Todd Protectograph Check Writer, c. 1920s

Updated August 13, 2026

Lot number	13
Auction	Lockhart Estate Auction
Date	August 21, 2026 at 9:00 PM EDT
Auction house	Bixby Auction Group LLC
Location	Casper, Wyoming

Early 20th-century hand-crank Protectograph check writer manufactured by the Todd Protectograph Company of Rochester, New York, serial no. 875426. Introduced in 1913, the Protectograph was designed for banks, businesses, payroll offices, and mercantile establishments as a safeguard against check alteration. The machine impressed the selected amount into the check with ink and substantial pressure, disturbing the paper fibers and making later changes considerably more difficult. Protectograph check writers of this general design were advertised through approximately 1930. This example features a dark green enameled-metal housing with gold pinstriping, hand crank, sliding check platform, adjustable dollar-and-cent scale, and a phrase selector with settings for terms including "Dollars," "Cents," "Exactly," "Paid," and "Not Over." The patent schedule inside the housing lists United States patent dates through February 11, 1919, indicating manufacture no earlier than that date and supporting an approximate 1920s production period. An interior provenance note states that the machine is believed to have been used for preparing paychecks at Miners Mercantile, also identified as Pocket's Store. This history has not been independently verified but adds regional mercantile interest. The machine retains an appealing aged surface with scattered finish wear, scratches, light oxidation, and signs of prior commercial use. The crank, selector mechanism, check platform, identification plate, and interior components remain present. Operation and printing performance have not been tested. Approx. 16" long.

Todd Protectograph Check Writer, c. 1920s

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