Antique 1884-1885 Automatic Bank Punch

Automatic Bank Punch (a.k.a. Automatic Check Punch, Williams Automatic Bank Punch, Williams Brothers Automatic Bank Punch, Roberts Cheque Protector)

Patented 1884-85 ~ Advertised 1884-1914
Automatic Bank Punch Co., New York, NY, and later Brooklyn, NY
Initially made at the Brady Mfg. Co., Brooklyn, NY (1884-85)

An 1892 advertisement claimed that over 15,000 Automatic Bank Punches were in use. The 1892 price was $25. Also, in 1892 the Clerk of the U.S. Treasury Department took the extraordinary step of stating "To Whom It May Concern" that the Automatic Bank Punch had been "found to serve the purpose better than any other machine in the market." Naturally, this endorsement by the Treasury Department was featured in ads for the Automatic Bank Punch. In 1892, the Automatic Bank Punch Co. also stated "We have just filled large orders for the Treasury and War Departments. Over four hundred thousand United States Treasurer's checks were cut by the AUTOMATIC last year."
An 1896 ad claimed that over 18,000 Automatic Bank Punches were in use. This ad also stated that the new improved model cut the number "3" with a flat top, rather than the rounded top cut by earlier models.
An 1897 ad claimed that two-thirds of bankers and banking houses in the US used Automatic Bank Punches.
An 1899 ad claimed that over 22,000 Automatic Check Punches were in use.

This punch is fully functional and has all of it's original pin-striping, lettering and embossing.

The wooden hinged cover for the punch is also in pristine condition.