Lot 329: AN ENGLISH LEATHER FIRE BUCKET WITH ROYAL COAT OF ARMS, 19TH CENTURY

A 19th-century English fire bucket constructed from heavy-gauge stitched leather of tapered cylindrical form. The body is finished in a deep red paint and features a hand-painted Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. The central shield is encircled by a blue garter bearing the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense, flanked by the lion and unicorn supporters. A lower scroll contains the motto Dieu et mon droit. The top rim is reinforced with a stitched and riveted leather band, fitted with two circular brass rings which retain the original thick leather carrying strap. The interior is lined with a dark waterproofing material, likely pitch or bitumen. A vertical stitched seam is visible to the reverse.