-Colonial House (or House with Porch)- still bank c. 1910 - 1934

This "Colonial House" bank was manufactured by the A.C. Williams Company out of cast iron. It's a humble object, yet one deeply embedded in the social landscape. Cast iron allowed for the relatively inexpensive mass production of objects, including toys and banks like this one. The casting process gave the house its form, capturing details like the roof tiles and window frames. The weight of the iron gives the small house a sense of permanence. Originally painted, the remaining colors hint at the idealized vision of home ownership that the bank represents. The house embodies the spirit of saving, investment, and the dream of owning property - central to the rise of the middle class. This everyday object reveals much about the values and material culture of its time. Looking closely at the materials, manufacturing, and context of this work helps us understand how even a simple coin bank reflects complex social and economic forces.