-Three Little Pigs- still bank c. mid 20th century

Editor: Here we have the "-Three Little Pigs- still bank," made of metal, dating back to the mid-20th century. It's…charmingly strange. I’m struck by how these iconic fairytale characters have been turned into, well, a bank! What can you tell me about it? Curator: Indeed. It's fascinating how objects like this absorb cultural narratives. Consider the pig itself: historically linked to prosperity, abundance, but also, well, gluttony. Putting them together, and into a ‘still bank’, makes the children’s tale an incentive for saving. It connects the values of resourcefulness in the tale with fiscal responsibility. Editor: So, you're saying the choice of pigs as a vessel is…deliberate, not just cute? I suppose the material, metal, is intended to signal lasting value too, right? Curator: Precisely. The imagery here carries an emotional weight. Children were quite aware of how families managed their resources, and what they valued as long term gains. But what about you? What does this ‘piggy bank’ say to you today? Editor: Well, now, seeing it with your analysis, it makes me think about how much saving habits and tales change! It also feels very much of its time. Curator: Agreed. This little bank does a lot of symbolic work, carrying the weight of cultural values, memories, and aspirations of a bygone era. Editor: That's given me so much to think about! I see now how something that appears like simple kitsch is not so simple after all.