-White City Trick Bank (or Puzzle Bank)- still bank c. 1894

Nicol and Co. created this -White City Trick Bank (or Puzzle Bank)- still bank around 1893. What seems like a simple object – a barrel-shaped container – carries within it the weight of a specific time in American history. Painted in white to commemorate the splendor of the 1893 World's Fair, also known as the "White City," this bank also encapsulates some of the cultural and racial undertones prevalent at the time. The "trick" mechanism hints at the era’s fascination with illusion and deception. In a rapidly industrializing nation, saving money became not only a personal goal, but a patriotic act. The White City, meant to inspire awe and hope, was juxtaposed with the realities of economic disparity and racial segregation of that time. This artifact is a reminder of the era's complex tapestry of dreams and realities, urging us to reflect on whose dreams were valued and whose were deferred.