Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library

Fire Bucket with Masonic Symbols
1799
Maker not marked
USA: Massachusetts
Oil on leather
overall: 19-1/2"h (handle up) x 9"w x 9"d
Special Acquisitions Fund
81.48

Masonic fire bucket; painted in red, yellow, and white; designs include banner that reads "FRENDSHIP, [sic] IN, ADVERSITY," square and compasses, clasped hands, "Z Stevens / 1799" over remains of old paint; reverse reads No. 1 / 112; leather handle.

To help contain loss and damage from ever-present fires, in the 1700s and 1800s many city dwellers formed groups in which members agreed to help each other extinguish fires and protect property. Zachariah Stevens, the owner of this bucket, belonged to the Masonick Fire Society of Gloucester, Massachusetts, a group which drew its membership from area Freemasons. Marked with Stevens’ name, this bucket could be easily returned after it had been used to help put out a fire. For further information, see Tabbert, Mark A., "American Freemasons: Three Centuries of Building Communities", 2005, p.56-57 AND blog post, February 16, 2016 http://nationalheritagemuseum.typepad.com/library_and_archives/2016/02/a-masonic-fire-bucket.html