Antisemitic figurine in the shape of an open-mouthed Jew used as a “swallowing” money box. [Canada, 19th century]. Cast copper.
Figurine in the shape of a Jewish head with an open mouth, protruding teeth, large ears, and one eye winking. On his head is a fig leaf instead of a kippah, inscribed with: London Canada, apparently referring to the city of London, Ontario, Canada. The open mouth is used for inserting coins in a way that prevents them from being removed – an allusion to the Jew who swallows money and covers his crimes with a fig leaf. The model before us bears no manufacturer’s name, but it is identical to a figurine produced by the company Schäfer & Vater, which operated in Rudolstadt, Germany, in the late 19th century, portraying the same character as a salt shaker.
See the permanent exhibition at Yad Vashem Museum in Jerusalem in the section displaying antisemitic items. The same figure also appears in Anti Judischer Nippes und populare Judenbilder by Falk Wiesemann, 2006, catalog item 115.
Size: 9×6×7 cm. Peeling on the front. Good condition.
