Can you use a purdonium for storing wood logs?

You can, but you need to check the size. Most antique purdoniums were built for coal chunks, which are much smaller than cut logs. Small kindling works well. Just keep the metal liner in place to protect the wooden carcase from damp or rough bark.

How do I clean the brass fittings?

Start with a soft cloth to take off the surface dust. If the brass is tarnished, a standard metal polish applied sparingly will lift the grime. Take care not to rub the polish into the surrounding wood. It can leave a white residue in the grain that is hard to shift. Sometimes the brass is lacquered. If the lacquer is peeling, polish won't work evenly until the old coating is removed.

My grandmother gave me one of these that has a padded fabric top instead of a wooden one, so was it used as a seat?

Some late nineteenth-century examples were indeed designed as fireside seats. They have a padded and upholstered lid over the coal compartment. They're lower to the ground than a standard chair. The idea was to save space in smaller terraced houses by combining fuel storage with an extra stool. Check the hinges if you plan to sit on it. The joints bear a lot of weight and often need tightening after decades of use.

The metal bucket inside mine is missing, can I get a replacement made or does it ruin the point of the item?

Liners go missing all the time. They rust out from wet coal or get separated during house moves. A local sheet metal worker can fold a new liner from galvanised steel. It's a simple box shape with a slanted front, so the fabrication is straightforward. Without a liner, you can still use the antique purdonium for storing dry items like magazines. The lack of an inner bucket doesn't stop it functioning as a useful cabinet.

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Antique Purdoniums from the 19th Century

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An antique purdonium is a slope-fronted coal box containing a removable metal liner, designed to keep fireside fuel tidy and hidden away from the domestic carpet.