A True Listing of
Authentic American Factory-Made Mechanical Banks
by F.H. Griffith - HOBBIES Magazine - September, 1953
This is a true listing of authentic American factory-made mechanical or animated banks.
Registering banks, as such, are not included in this listing as they are in a class by
themselves. There are, however, four borderline banks included in the listing and they are
the Pump and Bucket, Registering Dime Savings Bank, Safety Locomotive, and the Perfection
Registering. The Pump and Bucket is a borderline case due to its pump handle operation. In
the case of the Registering Dime Savings Bank the coin causes the clock hands to move
automatically and register the amount, this action being similar to the National Savings
Bank, The Safety Locomotive with its automatic removable stack is another borderline bank
and its questionable if it should be considered mechanical even though the writer
has listed it. The same can be said for the Perfection Registering Bank with the figure of
a girl pointing to the amount as deposited.
The foreign banks are listed separately as they do not have the value or desirability
of American banks. Then comes the listing showing patterns, which, while they are
mechanical banks, dont belong in with a listing of the group which were actually
sold in stores to the public. The likelihood is that the pattern banks listed were never
put on the market. There is a possibility in the case of the Called Out Bank that a few
were made in cast iron, however, these could be recasts from original patterns.
The next group is titled "Uncertain" and this is just what it implies. The
recast banks are next shown and then all the known fakes up to now are enumerated. Of
course recast banks are fakes and have no value in a collection. They are listed
separately from the fakes to help the collector. Recast banks are easily recognized
provided the person has some amount of experience and knowledge of banks. However, some
banks that are out and out fakes made to fool collectors are more difficult to recognize
due to the fact they have been made from patterns. These fakes are accurately listed and
have no value in a collection unless the collector wishes to fool himself.
Undoubtedly there will be those who will notice that banks such as Independence Hall,
Globe, Lighthouse, Dog I Hear A Call, Pay Phone, and others just like them have been
omitted. These are not mechanical or animated banks and are usually listed and collected
only to make a collection or list seem larger. They could possibly be in a so-called
semi-mechanical class, but they more properly fit in with the large and endless group of
still banks. This is not mean to imply that they dont have any value, only the fact
they are not mechanical or animated banks. After all, among the most mechanical of all the
banks are those that register the amount when a coin is deposited. However, these
registering banks, as such, dont belong in the accepted grouping of the mechanical
banks.
This list has no duplications of banks and varieties are not listed. As an example of a
variety, there are several kinds of Tammany Banks; some with no name, some with
Halls Patent on one side of the chair, and others with Tammany Bank on both sides of
the chair. These are all the same bank with the same figure and the same operation.
Therefore, only one Tammany Bank is listed.
Nos. 56 and 57, the Gray Elephants, are banks not usually classified as mechanical, but
they definitely are as their trunks move when the coin is inserted.
Nos. 60, 106, and 170 are banks that were made until about 1942. Manufacture of these
was stopped because of the war. It is understood that the Hubley Manufacturing Company who
made the banks are not going to manufacture them again. There are older models of the
Elephant Howdah (Pull Tail) and Trick Dog (Solid Base). The older Elephants were painted
gray instead of white and the Trick Dog in the older model has a six-part base as listed,
No. 169.
The two Owl Banks, Nos. 125 and 126, operate differently and the same applies to Nos.
174 and 175, the Uncle Tom Banks.
Nos. 143 and 144, the Standing Rabbits, are listed individually as one is much larger
than the other and the bases are different.
In the case of the Uncle Sam Bust, the writer has never seen a specimen which he
considers to be original or authentic. Therefore, it is listed twice, under
"Uncertain" and under "Recasts," but is not in the authentic group.
All Banks are cast iron unless otherwise noted.
