This early Disney Saalheimer & Strauss Smile Please Mickey Mouse mechanical tin-plate money bank depicts Mickey posing with folded hands waiting for a photographer to take his photograph. The reverse shows Mickey as a photographer with a vintage plate camera on tripod.
The money bank takes money in on Mickey’s tongue. His ear can be pulled to stick out and return his tongue with a coin placed on.
Saalheimer & Strauss (Salco) of Nuremberg, Germany were well known for their tinplate money banks and they created many examples using a similar format. It measures about 17.5cm high.
The reverse has the motto:
If you only pull my ear
You will see my tongue appear.
Place a coin upon my tongue
Save your money while you’re young’.
This very fine example sold for £5,800 at David Duggleby Auctioneers & Valuers, December 2021.
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