September 2026 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN 17 Member FDIC ONE THAT PROVIDES. Time-tested Agribusiness banking. /agribusiness and Nebraska History stretched to be longer necked, had their hair coat changed or were painted with brighter red and other color combinations. Many of these are poorly molded and were mishandled while the chalk paste was wet. And even the best of the bulls often show large seams, bubbles or other minor defects, which in some cases, adds to their character. It is always interesting to see what you can find! As you might expect, since the banks are literally made of chalk, a great many have been lost, broken or otherwise damaged over time. Some of the ones I have collected were missing an ear or horn, were chipped or had a broken leg. Unfortunately, two of my recent finds were crushed during shipping. It is very disappointing to open the package hoping to find a treasure, only to find a shattered mess. So, this is where I come in. One of my hobbies is restoring fossils, antlers and related items, so it is great fun for me to restore and preserve these chalkware bulls. From a “purist” perspective, some of the antique value is lost with restoration. I understand that, but I balance that perspective with a need to preserve the past and to keep these bulls “alive” for another generation. And, I usually restore damaged bull banks and make them better! When I restore a broken bull, I repair the damaged areas, clean up the seams from the mold, replace the plug if it is missing and improve the feet and hooves, which rarely came out of the mold in perfect condition. Then I repaint the bull to match the original breed and finish with a preservation step that also gives the bull a deeper aged patina. Occasionally, I have added my own variation. For example, I repainted one restored bull with a Nebraska top as a red-roan Shorthorn for my personal collection. There were no shorthorns produced by the Nebraska Art Statuary, but they were an important breed in the industry in the last century. To date I have restored several Herefords and one Angus for beef industry friends and hope to do more in the future! There are several waiting their turn in my shop. Currently my collection includes Hereford, Angus, Charolais and a black baldy bull, all with the Nebraska map on the top. I also have the Shorthorn bull. Recently, I added a unique variant that I think must have been a Santa Gertrudis bull, which is very interesting. I am always looking for more bull banks and am happy to visit about them. I would very much like to hear your stories and learn more about their history if you have information to share. ~NC~ One of the shattered bull banks is now fully restored – a Hereford with the Nebraska state map – and will be donated to the Nebraska Cattlemen for its fire and drought relief funds. It will be auctioned at the association’s annual meeting next winter. Look for it there! It is named Phoenix! Risen from the ashes. Before After
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