A bail handle, or simply bail, is a handle that consists of an open loop that moves freely within two fixed mounts or ''ears''. Several designs are available: bails are typically made of metal (wire) or plastic. It is a type of package handle which may be used for carrying an item, such as a

tin can A steel can, tin can, tin (especially in British English, Australian English, Canadian English and South African English), steel packaging, or can is a container for the distribution or storage of goods, made of thin metal. Many cans ...

bucket A bucket is typically a watertight, vertical cylinder or truncated cone or square, with an open top and a flat bottom, attached to a semicircular carrying handle called the ''bail''. A bucket is usually an open-top container. In contrast, a ...

; or

kettle A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a type of pot specialized for boiling water, commonly with a ''lid'', ''spout'', and ''handle'', or a small electric kitchen appliance of similar shape that functions in a self-contained ...

, or as a

drawer pull A drawer pull (wire pull or simply pull) is a handle to pull a drawer out of a chest of drawers, cabinet or other furniture piece. A drawer pull often includes a plate to which the handle is fastened. The handle may swing from one or two mou ...

. A bail handle can also be used to hang an item such as a pharmaceutical bottle potted plants, etc. A

flip-top A flip-top, swing-top, lightning toggle, or Quillfeldt stopper (after the inventor, Charles de Quillfeldt) is a type of closure frequently used for bottles containing carbonated beverages, such as beer or mineral water. The mouth of the bottle i ...

closure on a bottle or jar is sometimes called a ''bail closure''. Decorative bail handles appeared on pieces of French

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

furniture Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating ( tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks) ...

during the early 18th century. These handles on drawers were rounded and hinged onto an escutcheon plate and hung down in the shape of a half moon or arch. Due to being hinged, they were able to move up and down and they were usually elaborately decorated.

Examples

File:Balde.PNG, Plastic yellow pail or bucket File:Red Wing Pottery 2006 109 1.jpg, American stoneware jug File:Comes in a paint can size (1576631619).jpg, Paint can with bail handle File:Working old man carrying buckets.jpg, Pails with handles being reused File:Cyclophosphamide iv.jpg, Plastic handle (hanger) for glass IV bottle

References

Books

* Yam, K.L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, * Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, Cabinets (furniture) History of furniture Furniture Rococo art Packaging {{Furniture-stub