After reading about them, I went in search of pictures, and it quickly became evident that common money boxes of the early 1800’s were just plain ugly. Still, I decided to incorporate a money box into my latest story and share some of the pictures and information with you.

The practice of collecting coins by putting them in ceramic vessels dates back to ancient China. At some point, a clever bureaucrat must have figured out that using ceramic jars with a small slit near the top as their only

opening would ensure all taxes collected would be turned over to the tax authority. The populace dropped their taxes (coins) into the jar, and once finished, the collector had only to deliver the coin-filled jar.

By the Tudor period, the practice of ceramic boxes had spread to England where they were called money boxes or money jars. We most often think of a box as a square or rectangular container, but in its earliest meaning, a

box was a receptacle made of any material, in any shape, which held drugs, perfumes or valuables. Therefore, it was perfectly logical to call the pottery vessels in which coins were kept money boxes.

During the Regency period, a wide range of money boxes

were still in use, primarily by servants and their children. They were cheaply produced, of various shapes and sizes, but typically 10-15 cm tall and round, usually glazed in brown or green, had a penny sized slot cut into them and a characteristic ‘knob’ molded on top. Nearly all servants used one to hold spare coins collected over the course of the year. By tradition, on Boxing Day, they would smash the box and use the money to enjoy themselves and buy a new box for the coming year. For that reason, these money boxes were also known as Christmas boxes and rattling boxes.

Boxes were also purchased by the middle and lower classes as gifts for babies and young children.

It was customary for a parent or god-parent to give a baby a money box into which they placed a few

coins to start the child’s savings. Each year, on the child’s birthday or name day, family and friends might make gifts of coins which would be dropped into the child’s money box.

As they got older, children might also earn a few coins from time to time which they also slipped into their money box. Typically, the money box was entrusted to the child’s mother, who would safeguard it and present it to the child when they came of age. Though it seems the upper classes seldom bothered with money boxes, it is always possible that a doting and/or eccentric relative might give a more expensive money box to a child and slip coins into it each year on that child’s birthday as well.

Because the nature of the money box dictated it had to be destroyed to access the coins, most were made quickly and sold cheaply. Making square or rectangular objects was more labor-intensive; thus, for centuries most were made in the shape of simple jars with a small finial or button on the top. By the turn of the eighteenth century, potters began making them domed-shaped with decorated surfaces. After being coated with a yellow glaze, these pineapple-shaped boxes sold well, and with the use of simple designs, colored glazes and cheap child labor, many potters developed a steady business.

With the advent of ceramic molding, various shapes became inexpensive to create; thus, chicken shaped boxes were turned out in great numbers. Having a palette of white, yellow, red and brown glazes, they looked quite realistic. Then, as the nineteenth century began, dogs, cats, cows, sheep, elephants and lions joined the line-up. Buildings, primarily ceramic cottages and castles, were available at the beginning of the Regency period and by 1820, were increasingly more elaborate and expensive. Afterward, they were purchased more for household ornaments than for vessels in which to save money.

Very few money boxes have survived since they were smashed when their owner wanted the coins contained within, but I have included some photos of the nicer and more interesting ones below—some from other countries.

Early Staffordshire Money Box Heads In the early 19th century, circa 1820, these were a tuppence a ton, widely made and given to children to encourage savings. However, as the only way to get the money out was to smash them, not many have survived.

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Did you have a piggybank when you were a child and, if so, did you save for a specific purpose? I remember saving my money for our summer vacations and how thrilling it was to buy a souvenir that I selected. It would take several days before I would choose which one I simply had to have! How about you? Do you have any piggybank memories to share? I’d love to hear about them.

Information in this post came in part from: regencyredingote.wordpress.com/2015/03/13/pottery-money-boxes-of-the-regency/  and www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Piggy_Bank

As the readers of my books know, I am not one of those writers who can write quickly. In that regard, I proudly claim to be like Mr. Darcy who so famously said to Caroline, “You are mistaken. I write rather slowly.”

It takes me about a year to write a book and longer than that to get it ready for publication, so today, I am happy to announce the publication of my next novel Darcy and Elizabeth – A Promise Kept which is available on Amazon and Create Space.

Here’s a synopsis of the story.

Five years after his disastrous proposal at Kent, Fitzwilliam Darcy receives a letter from Charles Bingley regarding a promise he made when their friendship ended. Should Darcy decide to keep the promise, it will throw him into the company of the one woman he has struggled for years to forget—Elizabeth Bennet. 

Having just entered a secret agreement with Lady Markham, will Darcy put his future in jeopardy by stepping in to help Bingley? Has time and distance helped him overcome his regard for Elizabeth, or will he fall as madly in love with her as before?

Is true love to be found in a promise kept?

