The first Jolly N****r Banks that were made were produced by two makers in the USA (Shepard Hardware Company of Buffalo, New York, and J. & E. Stevens Company of Cromwell, Connecticut.) one purchased the other, & the same patent will be found on their backs = "Patented March 14, 1882 # 12814"

Patent description read = “The Coin is placed in the palm of the hand when the Arm is raised automatically by a small projecting thumb-piece behind the left shoulder depositing the coin in the mouth: the tongue falling back and the eyes rolling upwards at the same time”

Today, some people might find this characterization offensive. However, the black race was then thought-of as a happy-go-lucky bunch, which is reflected by the smile on his face

This bank was by far the most popular mechanical bank-theme of all time

Produced for 10 years by Shepard, followed by another 40 years of production by the J. & E. Stevens Company

Around 1900 manufacturers in Britain copied their design of the US bank, sometimes deleting the patent information, sometimes altering the original design, IE to incorporate a "Top Hat"

This bank is an original UK design derived from the earlier USA concept, it varies in that it has a 2-piece PRESSED STEEL arm, rather than the 2-Piece CAST IRON arm & being devoid of patent details

Cast Iron arms proved very easily broken with rough handling, so before long this design change enhanced the bank's durability in rough handling

This adult father-figure "Jolly Nr Bank" completes a wonderful Negro Bank "family", if included with the larger female "Dinah" bank, & the young male negro "little Joe" (UK made) or the New Zealand made "Greedy Nr Boy" (an alloy bank made here in the 1940's-1950's)

BEWARE approx 99% of ALL Negro banks offered for sale on the internet are modern reproductions

This bank that I am selling is GUARANTEED GENUINE

My guarantee is "good for life" & it covers full money-back of BOTH purchase price AND postage