A white earthenware moneybox (coin bank) in the form of a cockchafer beetle (also known as ‘May bugs’). Slipcast and decorated in a polychrome palette of grey/green, black and nut brown, this type of ware is often termed ‘majolica’. The base is flat and unglazed. There are two almost identical versions of this beetle moneybox, one from Austria and one from Czechoslovakia. They can be distinguished by comparing the coin slot and slight size difference, as well as the fact that most of the slightly later Czechoslovakia versions are marked ‘Czecho Slovakia’. This coin bank has the bigger coin slot and is slightly larger, and hence Austrian.
Both Stoddard and Huebner (who probably copied the description from Stoddard) describe these moneyboxes as Crickets (and Huebner also claims they are porcelain), both notions are wrong. However they do agree on a rarity raring of ‘D’.
Pot ID: AP/1320
Dimensions: 54 mm high. 115 mm long.
Net Weight (grams): 112
Date: c.1900-1920
Condition Report:
Three small shallow chips on edge of coin slot. Otherwise perfect.
