-Uncle Sam's Three-Coin Register Bank (registering)- still bank c. 1912 - 1939

Curator: The stark geometry of this “Uncle Sam’s Three-Coin Register Bank” presents a fascinating interplay between form and function. Produced by the Durable Toy and Novelty Corporation, this still bank employs a simple yet effective structure. What are your initial thoughts on the piece? Editor: Immediately, I’m struck by its weighty symbolism, it’s this iconographic marriage of saving with the Uncle Sam figure that’s incredibly charged. Black lacquer offset by the promise of gilded reward. Curator: The interplay of dark and light indeed enhances its visual impact. Note how the inscription panel is neatly divided into different functional parts that serve an obvious function and at the same time show restraint as design objects. Editor: And those words: "Nickels Dimes Quarters," "Dollars - Cents" above an “Amount Deposited” counter - aren’t just about money. They're about inculcating the national gospel of thrift to its citizenry. The name 'Uncle Sam', personifying the nation itself, connects it to cultural memory about the American dream. Curator: I agree. One could further examine the seriality, repetition, and strict symmetry of the typography. Look at the clean lines which almost seem robotic – or industrial - which underscores the modernity, it serves as an allegory for modern commerce in and of itself! Editor: It’s also a fascinating social commentary isn’t it? Putting a bank in the form of "Uncle Sam", someone kids would feel they knew. This is like making your country into your piggy bank. It definitely speaks volumes about that particular period in America, but the practice hasn’t died at all. Curator: Indeed. The symbolic power, as you suggest, goes far beyond its material construction, beyond even its historical moment. Editor: It prompts contemplation, even critique. A toy, yet a powerful visual lesson, right? Curator: I found myself appreciating its economy, and that it uses formal precision in a unique way. Editor: Well, for me, the piece revealed much about the convergence of nationalism, finance, and childhood experience in American culture.