A Compact Victorian Desk Bank by J. & E. Stevens

Details

Description

On offer is an original "Home Bank" with a morning glory/scalloped finial on the roof. Originally patented in 1872 by … Read more On offer is an original "Home Bank" with a morning glory/scalloped finial on the roof. Originally patented in 1872 by the prestigious J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, Connecticut, this one is made of cast iron to safely store coins within the perforated gridded structure.
This is an example of pure Victorian Americana from the 1870s–1880s when banks shaped like homes and financial institutions were popular holiday gifts used to teach children the virtue of saving money.
This specific building model is a "still bank" (or fixed coin savings bank), meaning it does not have complex moving figure parts like its mechanical counterparts. Instead, it teaches thrift purely through its beautiful, durable architectural design. The bottom/back plate features patterned airholes to allow a view of the accumulating savings inside.
The design of this hand-painted bank is charmingly modeled after a Victorian-era municipal building or home, featuring detailed Italianate archways, latticed windows and a French mansard-style roof. A decorative crown molding calling attention to the coin slot tops this architectural mélange.
A more than century-old authentic antique patina softenes its original cream-white facade and deep teal/blue trim. The bank’s paint loss and visible iron oxidation are consistent with a genuine late 19th-century casting rather than a more modern 20th-century reproduction.
Signature/Maker’s mark: Illegible (photo #5). See less