A woman was left speechless when she was told the true significance of a bucket she found while clearing out her half-brother's possessions.
The bucket was used in paintings by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes, who was a painter and illustrator born in Liverpool in 1843.
The painting itself, 'An Alfresco Toilet' was painted circa. 1887-9 and is currently on display at the Lady Lever Art gallery in Port Sunlight Bebington.
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The bucket was found among Miranda's half-brother James' possessions after he died in 2018, and friend of his told Miranda about the significance of the object.
James’ mother, Janet Goscombe Fildes, was the daughter of Luke Val Fildes, who was the son of Sir Samuel Luke.
Miranda, who is a medical secretary in a cancer department, told the ECHO: "I t was sat on a shelf collecting dust, looking like an old coal bucket."
"We were amazed to find the bucket that was used in some of the paintings by Luke Fildes, and some other artefacts that belonged to him, at our brother’s house when my sister and myself visited after he sadly passed away."
She added: "I t was a friend of my brothers who suggested we should keep it and bring it back to the UK, giving us an indication as to its history."
On a return visit to Canada, a year after her half-brother's death, Miranda decided to bring Fildes bucket back to the UK as it was "the right thing to do", that is when she contacted the National Museums of Liverpool to tell them about the piece now in her possession.
Miranda said: "K nowing of its historical value and that it should be gifted to one of the Liverpool museums, there has always been close family connections with the city."
Alyson Pollard, head of the Lady Lever Art Gallery, said: "There are no current plans to display the bucket.
"Although we believe it was used as a prop in two other paintings and Luke Fildes obviously really liked it to have kept it.
"We really appreciate the donor sharing this piece of us history with us."
She added: "It will kept at the gallery and documented to preserve its story."
Miranda, 59, from Worcestershire, told the ECHO: " Luke Fildes was also a personal friend of Lord Leverhulme's it seemed appropriate for the bucket to be gifted to the gallery.
"As I understand the gallery does not usually accept gifts as the contents of the gallery are from Lord Leverhulme's private collection of art."
She added: "Sadly we have no information as to where the bucket originally came from, there are three paintings that I know if it has been painted 'Al Fresco Toilet' which is in Liverpool, 'Venetians' and 'Daughter of the Getto'."
For more information on the Lady Lever Art Gallery you can visit their website here
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