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.