I hope I’ve piqued your interest. Take a look at the cover. I love it!

I shared part of the first chapter in a previous post and the entire chapter in our Writers Block, so you can read them there if you haven’t already. Still, I wanted to share a little more of the story in honor of its publication, so here’s an excerpt from Chapter Seven:

As William waited in the library for the butler to locate Jane Bingley, he perused the titles on a bookcase that covered the entire west wall. Impressed with the collection, he surmised that the estate must have come with the furnishings, since everything seemed much as it was when he and Bingley toured the house years ago, and a well-stocked library was not one of Charles’ priorities. Then, too, Lord Norton had deliberated renting the property because he had two other estates, so William felt reasonably certain that the man would not have taken the majority of the books with him when the estate sold, if any.

Caught up in his observations, William was unaware that Elizabeth had entered the room behind him. Since she was not expecting him to be at the Bingleys’ residence that day, she did not see him either, and turned in the opposite direction. Even so, he was alerted to her presence when she began humming a tune he remembered from his childhood—Lavender’s Blue.

The minute he spied her, his breath caught. Only once had he seen her hair in its present style—at a picnic Charles had hosted at Netherfield. The sides were pulled up and tied with long, pink satin ribbons, the ends of which were now entwined in the dark curls that cascaded down her back. As his eyes followed her lithe frame across the room, he was tortured by thoughts of how it would feel to replace the ribbons with his fingers. Thoroughly dismayed at the path his thoughts had taken, William tried to picture Millie’s hair worn in the same fashion, but could not.   

In Elizabeth’s hands were several books, and, once she reached a small, round table, she laid them there. Then she walked down an identical wall of bookshelves until she found a library chair. Sliding this object along the floor until it was where she wished it to be, she flipped the chair over, revealing four built-in steps. Then, taking the top book from the stack, she lifted her skirts and put one dainty foot on the bottom step. Since she wore simple slippers and no stockings, William had a good view of her left ankle and leg clear to the knee. Instantly aware that he should have announced his presence before now, his heart began to race. Still, in light of the circumstances, he was incapable of speech.

Unfortunately, Jane Bingley chose that moment to rush into the room. “Mr. Darcy, I had no idea you would come today! It was only yesterday that I sent the express.”

At the sound of Jane’s voice, Elizabeth’s head swung around. Finding William staring in her direction, she dropped her skirts and lifted her chin, giving him a stern glare.

Thoroughly embarrassed, William turned to Jane, stuttering a reply. “I . . . I was preparing to leave for Pemberley, but your letter gave me the impression that you were frightened; thus, I came here first.”

By then, Elizabeth had walked towards them. Jane’s eyes went wide when she realised that her sister had heard everything. Before she could speak, however, Elizabeth said impatiently, “You were frightened, Jane, yet you did not think to tell me?”

Jane’s hands flew to her face, and she began to cry, and Elizabeth pulled her sister into an embrace, patting her back. 

“Please do not cry, dearest. I was only wounded that you did not feel that you could confide in me. I want to know when anything is amiss. In your condition, you should not carry burdens alone. 

“It is not that I felt I could not confide in you. It is just—” Jane stopped to pull a handkerchief from her pocket and dab at her eyes. Looking from her sister to William, she said, “Let us sit down, and I will tell you both what has transpired. 

Minutes later, Jane had shared a letter from Kitty that had arrived a week earlier. That letter had informed her that a strange man had been seen in Meryton asking about the former occupants of Longbourn. More particularly, he had visited that property and spoken to Mr. Collins, presenting himself as an old friend of Mr. Bennet. Upon being informed of the calamity that had befallen their parents, he enquired as to whether the daughters were all well. He also wanted to know whether they had married and where each lived. Only the arrival of Charlotte Collins from a quick jaunt into Meryton cut short the rector’s long-winded recitation of each sister’s fate before he got to Elizabeth. Charlotte, being more wary than her husband, had informed Kitty of the man’s inquisitiveness the next day. Nonetheless, by the time Kitty asked for the man’s whereabouts in the village, he had slipped away.  

Already planning a visit, the following day Kitty travelled to the nearby village of Compton where James Parton, Mary’s husband, was the vicar. Immediately upon arrival, Kitty informed Mary of the strange man in Meryton. Consequently, Mary related a similarly odd occurrence. It seemed that a stranger had come by the parish in search of counselling only the week before, and his conversation had swiftly moved from his own concerns to assertions that he knew Mary’s father years ago. When he enquired as to how the sisters had fared since their parents’ untimely deaths, the vicar mentioned that Kitty had married Harvey Thomas, a law clerk, and still lived in Meryton. When he asked about Elizabeth specifically, Mr. Parton became suspicious and sent him on his way. 

