Bidspirit auction | Germania Exchange - Mechanical Bank

Germania Exchange - Mechanical Bank - Designed by Charles Bailey. Made by the J. & E. Stevens Company. Cromwell, Connecticut - Mid 1880's. ”An intoxicated goat balances precariously atop a huge cask of beer. Such is the seemingly inscrutable imagery portrayed in the Germania Exchange Bank. Very little is known about this whimsical toy bank. Early collectors wrongly believed that it was made as a special commission on behalf of a brewery in St. Louis. However, that theory was solidly shot down by Floyd Griffith in the 1950's. There was a Germania Savings Bank in operation in Pittsburgh from 1870 to 1919. Perhaps it was made for them as a giveaway to their depositors. In fact, many of the known specimens of this rare bank were first discovered within a 100-mile radius of Pittsburgh. The following observation can be offered in regard to Bailey's inclusion of the goat for his imagery. This most probably references a specific German lager known in various forms as bock beer. Historically, this beer was produced in the alpine region of Bavaria since the 15th century. Farmers grazed their goats on the same fertile land that the hops and malt were grown on. In this way, the goat came to be associated as visual symbolism for bock beer. Even without this backstory, one can see that the goat is eager to have you turn the spigot so that he can refill his stein and quench his thirst. Bailey produced this curious masterpiece with cast iron, tin and lead components. To operate the bank, you must gently lock the goat's front hooves into the beer keg. Only then, should you place your penny in the groove found in the goat's tail. Turning the spigot causes the goat to spring backwards and guzzle another stein of beer. In the same motion, your coin has been deposited into the bank. This is a truly significant example of the Germania Exchange Bank. In fact, many collectors have suggested that it is the finest in the world.” Illustrated P. 106 in the Morphy Book. Condition: Near Mint Condition.