A LARGE IRISH GEORGE III MAHOGANY BRASS BOUND FUEL BUCKET, of coopered construction with twin brass side handles. 76cm high x 64.5cm diameter

 

The mahogany peat or fuel bucket was a...

A LARGE IRISH GEORGE III MAHOGANY BRASS BOUND FUEL BUCKET, of coopered construction with twin brass side handles. 76cm high x 64.5cm diameter

 

The mahogany peat or fuel bucket was a ubiquitous fireside companion in Irish country houses of the Georgian era. They tended to be made to a fairly standard design, sometimes reeded or spiral reeded, with brass braiding for stability and swing handles for carrying. The vast majority are no more than ''16'' high and often are accompanied by a matching 'plate bucket', used for ferrying warmed dinner plates from the downstairs kitchen to the dining room.

Cut turf and for that matter, logs are by their very nature large and big quantities were needed to maintain day and night-long fires. Standard buckets tended to accommodate relatively small amounts of fuel so in more commodious houses the turf buckets tended to be much larger, some as big as three feet high. As they were too large for the 'help' to carry using a swing handle, these buckets were carried using two applied brass handles on the sides. The present lot, that has come from a lovely Co. Wicklow country house, is one such original Georgian bucket that displays the robust craftsmanship these pieces required just to survive. Their elegance too is desired these days by not just the inhabitants of the great old Irish houses but also by owners of modern streamlined, light-filled apartments where the minimalism of their design is appreciated.

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