Vintage Piggy Bank Hand Painted Pottery Pig Portugal

Sweet little white piggy bank with a flower decorating his back.  Made in Portugal by Loucas Noe. Imported by Tracey Imports of Lakeville, Ma. Mid century. Approximately 6 inches long and 3.25 inches tall. This playful pig is in very good condition with some shelf wear and some crazing.  The stopper works and fits well but it is a bit beat up. Check it out in our eBay shop here.

Humorous 1974 Sillisculpt Figures

 

It's a bank too

Check them out here

Antique A.W. Williams Metal Strongbox Bank

Wonderful antique steel/copper savings banks built very heavy and built tough. Not a toy tin box, it is a thick wall strong box. 

It has a security feature you can't shake the money out, has spikes that lay flat when the bank is turned upside down preventing the coins from being removed or shook out.The hole in the side allows bills to be rolled and slipped in. 

There is No Key. There is a very interesting story and marketing idea for these A W WILLIAMS & COMPANY banks and it explains why the keys are so hard to find. There is also no patent date or patent number which leads me to believe that this bank predates the patent. I would assume it would be 1890s or turn of the century or shortly after. 

According to the original advertisements, A W WILLIAMS sold these banks to retail stores (with store logos on the banks) who then sold them to their customers. The customers did not get a key but were required to bring the banks back to the stores to be opened. HANDLE IS stamped: Made By AW Williams & Co Makers Van Nest N.Y.

Check it out in our Etsy shop here