John Harper & Co., Ltd
Founded in 1790 in Willenhall, England, John Harper & Co. transitioned from hardware to crafting beloved mechanical banks by the late 1800s. Their imaginative creations, like the Tommy Bank and Speaking Dog, remained popular until wartime halted production during WWII.
John Harper & Co.: From Iron Hardware to Iconic Mechanical Banks
John Harper & Company was originally established in Willenhall, Staffordshire, England in 1790 by William Harper, who eventually turned the business over to his son, John Harper, in the 1840s.
Initially, the company specialized in producing hardware and door stops. In the last 1800s, they began making still and mechanical banks. They continued producing banks until World War II, when iron material was no longer available for anything other than munitions.
The company was known for the production of the Wimbledon Bank, the Tommy Bank, the Volunteer Bank, the Grenadier Bank, Giant in Tower, the Football Bank, the Hoop-La Bank, I Always Did ‘Spice a Mule (Jockey Over), the Speaking Dog, The Kiltie Bank, and a variety of Jolly banks.