Pristine Cat and Mouse Mechanical Bank

Circa 1891: Designed by Philadelphia's James H. Bowen and manufactured by The J. & E. Stevens Company in Cromwell, Connecticut, the scarce cat and mouse mechanical bank was marketed in many different paint schemes, and this example with beautiful light blue leaf decoration is one of the rarest and most visually pleasing color variations. This bank retains over 90% of its original eight color paint decoration with no chips, cracks, repairs, or restorations (including its oft cracked base and missing or replaced feet) and would be extremely difficult to upgrade. This bank also has a superb transformative action in which the mouse on top of the cat's head disappears and is replaced with a brightly uniformed cat holding a mouse and ball between its hind paws, turning the act of saving money into a dangerous and perfectly executed circus feat.