“Ethiopian Flutist” French Musical Automaton by Gustave Vichy, circa 1870s

The term "spelter" refers to a zinc/lead metal compound used to pour and make castings. Because of the thinness of the castings there is great detail to the subject matter of these banks. Spelter banks...

Very interesting wooden still bank with lots going on. All hand-carved of wood with four small circular risers elevating the base. There is a water pump with a bucket hanging from it and a metal pumper attached to the top. A hand-carved and painted brown pine tree is attached at the opposite corner with a large water well to the other corner. A lady with outstretched arms and a "King Cole" type headdress seems to be reaching out to her baby dressed in green who is lying down on top of the well, next to the coin slot. Perhaps she is about to bathe her. A bird looks on from atop the perch protruding from the pump. Dominant hand painted colors are different shades of brown and all original with no repaint. Very nice all original paint and condition with a small chip missing here and there to this handmade, kind of "folksy", and very well done bank (see images). A round circular key lock trap for releasing the coins is on the underneath, along with "Wishing Well German" handwritten on the opposite corner (see image). Whether written by an earlier collector or maker is not known. Dimensions: 4" square x 3 5/8" high. A unique one of a kind piece to add to a collection of still banks and a nice addition to a Folk Art collection (from my own collection). I am a leading specialist in the field of antique coin...

"Sentry" tin mechanical bank is very difficult to find, having been made in Germany by the company Saalheimer & Strauss for the British market. The rif...

Horse drawn trolleys or "horse buses" were the main source of "mass transit", along with trains in the late 1800s in America. Thus they were ubiquitous subject matter for toy makers to exploit as toys for young children. While many tin toy...

Set of 5 handpainted Swedish wooden traditional Dala horse toy. Designed by Nils Olsson in Sweden, circa 1960. Materials: Wood In original condition, with...

This fine, antique mantel clock is constructed in ebonised wood by the renowned Parisian maker of automata, Xavier Tharin (French, active mid 19th Century). The clock face is set onto a curled, stylized pediment atop the clock case. The face is of white enamel, featuring black Roman numerals and signed 'Tharin a Paris', and is bordered in beaded ormolu. The pediment in which the face is set is decorated with ormolu mounts of stylized acanthus leaf form. The pediment is set onto a rectangular frame of ebonised wood, inside which is set a musical automaton...

Fabulous early toy example by the Clark co. This hill climber works great, and is almost totally complete. It's missing it's passenger in the back. Cast iron...

Wonderfully detailed, antique, French, velocipede or toy tricycle featuring the body of a carved walnut horse with steel face plate on spoke wheels and ho...