A really nice circus type bank, the Trick Dog — Type I, is our choice as No. 242 in the numerical classification. This bank well represents the circus as a subject matter, particularly from the clown standpoint having a fine figural representation of a clown holding a hoop centered on top of the bank.

There are some great circus theme mechanical banks forming an interesting group mainly from the angle of clowns. These include the rather rare Circus Bank, Elephant And Three Clowns On Tub, Humpty Dumpty, Jolly Joe (Tin), Bill E. Grin, the quite rare Clown Bank (Bust), Clown Bank (Tin), the rare Clown On Bar, Clown On Globe, the hard to find Clown and Dog (Tin), Clever Dick Bank (Tin), and the Hoop-la Bank. This an impressive group of mechanicals, all with the circus as a subject matter and all having the desirable clown feature.

Other than these, there are a couple of the Elephant banks and one or two other mechanicals that fit in nicely with the circus group. These would include Jumbo, possibly the Royal Trick Elephant, and the later solid base Trick Dog — Type II, companion to the Trick Dog under discussion.

And last, but not least, the Circus Ticket Collector. Then taking a step further, a collector if he so chooses could justify placing in the group the mechanical which stands on its own with its own one of a kind theme and subject matter.

The Trick Dog was patented July 31, 1888, and made by the Hubley Manufacturing Company of Lancaster, Pa. Hubley made at least three different mechanical banks over a long period of years and as a matter of fact were the last major producer of cast iron toys to go out of the active manufacturing of mechanical banks. They were still making the three mechanical banks in the late 1930’s. These were the Trick Dog (Solid Base), Elephant Howdah, and the Monkey Bank.

The Trick Dog shown is in extra fine all original condition. Colors are as follows: The clown has a red, yellow and blue hat. His costume is red, blue, yellow, maroon and white. For example, half his jacket is red and the other half blue — one leg covering is red, the other blue. His shoes are gray and face white with red markings. He is a highly colorful figure. The dog is tan with white markings and a black nose. The barrel is tan with straps in gray. The top of the base is gray with side and end plates in red. Yellow outlining is around the base plate and the name is in gold as are the two decorations on either side of the name. All in all an exceptionally colorful bank.

To operate the bank a coin is placed in the dog’s mouth, a lever in the end plate is then depressed. The dog springs up and forward going through the hoop and stopping just over the barrel. The coin falls from the dog’s mouth into the barrel and on into the base of the bank. A locking coin trap is provided under the barrel in the base plate. The dog is manually pushed back down into position as shown in the picture, ready for another coin. Nice action and a most attractive bank to have in a collection of the mechanicals.

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