blanket having gold edge on his back. There is a reddish brown with gold highlights howdah sitting on the blanket and held with a similarly colored strap that goes around the elephant. The elephant has white tusks and black painted eyes. The way the bank works is as follows; you put a penny or cent in the tip of the elephant’s trunk (in the slot provided) while the trunk is in the down position, pulling on the elephant's tail causes the trunk to go up releasing the coin into the slot in the front portion of the howdah. The mechanism works very well and the penny goes into the slot every time. The elephant is very well cast and shows details of its skin, tail, eyes, kegs, and the howdah. The piece is made of two halves held together with a screw. We have opened the bank and could see that the screw is original. The bank appears to be all original with its original coloring. The bank has the coin slot on the top of the elephant's head within the front portion of the howdah. A rather nice mechanical bank most likely from the 1960s or 1970s. This is a very nice-looking mechanical penny bank in very good condition and would make a great addition to your collection. Please carefully review photos as they are part and parcel of our description.
Date: Unknown but most likely from the second half of the 1900s (1960s-1970s).
Origin: Purchased at an estate auction in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: The bank measures ~8" at its longest with the trunk in the down position, ~5 1/8" at its highest point, and is ~2 1/2" at its widest at the ears. The bank weighs over one 3 pounds and 7 ounces.
Maker: Unknown.
Marks: The bank is unmarked.
Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a nice, very interesting mechanical penny bank which would make a nice addition to your collection.
Condition: We believe this bank is from the 1960s-1970s and is a high-quality remake of the original antique bank of the 1800s. It retains most of its original paint with minimum loss most pronounced at the tip of the tusks, the edge of the feet, and the edge of the howdah. The mechanical action works perfectly and the bank is all original. It has no breaks, op repairs, and no losses. It is dusty and could use a good cleaning, but we leave that to the discretion of the new owner. We have opened the bank and could not find any markings on the onside (be advised that you are not supposed to open the other half where the spring that triggers the trunk action is fastened). The bank shows some soiling, scratches to the surface, and general very light and minimal wear to the paint, which can be seen in the photos. This is a great looking bank worthy of a spot in your collection. Please view photos to appreciate beauty of this bank and for additional condition information.
Date: Unknown but most likely from the second half of the 1900s (1960s-1970s).
Origin: Purchased at an estate auction in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Size: The bank measures ~8" at its longest with the trunk in the down position, ~5 1/8" at its highest point, and is ~2 1/2" at its widest at the ears. The bank weighs over one 3 pounds and 7 ounces.
Maker: Unknown.
Marks: The bank is unmarked.
Distinguishing Characteristics - Most Interesting About The Piece: This is a nice, very interesting mechanical penny bank which would make a nice addition to your collection.
Condition: We believe this bank is from the 1960s-1970s and is a high-quality remake of the original antique bank of the 1800s. It retains most of its original paint with minimum loss most pronounced at the tip of the tusks, the edge of the feet, and the edge of the howdah. The mechanical action works perfectly and the bank is all original. It has no breaks, op repairs, and no losses. It is dusty and could use a good cleaning, but we leave that to the discretion of the new owner. We have opened the bank and could not find any markings on the onside (be advised that you are not supposed to open the other half where the spring that triggers the trunk action is fastened). The bank shows some soiling, scratches to the surface, and general very light and minimal wear to the paint, which can be seen in the photos. This is a great looking bank worthy of a spot in your collection. Please view photos to appreciate beauty of this bank and for additional condition information.
