ANTIQUE EARLY FOLK ART LEATHER FIRE BUCKET VIBRANT 1815

What a beauty!  I am pleased to offer this very early beautifully decorated antique leather fire bucket.  With the name and date totally intact it is a miracle that this treasure has not gone by the wayside.   Name is N Marston and date is 1815.   Wonderfully paint decorated in early folky design.  Great color retention.  Stitching is all there and solid.  It does have condition issues as clearly shown in the pictures.  It is missing it's handle and has paint loss and cracking.  Still it makes a bold and wonderful statement and display and is one of the earliest fire buckets you will be able to own at a most reasonable price.  Totally stable and solid.  It looks like it may have been varnished at some time in it's past as a way of deterring any further paint loss.  I believe this was a common practice.  A fantastic addition to any collection of early Americana.  I have not spent much time trying to find out who N Marston is.  I did come up with the following possibility:    32169. Nathaniel Marston. Born ca 1761 in Newmarket, NH. Nathaniel died ca 1820/1 in West Gardiner, ME.   But who knows?  Maybe someone out there has a better idea.  Or maybe we'll never know.  It really doesn't matter much.  Fire buckets of this nature, when found, are going for insane amounts of money at auction.  I am offering this one with NO RESERVE!!  Measures 10 3/8 inches high X 7 inches across the top, 5 1/2 inches across the bottom and 23 inches around the belly.  Shipping. with insurance, will be a flat rate of $14.99 in the US.  Canadian and International bidders please contact me before bidding as shipping rates will be slightly higher.

Good luck bidding and congrats to the next lucky owner of this rare and fantastic early piece of American Fire History.