-Professor Pug Frog's Great Bicycle Feat- mechanical bank c. 1892

This is Professor Pug Frog's Great Bicycle Feat, a cast iron mechanical bank attributed to Charles A. Bailey. Though undated, it gives us a peek into the cultural landscape of the late 19th century. The bank presents us with a spectacle of entertainment featuring a frog on a bicycle, flanked by caricatured figures reminiscent of circus performers. These figures, with their exaggerated features and comical expressions, reflect the popular, yet often problematic, minstrelsy shows of the period. The racial stereotypes inherent in these shows were pervasive and normalized in American culture. Consider how such objects, designed for amusement, also perpetuated harmful representations. This bank, with its playful facade, invites us to reflect on the relationship between entertainment, cultural values, and the power of representation. It serves as a reminder of the complex and often contradictory narratives embedded within our material culture.