-Church Window- safe still bank c. 1890s

Curator: This diminutive piece, dating from the 1890s, is called "-Church Window- safe still bank" and is attributed to the Shimer Toy Company. It resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Its cube-like shape makes it immediately striking; like a miniaturized, somber fortress. The weathered, pitted metal has a tactile appeal despite its obvious rigidity. Curator: Precisely. Observe how the perforations evoke Gothic architecture, echoing church windows in its intricate detailing. Semiotically, the bank appropriates sacred, trustworthy architectural forms to encourage thrift. Editor: Let's not forget it's made of cast metal – an industrialized, reproducible material that enabled widespread access to such novelties. What about the red paint contrasting with the metallic grey, any thoughts there? Curator: The crude paint job does disrupt the solemnity; its imperfection ironically enhances the architectural forms by contrasting. However, you're right, the contrast of materials presents an important tension. Mass production juxtaposed with religious motifs. Editor: Exactly. One can see the marks of its manufacture so clearly; that casting process, likely replicated a thousand times over in some bustling factory. This wasn't crafted by a solitary artisan, this piece represents collective labor and capitalist production. Curator: Indeed. The intersection of industry and cultural symbolism raises thought-provoking questions regarding the period’s aspirations of financial accumulation within evolving class structures. Editor: So we are drawn into considering labour conditions, childhood consumerism, and this complicated cultural dance involving both faith and capital... Curator: Leaving us contemplating not only the craftsmanship, but also the greater context of its production. Editor: This bank functions both as a charming memento and a complex industrial object with far-reaching historical and socio-economic meanings.