Jar still bank c. 1860

This brown glazed jar bank was made by an anonymous artist and lacks a specific date, leaving us to speculate on its cultural origins and purpose. This ‘still bank’, as it’s known, invites questions about the social values and economic activities that shape our lives. Though simple in design, the jar embodies historical attitudes toward thrift, saving, and delayed gratification. Its cultural value lies in its capacity to socialize children into habits of careful money management. The object’s form, a sturdy and unadorned jar, suggests a conservative and traditional approach to finance. While we lack specific details about its creation, the historian can employ a range of research resources to place it within a social and institutional context. We could investigate the history of banking, children’s toys, and the role of ceramics in everyday life. This ‘still bank’ is a reminder that even the most seemingly ordinary objects have the potential to tell compelling stories about the relationship between art and society.