Mr. Shearer’s New Year’s Resolution

So I had this great idea of making a pick of the week for our upcoming auctions. Truth be told I had that idea over a year ago! I am making it my New Year’s resolution to implement my grand plan and make it come to fruition. I promise the idea won’t get stored with the treadmill, the food processor used to make healthy tofu and spinach shakes or the new alarm clock set for 5:00 AM so I could wake to do Yoga before the sun rises. My pick this week is from the collection of John Rexroad of Madison Connecticut. Mr. Rexroad’s collection is very diverse and spans many collecting fields so I had plenty of choices. My pick is lot #191, the painted fire bucket. The reason behind my pick is for one I love painted Americana. There is nothing like the individuality of early American history with someone’s personal touch and flare. I think a painted leather fire bucket is a must have for antique collectors. With a changing market, functionality and eye appeal have become much more important. How great does a fireplace look with a painted fire bucket hanging from a wrought iron hook. Even better still, imagine if your family name was Miller. The story you could weave about an early family patriarch saving the town by dousing a flame with this one red bucket!