-American Trust and Safe Deposit Safe- still bank c. 1887

This -American Trust and Safe Deposit Safe- still bank was anonymously made, and its specific date remains unknown. This simple metal safe, though small, speaks volumes about the cultural values instilled in children of the time. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was a growing emphasis on teaching children the importance of saving and financial responsibility. This still bank is more than just a container; it is a tool that reflects the era’s aspirations and anxieties around financial security. Its very existence suggests a society eager to mold its future generations into responsible economic citizens. What does it mean to grow up in a world where your first toys are tools of capitalism? It invites a deep questioning of how identity is formed under the influence of economic ideology. In our contemporary moment, does it invite us to ask, is there an alternative to this tradition?