Toys
Collecting Antique Toy Banks by Glyn Farber
(Contd. from page 1...)Mechanical banks made of cast iron became popular shortly after the Civil War, when several northern foundries started producing them as a side line to their regular business of casting such items as stoves, plumbing fixtures and tools. The J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, CT was one of the largest. Manufacturers competed to see how complex they could make their banks operate. To perform stunts, mechanical banks relied on various combinations of levers, springs, wheels and other moving parts.
The weight of the coin plays an essential role by moving a lever from one position to another, causing a wheel to rotate activating other parts. The more intricate the outer mechanism of the bank, the more complex the inner mechanism worked. So the sophistication of the mechanism is important. Collectors look for mechanical banks with interesting action as well as historical significance. Yes, political subjects were also popular. During World War I, when the production of cast iron was severely limited, manufacturers began to use tin, wood and other materials for banks. Since the 1940s most mechanical banks are made of plastic.