-Toy Blocks- nesting set of four still bank c. late 19th century

This nesting set of four still banks was made by an anonymous maker out of wood, and decorated with printed paper. The boxes are clearly indebted to the traditions of toy-making, but also to something more: a culture of thrift. The smallest box is inscribed “Cock Robin Junior Savings Bank,” suggesting the boxes were intended to inculcate the habit of saving in children, perhaps in a pedagogical effort to promote economic stability. The boxes have a handmade quality, and are an intriguing reminder of the intimate connection between childhood, commerce, and cultural values. Notice the patina of the boxes: their worn surfaces and distressed printing are not flaws, but rather evidence of the handling and use they have experienced over time. This history of use is part of the object’s aesthetic, and is as much about social history, as art history.