Antique Painted Lion Still Bank

A charming late Victorian or Edwardian novelty still bank modelled as a standing lion, depicted with a full mane, open mouth, and attentive stance. A narrow coin aperture is cut directly into the crown of the head.

The figure appears to be cast iron, displaying crisp textural rendering to the textured mane and limbs beneath an aged, warm ochre and brown painted ground with darker picked-out accents at the muzzle. Still banks in animal forms were produced widely in Britain and the United States from the 1880s through the early twentieth century, designed as decorative novelties as well as utilitarian vessels for coin savings. The surface exhibits honest wear to the raised points, lending it an attractive, mellowed character.