-Pete the Pig c. 1920s

This is Pete the Pig, made by the A.C. Williams Company, and he's cast in iron. The choice of material is significant here. Iron is a robust, industrial material, and casting allowed for mass production. It speaks to the late 19th-century context, where industrialization was transforming everyday life. Pete wasn't carved or modeled by hand, but stamped out in multiples. Look closely, and you can see the seams where the mold came together, traces of its manufacturing process. That’s not to say that skilled labor wasn’t involved. The mold had to be designed and made, the molten iron poured just so, and each piece finished and painted. But ultimately, Pete is a product of the machine age, a piece of industrial design more than a handmade sculpture. By considering the material and making of this coin bank, we get a glimpse into the world of mass production and consumer culture, blurring the lines between art, craft, and industry.