Description
John Harper & Co Ltd were the UK toy manufacturer who produced this bank CIRCA 1900 by directly COPYING the work of either The Shepard Hardware Co, (The original holder of this PATENT) that was issued to them on March 4th 1842 (“Patent Mar 4 82”) or from their successor The J&E Stevens Company who continued to make the “Jolly ****** Bank” for another 3-4 decades
I CAN SUPPLY a TOP HAT for this bank for $75.00 you just need to find the correct bolt (NO additional postage cost for adding the HAT)
Harper’s FIRST generation copies included the original patent date, only for the first few years of production of their “1st Pattern”, after which they removed that information from the mechanical bank’s jacket base on the rear, no doubt fearful of having their asses SUED for blatant PATENT theft
They made their unlawful copies for at least 2-3 decades in the UK but the Harper FIRST PATTERN can be readily ID’d by either the Patent date’s presence, OR their coin-arm being constructed from CAST IRON, rather than Pressed STEEL after 1920, OR the Drill-Taped HOLE in the top of his head for attaching the TOP HAT (“High Hat”) as this example exhibits (If the “BUY It NOW” price used? to buy this bank? I can supply a genuine Top Hat for this bank)
CONDITION = Bank retains a very high percentage of its original factory paint scheme, marred only by many microscopic droplets of white paint (undercoat, from building renovation some time during this bank’s 118 year life, These may simply wipe-away with the right kind of “Paint-Thinner”??) One knowledgeable collector has opined that the paintwork on this bank has been touched-up, if so it was a very long time ago and myself I did not find it a detraction (As I had not even noticed)
ALL original parts (Except his Top Hat) are present with NO DAMAGE and NO repairs or restoration. Original base-plate retained
I have a Cast Iron TOP HAT hat available for an additional $75.00 (that requires the bolt to attach)
PERFECT WORKING ORDER
This extremely RARE & iconic mechanical bank is unconditionally GUARANTEED 100% GENUINE un-messed-with & entirely original
GUARANTEED to be so “For Life”……. (Which means you cannot ask for a refund after you die)
My lifetime guarantee of authenticity allows for a full refund of purchase price AND postage costs BOTH WAYS
It has become necessary to mention this because of the increasing amounts of FAKE & MISREPRESENTED “Black American” banks that are now polluting the WWW
INVEST in the REAL McCOY not a lousy cheap reproduction AKA FAKE