- Administration Building (Columbia Magic Savings Bank)
- Afghanistan Bank
- Always Did Spise A Mule
- Always Did Spise A Mule (Jockey)
- American Bank (Sewing Machine)
- Artillery Bank
- Atlas Bank
- Bad Accident
- Bank Of Education And Economy
- Bank Teller Bank (Tall Teller Behind Three-Sided Grill Labeled "Bank")
- Bear And Tree Stump
- Bear Standing (Slot In Chest)
- Bill E. Grin
- Billy Goat Bank
- Bird On Roof
- Bismark Bank
- Bow-ery Bank (Cast Iron Building, Wood Mechanism)
- Bowling Alley Bank
- Boy And Bull Dog
- Boy On Trapeze (Frenchs Automatic Bank)
- Boy Scout Camp
- Bread Winners Bank
- Bucking Mule (Miniature)
- Butting Buffalo
- Butting Goat (Tree Stump)
- Butting Ram (Man Thumbs Nose)
- Bull Dog Bank (Coin On Nose)
- Bull Dog Savings Bank
- Bull Dog Standing (Coin On Tongue)
- Calamity Bank
- Camera Bank (Picture Pops Up)
- Cat And Mouse Bank (Clock-like Cat Face)
- Chief Big Moon (Indian Camp)
- Chimpanzee Bank
- Circus Bank
- Circus Ticket Collector (Man And Barrel)
- Clown Harlequin and Columbine
- Clown On Bar (Tin Figure)
- Clown On Globe
- Colored Boys Stealing Watermelon
- Confectionery Bank
- Creedmore Bank
- Cross-Legged Minstrel (Tin-Tips Hat)
- Cupola Bank (Circular Building, Man In Cupola)
- Dapper Dan
- Darky And Watermelon
- Darky In Cabin (Cabin Bank)
- Darktown Battery (Baseball Bank)
- Dentist Bank
- Ding Dong Bell (Tin Wind Up)
- Dog On Turntable
- Dog Tray Bank
- Eagle and Eaglets
- Elephant (Baby, Opens At X OClock. Lead or Pewter.)
- Elephant (Black With Three Stars)
- Elephant (Gray Moves Trunk Large)
- Elephant (Gray Moves Trunk Small)
- Elephant Howdah (Locked)
- Elephant Howdah (Man Pops Out)
- Elephant Howdah (Pull Tail)
- Elephant (Three Clowns on Tub)
- Fortune Teller Bank (Safe)
- Freedmans Bank (Wood, Metal and Cloth)
- Frog On Arched Track (Tin)
- Frog On Rock
- Frog On Round Base
- Frogs (Two Kicks Coin In Others Mouth)
- Gem Bank
- Germania Exchange Bank
- Giant Bank
- Girl In Victorian Chair
- Girl Skipping Rope (Jumping Rope Bank)
- Goat, Frog and Old Man (Initiating Bank, Second Degree)
- Guessing Bank
- Halls Excelsior
- Halls Lilliput
- Hen And Chick
- Hindu (Bust With Turban)
- Hold The Fort
- Home Bank
- Home Bank (Tin)
- Horse Race
- Humpty Dumpty
- Indian And Bear (Bear Hunt)
- Initiating Bank First Degree
- Jolly Nigger
- Jonah And The Whale
- Jonah And The Whale (Jonah Emerges From Whales Mouth)
- Jumbo (Baby Elephant On Wheels. Moves Head.)
- Kick Inn Bank (Wood and Tin)
- Leap Frog Bank
- Lion Hunter
- Lion And Two Monkeys
- Little Jocko Musical Bank (Tin)
- Magic Bank
- Magician Bank
- Mammy and Child (Baby Mine)
- Mason Bank
- Memorial Money Bank
- Merry-Go-Round
- Mikado Bank
- Milking Cow
- Mamma Katzenjammer
- Monkey (Drops Coin In Stomach)
- Monkey and Coconut
- Monkey Bank
- Moody And Sankey
- Mosque
- Motor Bank (Trolly Car Bank)
- Mule Entering Barn (Dog Comes Out)
- National Bank
- National Savings Bank (Tells Fortune)
- New Bank
- New Creedmore Bank
- North Pole Bank
- Novelty Bank
- Octagonal Fort Bank
- Old Woman In The Shoe
- Organ Bank (Boy And Girl)
- Organ Bank (Cat and Dog)
- Organ Bank (Monkey)
- Organ Bank (Miniature)
- Organ Grinder and Performing Bear
- Owl (Turns Head)
- Owl (Slot in Book)
- Owl (Slot in Head)
- Paddy And The Pig (Shamrock Bank)
- Panorama Bank
- Patronize The Blind Man And His Dog
- Peg-Leg Beggar
- Pelican (Man in Bill)
- Perfection Registering Bank
- Picture Gallery
- Pig In High Chair
- Pistol Bank
- Preacher In The Pulpit
- Presto Bank (Small Building)
- Presto Savings Bank (Wood and Metal. Mouse on Roof.)
