E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
Bankrupt.
Money-lenders in Italy used to display the money they had to lend out on a banco or bench. When one of these money-lenders was unable to continue business, his bench or counter was broken up, and he himself was spoken of as a bancorotto—i.e. a bankrupt.
