A 'Billy Possum' Cast Iron Still Bank

American, circa 1909

the base reading Billy Possum to one side and Possum & Taters to the opposite side.
the underside of base marked Copyrighted 1909 by Harper.
Height 3 x width of base 5 x depth of base 2 inches.

"Billy Possum" emerged as the nickname for President William H. Taft (1857-1930) during his candidacy following a dinner party held in Georgia in 1909. At the dinner, Taft was served possum and purportedly remarked that he was "for possum, first, last, and all the time." Cartoonists subsequently portrayed Taft as a possum, and this character also appeared on a variety of toys, china, campaign pins, and other printed campaign ephemera.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

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Ben Fisher

Managing Director, Furniture and Decorative Arts

[email protected]312.447.3270

Mr. Fisher rejoined the firm in 2019 after working as a specialist in the American Furniture and Folk Art department at Sotheby’s New York. His areas of expertise include 18th, 19th, and 20th century American, Continental, and English furniture, decorative and folk art. Before coming to Hindman in 2013, Mr. Fisher worked in European Furniture and Decorative Arts in Philadelphia. He began his career working for a prints dealer focusing on works from the 16th through the 20th centuries.

Leah Vogelpohl

AVP, Specialist, American Furniture, Folk, and Decorative Arts

[email protected]513.666.4960

Ms. Vogelpohl joined the firm in 2013 as a cataloger in the American and European Furniture and Decorative Arts department. She became a department specialist in 2017, focusing on American decorative arts and silver. She received a BA from the College of Charleston and an MLITT in Art History from the University of Glasgow.

American Furniture, Folk & Decorative Arts

A 'Billy Possum' Cast Iron Still Bank

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