VINELAND, N.J. — A collection of contemporary politically-themed mechanical banks, featuring figures of presidential candidates such as Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Ross Perot and Barack Obama are standout items in Bertoia‘s Basics two-day sale, scheduled for Thursday, September 14 and Friday, September 15. The items are open for bidding now at LiveAuctioneers (Day 1, Day 2).
Vintage mechanical banks are a hallmark, high-demand category for collectors, so these contemporary items from the auction’s second day — featuring presidential contests ranging from 1992’s Bush-Clinton-Perot contest through the 2008 Obama-McCain election cycle — should draw interest. Designed by Charlie Reynolds Toys with unique actions and in the classic manner of vintage banks, they are estimated generally between $200-$800, depending on the item.
Of particular note is the Ross Perot 1992 bank, with the third-party candidate literally popping out of a box, guns a-blazin’, flanked by a donkey and elephant to represent the two mainstream political parties. It carries an estimate of $200-$400.
Also worth mentioning is the 2008 Obama-McCain presidential campaign mechanical bank, which sets itself apart by including both vice presidential candidates. Sarah Palin sits on an elephant behind John McCain, both of whom, fittingly enough, appear on the right, and Joe Biden, who is now the current president, shares a donkey ride with Barack Obama on the left. Its estimate is $300-$600.
Day one of the Basics event features nearly 400 items from the Paul Cole collection of cast-iron transportation toys. Leading the estimates is a Carpenter Tally-Ho coach in restored condition, which is estimated at $1,500-$3,000.
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