Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Ceramics, Porcelain
Ceramic piggy banks have an interesting history. Why pigs, exactly, and not bank shapes or a tiny safe? Apparently, we use pigs because of language, and a simple mistake. The word “pygg” was an old English word for an orange clay commonly used to make jars, pots, dishes, and almost anything we use ceramic for today. Extra coins in a household were commonly dropped into a jar made from pygg. Language evolved over the next few hundreds years, and in the early 19th century when some English potters were asked to make pygg banks, they made banks shaped like pigs. They were a hit with customers, and the piggy bank was born—or so the most widely believed explanation says.
One other version of the origin of the ceramic piggy bank claims that a young boy in the early 20th century wanted to raise money to help lepers. He sold his pet pig and donated the money from the sale to help leprosy victims. His generosity caused people to call it the Pig Bank Movement, thus staring the name piggy bank. A church in Kansas bears a plaque commemorating the boy and his generosity, and the piggy bank in general.
Who hasn’t had a piggy bank at some point in his or her life? Ceramic piggy banks are popular items today, and are often given to children at birth or as a first birthday gift, as an heirloom and to foster the good habit of saving money for a rainy day. Silver-plated banks are often engraved with the child’s name and date of birth or some other milestone date when given as gifts. And often tradition has the gift-giver putting the first coin into the bank before giving it as a seed for future wealth.
The value of collectible ceramic piggy banks hinges on a number of things like the age, the condition, and the significance of the design or the bank itself (did it belong so someone noteworthy, or was it created by someone famous, for instance.) What kind of piggy bank you purchases depends on whether or not you’re interested in it as a collectible, or if it’s simply because you love the design.
Vintage ceramic piggy banks can be called vintage simply because they’re not in a currently popular style. Be sure it’s not just labeled as vintage, but collectible as well, if you’re looking for an investment piece to add value to your collection. The uniqueness of the bank, and the quality and condition all figure into the price and the value.
Very old ceramic piggy banks will often have cracks, chips or crackling. If you can find a very old bank intact, you’ve probably found a nice collector piece. Just be sure to ask the seller, whether online or in person, if repairs have been made, if any chips have been glued, or if any type of re-glazing has been done to the bank. You’ll want one as close to its original condition as possible.
Originally posted 2008-10-29 14:00:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Stained Glass Windows Antiques -> Architectural and Garden -> Stained Glass Windows-> Pre-1900 Stained glass windows are more than just functional windows, they are works of art that can express exalted meanings or simply beautify a room. When you are shopping for antique stained glass, it’s important to understand the amount of time...... -
Antique Bicycles Antiques Antique bicycles, even ones as recent as the 1950s and 1960s, are highly sought out and prized among collectors today. Certain brands and types of bicycles are snapped up and restored by bike aficionados who pay far more for the bicycles than they cost when they were new. Some...... - Antique Lamps Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Lamps There is a huge market right now for collectible antique lamps and these functional decorative collectibles can brighten any home. If you’re looking for a collectible that is not only beautiful but also functional, antique lamps are the perfect answer. There are literally hundreds......
- Depression Glass Antiques -> Decorative Arts -> Glass The history of Depression Glass is actually quite fascinating and it is a true testimony to its appeal that decades later it is still in high demand. These colorful glass items were made to be cheap, they had to be in order to sell......
-
Silk Screen Dealers -> Antiques -> Asian For anyone who enjoys Asian art, an antique silk screen can make a gorgeous addition to your home. Paintings and even silkscreened prints with an Asian theme can give a room a distinct atmosphere, but there’s nothing quite like a paneled screen that can be......
Related Websites -
Bank of America, Capital One, Chase and Discover Caught Actively Working to Undermine Bankruptcy Laws. When you file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, youâll receive a nasty mark on your credit report for the next decade, but the plus side is that you get to get rid of all of your unsecured debts. Itâs not as easy to get a Chapter 7 bankruptcy anymore due to...... -
Shh! Be Vewy Vewy Qwiet, Banks Getting More Than $700 Billion Wells Fargo was interested in buying Wachovia, but couldn't beat Citi's offer of $1. Wells Fargo walked away. But, two days later they came out of the blue and offered 7x as much as Citi. Why? Did they notice something on the books of Wachovia that NO ONE else...... -
Double the Income or Double the Expense Till Death Do Us Part Getting married is stressful and emotional, but when it comes to handling finances, things can get really scary. You’ll be combining two incomes in most cases and many people get the impression that they can start spending twice as much. This usually leads to double the expenses and a lot...... - The Infinite Banking Concept Fact Or Fiction? Here are the historical facts of a case study regarding a practitioner of the Infinite Banking Concept as outlined in the book, Becoming Your Own Banker, by R. Nelson Nash. A male that is 45 years of age An annual premium consisting of $30,000 being paid into a dividend......
- Are Banks Unethical in Charging Interest? A commenter last week on Trent's article about whether or not it's ethical to walk out on a mortgage said something that I feel needs to be addressed. He wrote: I must say that at first when I read this title I thought that it could be pretty cool to......
