ESQUIRE — April, 1947 - Page 59 |
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ESQUIRE — April, 1947 - Page 59
A Penny Saved and etc.
Our frugal forebears were a canny lot who sensed that thrift was no commodity to promote casually. They inoculated their offspring with the saving vaccine via performing penny banks which gave a penny's worth of entertainment for every copper deposited. These typical cast iron penny-grabbers were popular during the heyday of the one-cent thrift movement (roughly 1869-1910). Here's what six cents will get you with these gimcracks: William Tell knocks the apple off his son's head; the girl skips rope; a monkey pops out of the house, falls forward and so does your penny; the clown swallows your coin; the next clown rotates on the globe; and the trick dog jumps through the hoop and deposits your penny in the barrel. (Banks from collection of Seamen's Bank for Savings, New York.) |
