-Regulator Clock- still bank late 19th-early 20th century

Editor: So, this little gem is a late 19th to early 20th-century piece from an anonymous artist. It's a "Regulator Clock" still bank made of carved wood. It's deceptively charming. I'm intrigued by how they created such precise details on such a small scale. What do you make of it? Curator: Precisely! It tickles the imagination, doesn’t it? The wood carving speaks of both craftsmanship and… well, aspiration, doesn't it? It evokes a certain nostalgia, taking me back to simpler times, perhaps a grandparent's house, where a "Regulator Clock" might have stood as a symbol of reliability. Have you considered the possibility that it might be less about the clock itself, and more about the *idea* of a clock, about order and… saving? Editor: Saving, as in a piggy bank? Curator: Exactly! This bank blends two concepts: the order of time and the discipline of saving, each essential to the budding middle class in those times. Think about the intricate detail. What does the *style* of the floral shield below the clock face say to you? Editor: It feels almost like a family crest or something, a sign of aspiration or, maybe, solid bourgeois values? Curator: Ah, spot on! I would suggest the creator was not merely making an object, but shaping aspirations in wood, weren’t they? We have these heavy symbols blended together. Editor: So much packed into one tiny object. The craftsmanship suggests value in hard work and delayed gratification. The clock reminds you to take money and saving seriously. It's so brilliant! Curator: Exactly. The past echoes through this small wooden timepiece, whispering secrets of ambition, precision and a certain hopefulness we might be at risk of losing today.