Following through with last month’s article on the World’s Banker, an interesting new find in a mechanical bank, we are again pleased this month to pass along information with respect to another recent discovery, the Clown And Dog Bank, our choice as No. 172 in the numerical classification. This is an exceptionally nice tin bank and the clown motif is particularly desirable. It has fine action as we shall see, quite similar to that of the Monkey And Parrot (HOBBIES, November 1961).

The bank pictured was found in Ohio and is a very recent acquisition of Edwin H. Mosler, Jr. of New York City. He has been quite fortunate in the last few months in acquiring some rather unusual mechanicals, including the one under discussion. Unfortunately, we are again faced with practically no background information concerning the Clown And Dog. There are no markings of any kind on the bank, however, there is a marked similarity in action and construction as compared to the Monkey And Parrot. The same type coin track for the travel of the coin was used on both banks. The arm method for releasing the coin and the movement of the face parts are the same. That is to say the parrot on the Monkey And Parrot has a movable face part that operates on the same basis as the face of the clown on the Clown And Dog. Everything about the Clown And Dog would indicate its having been made by the same concern that manufactured the Monkey And Parrot. This then would mean the bank is a product of Germany, and irrespective of its connection with the Monkey And Parrot, the bank has all the characteristics and earmarks of a German produced tin mechanical bank. As of this writing we would place the bank in the approximate time period of the Monkey And Parrot.

The Clown And Dog shown is in fine original condition and a very bright colorful item. The clown has natural color hands and face with red lips, black eyes, and red hair. He wears a yellow costume with white ruffles around neck and cuffs. His back pocket (where the coin enters) is also white. His sleeves and socks are black and he wears white shoes with red pom-pom thereon. The black duck on his costume completes the coloring of the clown. The dog is white with a brown spot around one of his black eyes. Please note, by the way, that his eyes look up as though watching the action. His right ear is black and his left brown. He has a brown jaw and red protruding tongue. There is a black spot on the left shoulder and right leg. A black collar rounds out the colors on the dog. A red rectangular box for the retention of coins is part of the back of the bank. The front is green and the curving coin track thereon is red. This completes the colors of a very colorful bank.

To operate the bank the clown’s right hand is pulled down into position and in so doing the dog’s tongue lowers at the same time, or the dog’s tongue can be pushed down and the clown’s right hand lowers into position. In either case, a coin is placed on the provided section in his right hand. Releasing the tongue causes the clown’s hand to snap up causing the coin to travel around the track on into the back pocket of the clown and on into the coin receptacle. When the hand lowers for placement of the coin the forehead of the clown moves up and the lower jaw moves down. This gives the effect of his opening his eyes and mouth. The clown’s eye when exposed in this fashion, like those of the dog, looks up. All moving parts, after operating, return automatically to the positions as shown in the photo.

The Clown And Dog is an excellent action bank and the coin plays a good part in the action by doing considerably more than just dropping into the bank. The bank also offers a very appealing subject matter as clowns are favorites of many, including the writer.

New finds like the bank under discussion are always of great interest and stimulation to the writer. It gives all of us something else to look for and this is very healthy. It’s interesting to note the unusual tin banks that have turned up within recent times — such as Jolly Joe, The World’s Banker, Try Your Weight Scale, Lucky Wheel Money Box, and the Clown And Dog. One wonders how they have remained hidden for the length of time that they have. This is all part and parcel of the great fascination surrounding the collecting of mechanical banks.

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