4916

Massachusetts, Mid-19th Century

HINGHAM MINIATURE FIRKIN, PROBABLY COTTON HERSEY

Painted green. Stamped "CH" on lid.
Height to rim 2.5". Base diameter 2.5".
Condition: Slight separation of staves. Minor wear to paint. UV light examination reveals some tiny spots of paint restoration, mostly to the sides of the lid.

The absence of a condition report does not imply an object is free of defects. All items may have normal signs of age and wear commensurate with their age; these issues will likely not be mentioned in the condition report. Please contact Eldred's before the auction with any condition questions. Questions about condition will not be answered after purchase. Condition reports are provided as a courtesy, and we are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Important note on frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses. If you have questions about the condition of a frame, please contact us prior to the auction. 

  • Provenance:
    The Collection of Bob & Nancy Skinner.

    Notes:
    Cotton Hersey (1792-1891) was a cooper and toy maker, following in the footsteps of his father, Reuben Hersey, one of the earliest commercial toy makers in America and one of the estimated 400 coopers who worked in Hingham, Massachusetts during its reign as "Bucket Town". From around the French and Indian Wars to the Industrial Revolution, the coastal town of Hingham was the leading center for the manufacturing of quality wooden buckets, boxes and other household goods, as well as wooden canteens used by the volunteer militia and the Continental Army, and miniature replicas and other toys for children.

    A similar example to this miniature firkin is part of the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and illustrated in Bucket Town: Woodenware and Wooden Toys of Hingham, Massachusetts 1635-1945 by Derin T. Bray.

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November 17, 2023 9:30 AM EST
East Dennis, MA, US

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