Exceptional Two-Tiered Stoneware Bank with Cobalt American Flag and Potted Flower Motifs, Dated "1859", Baltimore, MD origin, 1859, ovoid form with footed base, heavily-tooled accents and carved coin slot, surmounted by a second, smaller bank of ovoid form with tooled shoulder, stepped finial, and small carved coin slot. Body of lower bank profusely-decorated with the large underscored date, "1859", along with an American flag and two potted plant motifs, with one pot featuring raised handles and the other pot featuring cobalt decoration to the pot itself. Lower bank further decorated with large swags around its shoulder and cobalt highlights around the slot. Upper bank decorated with three groups of graduated cobalt swags, a brushed cobalt highlight to the slot, and a cobalt accent below. Shoulder of upper bank incised "1". An inspection of the interior indicates that this form is a true, two-tiered or "double" bank, as the upper bank has a clay bottom in it. While highly decorative in nature, this outstanding form may also have served a somewhat practical purpose of separating different values of currency, keeping small coins in the small-slotted upper bank and large coins in the large-slotted lower bank. Imaginative in form and striking in its decoration and size, this work is considered one of the finest cobalt-decorated banks produced South of the Mason-Dixon Line. A thin crack to midsection of lower bank and a thin crack to shoulder of lower bank, both leading to restoration where lower bank meets upper bank. Thin restored cracks to upper bank and an approximately 1/2" restored spot to side of upper bank. A 1 1/2" chip to underside at edge, some of which is visible when bank sits flat. A small, in-the-firing base chip, which is glazed over. Restoration does not include any touch-up to cobalt decoration, except for a small amount to the top of a group of swags, where lower bank meets upper bank. H 9 3/4".
