Historical information

This bucket was made from vertical planks of wood with bands of metal around it for strength. Buckets such as this were made by coopers, who had expertise in making wooden barrels. Wood or animal skin was used to make buckets in colonial times when other materials were unavailable. Buckets had many uses in domestic and agricultural life including carrying, measuring and storing.

Cooper tradesmen used carpentry and blacksmithing skills to make a wide range of wooden containers and other objects. They sometimes used water or steam to bend and mould the timber.

Significance

The bucket is an example of a product made from wood and iron by an experienced Cooper. In early colonial timeswhen ready-made products were scarce so the trades of coopers, blacksmiths, metal smiths, carpenters, builders and others were necessary for domestic, commercial and industrial establishment.

Physical description

Wooden coopered bucket; three metal bands around vertical wooden planks that form the body of the bucket. Two lugs extend higher than the planks and have a rope joined between them.