Made as toy savings banks, souvenirs, or advertising premiums, cast iron safe banks are found in a variety of sizes, colors, and finishes, and were produced from 1865 until World War II. Due to their numerous parts, coupled with the locking mechanism, they have not been reproduced. This book is the most complete listing of iron safe banks known to date and includes a broad range of additional information, taken directly from primary reference resources, to engage both the casual reader and serious collector. There are nearly 500 unique casting variations identified with multiple colors and finishes represented. This catalog is augmented with chapters that include more than twenty company profiles, 175 pages reproduced from original manufacturer catalogs, over sixty ads from period mail order catalogs, nearly forty related US Patents, as well as trade cards, postcards, calendars, posters, and other ephemera related to safe banks and the companies that made them. AUTHOR: Mike Holz is an engineer for the United States Coast Guard. Traveling over his 30 years with the Coast Guard has allowed him to meet and visit with many other collectors. 910 colour and b/w photographs
