Details
Description
Offered is a late 19th to early 20th-century antique cast iron safe-style still coin bank titled "Jewel Safe", produced by …
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Offered is a late 19th to early 20th-century antique cast iron safe-style still coin bank titled "Jewel Safe", produced by the renowned J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, Connecticut (circa 1897–1907).
This heavily ornamented Victorian safe features rich high-relief relief castings on all six surfaces:
Front Door: Embossed with high-relief script reading "Jewel SAFE" adorned with floral sprays and a keyhole.
Side Panels: Deeply cast vignettes featuring Victorian figures.
Back Panel: Intricate floral, foliate, and bird motifs.
Top Panel: Scrollwork surround with an integrated bail handle and top coin slot.
Base Panel: Features a perforated ventilation layout embossed with "PAT APLD FOR" along the top edge and catalog mold mark "1847" along the bottom edge.
The bank retains a well-preserved original gold/gilt washed finish exhibiting honest edge wear, softening, and oxidation typical of 120+ year old antique cast iron. It comes complete with a working key on a vintage ball chain, operating the internal locking mechanism smoothly. Internal structural tension is secured by a long central square-nut vertical threaded tie-rod.
Historical Provenance & Design Significance:
Produced at the height of America's Gilded Age by the J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, Connecticut, this "Jewel Safe" exemplifies Victorian decorative ironwork applied to miniature utilitarian objects. The piece features high-relief floral sprays, scrollwork, and figurative side panels that mirror the grand full-sized floor safes of 19th-century banking institutions.
Curator's Note & Decorative Utility:
An extraordinary sculptural accessory for traditional, dark academia, or eclectic interiors. With its lustrous antique gold patina and functioning locking mechanism, this miniature safe serves as a sophisticated desktop curiosity, paperweight, or decorative trinket safe for a bookshelf, mantel, or executive desk setup.
Origin & Age
Manufacturer: J. & E. Stevens Company (Cromwell, Connecticut, USA)
Era / Circa: Late Victorian / Turn-of-the-Century (c. 1897–1907)
Origin: United States
Material & Dimensions
Material: Heavy Cast Iron (Gilt/Gold Lacquer Finish)
Height: Approx. 6.5″ to top of handle
Width: Approx. 3.75″
Depth: Approx. 3.25″
Weight: 2 lbs 3.1 oz
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- Dimensions
- 3.75ʺW × 3.25ʺD × 6.5ʺH
- Styles
- Early American
- Period
- Late 19th Century
- Country of Origin
- United States
- Item Type
- Vintage, Antique or Pre-owned
- Materials
- Cast Iron
- Condition
- Good Condition, Original Condition Unaltered, Some Imperfections
- Color
- Bronze
- Condition Notes
- Very Good Antique Condition. The iron casting remains structurally sound with no cracks, chips, repairs, or welded breaks noticed. The … moreVery Good Antique Condition. The iron casting remains structurally sound with no cracks, chips, repairs, or welded breaks noticed. The original gold finish shows age-appropriate thinning, edge rubs, and light surface oxidation (patina). The door hinges cleanly, and the lock mechanism turns smoothly with the included key. The central assembly rod and square securing nut are intact and original. less
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