Delft Canal House Piggy Bank By Alice on Dec 01, 2008 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

Will a thief know these houses are actually banks? I hope not!

I purchased these delft canal house banks because it was like having a little bit of Holland in my home. These houses are typical of the famous Amsterdam houses you see throughout the city.

That these houses were banks was even better as I could save my change and have a decoration at the same time. My banks vary in size from 4 inches for the smallest store front building, 5 inches for the bakery, and 7 inches for each of the taller buildings, a storage house, and a government building.

The three tallest banks each have a slot behind the upper façade of the house and have a rubber stopper in the bottom. Each is marked on the bottom "Hand Painted Delft - Made in Holland" and the year 1869 on the front.

As you can see from my pictures I have these sitting on a window ledge in my kitchen with various Dutch figurines and a windmill. The weight of the change in the banks keeps them securely in place with no chance of sliding off the ledge.

These banks are made of porcelain with a high gloss finish. The only maintenance is wiping them down with a light damp cloth every so often. The color and detail are as beautiful as the day I purchased them even though this window I use to display them gets the sun all afternoon and evening.

The only reason I didn't give them high marks on accuracy and speed is because that would depend on who is taking out the change and counting it!!