WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — With Rick Opfer swinging his hammer, 575 lots of banks and toys were sold on Saturday, June 1, at the RSL Auction Gallery, for $742,000. The sale, which lasted a little more than five hours, offered a wide variety of material including silvered lead banks, ceramic banks, cast iron still banks, tin mechanical vending banks, mechanical banks, wind-up toys, cast iron toys, tin and clockwork toys, folk art and spelter banks.

The most important lot of the day was 521, pictured, Bowing Man in Cupola by J&E Stevens Company, Cromwell, Connecticut, circa 1870s. At this time, there are only three examples known, this one in A+++ condition. The bank sold within estimate for $126,000.

A complete review of this sale will be in a forthcoming issue.