Brady collection of high-condition antique mechanical banks commands $2M at Morphy's Feb. 27 auction

The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, March 28, 2024


Brady collection of high-condition antique mechanical banks commands $2M at Morphy's Feb. 27 auction
J. & E. Stevens Shoot the Chute bank. Features Buster Brown and his dog Tige in a boat, poised to ride down a chute and knock a coin into the bank. Near-mint-plus with original printed wood box. Provenance: Don Markey. Depicted in Dan Morphy reference book. The top lot of the sale, it sold for $156,000 against an estimate of $80,000-$120,000.



DENVER, PA.- The revered Bob and Judy Brady collection of antique mechanical banks attracted worldwide bidding and strong prices at Morphy’s live gallery auction held February 27 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The premier collection built over a 40-year period featured some of the most elusive, beautifully preserved banks known to exist. In total, the 184 banks realized $2 million, inclusive of 20% buyer’s premium.

The top seller, a J & E Stevens “Shoot the Chute” bank featuring beloved early comic strip characters Buster Brown and his dog Tige, swept past its $80,000-$120,000 estimate to land at $156,000. “That bank offered everything a mechanical bank collector could possibly want,” said Dan Morphy, president of Morphy Auctions and a bank authority in his own right. “It’s in near-mint-plus condition, has its very rare original wood factory box, and came with provenance from the late Donal Markey, who was one of the most condition-focused collectors the hobby has ever known.” The bank is also the very example depicted in Morphy’s landmark 2007 reference book The Official Price Guide to Mechanical Banks.

A classic mechanical bank, Kyser & Rex’s “Mikado” has the type of complex action bank enthusiasts find irresistible. An illusionist stands behind an ornately decorated table and makes a coin appear then disappear under a hat, only to reappear under a second hat, like a shell game. The Bradys’ rare blue-base version in near-mint condition attracted 13 bids before settling within estimate at $81,000.

Another outstanding Kyser & Rex production, a “Chimpanzee” bank depicts a stern-faced chimp “banker” seated before an open ledger. When a coin is deposited, the figure lowers his arm and head as though entering the deposit into the book, while a bell rings to acknowledge receipt. Formerly in the Stephen and Marilyn Steckbeck collection and one of the finest examples known, it sold above estimate for $63,000.

Other cast-iron mechanicals finishing in the top 10 included three J & E Stevens banks: an extremely rare white-uniform version of J & E Stevens’ “Darktown Battery,” $38,400; an exquisite “Boy Robbing Bird’s Nest,” $33,600; and a near-mint-plus “Panorama,” $27,600. They were joined by one of Bob Brady’s personal favorites, a “Mason” bank manufactured by Shepard Hardware Co., of Buffalo, New York. In near-mint-plus condition with its original printed wood box and provenance from the Donal Markey collection, it sold within estimate for $32,400.

Saalheimer & Strauss (Germany) tin banks made in the 1920s/’30s for English-language markets finished in surprisingly rich territory, perhaps signaling a new trend to watch. An example of the company’s amusing Mickey Mouse Type 4 “Smile Please!” bank, which depicts the famous cartoon rodent playing a concertina on its front and assuming the role of a photographer on its reverse, rose to $31,200 against an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. The manufacturer’s unmistakable artistry could also be seen on the Bradys’ colorful tin Tiger bank, which operates similarly to the Mickey bank, with a lever-activated tongue jutting out to accept a coin. Estimated at $6,000-$10,000, the “whiskered” feline with a piercing gaze leaped to a winning bid of $18,600.

A private preview event was held on the Friday evening before the February 27 auction, allowing Bob and Judy Brady and approximately 15 invited bank collectors to admire and inspect the bank collection one last time before its sale. Auction participation was enthusiastic, with bids coming in over the phones, across multiple Internet platforms and in person at the gallery, with adherence to COVID guidelines.

“Each bank opened at half its low estimate, with no reserve. Some might have viewed this as a courageous move, but the banks were of very high quality and in superior condition from many years of careful upgrading. The Brady name carries great weight amongst bank collectors, and bidders responded exactly as we had hoped they would,” Dan Morphy said.










Today's News

March 15, 2021

Exhibition explores the creative expression seen in Meiji-era prints

World-renowned composer and teacher Martin Boykan dies at age 89

Long-lost mosaic from a 'floating palace' of Caligula returns home

Museums, coins to mark Greek revolution bicentenary

Can Italy's Dante have justice, 700 years after his death?

On a storied stretch of Fifth Avenue, a symbol of Irish America reels

How a museum show honoring Breonna Taylor is trying to 'get it right'

Canada's Group of Seven artists featured in exhibitions in Germany and the Netherlands in 2021

Hindman to present three days of Asian art sales this month

Rescuing an off-off-Broadway theater with a storied past

The Lockwood Gallery opens a solo show of works by unknown Outsider/Visionary artist Bruce Cahn

Pace opens debut show by New York-based sculptor Arlene Shechet in Palo Alto

Paula Cooper Gallery exhibits works by Carl Andre and Meg Webster

Senegalese music legend Thione Seck dies aged 66

Yo-Yo Ma marks second jab with surprise concert in clinic

Arab troubadour Madfai longs to get back on stage

L.A. Louver pens an exhibition of sixteen recent prints by David Hockney

Aaron Johnson's first solo exhibition at Almine Rech opens in Brussels

Brady collection of high-condition antique mechanical banks commands $2M at Morphy's Feb. 27 auction

M+ museum building completed

Son of Frankenstein Italian poster could fetch $120K at Heritage Auctions

Singer, Civil Rights icon Marian Anderson's necklace coming to Heritage Auctions

Metro Pictures presents eight new paintings and five videos by Jim Shaw

1961 Austin Healey 3000 for sale with H&H Classics

The influence of art history on video games

How to look Young with Instantly Ageless Program?

How To Access Genuine Adidas Attire And Footwear?




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

sa gaming free credit
Attorneys
Truck Accident Attorneys
Accident Attorneys

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site Parroquia Natividad del Señor
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful