Raffle Fire Bucket

Starting today and running until November 1st, 2010, there is a non-profit raffle being held at Heathsouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The prize for this raffle is the fire bucket (shown above) that I created especially for this fund raising event.

All of the proceeds will be going to support Rehab Vision, the hospital's charitable wing. All of the proceeds will be used to help those patients in great financial need.

Tickets are $10.00 (ten dollars) each. The drawing will be held at the hospital on November 6th, 2010. Deadline for ticket entry is Nov. 1st. Tickets can be purchased by mailing a check to;

Theresa O'Keefe c/o
Rehab Vision
Healthsouth Hospital
175 Lancaster Blvd.
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
(717) 691-3700 ex.5029

Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope so that you can receive your ticket. You may purchase as many tickets as you like but please remember to return each half of every ticket stub with your name and contact information back to the hospital so that if you do win you can be notified...entry deadline November 1st!

You may use your cancelled checks as a tax deduction as this is a non-profit organization charitable event.

The bucket shape is based upon the design of George Washington's fire buckets, the buckets he purchased in Philadelphia in 1790 for the first Presidential offices. The hand-painted folk-art eagle design is inspired from an original American fire bucket from the early 19th century. It is one of the finest fire buckets I have ever created. The motto upon the ribbon, "Pro Bono Publico" translates from Latin as, "For the Public Good". It is a very traditional verse found on early fire buckets and it holds as true today as then. The bucket is 13" tall to the rim and is an authentic recreation in every detail.

You are welcome to post questions in the comment section of this post.

My best,
Steven Lalioff

Miniature Fire Buckets

I have made fewer than a dozen of these over the years, they are almost as much effort as a full size bucket. There are historic examples of miniature fire buckets, but I am not certain as to their original use. In 2 original examples I have examined they were made with the same care and technique as were full scale fire buckets. Perhaps they were made as toys or as premiums from makers or insurance companies...or, maybe they were made just because they have a charming appeal, then as now.

Like the originals, mine are made from leather, hand-stitched, formed over a wooden mold and painted....and I use a very tiny brush!

Inaugural Eagle 2009

© Steven M. Lalioff 2010

I created this in honor of the American Presidential election of 2008. The bucket shape is based upon an 18th century fire bucket and the painting is inspired by one of the earliest known forms of American eagles, circa 1790's.

I very much enjoy the challenge of making an exact reproduction, but I enjoy even more creating new designs "appropriations" that are of my own. My goal is to make all of the elements logical to the period, as if it was the fire bucket that "could have been".

Every fire bucket that leaves my studio is carved or stamped indelibly on the bottom identifying it as a contemporary product of my studio. My best quality buckets are marked, "S. Lalioff" under my name is a round stamp with my initials "SL" followed by the year of creation in roman numerals. My more simple creations have just my initials followed by the round stamp and the current date in Arabic numerals.