Cast Iron AFGHANISTAN BANK VERY RARE Mechanical Bank Original Americana Toy
This is the “AFGHANISTAN BANK” Mechanical Bank manufactured by the Mechanical Novelty Works, New Britain, Ct. There are no cracks or other damage and it still retains an abundance of paint. The paint is vivid with bright patina and overall it is in excellent condition. Although one of the smaller of the mechanical banks it is certainly large in desirability. The historical significance is interesting. Herat is the name of a province and city in Afghanistan. It is surrounded by a wall 25′ high and 14 thick. There are five main gates into the city. The Mongols and Genghis Khan twice destroyed the city in the 13th and 14th centuries. In the 15th century the city became the center of literature in the East and noble buildings were then constructed. In the 18th century the Afghan tribes came into the city and took control. Persia tried time and again to take over the city but England joining with the Afghans resisted successfully due to the strategic location of Herat in relation to India. Russia meantime was always a threat to India and Herat and was the only serious obstacle to a successful invasion of India from the Northwest. So to sum it up, we have the Russian Bear and the British Lion at the gate of Herat in Afghanistan and the situation is well represented by the bank. To operate, a coin is placed in the provided slot on top of the bank. The lever protruding from the front of the bank is then pressed and as the coin drops in automatically both the lion and the bear move toward the gate. On releasing the lever both animals return to their original positions. The bank works properly and is approximately 3 1/2″ wide, 3″ long and 3 1/2 high. This is one bank that everyone should have in their collection. The item “Cast Iron AFGHANISTAN BANK VERY RARE Mechanical Bank Original Americana Toy” is in sale since Friday, June 19, 2020. This item is in the category “Collectibles\Banks, Registers & Vending\Mechanical Banks”. The seller is “thingsnsuch100″ and is located in Brookfield, Ohio. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Modified Item: No
- Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
- Original/Reproduction: Original
- Featured Refinements: Cast Iron Mechanical Bank