Pair of Fire Buckets

Fire, essential for heat, light, and food preparation, also posed a constant threat. Fires in Plymouth, Boston, Williamsburg, and Charleston, South Carolina, devastated those communities and prompted numerous building regulations and reforms. Leather buckets were used by volunteer firefighters, such as members of the Mechanic Fire Society in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to bring water from local wells to douse the flames and prevent the fire's spread. These buckets were often decorated with elaborate motifs.