-Gem Bank- or -Watchdog of the Treasury- mechanical bank c. 1878

Editor: Right, next up is "-Gem Bank- or -Watchdog of the Treasury- mechanical bank", circa 1878, by the H.L. Judd Manufacturing Company. It's this charming assemblage of metal, depicting a dog depositing a coin into what looks like a miniature bank building. It has this somewhat ominous, yet playful mood... like a financial fairytale gone slightly askew! What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Oh, I love that description! Ominous and playful – exactly! What strikes me is how it encapsulates the anxieties and aspirations of the late 19th century. Banks, still relatively new institutions for many, were viewed with a mix of awe and distrust. This toy bank, this ‘watchdog’, cleverly plays on that tension. Editor: How so? Curator: Well, think about it. The dog, a symbol of loyalty and guardianship, is literally feeding the bank. But is he protecting the treasury or simply consuming wealth? Is the mechanical nature suggesting something about the automated and relentless nature of capital? Maybe the makers even intended it to look slightly menacing. Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn't considered the cultural anxieties at play here, focusing more on the novelty aspect. Do you think kids at the time picked up on the subtext, or was it intended more for adults? Curator: Excellent question! Perhaps a bit of both. Children absorb societal anxieties whether we realize it or not, and parents might've seen this bank as an entertaining but cautionary instrument. It's almost as if the toy says, "save, but be wary". Do you have children in your family? What do you see in their games? Editor: True, true. That's quite thought-provoking. I am beginning to think this unassuming 'toy' isn’t simply a piggy bank but an ironic mirror reflecting how we negotiate our relationship with money. Curator: Indeed, it's much more than meets the eye. A complex dialogue, captured in metal! I find my impression of childhood has evolved; now I will remember it as deeply impacted by the societal milieu of wealth, financial concerns, family priorities.