-Umbrella- still bank c. 1930

This intriguing ‘Umbrella’ still bank was made by the Napier Company. The object presents a fascinating interplay of form and function. At first glance, it is a stylized umbrella, its geometric panels suggesting a modernist take on a familiar object. The use of metal gives it a cool, tactile quality, while the text etched on the side, "Save for a Rainy Day," adds a layer of symbolic meaning. The umbrella’s design departs from traditional umbrella form, leaning toward abstraction. The umbrella becomes a vessel, a container, which echoes the basic function of a bank: the safe accumulation of value. Consider how the object destabilizes the conventional relationship between form and function. The umbrella, usually a symbol of protection from hardship, itself becomes a symbol of financial security. This is achieved through the clean, geometric form and the symbolic inscription. It’s a tangible metaphor, inviting ongoing interpretation about the relationship between material culture and personal security.