Antique Cast Iron Mechanical Bank PUNCH AND JUDY

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http://www.opamerica.com Presenting an original, rare, antique cast iron PUNCH AND JUDY mechanical bank. This is an ORIGINAL, NOT REPRODUCTION, bank. • • The action of this particular bank functions well, and the spring is still strong. As can be seen in the photos, the original paint is still in very good condition for an item of this vintage. There is no rust on the bank, and the castings are all in excellent condition, with no apparent chips or cracks. This is a very nice piece! • • The bottom has printed, Buffalo. N.Y.-U.S.A. Patd in US July 15:84 and July 22:84 • • This bank measures 7 1/2 inches high and 6 1/4 inches wide. The depth is 2 1/2 inches. • • The Following General Info is From www.mechanicalbanks.org: • • A most attractive bank having great traditional subject matter with special appeal to children is our choice as No. 201 in the numerical classification. The bank is Punch And Judy and it accurately depicts this most well known of all puppet shows. • • Puppetry as such would seem to have possible origins as far back as ancient Egypt, then possibly on into Fifth Century B.C. Greece. In any case, by the 17th Century puppets were everywhere and welcomed as an inexpensive form of theatre. The rise of Punch typifies the popularity of this form of entertainment. He started in Naples as Polcinella, a name derived from Little Chicken. This name seemed to fit the strutting, squawking, and uncertain courage, as well as the lovable qualities, of the character. By 1650 he reached Paris, and by 1660 he appeared in London to be called Punchinello, or Punch. In 1742 there was an advertised performance by Punch and Joan, his wife in Philadelphia, Pa. About 1825 the name of Punch's spouse became Judy. Then around the 1870's numbers of Punch and Judy men came from England to the United States. These showmen used a portable booth and operated Punch on their right hand and Judy, as well as other characters, on their left hand. In the last quarter of the 19th Century Punch and Judy were familiar practically to every American. • • The show embodied a domestic tragedy followed by a supernatural retribution, all of which was treated in a broadly farcical manner. Punch himself is represented as short and thick-set with an immense hump on his back, a wide mouth, long chin and hooked nose. His wife Judy is in some respects his counterpart. And to sum this up for now, there was also the dog Toby and other characters, Punch and Judy being the main characters, of course. • • The Punch And Judy Bank is an accurate overall representation of both the type booth or stage and the two puppets involved. Unusually enough the bank was covered in the United States by a regular patent and a design patent. The regular patent was issued July 15, 1884 to C. G. Shepard and Peter Adams, Jr., assignor to Walter J. Shepard, all of Buffalo, N.Y. • • There are eight figure drawings with this patent, and while they resemble the bank and some of its operation, the drawings differ considerably in appearance as compared to the actual bank. The drawings look more like a house with regular roof, windows, door, and so on. Well on July 22, 1884, a design patent was issued to the same men of the same city. The design drawing is practically identical to the bank itself. • • Obviously Shepard and Adams had a change of heart as to the appearance of the bank and the design patent specifically refers to the frame or casing as representing a miniature stage. Bearing this out is the fact that the regular patent, while issued July 15, 1884, was originally filed October 30, 1883. The design patent was filed May 28, 1884, some seven months later, allowing ample time for the change in the drawing, and, of course, this is the reason there are two different patents, the design patent covering the bank as actually produced. It was made by the Shepard Hardware Company of Buffalo, N.Y. • • To operate the bank the figures are first placed into position by pulling the lever shown on the bank on the right. This causes Judy to turn clockwise bringing the tray forward. At the same time Punch moves back and brings the club into striking position. The lever when pulled out locks into position. A coin is then placed on the tray. Another lever is underneath the one that is pulled out. When this lever is pressed down Judy turns dropping the coin inside the bank and Punch darts forward snapping the club down toward Judy. The figures are now in the position as in the bank on the left (see cover). • • In closing it bears mention that the bottom base plate is quite interesting. It has a japanned type finish and the following is cast in raised letters: Buffalo, N.Y. — U.S.A. Patd in U.S. July 15 '84 and July 22 '84 Rd in England. No. 10423. So the bank is rather an exceptional case having a regular and design patent in the United States and registered in England at the Patent Office.

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