World Tokens

Jamaica, Checks, Tickets and Tokens, kingston, Louis Winkler & Son, octagonal aluminium Threepence, louis winkler & son kingston, ja around 18 king st., rev. value, 22mm, 1.30g/12h (Lyall 215; Prid. 156; Ford 629; Tankersley –). Virtually as struck, very rare £150-200

Provenance: Bt D. Megill 1977.

Louis Winkler (1849-1929), b. Sopron, Hungary, emigrated to New York before arriving in Jamaica in 1881, where he earnt a living tuning and repairing keyboards. In 1884 he opened the island’s first music shop, Louis Winkler & Co, Music Warehouse, at 18 King street, joined in the enterprise by his son Lewis B. Winkler (1889-1955) in 1908. The checks, manufactured by Quints & Sons, Philadelphia, PA, were issued between 1908 and 1920, when Louis Winkler retired, their introduction perhaps because of competition from Cowen Music Rooms which had set up next door, run by Astley Clerk, a former employee of Winkler