-Boxer (or Bulldog)- still bank c. 1912 - 1928

This dog was made at the A.C. Williams Company, and it’s a still bank, probably made of cast iron. It reminds me a little of a Brancusi sculpture, though, you know, canine-style. I love imagining the process; the bulldog probably started as a sketch or clay model before becoming a mold, and then this beautiful, finished object. Someone decided on this exact pose, this particular expression, and that little red collar. I wonder if the maker felt the same tenderness toward this guy that I do? You see the way the paint pools in the crevices, darkening the details, like around the eyes? It's just gorgeous. Even though this piece is a multiple, there's something special about the way time and touch have aged it. It has this great sense of gravity about it; a heavy, solid object, with a history, just waiting for you to add your own story.