Antique American Mechanical Money Bank - Tammany Bank

“ Tammany Bank.” ( Little Fat Man ) with gray pants, black coat, sliding coin trap. Put a coin in his hand, and see how promptly he pockets it, and how politely he bows his thanks.

Left : Tammany Bank , on the right  Halls Pa’t.  On the top back PAT D  DEC 23 1873

Produced by  J & E Stevens Co - Cromwell Ct.

Pat. 12-23-1873 # 245,734

Literature :

The Bank Book        by Bill Norman. page 57   Fig. 5420 - a 

Collecting Cast Iron by Alex Ames    page 119 Fig. 326

Penny Lane              by Al Davidson  page 208 Fig. 455

Politicians were often caricatured in banks.

This is a Boss Tweed Bank, William Marcy Tweed ( 1823 - 78 ) was boss of the  Tammany General Committee which had complete power in New York City. He was jailed in 1873 for two years, released and again imprisoned, escaped to Cuba, then to Spain but was recaptured and died in jail. His dishonesty is commemorated in this bank where a coin falls into his pocket.

U.S.A., 

Last quarter of the 19th century.