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1880's Darktown Battery Mechanical Baseball Bank
Featuring antique craftsmanship and moving mechanical figures on top, this roughly 2x9" cast iron bank, patented by James H. Bowen of Philadelphia and manufactured by J. & E. Stevens, is a relic of baseball's days of yore. Though it does bear imagery that today would be considered offensive, the scarcity of these items make them a valuable addition to any baseball collection. The spring loaded, push button coin bank features a pitcher, batter, and catcher engaging in a spirited game of baseball, all depicted in the classic Sambo stereotype. On the front, in raised, red-painted lettering, "Darktown Battery" is written on the front of the base, with two crossed bats in between the words. On bottom, "Pat. Feb 2 1875" is engraved into the metal. This piece is in EX condition, with only minor chipping to the paint and some color fading, and remains operational. Despite the racially insensitive imagery, this bank is from a long-gone time, and should be preserved for its significance to historians and collectors.
Past Sports Card, Memorabilia, Non-Sports Card and Collecitble Auction Items
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1865 First Baseball Cigar Label
19th Century Baseball Tintypes (2)
The American National Game of Baseball Vintage Print (18x24”)
19th Century Lemon Peel Baseball
1865 First Baseball Cigar Label
19th Century Baseball Tintypes (2)
The American National Game of Baseball Vintage Print (18x24”)