Antique Cast Iron Battleship Oregon Still Penny Bank J&e Stevens Green Paint 1898

Details

Description

Offered is an authentic 19th-century cast iron still bank depicting the famous Spanish-American War naval vessel Battleship Oregon. Cast in … Read more Offered is an authentic 19th-century cast iron still bank depicting the famous Spanish-American War naval vessel Battleship Oregon. Cast in two vertical halves secured by a single central iron machine screw, this bank features exceptional detail, including triple smokestacks, raised observation decks, dual port openings, anchor detailing, and an embossed eagle crest with shield on the bow. The bank is missing its six removable cast iron gun barrel pins, though the primary two-piece cast iron hull, deckhouse, screw mechanism, and original green paint remain intact.

The bank retains a large amount of its original factory-applied cold-painted green finish with rich, natural oxidation, patina, and underlying iron showing through high-wear surfaces. The lower port bow clearly displays the crisp raised casting PAT APLD FOR, and both sides feature the raised OREGON nameplates. The bottom base profile shows three clean, original diamond-shaped coin trap openings where halves meet, with no cracks, structural breaks, or welded repairs.

Historical Provenance & Design Significance: Cast at the height of American naval expansion following the Spanish-American War, the Battleship Oregon bank represents a prime example of late 19th-century American Industrial Folk Art. Produced by renowned iron foundry J. & E. Stevens, these miniature iron structures served both decorative and instructional roles in Victorian households.

Curator's Note: With its rich, naturally weathered green patina, original painted surface, and strong sculptural silhouette, this antique iron vessel brings immediate historic character and texture to modern library shelving, mantelpieces, or curated nautical vignettes. An ideal crossover piece for collectors of Americana, architectural iron, and naval militaria.

Details & Specifications
Item Type: Antique Cast Iron Still Coin / Penny Bank
Subject: USS Oregon Battleship (Spanish-American War Naval Commemorative)
Manufacturer: J. & E. Stevens Co., Cromwell, Connecticut
Era / Age: Circa 1898–1902 (Victorian / Turn-of-the-Century)
Origin: United States
Material: Heavy Cast Iron (2-part shell joined by internal screw mechanism)
Dimensions: Approx. 5.5" Length x 5.0" Height x 2.0" Beam Width
Weight: 559 Grams (1.23 lbs)

Reference: The Penny Bank Book: Collecting Still Banks Through the Penny Door by Andy & Susan Moore, Page 130, Entry #1450.

Condition Report
Structural Integrity: Excellent, 100% complete original casting with no fractures, chips, missing smokestacks, or stress cracks.

Surface & Paint: Original unrestored cold paint showing age-appropriate flaking, oxidation, surface rust, and honest handling wear. Patina has been kept entirely untouched and uncleaned.

Hardware: Original single central steel/iron binding screw intact; holds both halves tight with zero seam separation. Missing the six removable cast iron gun barrel pins.

Authenticity Assessment
This piece exhibits all classic markers of 100% original late 19th-century J. & E. Stevens casting:
Seam Alignment & Finish: Hand-fitted interior seam lines with smooth, crisp mold seams and minimal excess flash.

Casting Detail & Texture: Crisp, micro-grained cast surface with sharp, legible raised lettering (OREGON and PAT APLD FOR), distinctly finer than coarse, pitted modern recasts.

Hardware: Period-correct countersunk machine screw with authentic thread pitch and age-matched surface oxidation.

Original Paint Integrity: Authentic micro-crazing and flaking on the cold-painted green ground layer over dark, naturally oxidized iron, rather than modern acrylic overspray or artificial chemical distressing. See less