The following treasure is from the living estate of Ailene & Buddy Ford; noted dealers and lifelong collectors of exceptional antique & vintage heirlooms. The Ford estate presents highly valuable items from a diverse group of genres, 95% + in excellent condition. This exquisite estate has something for every eclectic collector! xxxxxxxxxxx. The AEAA is very pleased to present this recent vintage firkin bucket, a Genuine Woodcroftery Product from Wayland, N.Y. The quality of this small bucket is excellent, and will be a great kitchen or den display. This Firkin was made by the upper NY State company of Woodcroftery. John Plail Cooley established the business in 1935 in the town of Wayland which is located in the New York State Finger Lakes Region. The business started in an abandoned feed mill and in 1956 moved to an old high school in Wayland. The company also was very well know for its wooden bowls. The Woodcroftery Company only supplies first class authentic historic recreations. Ours stands 5.5 z 5.5 x 6.75 inches tall (handle up), weighing 10 oz., and is in great condition. xxxxxxxxxxx. Some call them sugar buckets, or wooden buckets with a lid, or a swing-handle wooden pail. No matter what you might call it, a firkin was an important item in Colonial and pioneer homes. It was a multipurpose kitchen storage container, and would have been used for the storage of foods such as sugar, flour or beans. Of course, the firkin buckets were the prime gather & carryall for new England Maple Syrup. The word firkin comes from the Dutch word “vierdikikijn,” which means “fourth.” A firkin was originally sized to be a fourth of a barrel. This unit of measurement was determined by the product that was being measured. If the weight of a barrel full of salt was 200 pounds, a firkin would hold a fourth of that amount of salt and would weigh about 50 pounds. As time passed and people realized the usefulness of these handy wooden buckets for their own personal storage, other sizes began to be made. The term “firkin” was no longer used as a measurement but as a name for the bucket. It became an essential part of daily living. A firkin was handmade by a cooper, or barrel maker, back in the 19th century. Very few firkins were homemade, as it was an exacting process. The staves had to fit together perfectly to make the firkin water- or bug-tight, and the wooden bands held the entire thing together. A firkin was often painted before being sold, but a housewife often repainted hers to brighten the kitchen. Many users labeled them to distinguish the contents. Wooden banded, painted and labeled firkins are eagerly collected.

XW - Excellent condition - very minor wear