Once Jane had finished reading, the room was eerily silent. The look on William’s face was enough to convince her that he was contemplating the situation before commenting. Elizabeth, however, had no such reluctance and attempted to make light of it all.  

“Surely asking about our family is scarcely a reason to think that anyone means to do us harm? On the contrary, Papa had many good friends from university, and upon hearing of the circumstances of his death, why would they not profess an interest in our welfare?” 

Jane was about to answer, when William retorted, “I am afraid that I cannot agree, Mrs. Gardiner. One incident may be logical.  Two is suspect.”

Apparently still angry that he had not made his presence known earlier, Elizabeth snapped, “Mr. Darcy, you may be in charge of all our finances, but you are not in charge of my life! Surely I have a right to live without fear of every person who asks after me.”

“Lizzy,” Jane said, “you have no right to talk to Mr. Darcy in that manner.” 

William held up a hand. “Please. Let her say what she wishes; that is her prerogative.”

“I wanted to spare you the worst of it, Lizzy, but I see that I simply cannot,” Jane said wearily. “Mayhap you will change your tone after hearing this.” Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew another missive. Holding it out to William, she said, “This arrived yesterday morning and was what prompted the express.”  

William took the paper, his brows furrowing as he read what was written thereon. I know the secret about your sister and that child. 

Seeing his expression darken, Elizabeth asked, “What does it say?” 

Looking up, he locked eyes with hers. “Do you not think it time I was told the truth?”  

Not able to meet his gaze, Elizabeth looked away.

“He has earned the right to know, Lizzy.”

Purchase links for Darcy and Elizabeth – A Promise Kept:

KINDLEAND

PAPERBACKNow, for the fun part! I’m giving away four Kindle e-book copies. If you leave a comment by midnight Friday April 15, CST, you’ll be included in the drawing. I hope you win, and it takes your mind off your taxes!

After my last blog post, I heard from so many fellow writers, and a good many friends, who said that they were introverts, too. Many came as a surprise, especially among the writers I know and admire. In hindsight, I fear that I assumed that most writers were extroverts because of their ability to promote themselves and their books so well. Now I know that is not always the case.

However, having so many of my fellow authors claim they are introverts made me wonder how many well-known writers were, too. I looked for a list, but found that writers were always included as part of a larger list of famous introverts. After reading dozens of lists, J. K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss and Edgar Allan Poe were the only authors who were mentioned repeatedly. Below are just a few other famous introverts that were listed:

Clint Eastwood  Bill Gates  Abraham Lincoln  Audrey Hepburn  Eleanor Roosevelt  Sir Isaac Newton  Albert Einstein  Meg Ryan

Mahatma Gandhi  Laura Bush  Rosa Parks  Warren Buffet  Roy Rogers  Marilyn Monroe  Tom Hanks  Candice Bergen

George Stephanopoulos  Johnny Carson  Harper Lee

While I was researching introverts and extroverts, I found that you are not just one or the other. There are a number of variations of each and personality tests that will reveal which type you are.

Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, first published their test, the MBTI, in 1962, after studying the work of Carl Jung since the 1940s. Jung believed everyone experiences the world through four principal psychological functions: sensation, intuition, feeling and thinking and that one is dominant most of the time. Katharine and Isabel gave his theory a practical application: to help women entering the industrial workforce for the first time to identify the sort of war-time jobs that would be “most comfortable and effective” for them.

Here is a chart that shows the different personality types on the MBTI:

And here are what the letters stand for:

The first letter is for introvert (I) or extrovert (E).

Do you prefer to focus on the basic information you take in or do you prefer to interpret and add meaning? This is called Sensing (S) or Intuition (N).

When making decisions, do you prefer to first look at logic and consistency or first look at the people and special circumstances? This is called Thinking (T) or Feeling (F).

In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options? This is called Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)

I thought it might be fun to use this information to categorize some of our favorite Austen characters, and luckily came across this MBTI chart with the characters in Pride and Prejudice already done.

I think it hard to pin-point everyone precisely, but I cannot agree with some of these. For instance, Caroline is ISFJ which is ‘amiable and ready to sacrifice?’ I don’t picture Caroline as either of these. Georgiana is classed as ENFP, which is an extrovert and described as ‘life of the party?’ And Mr. Collins, who is ISTP, does not impress me as someone who is unpretentious—not attempting to impress others with an appearance of greater importance, talent, or culture than is actually possessed.

I do think it fascinating that Darcy and Lizzy are alike except when it comes down to T or P. Darcy thinks while Lizzy feels. What do you think? Do you agree with the type assigned to your favourite character? I would love to hear your opinion!

Meanwhile, if you wonder what type personality you are, there is a free MBTI test at this link. Free Personality Test

A more in-depth test can be had for a fee at the Briggs and Meyer Foundation. Myers Briggs Foundation