-Captain Kidd- (converted semi-mechanical) mechanical bank c. 1901

This -Captain Kidd- mechanical bank was made anonymously, and you can tell it’s all about the action. The artist is all about layering, building up this figure from the ground up. Look at the way the paint's been applied, thick in some areas, almost scraped away in others, like the green at the base. It gives the whole thing a kind of haunted, time-worn feel, like it's been unearthed from a pirate's buried treasure. See how Captain Kidd is leaning on the shovel? It’s almost like he is frozen in time, mid-action. You know, this reminds me a little of Red Grooms, but with a folk art twist. It's this sense of capturing a fleeting moment, but with a kind of rough-and-tumble energy that makes it feel so alive. It’s a reminder that art isn't about perfection; it's about capturing the messy, unpredictable, and beautifully flawed experience of being human.