- Professor Pug Frog And His Great Bicycle Feat
- Pump And Bucket
- Punch And Judy
- Rabbit In Cabbage
- Rabbit (Standing Large)
- Rabbit (Standing Small)
- Reclining Chinaman
- Red Riding Hood
- Registering Dime Savings Bank (Mechanical Clock)
- Rival Bank
- Roller Skating Bank
- Rooster Crowing
- Safety Locomotive
- Santa Claus
- Schley Bottling Up Cervera Bank
- Shoot The Chute Bank
- Snap It Bank (Small Eight-Sided Building)
- Speaking Dog
- Sportsman Bank (Fowler Shoots Bird)
- Springing Cat (Cat And Mouse. Lead or Pewter.)
- Squirrel And Tree Stump
- Stump Speaker
- Tabby Bank
- Tammany Bank
- Target Bank (Fort and Cannon)
- Teddy And The Bear
- Toad In Den (Tin)
- Toad On Stump
- Trapeze Bank (Two Men)
- Tree Bank (Boy Robbing Birds Nest)
- Trick Dog (Six Part Base)
- Trick Dog (Solid Base)
- Turtle Bank
- Uncle Remus
- Uncle Sam
- Uncle Tom
- Uncle Tom (No Lapels)
- U.S. Bank
- U.S. and Spain Bank
- Watch Dog Safe
- Weedens Plantation (Tin. Wind Up.)
- William Tell
- Winner Savings Bank (Tin)
- Wireless Bank (Tin)
- Worlds Fair Bank (Columbus and Indian)
- Zoo Bank
FOREIGN BANKS English and German:
- British Lion (Tin)
- Dinah
- Elephant (Tin. Swallows Coin When Tail Is Pressed)
- Football Bank
- Frog And Snake (Tin)
- Hoopla Bank
- John Bull Bank
- Jolly Nigger (Butterfly Tie)
- Jolly Nigger (High Hat)
- Little High Hat
- Little Joe
- Little Moe
- Minstrel (Tin)
- Monkey And Parrot (Tin)
- Monkey With Tray (Tin)
- Scotchman (Tin)
- Signal Cabin (Tin)
- Stollwerck Vending (Tin)
- Thrifty Tom (Tin)
- Wimbledon Bank
PATTERNS Made of lead, bronze or brass:
- Aunt Dina And The Fairy
- Blacksmith
- Called Out Bank
- Halls Yankee Notion Bank
- Help The Blind
- Moon Face
- Twin Bank
- Wishbone Bank
UNCERTAIN Not sure they are true banks or if authentic:
- Alligator In Tin Trough
- Baby Elephant Bank
- Bull Tosses Boy In Well (Brass)
- Chinaman In Boat Rat On Tray (Lead or Pewter)
- Jack On Roof
- Sambo
- Safe (Top Springs Open)
- Shoot That Hat
- Tank Bank
- Uncle Sam Bust
- Woodpecker (Tin)
RECASTS Banks that have been cast by using original specimens as patterns:
- Bear And Tree Stump
- Bear Standing (Slot in Chest)
- Bill E. Grin
- Bird On Roof
- Bismark
- Boy And Bull Dog
- Bucking Goat
- Bucking Mule With Rider
- Bull Dog Standing
- Elephant Locked Howdah
- Gem Bank
- Jolly Nigger (All Types)
- Jonah And The Whale
- Tabby Bank
- Uncle Sam Bust
FAKES:
- Banks that have been completely made to fool collectors.
Examples: Long May It Wave and Carnival.
- Toys that have been altered and made into banks.
Example: Elephant On Wheels (Moves Trunk).
- Toy parts or bank parts that have been assembled to
make a mechanical bank.
Examples: Ferris Wheel and Cat Chasing Mouse In Building.
- Still banks altered to make them mechanical.
Examples: Bull With Movable Horns, Lost Dog, and Barrel With Movable Arms.
- Barrel With Movable Arms
- Bucking Goat With Rider
- Bull And Bear (Cast Iron and Brass)
- Bull With Movable Horns
- Captain Kidd
- Cat Chasing Mouse In Building
- Clock With Pendulum
- Elephant On Wheels (Moves Trunk)
- Feed The Kitty
- Ferris Wheel
- Forty-Niner
- Glutton
- Jolly Nigger (Straw Hat)
- Long May It Wave
- Lost Dog
- Metropolitan Bank
- Presto Savings Bank (All fakes have metal building. This should be wood and metal.)
- Squirrel (Lead)
- Target Bank (Building)
- Trick Donkey
- Tricky Pig
- Tricky Pig (Risque)
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