The Richard C. Stevens Collection May 22, 2010 - RSL Auction ...

Lot 291 Little Hi-Hat
Probably Sydenham & McOustra
Walsall, England – Circa 1925
There are probably less than 20 known
examples of this bank.
Material: Cast Iron
Condition: Excellent Paint
(crack to top of hat)
Estimate: $3,000 - $5,000
Lot 292 Little Joe with Box
Made by John Harper & Co. Ltd.
Willenhall, England – Circa 1925
A common English coin swallowing bank,
but truly scarce with its original cardboard box.
Material: Cast Iron
Condition: Excellent Plus with cardboard box
Estimate: $700 - $1,000
108
Lot 293 Mason Bank
Made by Shepard Hardware Company
Buffalo, New York – Circa 1887
Though the racism in the
“Mason Bank” is not immediately
apparent, it is, nonetheless, right
under our nose. The bank depicts two
laborers. Who are these men? At fi rst
glance, they seem only to be a mason,
laying bricks with a trowel and a hod
carrier, who brings cement to the mason.
The mason is an Italian immigrant and
the hod-carrier, with his fl aming orange
hair and Leprechaun facial features is a
bigoted representation of the Irish. Our
cities were built by just these kind of
immigrants. Place a coin in the hod and
press the lever at the right side of the
bank and the Irishman throws the coin
into the bank.
Material: Cast Iron
Condition: Excellent Plus
Estimate: $6,000 - $9,000