-Tank Bank USA c. 1920s

This little tank bank was cast in iron by the A.C. Williams Company, but, when, I’m not sure. It looks like it was made to sit on a kid’s bedroom dresser, and for me, that brings to mind the whole practice of how we learn about money. The metal is painted a bronzy brown, with all these wonderful details cast into the metal. Look closely, and you can see the tread on the wheels, and the rivets holding the plates of armor together. On the side of the tank, raised lettering spells out “Tank Bank U.S.A.,” like a little declaration. The tank isn’t quite a toy, but it's not exactly a weapon of war either. It lives in this ambiguous space of something in-between. That space reminds me of the work of Haim Steinbach, who also uses everyday objects to defamiliarize our relationship with them. I mean, think about it. What better way to start a conversation than with something that seems simple but is actually pretty loaded?