#Great #Discoveries #Antique #Salvator #Mundi #Bank #WorthPoint
Image Source: Louisiana Art Journal via PRWeb
The Antique Trade Days arts and crafts fair takes place the first full weekend of March and November in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. In March 2024, over 150 vendors sold antiques, collectibles, arts, and crafts at the 18th edition of the fair. At least one attendee found a rare antique at the event.
Beatrice Collins has attended the fair for the past eleven years, according to the Louisiana Art Journal. She has primarily purchased religious antiques and vintage ceramic frogs at the event.
However, at last month’s fair, Collins bought what appeared to be a mechanical bank of Jesus. She returned home to show the bank to her sister. At this point, her sister said the bank resembled Salvator Mundi, a painting that depicts Jesus Christ dressed in a blue Renaissance garment making the sign of the cross with his right hand.
Salvator Mundi has an interesting history in itself. The original work, presumed to be painted by Leonardo da Vinci, was lost for centuries before it reappeared in an auction in New Orleans in 2005. The painting was restored and later sold for over $450 million at auction in 2017, making it the world’s most expensive artwork.
And now, roughly fifty miles from where Salvator Mundi resurfaced, Beatrice Collins has found a mechanical bank modeled after the painting. The bank could be more than 100 years old.
The mechanical bank is similar to antique examples produced between 1870 and 1910, the Louisiana Art Journal noted. When someone puts a coin in the figure’s left palm and presses a lever in the back of the bank, Jesus’s right arm makes a “blessing motion” as the coin is dropped into the bank.
Collins and her sister are performing research to learn more about the bank. They plan to visit New York City and meet with experts who can provide insights into the bank’s history and how much the item may be worth.
Those who want to see antique mechanical coin banks can view thousands of such items in the WorthPoint Price Guide.
Dan Kobialka is a self-employed content writer and editor with about a decade of experience. He produces content across a wide range of industries, including antiques, insurance, and real estate. To learn more about Dan, please visit his website.
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