-Statue of Liberty- still bank c. 1910 - 1939

This cast iron Statue of Liberty bank was made by the A.C. Williams Company, and while we don't know exactly when, it has that beautiful patina that only time can create. The color feels so grounded, like it's been pulled straight from the earth, and that roughness in the casting reminds you that it's been handled, cherished even. Look closely and you can see where the metal has this almost powdery texture, especially around the base. It's as if the object itself is slowly returning to dust, like a memory fading at the edges. That simple, solid form embodies something far greater than just a statue. The folds of her gown are rendered so simply, yet they convey movement, strength, and a timeless grace. Thinking about the history embedded in an object like this, you can almost see the hands that shaped it, and the hands that saved coins in it, dreaming of a future in a land of freedom. Like a Barnett Newman zip, its power exists in its ability to evoke a complex relationship between the real and the ideal.