"The USS Constitution also known as Old Ironsides, is a three-masted wooden-hulled heavy frigate. She is the world's oldest commissioned naval warship still afloat and was launched in 1797. Joshua Humphreys designed the frigate and so Constitution and her sister ships were larger and more heavily armed and built than standard frigates of the period. Her first duties were to provide protection for American merchant shipping during the Quasi-War with France and to defeat the pirates in the First Barbary War. The Constitution is most noted for her actions during the War of 1812 against the United Kingdom, when she captured numerous merchant ships and defeated five British warships: HMS: Guerriere, Java, Pictou, Cyane, and Levant. The fight with the Guerriere earned her the nickname "Old Ironsides" and public adoration that has repeatedly saved her from scrapping. She continued to serve as flagship in the Mediterranean and African squadrons, and she circled the world in the 1840s. During the Civil War, she served as a training ship for the Naval Academy. The Constitution was built in an era when a ship's expected service life was 10 to 15 years. Secretary of the Navy made a routine order for surveys of ships in the reserve fleet, and commandant of the Charlestown Navy Yard Charles Morris estimated a repair cost of over $157,000 for Constitution about $3,000,000 today! On 14 September 1830, an article appeared which erroneously claimed that the Navy intended to scrap Constitution. Two days later, Oliver Wendell Holmes poem "Old Ironsides" was published in the same paper and later all over the country, igniting public indignation and inciting efforts to save "Old Ironsides" from the scrap yard. Secretary Branch approved the costs, and Constitution began a leisurely repair."

"Originally rated as a 44-gun frigate, USS Constitution typically carried around 54 guns. During the War of 1812, she mounted twenty-four 32-pound carronades on the spar deck, as well as a long 18-pound “chase” gun forward, and thirty 24-pound long guns on the gun deck."

The powder magazine aboard warships in the Age of Sail was usually below the waterline, and forward of the hold. This was typically a specially lined compartment, well-sheltered and as “fireproof” as possible. Boys and young teenagers called “powder monkeys” ran up and down the companionways, during battles, to bring cartridges up to the gun crews - these were bags of powder, first rammed into the barrels of the guns followed by cannon balls. A gunner’s mate started to prepare these “charges” as soon as a suspicious sail was sighted, and as soon as the order, “Beat to quarters!” was sounded. They were then placed in protective receptacles before being handed off to the "Powder Monkeys".

Offered here is one of those receptacles known as a "Pass Bucket". This example, actually from the USS Constitution, dates possibly as early as the War of 1812 but was catalogued into famous Light Collection of nautical items from Canandaigua NY as "about 1830".  It was originally purchased by Mrs. Light from the highly respected antique dealer McBurns probably in the 1940s (a portion of his original sales tag is extant). The bucket made from thick leather, is stiff and tarred. It has an excellent surface with no cracks. It measures 13-1/2 inches in height, with a diameter of 6-1/4 inches. A leather 1-1/4 carrying strap measures 47 inches in length. The original buckle that allowed for lengthening or shortening is missing. A leather lid sits atop the cylinder and is held in place by a brass rivetted handle. The leather strap runs through the lid. There are a couple of old glue repairs on the lid handle, but it remains intact and stable. The diameter of this bucket suggests it would carry all charges compatible with the caliber of all cannon on the USS Constitution;18, 24 and 32 pounds. Historic, Iconic and very rare. Used for decades on what might be considered the most famous ship warship ever launched.  A similar example with later applied folk art painting sold for $1760 in 1995, and it was not from Old Ironside! [pe] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!