Fire Bucket, "Flying Bird"
name: label: maker
content: unknown
notes: label: Description
content: This bucket belonged to a member of the Jefferson Fire Society, which was founded in 1807 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The image on this bucket is essentially identical to that painted on G12: an eagle, clutching its traditional arrows and olive branch, is backed by a sunburst. Though bucket G12 was from a different fire society than this bucket, it was from the same town in Massachusetts, suggesting that this particular design was the convention among all volunteer firefighters in the area. It is possible that the two buckets were even painted by the same artist. Here, the eagle appears in a crouched position, as opposed to the displayed position on the Great Seal, making the bird appear lifelike and dangerous. The rays of the sun poking through the large cloud behind the eagle may symbolize rebirth and regeneration, or greatness and eternal glory.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
topic: label: classified
content: Fire Fighting
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: 2005.0233.0276
label: accession number
content: 2005.0233
label: catalog number
content: 2005.0233.0276
objectType: label: Object Name
content: bucket, fire
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: leather (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 12 1/2 in x 9 in x 9 in; 31.75 cm x 22.86 cm x 22.86 cm