This is an early 20th-century antique cast iron miniature "floor safe" still bank manufactured by the renowned Kenton Hardware Company of Kenton, Ohio. Known commercially as the "Union Bank", this pocket-sized safe features a beautifully cast, ornate scrolling tendril and foliage relief pattern on the front door panel. The single door operates on a fully functional, cast-in-place pin hinge.

The top plate is styled with intricate, open-work filigree casting incorporating a dedicated coin drop slot. The sides are cast as solid panels, and the base features a charming, scalloped skirt border with corner feet. The front door is fitted with a central, non-functional nickel-plated combination dial that acts as the pull knob.

Internal Construction & Base Marking

The interior includes a solid vertical stabilizer/alignment rod, a classic indicator of early multi-part Kenton bank assembly. The bottom panel features a distinct, grid-like pattern of ventilation/weight-reduction holes. Most notably, the underside base plate is prominently embossed in raised block letters with the maker's mark: "KENTON BRAND".

• Manufacturer: Kenton Hardware Co. (Kenton, Ohio)

• Model: Union Bank

• Type: Safe Form Still Bank

• Height: 3.25 inches

• Width: 2.25 inches

• Depth: 2.25 inches

Provenance, Age, & Reference

• Origin: United States (Kenton, Ohio)

• Age: Circa 1905–1915

• This piece was acquired directly from a dedicated toy and Americana catalog sale at the premier Marz auction house. It has been curated with a focus on historical authenticity, retaining its original, uncleaned integrity since its acquisition. 

• Standard Reference: This specific model is documented and illustrated in the definitive reference guide, The Penny Bank Book: Collecting Still Banks by Andy Moore and Susan Moore (Schiffer Publishing). It is listed under the Safe Banks section as Entry #847 (often referenced on or around page 122 depending on the edition), identifying Kenton Hardware Co. as the specific manufacturer for the "Union Bank" variant featuring this bottom-marked configuration.

Condition Report

• Surface & Finish: The bank is in highly desirable, as-found original condition, completely untouched and uncleaned. It retains a beautiful, authentic aged patina with its original nickel/silver-colored plating over the raw cast iron, displaying minor, honest surface oxidation, light rust spotting, and shelf wear consistent with over a century of age.

• Structure: Absolutely no cracks, breaks, chips, or modern welds to the cast iron. The casting lines are crisp.

• Mechanics: The front door opens and closes smoothly. The pin-style door latch and internal tension wire are fully intact and original. The non-functional front combination dial/knob is secure.

Authenticity Assessment

This piece is very likely a period-original antique from the turn of the 20th century. It successfully meets all the widely accepted authenticity markers established by serious iron toy collectors:

1. Casting Quality: The interior walls exhibit the characteristic granular, sand-molded texturing unique to early 1900s foundries, completely unpolished and showing tight, precise seams. Modern reproductions exhibit sloppy, oversized seams and coarse interior flashings.

2. Hardware & Fasteners: The door uses an original, hand-fitted tension pin loop on the reverse of the dial to secure the latching mechanism, rather than contemporary Philips screws or modern rivets.

3. Inherent Shrinkage: The dimensions perfectly match the 3.25" height specification of the historical catalog entry. Reproductions cast from an original bank as a mold shrink by approximately 5% to 10% due to metal cooling patterns; this piece maintains its full historic scale.

4. Embossing & Wear: The "KENTON BRAND" text on the base is cleanly cast but shows minor softening on the edges from authentic shelf wear over the decades, completely distinct from artificial aging or chemically distressed modern recast variants.

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