-Domed Mosque- still bank c. 1920

This Domed Mosque bank was cast in iron, probably in the early 20th century by the Kenton Hardware Manufacturing Company. The first thing you notice is its golden surface and the slightly toy-like appearance, but what's most compelling is how the piece connects to industrial production. Unlike a sculpture carved by hand, this was made using a mold. Molten iron was poured into a pre-made cavity, allowed to cool, and then extracted. Each bank would have been nearly identical, made in large numbers in a factory. There’s a lot of hand labor involved in this kind of manufacturing, but the process is fundamentally about efficiency and standardization. The "Domed Mosque" design speaks to the interest in exoticism common at the time, but is filtered through the lens of mass production. The result is a fascinating intersection of commerce, cultural appropriation, and the impressive technology of industrial-era casting. It demonstrates how even a humble object can reveal complex social dynamics.