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Money Box

1953-1958 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This object was acquired for the V&A Museum of Childhood's exhibition Space Age, exploration, design and popular culture, which opened on 22nd November 2007. Objects were selected to fit into the following themes, In the Home, Fashion, Exploration, Technology and Fantasy.

During the run up to the 'Space age', all things space were very popular with children particularly in the United States. This money box was one of a series made for the Strato bank and were probably given as gifts to encourage children to save. Very much like the well known NatWest Bank Piggy bank series that was very popular with children in 1980s Britain.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Diecast
Brief description
Diecast rocket money box made for Strato Bank by Astro MFG in the USA ca 1955.
Physical description
The rocket is silver in colour and in a horizontal position. IT resembles a submarine as much as it does a spaceship, with torpedo shaped end. On the top is a mechanism with a red tag for firing pennies into the slot opposite at the front end of the rocket. On either side of the rocket is a blue star motif with three blue horizontal dashes either side.
Dimensions
  • Length: 20cm
Production typeMass produced
Object history
Aquired at Christie's Fine Toys auction on 5/01/2007 for exhibition Space age: exploartion, design and popular culture.
Production
Made for Strato Bank
Summary
This object was acquired for the V&A Museum of Childhood's exhibition Space Age, exploration, design and popular culture, which opened on 22nd November 2007. Objects were selected to fit into the following themes, In the Home, Fashion, Exploration, Technology and Fantasy.

During the run up to the 'Space age', all things space were very popular with children particularly in the United States. This money box was one of a series made for the Strato bank and were probably given as gifts to encourage children to save. Very much like the well known NatWest Bank Piggy bank series that was very popular with children in 1980s Britain.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
B.7-2007

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Record createdNovember 6, 2008
Record URL
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