Standing bear money box (circa 1900)
This cast iron bear money box was made in the late Victorian era by John Harper &co. John Harper & co was founded in 1790 in Staffordshire, England as iron founders specialising in lock making factories and it was not until 1856 when John Harper junior was named successor that the factories began making a wider range of products including money boxes such as this bear.
The cast iron bear was a very popular money box and thought to be made by John Harper & co around the early 1900. The one held by Sevenoaks Museum is special as not only does it still have its original bolt, but it is also found to still be storing an unknown amount of money most likely saved up by a child.
The idea of money boxes can be seen in use from as early as ancient Greece with models of their temples with little coin sized slits but also in the Middle Ages. As metal was expensive people used an orange-coloured clay called pygg to mould into pots and people would place their extra coins in there which led to it being called pygg bank. It only became known as piggy bank when the Saxon pronunciation as the “y” become a “u” sound and then later became an “I” changing it to the more commonly known piggy bank.
John Harper & co did continue to make many more money box with the most popular ones being made in honour of the coronation of in 1953. The company produced a throne and crown both of which are painted and dated with the year of the coronation.
Post creates and written by Ashleigh Cox whilst on placement.
