Peace and Liberty Fire Bucket
date: label: date made
content: mid 19th century
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: This hand-sewn bucket, dated 1784, is painted with the image of two hands clasped in friendship, a common motif in the material culture of firefighting. The image of the handshake symbolizes the cooperation and community effort that were essential in early firefighting. In the eighteenth century, when this bucket was made, firefighting was the responsibility of all able-bodied members of the community. It was necessary for everyone to provide equipment and to participate in the bucket brigades. Engine companies worked side-by-side with ordinary citizens to extinguish a fire. Surrounding the image of the handshake is a circular chain, another symbol of cooperation and strength through unity. It is possible that this bucket belonged to the Hand-in-Hand Fire Company of Philadelphia. The Hand-in-Hand was founded in 1742, and its members included some of the important professional, civic, and religious leaders of the community.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Fire Fighting and Law Enforcement
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of CIGNA Museum and Art Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2005.0233.0298
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0298
objectType: label: Object Name
content: bucket, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: stitiched by hand (overall production method/technique)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 1/4 in x 8 1/4 in; 31.115 cm x 20.955 cm