old still bank

by **femurat** » 23 Nov 2015 5:20

So yesterday I went to a "vintage" street market, that is basically a luxury flea market, with my girlfriend. I noticed this still bank but pretended not to have seen it. I was worried she could get mad at me for buying that rusted and dirt piece of crap. Ironically she pointed it to me and said: look, that's cool... :roll:

I immediately grabbed it and noticed the keyhole on the bottom was a bit ruined, but it was a nice piece nevertheless.
I asked if they had a key and obviously they didn't. But the seller told me that for 10 euro it could be mine. I looked at my girlfriend with a fake interrogative expression, because I already made a decision, but she agreed and we bought it!
The funny thing is that once at home she claimed it as hers, because she saw it. Well, I quickly made a "key" and gave it to her. Now, instead of being in a cabinet in the basement (my toys room), it's in the living room on a shelf!

In the evening, while reading the forum, incidentally found a post from a still banks collector. What a coincidence.

Sometimes life is fun

by **ARF-GEF** » 24 Nov 2015 19:53

Hahaha

Grat find and a lovely addition to the living room, love placing locks in the falt they are a wondeful conversation starter

Do you plan on making a more key-ish key for it?
It looks old, do you have any idea or suspicion how old it might be?

(Glad your GF is happy with it and I hope she is not reading this

)

by **femurat** » 25 Nov 2015 4:44

Yes, I'll make a better key. I think this box is from 1960.

Cheers

by **femurat** » 1 Apr 2016 3:48

I got another old still bank, and instead of starting a new thread, I'll just post the pictures here. I paid it 50 euro on a popular auction site.

Incidentally found out that the round hole is meant to insert wrapped bills. Never thought of that. When I was a kid I used to fold the bills and put them in the coins hole...

Cheers

by **GWiens2001** » 1 Apr 2016 8:43

Hah! Nice coin bank, Femurat. Made a key for the twin of that most recent one a while back.

Unfortunately, the bank was not mine. A lock shop called me up to make a key for it. Would like to get one for
My collection someday.

Gordon

by **femurat** » 1 Apr 2016 9:55

Hey Gordon, I saw that on your super cool impressioning thread. You can imagine my surprise when I noticed it was exactly the same as the one I got! Those little things are fantastic

by **femurat** » 7 Nov 2016 8:35

Some time ago I made a brass key for this money box but I think I forgot to add it to the thread.

Enjoy

by **Silverado** » 7 Nov 2016 8:40

Those are so neat! Thank you for sharing!

by **femurat** » 7 Nov 2016 9:05

Here is the part of our collection exposed on a shelf in the living room.

And here is a Fichet - Torino one I got some time ago with a non working key. The key, not pictured, was a bit mangled but turned out good for another one I already had (the black one).
This weekend I tried to make a key for it and failed because the spring is so strong I over-filed it. Once the key turned and the lock didn't open I made another one and didn't file where it was marking, knowing it was the bolt. Got it open but it's hard and will break the key soon. I oiled it a little and moved the bolt back with pliers a few times, now is a bit better but still hard.

Cheers

by **ARF-GEF** » 12 Nov 2016 14:39

Femurat you are starting to have a really nice collection!

by **ARF-GEF** » 12 Nov 2016 14:41

(I mean: also of these little still banks)

by **Silverado** » 14 Nov 2016 8:42

I made a trip to an antique store over the weekend and found one of these still banks. I'll get some pictures up as soon as I can, but it's all stainless and came with no key. It wasn't hard to open at all, and needed a little cleaning up and repair inside as some of the metal around the latch was bent up making it hard to move the latch.