Bidding opened at $75,000 for lot 59, the Mikado, a bank made by Kyser & Co, Philadelphia, during the late 1880s. The bank, once in the Meyer collection, is pristine and bright and was hammered down at $144,000. When in action, the Mikado lifts and lowers his arms, making the coin move from left to right, and finally it disappears into the bank.
WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. – Over the June 2-3 weekend, RSL Auction Co conducted the most important auctions for the firm, according to Leon Weiss, president of the company, starting with the Tom and Lori Sage collection of mechanical banks on Saturday at 10 am. At that session, 176 lots were sold for a total of $1,766,088, including the buyer’s premium. That afternoon, 238 lots of toys, folk art and a few still banks, property of Dr Gregory Alan Zemenick, better known as Dr Z, were sold, bringing a total of $229,248, with premium. Sunday kicked off at 10 am with an exceptional collection of European and American toys, highlighted by a section devoted to Lehmann toys, with a total of 171 lots bringing $590,760. After a luncheon break, action continued at 1 pm with 337 lots, property of Dr Z, the great majority still banks, realizing $312,096. With all sales combined, the four auctions totaled $2,898,192. Reviews of the auctions will appear in a forthcoming issue of Antiques and The Arts Weekly.
–R. Scudder Smith
