WHITEHOUSE STATION, N.J. — Slow and steady won the race at RSL Auction Company’s March 5 “Crème de la Crème Twenty-Two,” sale when a Pokey The Turtle bank realized $114,238 against a $60/80,000 estimate. The bank, made by the Kilgore Mfg Company in Westerville, Ohio, in the late 1920s had provenance to both the Perelman Museum collection and the Haradin Family collection. The catalog notes that in the 90 years since its production, very few “Pokey” banks have come to light, largely because of a flaw in the engineering design that caused the springs to break if large coins were pushed through the slot too forcibly; as a result, the company stopped manufacturing shortly into its production. The base of the bank retained vibrant colors that contributed to its “near mint with crisp diverse color” condition grade.

Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium; a full report will appear in a future issue.