Globe still bank c. 20th century

The Ohio Art Company made this tin globe still bank sometime after its founding in 1908. Globes were popular educational tools that gave children a sense of geography and the wider world, while still banks encouraged the virtues of thrift and saving. Produced in the U.S., the object reflects a moment of expanding global awareness coupled with American economic optimism. The cheery slogan printed on the base - "As You Save - So You Prosper" - suggests a world of endless possibility open to those who defer gratification. The still bank thus weds the visual language of global exploration to the personal rewards of bourgeois life. The social historian might explore this artwork with resources in the history of childhood and consumerism, uncovering the complex ways in which corporations and individuals alike shape the sensibilities of emerging generations. Ultimately, this globe offers an intriguing window onto the values and aspirations of an earlier era.