Antique Shepard Hardware Co. "Uncle Sam" cast iron mechanical bank, patent date June 8, 1886 cast into the base. Mechanism works. The striped trousers and hat stars have been repainted in orange at some point. 11.5 in tall. Includes a 1988 museum evaluation document. Full details below.
Mechanism: Fully functional. Raise the arm and it clicks into position. Press the lever and the arm drops as the satchel opens to accept the coin.
Provenance: Includes the original Art Service Group evaluation form from the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, signed by appraiser Virginia Rimaldi and dated April 30, 1988. The form describes the bank as circa 1890, patent 1886. This is an informal evaluation rather than a formal certification, and the form itself states that it is an opinion of value only.
Verified Details:
- Height: 11.5 in
- "PAT JUNE 8 1886" cast into the base edge
- Slotted steel screw seated in a cast square recess on the underside
Condition Notes:
- Repainted areas: The striped trousers and the stars on the hat band have been repainted in orange. This paint is modern, sits on top of the original surface, and does not match the age and wear present elsewhere on the bank.
- Original surfaces: Paint loss, wear, and surface oxidation throughout the figure and base, consistent with the bank's age. Please review all photos closely.
- Prior repair: The 1988 evaluation form notes a broken spring at that time. The mechanism functions today, so a repair was made at some point after 1988. Details of that repair are unknown.
What's Included:
- Uncle Sam mechanical bank as pictured
- 1988 Crocker Art Museum Art Service Group evaluation form
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