Antique ca. 1912-1934 A.C. Williams Cast Iron Elephant Toy Bank Green

Description

Antique ca. 1912-1934 A.C. Williams Cast Iron Elephant Toy Bank Green
This beautiful green cast iron figural “Elephant Toy Bank” or “Elephant with Howdah” manufactured from 1912-1934 by the A.C. Williams Co. of Ravenna, Ohio.
This realistic antique still penny bank is of a green standing elephant wearing a howdah. Howdah that means “bed carried by a camel”, it is a carriage which is positioned on the back of an elephant, or occasionally some other animal such as a camel, used most often in the past to carry wealthy people or for use in hunting or warfare. It was also a symbol of wealth for the owner and as a result was decorated with expensive gemstones.
These banks really stand the test of time, but unfortunately most of the time from use the paint fades and chips off. As you can see from our little guy he has been loved and taken care of. It has been cast from two halves that are held together with one screw. The screw appears to be original, with the same wear pattern as the elephants’s side. There is a coin slot on the back of the howdah.
Our example of this still bank is in excellent all original condition with no restorations, repairs, breaks or touch ups. The bank shows the usual patina, chips, scuffs, scratches, and wear that are to be expected from age and use. It is approximately 4” L x 3 ¼” H. This would be a great addition to any cast iron bank collection. We invite you to view the photos to further determine quality and condition.
A brief history of A.C. Williams Co. of Ravenna, Ohio:
The A. C. Williams Company was founded in business in Chagrin Falls, Ohio in 1844. It was founded by John Wesley Williams, the father of A. C. Williams. However there was a big fire at the company, and a decision was made to move to Ravenna. Ohio. Actual production started there in 1893.
Like the other famous cast iron companies of the time (Hubley, Dent, Kilgore, Arcade, Kenton), A.C. Williams manufactured cast iron cars and trucks.  From 1893 to 1923 they produced cast-iron horse-drawn rigs, autos, airplane, penny banks and tractor toys; the line included mostly miniatures distributed through Woolworth, Kresge`s, and other five-and-dime stores. They even produced some tin cars towards the end of the company’s relatively long history. Unfortunately, in 1938 they closed their toy production and continued in other ventures to this day.
*Pictures included are of the actual item(s) for sale, colors may differ slightly in  person due to lighting, cameras, or monitor settings.
PAYMENT
Payments are accepted through PayPal
. All payments must be received within 3 days of auction close unless prior arrangements have been made.
INSURANCE
We ship by USPS Priority mail unless otherwise specified. Priority mail includes up to in insurance. If you wish additional insurance above the amount, you must notify us before you purchase so we can advise on the additional insurance cost. [See the above section on combining items to see how to arrange to have an invoice sent to you.]
We sell and collect rare and unusual items that often cannot be replaced. We understand the need to pack things carefully, so we take the time to do things correctly, as there is no "Do over!" We pack and protect the items we sell, but no matter which shipping service we use, there will always be a few shipments that are damaged, no matter how well they were packaged and secured.
SHIPPING
Please note that the shipping price shown by eBay is for shipping within the United States and International shipping prices will vary. Within the United States we ship via
USPS
unless otherwise specified. We typically ship within 2 business days after payment is made and cleared. Please make sure that PayPal and eBay have your correct address and PO Box if necessary. If you are an international client please make sure we have a valid address for you in English to avoid shipping delays. We only ship to verified confirmed addresses. (US Only) Please note that the price for shipping is a calculation, if the calculation for shipping on eBay is over what we actually pay we will refund any shipping overages to you. If the eBay shipping calculation does not cover shipping we will not charge you more.
We
DO NOT
pad our shipping, the price you see is what eBay/USPS has calculated as your cost based on box size and weight.
SHIPPING INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS
If you are an International client please ask for International shipping prices before bidding/buying.
Please note that delivery times are ESTIMATES. First class international mail can take 2-6 weeks for delivery depending on delays in customs. First Class International is for items under 4lbs and under in value. There is no tracking on first class international in some places with the exception of Canada. PRIORITY MAIL international does include tracking and insurance. It is more expensive, but is the only option for shipping on items over 4 pounds or over in value.
CUSTOMS/DUTY - INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS ONLY
In January 2008, eBay issued instructions to sellers so that all buyers from outside the USA would be fully and uniformly informed regarding customs and taxes on items coming from the USA. The text and format are mandated by eBay. Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to bidding/buying. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up; do not confuse them for additional shipping charges. We do not falsely lower merchandise values or mark items as "gifts" - US and International government regulations prohibit such behavior. Requests to do so will be forwarded to eBay's fraud department. Our international clients are very important to us. Please let us know if you have any questions. Please also note there is no tracking on first class international mail except in Canada and a few countries in Europe.
TERMS OF SALE
Items are
returnable,
however, we ask customers to examine the photos and details of the item carefully before bidding. Items are sold "as is" with no warranties express or implied. We do our best to show and describe any type of damage that might [in our opinion] have an effect on value.
Please ask questions prior to bidding.
PLEASE NOTE
If you believe an item has been misrepresented in error, or you are unhappy for any reason, please contact us via eBay messages PRIOR to opening an eBay or PayPal resolution case. This gives us an opportunity to work with you to come to a FAST resolution of your concerns.
ABOUT US
We have a store in Nokomis, FL (Sarasota) in addition to our online presence.  We are always helping with toy collections & buy, sell, and research old toys.  Even if you cannot make a purchase now, we have select articles and research information to help collectors.  We are always learning and sharing knowledge about the vintage and antique toy hobby.  Contact us if you have old toy catalogs, old quality toys or unique research data to share; it is much appreciated!
We buy collections, if you have a collection contact us and we would be happy to take a look and make some offers.
Thank you,
The
AntiqueToys
team!