Bidspirit auction | Patronize the Blind Man and

Patronize the Blind Man and His Dog - Powder Blue Inset with Blue Lettering. Made by the J. & E. Stevens Company. Cromwell, Connecticut - Circa 1880's. The Good Samaritan's teachings about generosity and giving alms would have had great appeal in postbellum America. Many soldiers on both sides of the Civil War had lost their sight in battle, and therefore, they required charitable donations to help sustain them. To operate the bank, place your penny in the blind man's spring-loaded hands. As you push the lever, you will watch the dog advance towards the coin and close his mouth around it. Eventually, he drops your coin into the brickwork in front of him. The action of the dog's mouth to open and close occurs because he dips in and out of a channel that allows the spring hidden in his body to function. Condition: Near Mint Condition.