Exceedingly Rare Stoneware Presentation Bank with Game Bird Finial, Inscribed "Walter / 1892," attributed to Richard C. Remmey, Philadelphia, PA, 1892, ovoid bank with footed base, carved horizontal coin slot, and finial molded in the form of a detailed game bird. Front of bank incised with the cobalt-highlighted inscription, "Walter / 1892," flanked by brushed tulips. Reverse decorated with a drooping tulip emanating from a leafy stem. Body of bird decorated heavily with cobalt, including highlights to the eyes. Bird-finialed banks are among the rarest and most desirable products of the Remmeys in Philadelphia. When found, they typically feature a simplistically hand-modeled or molded bird. However, the bird on this example reveals highly-refined molding, delineating the feathers of the body and wing and slightly-tucked attitude to the bird's head. Its crest, thin tail, and small bill suggest it may represent a pheasant. This bank is one of only two Remmey examples that we have seen featuring this specific type of finial. Among the finest stoneware banks that we have ever offered. Provenance: A fresh-to-the-market example, from a forty-year private collection. Loss to end of bird's tail. A minor, glazed-over base chip. H 8".
