-Artillery Bank 19th-20th century

Peter Adams' "Artillery Bank" is a cast iron mechanical bank of unknown date, embodying early American industrial ingenuity and the era's complex relationship with militarism. These coin banks, often marketed to children, were more than mere toys; they instilled values of saving while subtly normalizing military power. The soldier standing proudly beside the cannon highlights the romanticized vision of military service, a narrative carefully crafted and perpetuated in popular culture. In a time when war and conflict shaped global politics, such objects encouraged a sense of national pride, but also a certain detachment from the realities of warfare. Consider how this object, designed to hold wealth, is intertwined with images of military might, revealing connections between economic prosperity and the projection of power. It prompts us to consider what values and narratives we embed in the objects we create and cherish.