Magician Mechanical Bank

Q I own a mechanical bank that matches two pictures in Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles Price Guides. It’s priced $3,360 and $5,103. The description is ”Magician” and ”Cast Iron.” I’d like to sell this bank. Who might buy it?

A The cast iron Magician mechanical bank was made by J. & E. Stevens Co. of Cromwell, Conn. It was based on patents issued in 1901 and by 1906, it was in the J. & E. Stevens catalog. If you put a coin on the magician’s table and press the lever on the stairs, the magician lowers his hat over the coin and moves his head up and down. When the lever is released, the coin ”disappears” into the bank and the magician returns to his original position. The front and back plates are blue and the flocking on the stairs is pink, chartreuse, yellow or tan. Over the past few years, prices for the Magician bank have ranged from $944 to $8,400. Before 2012, a few topped $10,000 and few others topped $20,000. All depends on condition and amount of original paint. An auction house that specializes in cast iron banks might want to sell it. Ask about approximate value, sales, commissions, buyer’s premium and taxes. Or try an antiques store. It might want to buy it or sell it for a commission.