J.E. Stevens Co. Ca. 1899 Cast Iron “Victorian House” Still Penny Coin Bank *SOLD*

J.E. Stevens Co. Ca. 1899 Cast Iron “Victorian House” Still Penny Coin Bank 

We have for you a ca. 1899 cast iron “Victorian House” bank manufactured by J. & E. Stevens & Company of Cromwell, Connecticut. This can be found in Don Duer’s “The Architecture of Cast Iron Penny Banks” on page 27 

This piece is in great all original condition with no breaks, restorations, repairs, or touch-ups. This piece shows the usual patina, fading, dust, chips, scuffs, surface rust, scratches, missing accessories, and wear that are to be expected from age and play. This is approximately 3 ¼” L x 2 ½” W x 4 ½” H. We invite you to view the photos to further determine quality and condition.        

A brief history of J. & E. Stevens of Cromwell, Connecticut:   

J & E. Stevens of Cromwell, Connecticut operated between 1842 and into the 1950s and was founded by blacksmith John Stevens and his brother Elisha Stevens. When J. & E. Stevens began, they first started making cast iron hardware, hammers, and simple iron toys. Their metal fabrication line also included stubs, plates, door buttons, as well as, wardrobe, coat, and hat hooks. They are believed to be one of the first manufacturers of cast iron toys in the United States. They manufactured toys such as cannons, locomotives, whistling tops, toy irons, kettles, skillets, and stoves.    

Throughout their time they made a variety of toys and are most famous for their more than 300 types of mechanical banks and cap pistols. The company specialized in cast iron mechanical banks from 1870 until the turn of the century. In 1859 they produced their first cap pistol and by 1928 they devoted themselves entirely to the production of cap pistols. An interesting side note is that J. & E. Stevens supplied The Gong Bell Manufacturing Company of Hampton, Connecticut, and Watrous Bell Toys with the castings for their bell toys. Elisha Stevens later joined George Brown to establish a new toy enterprise Stevens & Brown in Cromwell in 1869 producing a variety of tin toys. During World War II the company closed due to the shortage of iron and the company was sold to Buckley Brothers of New York in 1950.