"Teddy and the Bear" Mechanical Bank, 1907-1928

01

Artifact Overview

When the lever on the base is pressed, the coin shoots into a slot in the tree trunk and the bear's head emerges from the top of the tree. This bank refers to the tale that Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear cub during a hunting trip in Mississippi, an event that also inspired the creation of the "Teddy" bear.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Mechanical bank

Date Made

1907-1928

Creator Notes

Patented by Charles A. Bailey and manufactured by J. & E. Stevens Company, Cromwell, Connecticut.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

58.100.31

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Cast iron

Color

Brown
Yellow (Color)
Green
Tan (Color)

Dimensions

Height: 7.75 in
Width: 10 in
Length: 3.5 in

Inscriptions

On top of bank: TEDDY AND THE BEAR On bottom: PATD APLD FOR
"Teddy and the Bear" Mechanical Bank, 1907-1928