Berry Bucket

Shakers manufactured an extensive variety of woodware for their own use and for sale to the outside world, including buckets. Shakers typically produced staved buckets bound by steel or iron bands. It is very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to absolutely confirm the provenance of a bucket as Shaker because many buckets constructed at the time used similar methods of construction. However, the metal diamond bail plates, bent wire bail and turned wooden handle of this bucket are typical of Shaker work. It is even harder to determine the particular community that any given bucket may have originated from. Although, I have found that certain specific types of buckets are often attributed to a specific community. For example, many sap buckets are "attributed" to Enfield, N.H., most likely because of the amount of mapling done at this community. The bucket in this photo is unique because of its diminutive size. At only 4.25" around at the opening and 3.5" high, These tiny buckets are typically referred to as "berry buckets" probably because they are the perfect size for a conservative morning bowl of berries. How very Shaker!