Q:I have a replica of the Liberty Bell that swings and rings. The bell is attached to a wooden block. Inside the bell it says, "J.I. Houck, Pottstown, Pa." Under the wooden block is a label that says "Bailey Banks & Biddle, Philadelphia." It's dated "1832 U.S. Pat. No. 2444611. I'm curious about those companies.

A:Your Liberty Bell is a bank, but it wasn't made in the 1800s. Jonathan I. Houck of Pottstown received a patent for his bell-shaped bank in 1948. Coins were inserted in the slot in the wooden hanger and dropped into the bell, which could be opened at the bottom. Bailey Banks & Biddle was a famous jewelry store with branches in several cities. It traced its history back to 1832 (the date on your bank), when Joseph T. Bailey began working as a silversmith. Joseph T. Bailey II went into partnership with George W. Banks and Samuel Biddle to form Bailey, Banks & Biddle in 1878. The company was bought by Zales in 1961, but the brand name was kept. Following other corporate changes, all Bailey, Banks & Biddle stores closed in 2009. Your Liberty Bell bank sells for about $25 today.